vehicle

Abstract

By changing the seat layout in various ways, the interior of the vehicle can be diversified to be used as a private space. [Solution] The vehicle 1 comprises a first seat 31 having a first seat cushion 311 and a first seat back 312, a second seat 32 having a second seat cushion 321 and a second seat back 322 and positioned to the left of the first seat 31, and a lateral sliding device 33 that supports each of the first seat 31 and the second seat 32 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The first seat 31 has a first rotation mechanism 313 that allows the first seat back 312 to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and a lateral tumble mechanism 314 that allows the first seat cushion 311 to be flipped up to the left together with the first seat back 312 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and the second seat 32 has a second rotation mechanism 323 that allows the second seat back 322 to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a plurality of seats.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the usefulness of setting aside time for refreshment in daily life has been recognized. For example, by forming a private space in the passenger compartment of a vehicle, which is a commonly used means of transportation, one can refresh oneself by changing the mood or taking a short break therein.

[0003] In contrast, there is a known vehicle in which the seat mounted on the vehicle is fixed in a state of being flipped up to one side in the left-right direction to expand the luggage compartment and expand the usable space in the passenger compartment (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the seat is flipped up and fixed to the side wall of the vehicle in a folded state where the seat back is laid down on the seat cushion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1 above, although the free space in the passenger compartment becomes wider, the seats mounted on the vehicle are not effectively utilized, and there is room for improvement in using it as a private space.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the vehicle according to claim 1 comprises a first seat having a first seat cushion and a first seat back, a second seat having a second seat cushion and a second seat back and positioned on one side of the first seat in the left-right direction, and a lateral sliding device that supports each of the first seat and the second seat so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The first seat has a first rotation mechanism that allows the first seat back to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and a lateral tumble mechanism that allows the first seat cushion to be flipped up to one side in the left-right direction together with the first seat back about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and the second seat has a second rotation mechanism that allows the second seat back to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0007] According to the invention of claim 1, the seat layout can be easily changed to various configurations, and the floor of the vehicle, such as the passenger compartment or cabin, which is used as a private space can be diversified. For example, the first seat cushion and first seat back, which are flattened, can be tumbled horizontally to form the seat back, and the second seat cushion and second seat back, which are flattened, can be used as the seat cushion, making it easy to transform into a sideways bench-type seat layout.

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 1, the lateral tumble mechanism supports the first seat cushion on one side in the left-right direction of the first seat cushion, and the first seat further has a leg portion on the other side in the left-right direction of the first seat cushion that supports the first seat cushion when not tumbled and can be stored when tumbled.

[0009] According to the invention of claim 2, by configuring the legs that support the first seat cushion together with the lateral tumble mechanism when not tumbled to be retractable when tumbled, it is possible to prevent the legs from getting in the way when tumbled. For example, when moving the first seat in the tumbled state to the other side in the left-right direction (towards the interior part such as the door panel), the legs can be folded inward and stored, allowing the first seat to be moved to a position close to the interior part.

[0010] The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 2, it further comprises a fixing part that can fix the leg portion supporting the first seat cushion to the floor when not tumbling.

[0011] According to the invention of claim 3, the posture of the first sheet when not tumbled can be stabilized.

[0012] The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 1, the first rotation mechanism comprises a first cushion rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the first seat cushion and a first back rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the first seat back.

[0013] According to the invention of claim 4, since the first rotation mechanism has two rotation axes, a first cushion rotation axis and a first back rotation axis, which extend in the left-right direction, it becomes possible to fold the first seat back in contact with the first seat cushion, and for example, the upper surface of the folded first seat can be smoothed.

[0014] The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 1, a third seat is further provided behind the first seat and the second seat, and has a third seat cushion and a third seat back, wherein the third seat is a bench seat capable of seating two or more people.

[0015] According to the invention of claim 5, when the first seat cushion and first seat back are transformed into a sideways seat layout in which the second seat cushion and second seat back are used as seat cushions, these can be combined to form a seat layout that resembles a sofa in a roughly L-shape.

[0016] The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 5, the third seat is configured to be retractable into the floor.

[0017] According to the invention of claim 6, by storing the third seat inside the floor, the private space, including the cargo space, can be made larger even when there is a third seat.

[0018] The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 5, the upper ends of the first seat back and the second seat back are configured to be able to contact the front end of the third seat cushion when the first seat back and the second seat back are rotated backward so that they are in a substantially horizontal position.

[0019] According to the invention of claim 7, when the first seat back and the second seat back are rotated backward to a substantially horizontal position, the gap between the first and second seat backs and the third seat cushion can be reduced, thereby reducing any discomfort that may occur between the first and second seats and the third seat.

[0020] The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that, in the vehicle described in claim 1, a private room space including the second seat is formed by sandwiching the second seat between a first seat that is tumbled on the other side of the second seat in the left-right direction and an interior part that is erected on one side of the second seat in the left-right direction.

[0021] According to the invention according to claim 8, by moving the first sheet that is horizontally tumbled so as to sandwich the second sheet between the interior parts toward the second sheet side, it becomes possible to make the second sheet less visible. For example, when taking a rest on the second sheet with the second sheet back rotated rearward so as to be in a substantially horizontal state, it becomes less visible from others, so that it is possible to take a rest or the like in a relaxed state.

[0022] The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that, in the vehicle according to claim 1, it further includes a vertical slide device that supports each of the first sheet and the second sheet so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

[0023] According to the invention according to claim 9, by providing the vertical slide device, it is possible to further diversify the seat layout.

[0024] The invention according to claim 10 is characterized in that, in the vehicle according to claim 1, the second rotation mechanism includes a second cushion rotation shaft extending in the left-right direction at the rear end portion of the second seat cushion and a second back rotation shaft extending in the left-right direction at the lower end portion of the second seat back.

[0025] According to the invention according to claim 10, since the second rotation mechanism has two rotation shafts, namely the second cushion rotation shaft and the second back rotation shaft, which extend in the left-right direction, it becomes possible to adopt a folded mode in which the second seat back is brought into contact with the second seat cushion. For example, it is possible to smooth the upper surface of the folded second sheet.

Effects of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, the seat layout can be easily changed into various modes, and it is possible to easily diversify the floor in a passenger compartment, a cabin, or the like that is used as a private space.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] A plan view showing the layout configuration of seats mounted on a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the first sheet according to this embodiment. [Figure 3A] Right side view of the first seat in a seated position. [Figure 3B] Right side view of the first sheet, tumbled horizontally. [Figure 4A] Deconstructed perspective view of the first seat cushion. [Figure 4B] Cross-sectional view of the first seat cushion, section IV-IV. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the second sheet according to this embodiment. [Figure 6A] Right side view of the second seat in a seated position. [Figure 6B] Right side view of the second sheet after it has been tumbled. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the seat layout in L-shaped sofa mode. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the seat layout in user-enclosed mode. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the seat layout in bicycle transport mode. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information suggestion system equipped with an in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A block diagram showing the main components of an in-vehicle device. [Figure 12A] A front view showing the speaker arrangement. [Figure 12B] A side view showing the speaker arrangement. [Figure 13] A block diagram showing the main components of the controller. [Figure 14] A block diagram showing the main components of the server. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle having at least two seats arranged in the left-right direction, and can be applied to various vehicles such as aircraft, ships, trains, or automobiles. In the following, as an example of such vehicles, an example of application to an automobile (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle") having a second seat and a third seat in addition to a driver's seat and a passenger seat will be described.

[0029] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of seats mounted in a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are defined as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part of the vehicle 1 will be described according to these definitions. Although not shown in Figure 1, the directions perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction shown in Figure 1 correspond to the up-down direction of the vehicle 1.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, Vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled vehicle having four wheels 11 on the front, rear, left, and right sides, and includes a front seat 2 where the driver sits, a second seat 3 located behind the front seat 2, and a third seat 4 located behind the second seat 3. In addition to manual driving in which the driver operates the steering wheel 12 etc., Vehicle 1 includes vehicles with an autonomous driving function that allows for automatic driving, and in addition to vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, Vehicle 1 also includes electric vehicles powered by an electric motor, hybrid vehicles powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, etc.

[0031] The front seats 2 consist of a driver's seat 21 positioned on the right side facing the steering wheel 12, and a passenger seat 22 positioned on the left side. Each of the driver's seat 21 and passenger seat 22 has a seat cushion 23 that supports the occupant's thighs and buttocks, a seat back 24 that supports the occupant's waist and back, and a headrest 25 that supports the occupant's head, and is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction by a vertical sliding device 26.

[0032] The seat cushion 23 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, allowing an occupant to sit on it. The seat back 24 rises from the rear end of the seat cushion 23 and has a substantially rectangular shape in front view, allowing an occupant seated on the seat cushion 23 to lean against it, and is reclined and connected to the seat cushion 23. Although not shown in the figures, each of the seat cushion 23 and the seat back 24 has a seat frame that has a substantially rectangular frame shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member supported by the seat frame, and is formed by arranging pad members made of urethane foam or the like around them and covering them with a surface material.

[0033] The headrest 25 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 24 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, capable of supporting the back of the head of an occupant leaning against the seat back 24. It is configured to be height-adjustable relative to the seat back 24. Although not shown in the figures, the headrest 25 has a support frame supported by the seat back 24, and is formed by arranging a pad member made of urethane foam or the like around it and covering it with a surface material.

[0034] The vertical sliding device 26 includes a pair of left and right lower rails 26a extending in the front-rear direction on the floor 10 of the vehicle 1, and a pair of left and right upper rails (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction on the underside of the seat cushion 23 and slidable on the pair of left and right lower rails 26a, and is configured so that the driver's seat 21 and passenger seat 22 can be fixed in any position by stoppers (not shown).

[0035] The second seat 3 comprises a first seat 31 positioned on the right side (the other side in the left-right direction), a second seat 32 positioned on the left side (the other side in the left-right direction), and a lateral sliding device 33 that supports the first and second seats 31 and 32 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The first seat 31 and the second seat 32 are configured to be driven independently of each other, enabling various seat layouts. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0036] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the first seat 31 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the first seat 31 includes a first seat cushion 311 that supports the occupant's thighs and buttocks, a first seat back 312 that supports the occupant's waist and back, a first rotation mechanism 313 that supports the first seat back 312 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, a lateral tumble mechanism 314 provided on the left side of the first seat cushion 311 that supports the first seat cushion 311 so as to be flipped up to the left, a leg portion 315 provided on the right side of the first seat cushion 311 that supports the first seat cushion 311 when not tumbled, an air ventilation device 34 that circulates air to prevent stuffiness on the seat surface of the seated occupant, and a vibration device 35 that applies vibration to the seated occupant.

[0037] The first seat cushion 311 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view on which an occupant can sit, with the seating surface formed in a substantially flat shape. By forming the seating surface in a substantially flat shape, for example, when the first seat 31 is tumbled laterally to become the seat back in the L-shaped sofa mode described later, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the occupant sitting on the L-shaped sofa.

[0038] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the first seat cushion 311 has a cushion frame 311a that forms the framework and has a roughly rectangular frame shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member 311b is arranged inside the cushion frame 311a. The pressure-receiving member 311b is supported by the cushion frame 311a, and a cushion pad 311c made of urethane foam or the like is provided around the cushion frame 311a including the pressure-receiving member 311b. The cushion pad 311c forms the outer shape of the first seat cushion 311, and the first seat cushion 311 is formed by covering these with a surface material 311d.

[0039] The first seat cushion 311 is also provided with an air ventilation device 34 and a vibration device 35. The air ventilation device 34 and vibration device 35 provided on the first seat cushion 311 will be described later.

[0040] The first seat back 312 rises from the rear end of the first seat cushion 311 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, allowing an occupant seated on the first seat cushion 311 to lean against it, with the back surface that the occupant leans against being roughly flat. Similar to the first seat cushion 311, forming the back surface of the first seat back 312 as roughly flat reduces discomfort for occupants seated on the L-shaped sofa when the first seat 31 is tumbled laterally to become a seat back in L-shaped sofa mode.

[0041] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the first seat back 312 has a back frame 312a that forms the skeleton and has a substantially rectangular frame shape overall. The lower end of the back frame 312a is connected to the rear end of the cushion frame 311a via a first rotation mechanism 313 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. A pressure-receiving member 312b supported by the back frame 312a is arranged inside the back frame 312a, and a back pad 312c made of urethane foam or the like is provided around the back frame 312a including the pressure-receiving member 312b. The back pad 312c constitutes the outer shape of the first seat back 312, and the first seat back 312 is formed by covering these with a surface material 312d.

[0042] In addition, similar to the first seat cushion 311, the first seat back 312 can also be equipped with an air ventilation device 34 and a vibration device 35. By equipping the first seat back 312 with an air ventilation device 34 and a vibration device 35, it is possible to suppress stuffiness on the occupant's back and to provide vibration to the occupant's back.

[0043] Furthermore, the vertical length of the first seat back 312 in the seated position is such that it can contact the front end of the third seat cushion of the third seat 4 in the flat position. When the rear end of the first seat back 312 in the flat position (the upper end in the seated position) contacts the front end of the seat back of the third seat 4, there is no gap between the first seat 31 and the third seat cushion 41 of the third seat 4 when they are in the flat position, which reduces any discomfort when using the first seat 31 and the third seat 4 in a continuous configuration.

[0044] The first rotation mechanism 313 includes a first cushion rotation shaft 313a extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the first seat cushion 311, a first back rotation shaft 313b extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the first seat back 312, and a pair of left and right first rotation support parts 313c that rotatably support the first cushion rotation shaft 313a and the first back rotation shaft 313b.

[0045] The first cushion pivot shaft 313a rotatably connects the cushion frame 311a to each of the left and right first pivot support parts 313c. The first back pivot shaft 313b rotatably connects the back frame 312a to each of the left and right first pivot support parts 313c. Each of the left and right first pivot support parts 313c is provided on the left and right outer sides of the cushion frame 311a and back frame 312a, and rotatably supports the first cushion pivot shaft 313a and the first back pivot shaft 313b, respectively.

[0046] The first seat 31 can be positioned in a flat position by rotating the first seat back 312 backward around the first cushion pivot axis 313a, so that the seating surface (upper surface in a seated position) 311e of the first seat cushion 311 and the back surface (front surface in a seated position) 312e of the first seat back 312 are on the same plane. The first seat 31 can also be positioned in a folded position by rotating the first seat back 312 forward around the first back pivot axis 313b, so that the seating surface 311e of the first seat cushion 311 and the back surface 312e of the first seat back 312 are in contact.

[0047] Figure 3A is a right side view of the first seat 31 in a seated position, and Figure 3B is a right side view showing the first seat in a flat position tumbled laterally. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the lateral tumble mechanism 314 includes a support plate 314a extending in the front-rear direction and supported by a lateral sliding device 33, a pair of front and rear upward extensions 314b extending upward from the support plate 314a, a tumble shaft 314c extending in the front-rear direction and rotatably supported by each of the pair of front and rear upward extensions 314b, and a pair of front and rear downward extensions 314d extending downward from the first seat cushion 311 to which the tumble shaft 314c is fixed.

[0048] The support plate 314a is supported by the first upper rail 33b of the lateral sliding device 33, which will be described later, and is configured to be fixable at any position in the left-right direction via the first upper rail 33b. Each of the pair of front and rear upward extensions 314b rotatably supports the tumble shaft 314c. For example, a gear train (not shown) or a drive motor (not shown) that rotates the tumble shaft 314c is attached to the upward extension 314b. The tumble shaft 314c is rotated by the drive motor via the gear train, thereby enabling the first seat 31 to tumble laterally in, for example, a flat position or a folded position. At this time, the amount of lateral tumble (lateral tumble angle) can also be adjusted by adjusting the amount of rotation of the tumble shaft by the drive motor. The pair of front and rear downward extensions 314d are provided integrally with the tumble shaft 314c and rotate together with the tumble shaft 314c.

[0049] The leg portion 315 is provided in the shape of a rectangular plate and is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. For example, the leg portion 315 is attached to the lower surface of the first seat cushion 311 via a hinge having a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction, and is configured to be fixed in both the upright position supporting the first seat cushion 311 and the folded position where it is stored on the lower surface of the first seat cushion 311, about the rotation axis of the hinge.

[0050] Figure 4A is an exploded perspective view of the first seat cushion 311, and Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the first seat cushion 311 taken along line IV-IV. In Figures 4A and 4B, the first seat cushion 311 is shown with the surface material 311d removed, i.e., with the cushion pad 311c exposed.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4A, the cushion pad 311c of the first seat cushion 311 has a pad body 311c1 having a concave portion 311c3 with an inwardly cut-out upper surface, and a pad cover portion 311c2 formed to fit into the concave portion 311c3. The air ventilation device 34 and the vibration device 35 are provided on the pad body 311c1 of the first seat cushion 311 and, via the pad cover portion 311c2, blow air toward the occupant or apply vibration to the occupant.

[0052] The air ventilation device 34 is configured to include a fan 341 that generates the air to be sent out, a flow passage 342 through which the air generated by the fan 341 circulates, and a plurality of ejection holes 343 that eject the air circulating through the flow passage 342 toward the occupants.

[0053] The fan 341 is positioned on the back surface of the first seat cushion 311 (for example, on the inside of the surface material 311d). By positioning the fan 341 on the back surface of the first seat cushion 311, maintenance such as replacement and repair of the fan 341 becomes easier.

[0054] The flow passage 342 includes a first flow passage 342a that penetrates the first seat cushion 311 in the vertical direction, a pair of left and right second flow passages 342b that communicate with the downstream end of the first flow passage 342a and extend from this downstream end in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right third flow passages 342c that communicate with the respective downstream ends of the left and right pair of second flow passages 342b and extend from these downstream ends in the front-rear direction.

[0055] The first air passage 342a is located approximately in the center of the first seat cushion 311 in the left-right direction and circulates the air generated by the fan 341 upward. Each of the pair of second air passages 342b is provided branching out from the downstream end of the first air passage 342a in the left-right direction and circulates the air flowing through the first air passage 342a to the left and right. Each of the pair of third air passages 342c is provided extending forward from the downstream ends of each of the pair of second air passages 342b so as to follow the thighs of the occupant seated on the first seat 31.

[0056] Furthermore, a mounting section 351 for the vibration device 35 is provided approximately in the center of each of the left and right third flow passages 342c in the front-rear direction. Each of the left and right third flow passages 342c is provided so as to bypass the mounting section 351, and by arranging each of the left and right third flow passages 342c and the mounting section 351 in this manner, it becomes easy for each of the left and right third flow passages 342c and the vibration device 35 located in the mounting section 351 to coexist.

[0057] Each of the multiple ejection holes 343 is positioned above the left and right third flow passages 342c, along each of the left and right third flow passages 342c. The shape of each of the multiple ejection holes 343 is not particularly limited, and in this embodiment, in addition to a rectangular shape, a curved shape provided above the bypass portion is also included.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4B, the vibration device 35 comprises a vibration device body 35a and a connection part 35b that connects the vibration device body 35a to a control device, power supply, etc. The vibration device body 35a is provided in a placement part 351 that is provided so as not to overlap with the third flow passage 342c, and applies vibration to the occupant seated on the first seat cushion 311 via the pad cover part 311c2. The connection part 35b is provided penetrating the placement part 351 in the vertical direction, and is positioned, for example, along the lower surface of the first seat cushion 311.

[0059] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the second seat 32 of the second seat 3. As shown in Figure 5, the second seat 32 includes a second seat cushion 321 that supports the occupant's thighs and buttocks, a second seat back 322 that supports the occupant's waist and back, a second rotation mechanism 323 that supports the second seat back 322 so that it can rotate in the front-rear direction, a front tumble mechanism 324 provided in front of the second seat cushion 321 that supports the second seat cushion 321 so that it can be flipped forward, and a leg portion 325 provided behind the second seat cushion 321 that supports the second seat cushion 321 when it is not tumbled.

[0060] The second seat cushion 321, like the first seat cushion 311, extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view on which an occupant can sit, with a substantially flat seating surface. By forming the seating surface substantially flat, for example, when the second seat 32 is placed in a flat position and used as a seat cushion in the L-shaped sofa mode described later, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by occupants sitting on the L-shaped sofa.

[0061] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the second seat cushion 321 has a cushion frame 321a that forms the framework and has a roughly rectangular frame shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member 321b is arranged inside the cushion frame 321a. The pressure-receiving member 321b is supported by the cushion frame 321a, and a cushion pad 321c made of urethane foam or the like is arranged around the cushion frame 321a including the pressure-receiving member 321b. The cushion pad 321c forms the outer shape of the second seat cushion 321, and the second seat cushion 321 is formed by covering these with a surface material 321d.

[0062] The second seat cushion 321 is also equipped with the same air ventilation device 34 and vibration device 35 as the first seat cushion 311. The air ventilation device 34 and vibration device 35 provided on the second seat cushion 321 have the same configuration as those provided on the first seat cushion 311, so their explanation is omitted here. By providing the air ventilation device 34 and vibration device 35 on the second seat cushion 321, it is possible to suppress stuffiness in the occupant's thighs and buttocks, and to provide vibration notification to the occupant's legs.

[0063] The second seat back 322 rises from the rear end of the second seat cushion 321 and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, allowing an occupant seated on the second seat cushion 321 to lean against it, with the back surface that the occupant leans against being roughly flat. Similar to the second seat cushion 321, by making the back surface of the second seat back 322 roughly flat, it is possible to reduce discomfort for occupants seated on the L-shaped sofa when the second seat 32 is in a flat position and used as a seat cushion in L-shaped sofa mode.

[0064] Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the second seat back 322 has a back frame 322a that forms the skeleton and has a roughly rectangular frame shape overall. The lower end of the back frame 322a is connected to the rear end of the cushion frame 321a via a second rotation mechanism 323 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. A pressure-receiving member 322b supported by the back frame 322a is arranged inside the back frame 322a, and a back pad 322c made of urethane foam or the like is arranged around the back frame 322a including the pressure-receiving member 322b. The back pad 322c forms the outer shape of the second seat back 322, and the second seat back 322 is formed by covering these with a surface material 322d.

[0065] In addition, similar to the second seat cushion 321, the second seat back 322 can also be equipped with an air ventilation device 34 and a vibration device 35. By equipping the second seat back 322 with an air ventilation device 34 and a vibration device 35, it is possible to suppress stuffiness on the occupant's back and to provide vibration to the occupant's back.

[0066] Furthermore, the vertical length of the second seatback 322 in the seated position is such that it can contact the front end of the seat cushion of the third seat 4 in the flat position. When the rear end of the second seatback 322 in the flat position (the upper end in the seated position) contacts the front end of the seatback of the third seat 4, there is no gap between the second seat 32 and the seat cushion of the third seat 4 when they are in the flat position, which reduces any discomfort when using the second seat 32 and the third seat 4 in a continuous configuration.

[0067] The second rotation mechanism 323 includes a second cushion rotation shaft 323a extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the second seat cushion 321, a second back rotation shaft 323b extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the second seat back, and a pair of left and right second rotation support parts 323c that rotatably support the second cushion rotation shaft and the second back rotation shaft.

[0068] The second cushion pivot shaft 323a rotatably connects the cushion frame 321a to each of the left and right second pivot support parts 323c. The second back pivot shaft 323b rotatably connects the back frame 322a to each of the left and right second pivot support parts 323c. Each of the left and right second pivot support parts 323c is provided on the left and right outer sides of the cushion frame 321a and back frame 322a, and rotatably supports the second cushion pivot shaft 323a and the second back pivot shaft 323b, respectively.

[0069] The second seat 32 can be positioned in a flat position by rotating the second seat back 322 backward around the second cushion pivot axis 323a, thereby aligning the seating surface (upper surface in a seated position) 321e of the second seat cushion 321 and the back surface (upper surface in a seated position) 322e of the second seat back 322 on the same plane. The second seat 32 can also be positioned in a folded position by rotating the second seat back 322 forward around the second back pivot axis 323b, thereby aligning the seating surface 321e of the second seat cushion 321 and the back surface 322e of the second seat back 322.

[0070] Figure 6A is a right side view of the second seat 32 in a seated position, and Figure 6B is a right side view showing the second seat 32 in a folded position when tumbled forward. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the forward tumble mechanism 324 includes a support plate 324a supported by a lateral sliding device 33, a pair of left and right upward extensions 324b extending upward from the support plate 324a, a tumble shaft 324c extending in the left-right direction and rotatably supported by each of the left and right upward extensions 324b, and a pair of left and right downward extensions 324d extending downward from the second seat cushion 321 to which the tumble shaft 324c is fixed.

[0071] The support plate 324a is supported by the first upper rail 33b of the lateral sliding device 33, which will be described later, and is configured to be fixable at any position in the left-right direction via the first upper rail 33b. Each of the pair of left and right upward extensions 324b rotatably supports the tumble shaft 324c. For example, a gear train (not shown) or a drive motor (not shown) that rotates the tumble shaft 324c is attached to the upward extension 324b. The tumble shaft 324c is rotated by the drive motor via the gear train, thereby enabling, for example, the second seat 32 in the folded position to tumble forward. The pair of left and right downward extensions 324d are provided integrally with the tumble shaft 324c and rotate together with the tumble shaft 324c.

[0072] The leg portion 325 is provided in the shape of a rectangular plate and is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction. For example, the leg portion 325 is attached to the lower surface of the second seat cushion 321 via a hinge having a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction, and is configured to be fixed in both the upright position supporting the second seat cushion 321 and the folded position where it is stored on the lower surface of the second seat cushion 321, about the rotation axis of the hinge.

[0073] The lateral sliding device 33 includes a pair of left and right lower rails 33a extending in the left-right direction on the floor 10 of the vehicle 1, a pair of left and right first upper rails 33b extending in the left-right direction below the first seat 31 and slidable on the pair of left and right lower rails 33a, and a pair of left and right second upper rails 33c extending in the left-right direction below the second seat 32 and slidable on the pair of left and right lower rails 33a. The lateral sliding device 33 is configured so that the first seat 31 and the second seat 32 can each be fixed in any position by stoppers (not shown).

[0074] As shown in Figure 1, unlike the front seats 2 and the second seats 3, the third seat 4 is a single, undivided bench seat. The third seat 4 includes a third seat cushion 41 that supports the occupant's thighs and buttocks, a third seat back 42 that supports the occupant's waist and back, a third rotation mechanism 43 that supports the third seat back 42 so that it can rotate in the front-rear direction, and a storage mechanism (not shown) that allows the third seat 4 to be stored in the floor 10 of the vehicle 1.

[0075] The third seat cushion 41 extends in a substantially horizontal direction and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, allowing two or more occupants to sit on it. The third seat back 42 rises from the rear end of the third seat cushion 41 and has a substantially rectangular shape in front view, allowing two or more occupants seated on the third seat cushion 41 to lean against it. Although not shown in the figures, the third seat cushion 41 and the third seat back 42 each have a seat frame that is substantially rectangular in shape overall, and a pressure-receiving member supported by the seat frame, and are formed by arranging pad members made of urethane foam or the like around them and covering them with a surface material.

[0076] The third rotation mechanism 43 includes a third rotation shaft 431 extending in the left-right direction at the lower end of the third seat back 42, and a pair of left and right third rotation support parts 432 that connect the third seat cushion 41 and the third seat back 42 at the rear end of the third seat cushion 41.

[0077] The third pivot shaft 431 is rotatably supported on the third seat back 42. A pair of left and right third pivot support parts 432 are attached to both sides of the third seat cushion 41 in the left-right direction and rotatably support both ends of the third pivot shaft 431. In other words, the pair of left and right third pivot support parts 432 connect the third seat cushion 41 and the third seat back 42 via the third pivot shaft 431.

[0078] The third seat 4 can be folded into a position where the seat surface 411 of the third seat cushion 41 and the back surface 421 of the third seat back 42 come into contact by rotating the third seat back 42 forward around the third pivot axis 431.

[0079] The storage mechanism (not shown) is configured to allow the folded third seat 4 to be stored inside the floor 10 of the vehicle 1. By storing the folded third seat 4 inside the floor 10 of the vehicle 1 via the storage mechanism, the back surface (the surface opposite to the back surface 421) 422 of the third seat back 42 of the third seat 4 and the floor 10 of the vehicle 1 are positioned on approximately the same plane, thereby expanding the cargo space of the vehicle 1.

[0080] As described above, the vehicle 1 can be configured in various ways by combining the first seat 31, the second seat 32, the lateral sliding device 33, and the third seat 4. An example of a seat layout for vehicle 1 using these components will be described below.

[0081] Figure 7 shows the seat layout in L-shaped sofa mode. As shown in Figure 7, the first seat 31, which is in a flat position, is tumbled laterally and moved to the right side via the lateral sliding device 33, while the second seat 32, which is in a flat position, is moved to the right side via the lateral sliding device 33 and brought into contact with the first seat 31. This makes it possible to configure a left-facing bench seat located on the right side.

[0082] In this configuration, the rear ends of the first and second seats 31 and 32, when in a flat position, come into contact with the front end of the third seat cushion 41 of the third seat 4, thus creating a continuous structure between the first and second seats 31 and 32 and the third seat 4. This allows for the construction of an L-shaped sofa using the first seat 31, the second seat 32, and the third seat 4. Furthermore, by adjusting the amount of lateral tumble of the first seat 31 in a flat position, both the left-facing bench seat and the L-shaped sofa can be given a reclining function.

[0083] Furthermore, an armrest can be provided on one of the first and second seats 31, 32, and this can be used as an armrest for a left-facing bench seat or an L-shaped sofa. For example, by raising the armrest provided on the right side of the second seat 32, which constitutes the seat cushion, and tilting it to the left, it can be made into an armrest positioned approximately in the center of the second seat in a flat position.

[0084] Figure 8 shows the seat layout in user-enclosed mode. As shown in Figure 8, the second seat 32, which is in a flat position, is moved to the left via the lateral sliding device 33 and brought into contact with the left interior part of the vehicle 1. At the same time, the first seat 31, which is in a flat position, is tumbled laterally and moved to the left via the lateral sliding device 33 and brought into contact with the second seat 32. This makes it possible to create a private space enclosed by the left interior part of the vehicle 1 and the first seat 31.

[0085] In this case, even when resting by lying down on the second seat 32, the interior part on the left side of the vehicle 1 (left wall) and the first seat 31 prevent the passenger from rolling off the second seat 32, and the view from the outside is blocked, so the passenger can rest with peace of mind.

[0086] Figure 9 shows the seat layout in bicycle transport mode. As shown in Figure 9, the first seat 31, which is in a folded position, is tumbled laterally and moved to the right via the lateral sliding device 33, while the second seat 32, which is in a folded position, is moved to the right via the lateral sliding device 33 and brought into contact with the first seat 31. In addition, the third seat 4, which is in a folded position, is stored in the floor 10 of the vehicle 1 via the storage mechanism. As a result, in addition to the cargo space above the third seat 4 stored in the floor 10, a cargo space is also secured to the left of the second seat 32, so that a roughly L-shaped cargo space can be formed. For example, a bicycle can be loaded into such a cargo space.

[0087] This embodiment can provide the following effects and advantages. (1) The vehicle 1 comprises a first seat 31 having a first seat cushion 311 and a first seat back 312, a second seat 32 having a second seat cushion 321 and a second seat back 322 and positioned to the left of the first seat 31, and a lateral sliding device 33 that supports each of the first seat 31 and the second seat 32 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. The first seat 31 has a first rotation mechanism 313 that allows the first seat back 312 to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and a lateral tumble mechanism 314 that allows the first seat cushion 311 to be flipped up to the left together with the first seat back 312 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and the second seat 32 has a second rotation mechanism 323 that allows the second seat back 322 to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

[0088] This configuration allows for easy modification of the seat layout in the vehicle 1 to various configurations, thereby diversifying the use of the vehicle 1's floor space as a private area. For example, by tumbling the first seat cushion 311 and first seat back 312, which are in a flat position, to form a seat back, and by using the second seat cushion 321 and second seat back 322, which are in a flat position, as seat cushions, and arranging them to the right, the layout can be transformed into a sideways bench-type seat layout. Furthermore, by arranging this to the left, a private space can be formed where both sides are enclosed on the left and right sides by the first seat 31 and the left-side interior section (left wall) of the vehicle 1.

[0089] (2) The lateral tumble mechanism 314 supports the first seat cushion 311 on its left side, and the first seat 31 further has a leg portion 315 on its right side that supports the first seat cushion 311 when not tumbled and can be stored when laterally tumbled. With this configuration, the leg portion 315 that supports the first seat cushion 311 together with the lateral tumble mechanism 314 when not tumbled can be stored when laterally tumbled, thereby preventing the leg portion 315 from getting in the way when laterally tumbled. For example, when moving the first seat 31 in the lateral tumble state to the right side (towards the interior part such as the door panel), the leg portion 315 can be folded inward and stored, allowing the first seat 31 to be moved to a position close to the interior part.

[0090] (3) The vehicle 1 further includes fixing parts that can fix the leg portion 315 that supports the first seat cushion 311 when not tumbled to the floor 10. This configuration makes it possible to stabilize the posture of the first seat 31 when not tumbled.

[0091] (4) The first rotation mechanism 313 includes a first cushion rotation axis 313a extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the first seat cushion 311, and a first back rotation axis 313b extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the first seat back 312. With this configuration, the first seat 31 can be positioned in a flat position with the seating surface 311e of the first seat cushion 311 and the back surface 312e of the first seat back 312 on the same plane, or in a folded position with the seating surface 311e of the first seat cushion 311 and the back surface 312e of the first seat back 312 in contact.

[0092] (5) The vehicle 1 further includes a third seat 4 located behind the first seat 31 and the second seat 32, each having a third seat cushion 41 and a third seat back 42, and the third seat 4 is a bench seat capable of seating two or more people. With this configuration, when the first seat cushion 311 and the first seat back 312 are used as seat backs and the second seat cushion 321 and the second seat back 322 are used as seat cushions, the seat layout can be combined with these to form an L-shaped sofa seat layout.

[0093] (6) The third seat 4 is configured to be stowable inside the floor 10. This configuration allows for a larger private space, including the cargo area, even when the third seat 4 is present. For example, by moving the second seat 3 to the far right using the lateral sliding device 33, long items such as bicycles can be loaded into the cargo area.

[0094] (7) The upper ends of the first seat back 312 and the second seat back 322 are configured to be able to contact the front end of the third seat cushion 41 when the seats are in a flat position. This configuration reduces the gap between the first seat back 312 and the second seat back 322 and the third seat cushion 41 when the seats are in a flat position, thereby reducing discomfort for the seated occupants even when the first and second seats 31 and 32 are in a flat position or as an L-shaped sofa.

[0095] (8) The first seat 31, which is tumbled horizontally to the right of the second seat 32, and the interior part, which is erected to the left of the second seat 32, sandwich the second seat 32 to form a private space including the second seat 32. With this configuration, by moving the second seat 32 to the left and moving the first seat 31, which is tumbled horizontally, the second seat 32 is sandwiched between the interior part and the first seat 31, making it difficult to see the second seat 32. For example, when taking a break in the second seat 32 in a flat position, it becomes difficult to see from others, so one can take a break in a relaxed state.

[0096] (9) The second rotation mechanism 323 includes a second cushion rotation axis 323a extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the second seat cushion 321, and a second back rotation axis 323b extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the second seat back 322. With this configuration, the second seat 32 can be positioned in a flat position with the seating surface 321e of the second seat cushion 321 and the back surface 322e of the second seat back 322 on the same plane, or in a folded position with the seating surface 321e of the second seat cushion 321 and the back surface 322e of the second seat back 322 in contact with each other.

[0097] The above embodiments can be modified into various forms. For example, although a vehicle (automobile) was used as an example of a vehicle in the above embodiments, it can also be applied to other vehicles, such as aircraft, ships, or trains having at least two seats arranged in the left-right direction.

[0098] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a three-row seat vehicle having front seats, second seats, and third seats, it can also be applied to other vehicles, such as two-row seat vehicles having front seats and second seats, or multi-row seat vehicles such as buses.

[0099] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described using a second seat 3 having a horizontal sliding device 33, the second seat 3 may also have a vertical sliding device in addition to the horizontal sliding device 33. By providing a vertical sliding device, the seat layout can be made more diverse.

[0100] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a configuration in which the second seat 3 can be transformed into a sideways bench-type seat layout, for example, if the vehicle 1 is an autonomous vehicle, the front seat 2 may be configured to be transformable into a sideways bench-type seat layout. In this case, the configuration may also be such that the second seat 3 and the front seat 2 form an L-shaped sofa.

[0101] [Information storage devices and information provision systems] When a user is moved by a landscape during their travels, and that location is a random spot different from their destination, they may register that location in the vehicle's navigation system or in a map application on their smartphone. In this case, they may also register information such as the degree of their emotional impact. However, registering such information while driving is difficult, especially if such a landscape appears unexpectedly.

[0102] Therefore, the information storage device according to this embodiment detects a predetermined action or emotion performed by a user while moving in a mobile device, and stores the predetermined action or emotion in association with the location information at the time the predetermined action or emotion was detected. This makes it easy to store information about places encountered unexpectedly while moving in a mobile device. Furthermore, the information suggestion system equipped with the information storage device suggests places similar to those stored in the information storage device to the user. This makes it possible to suggest places that match the user's preferences to the user.

[0103] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 14. The information storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention is an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, which stores information about places unexpectedly encountered while traveling in the vehicle, based on predetermined actions or emotions by the user. Furthermore, the information provision system according to this embodiment is a destination suggestion system that proposes a destination to a user traveling in a vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned in-vehicle device, which searches for a place similar to a place stored in the in-vehicle device and proposes it to the user. The destination suggestion system equipped with the in-vehicle device according to this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0104] Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration of a destination suggestion system 100 equipped with an in-vehicle device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 10, the destination suggestion system 100 is configured to include an in-vehicle device 200 mounted on a vehicle 201 driven by a user, and a server 500 that can wirelessly communicate with the in-vehicle device 200 via a communication network 301.

[0105] Vehicle 201 includes vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities in addition to those with manual driving operated by a driver, and in-vehicle equipment 200 includes not only in-vehicle equipment that is standard equipment on vehicle 201, but also optional equipment such as drive recorders and aftermarket products. Furthermore, communication network 301 includes not only public wireless communication networks such as the Internet and mobile phone networks, but also closed communication networks established for each designated management area, such as wireless LAN and Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and server 500 includes cloud servers that utilize virtual server functionality on the cloud.

[0106] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the main components of the in-vehicle device 200. As shown in Figure 11, the in-vehicle device 200 includes a controller 210, an input / output device 220 electrically connected to the controller 210, a first camera (facial expression imaging unit) 230, a second camera (landscape imaging unit) 240, an electroencephalogram sensor (electroencephalogram measurement unit) 250, a positioning sensor 260, a navigation device 270, and a communication unit 280.

[0107] The input / output device 220 is a general term for devices that receive commands from a user riding in the vehicle 201 and output information to the user. The input / output device 220 includes a first input unit 221 into which the user inputs various information (e.g., destination information) and various commands (e.g., destination suggestion commands), a second input unit 222 into which the user taps (performs a predetermined action) when they are moved by the scenery, a microphone 223 into which the user inputs various information and various commands by voice, a monitor 224 that provides information to the user via a display image, and a speaker 225 that provides information to the user by voice.

[0108] The first input unit 221 is configured, for example, as a touch panel on the monitor 224 that displays operation switches, etc., and when the user operates the first input unit 221, signals based on various information and commands are output. The second input unit 222 is located in a place where the user places their hands while driving, such as the armrest or steering wheel 202, and when the user taps the second input unit 222, an emotional scenic signal is output.

[0109] By placing the second input unit 222 in a location where the user places their hand while driving (or nearby), it becomes easy to tap even when encountering an unexpectedly impressive view, and an impressive view signal can be output. In this case, the degree of impressiveness can also be associated with the view by setting it so that the more taps (actions) the user makes within a predetermined time, the greater the degree of impressiveness. For example, the more taps made within 3 seconds, the greater the degree of impressiveness. Note that 3 seconds is just an example, and the configuration may be changed according to the vehicle speed. For example, the predetermined time can be set to be longer for slower vehicle speeds and shorter for faster vehicle speeds.

[0110] The microphone 223 and monitor 224 are provided, for example, on the instrument panel, and the speakers 225 are provided on the left and right front doors and on the seat 203 in which the user sits.

[0111] Figure 12A is a front view of the seat 203 showing the arrangement of the speaker 225 provided on the seat 203, and Figure 12B is a side view of the seat 203 showing the arrangement of the speaker 225. As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the speaker 225 comprises a pair of left and right speaker bodies 225a provided on the seat back 204, a pair of left and right sound guide tubes 225b and a pair of left and right sound wave reflectors 225c provided on the headrest 205.

[0112] Each of the left and right speaker bodies 225a is composed of a directional speaker and is positioned facing upward so that sound waves are output at the upper end of the seat back 204, approximately parallel to the left and right pillars 206 that connect the headrest 205 to the seat back 204. Each of the left and right sound guide tubes 225b is positioned opposite each of the left and right speaker bodies 225a and transmits the sound waves output from each of the left and right speaker bodies 225a upward inside the headrest 205.

[0113] Each of the left and right sound wave reflectors 225c is provided at the upper end of each of the left and right sound guide tubes 225b, and reflects the sound waves traveling through each of the left and right sound guide tubes 225b toward the head of the user using the headrest 205. The surface shape of each of the left and right sound wave reflectors 225c is adjusted so that diffused sound waves are output toward the user's head. For example, the surface shape is adjusted so that the diffusion rate is such that the sound can be heard even when the user's head moves to a position away from the front.

[0114] In this way, sound waves output from the left and right speaker bodies 225a are reflected by the left and right sound wave reflectors 225c via the left and right sound guide tubes 225b, and are output as diffused sound waves towards the user's head. By making the left and right speaker bodies 225a directional speakers and installing them on the seat back 204, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the headrest 205 and eliminate the need for wiring between the seat back 204 and the headrest 205. Furthermore, by outputting the sound waves diffused by the left and right sound wave reflectors 225c towards the user's head, it is possible to suppress the loss of sound when the relative position between the user's head and the left and right sound wave reflectors 225c is shifted.

[0115] The first camera 230 is mounted facing the interior of the vehicle so as to capture the user's facial expressions, and the second camera 240 is mounted facing the exterior of the vehicle so as to capture the scenery outside the vehicle (mainly the scenery in the direction of travel). The first and second cameras 230 and 240 are each mounted, for example, on the front windshield of the vehicle 201. The second camera 240 is a 3D camera (multi-lens camera) capable of creating (capturing) 3D data (3D images) of the scenery. The electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor 250 is mounted so as to be able to measure the brainwaves of the user while driving the vehicle 201, and can be measured, for example, by having the user wear a hat-shaped or headband-shaped device equipped with multiple electrodes.

[0116] The positioning sensor 260 is, for example, a GPS sensor that receives positioning signals transmitted from GPS satellites and determines the position of the vehicle 201 based on the received signals. The navigation device 270 searches for a target route to the destination entered by the user based on the position of the vehicle 201 determined by the positioning sensor 260, and provides guidance along the target route. The input of the destination and guidance along the target route are performed via the first input unit 221 and monitor 224 of the input / output device 220.

[0117] The communication unit 280 is configured to wirelessly communicate with external devices such as the server 500 via the communication network 301. Furthermore, the communication unit 280 is configured to wirelessly communicate with mobile terminals and other devices owned by pre-registered users via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth®.

[0118] Figure 13 is a block diagram showing the main components of the controller 210. As shown in Figure 13, the controller 210 is configured as a computer having an arithmetic unit 211 such as a CPU (microprocessor), a storage unit 212 such as ROM, RAM, or hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0119] The calculation unit 211 includes, as a functional configuration, an information receiving unit 211a that receives various information from various parts of the in-vehicle device 200 and external devices, an emotion information acquisition unit 211b that acquires user emotion information from the information received by the information receiving unit 211a, a location information acquisition unit 211c that acquires the location information of the vehicle 201 at the time the information receiving unit 211a receives the emotion information (the same time that the emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the user emotion information), and an information transmission unit 211d that transmits various information and various commands to various parts of the in-vehicle device 200 and external devices.

[0120] The information receiving unit 211a receives various information (such as destination information) and various commands (such as destination suggestion commands) input via the first input unit 221 and microphone 223 of the input / output device 220, the scenic view signal output by tapping the second input unit 222, the user's face image information captured by the first camera 230, 2D / 3D scenery image information outside the vehicle captured by the second camera 240, the user's brainwave information measured by the electroencephalogram sensor 250, the location information of the vehicle 201 measured by the positioning sensor 260, and the target route to the destination guided by the navigation device 270. The information receiving unit 211a also receives destination suggestion information transmitted from the server 500 via the communication unit 280.

[0121] The emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the emotion scenery signal received by the information receiving unit 211a, along with the number of times the information receiving unit 211a received it consecutively within a predetermined time (number of consecutive receptions). In other words, the emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the emotion scenery signal and the number of times the emotion scenery signal was output consecutively within a predetermined time (number of consecutive taps).

[0122] The predetermined time frame is, for example, within 3 seconds, and the number of taps (actions) performed by the user driving vehicle 201 within 3 seconds is considered to be a series of taps linked to the degree of emotion felt towards the same scenery. Therefore, it is possible to set that the more taps a user has, the greater their emotional response. For example, if the user just wants to remember it (wants to look at it again in the future, emotion: low), the number of taps can be set to 1; if the user wants to remember it (wants to visit again, emotion: medium), the number of taps can be set to 2; and if the user definitely wants to remember it (wants to come again, emotion: high), the number of taps can be set to 3 or more.

[0123] Furthermore, the emotion information acquisition unit 211b can also acquire user emotion information from the user's facial image information received by the information receiving unit 211a. For example, if the emotion information acquisition unit 211b can read from the user's facial image information that the user is moved, it acquires the facial image information at that time as emotion information. At this time, the degree of emotion can also be estimated based on the user's facial expression and acquired as emotion information. For example, the degree of emotion may be estimated as high, medium, or low and acquired.

[0124] Similarly, the emotion information acquisition unit 211b can also acquire user emotion information from the user's brainwave information received by the information receiving unit 211a. For example, if the emotion information acquisition unit 211b can read from the user's brainwaves that the user is emotional, it detects the brainwave information at that time as emotion information. At this time, the degree of emotion can be estimated based on the user's brainwaves and acquired as emotion information as well. For example, similar to the case based on the user's facial expressions, the degree of emotion may be estimated as high, medium, or low and acquired.

[0125] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not a user is emotional based on facial image information and brainwave information may be made, for example, by comparing the user's facial expression and brainwaves when emotional with those when not emotional (e.g., during normal times), or by other methods. In any case, general technology can be used. The emotional information acquisition unit 211b may also be configured to acquire emotional information based on the user's facial expression and brainwaves, along with the degree of emotion. For example, the degree of emotion corresponding to the user's facial expression and brainwaves may be set in advance as high, medium, and low, and these may be acquired.

[0126] The location information acquisition unit 211c acquires the location information of the vehicle 201 at the time the information receiving unit 211a receives the impressive scenery signal (the location information of the vehicle 201 when the user taps the second input unit 222) based on the location information of the vehicle 201 received by the information receiving unit 211a from the positioning sensor 260.

[0127] The information transmission unit 211d transmits various information and commands received by the information receiving unit 211a to the corresponding units. For example, the information transmission unit 211d transmits destination information and vehicle 201 location information received by the information receiving unit 211a to the navigation device 270, causing the navigation device 270 to start guidance along the target route. The information transmission unit 211d also transmits destination suggestion information from the server 500 received by the information receiving unit 211a to the monitor 224 and speaker 225, causing the destination suggestion information to be displayed on the monitor 224 and audio related to destination guidance information to be output from the speaker 225. Furthermore, the information transmission unit 211d transmits emotion information acquired by emotion information acquisition unit 211b, location information acquired by location information acquisition unit 211c, and 2D / 3D landscape information received by information receiving unit 211a to the storage unit 212.

[0128] The memory unit 212 stores various programs and data executed by the arithmetic unit 211. For example, the memory unit 212 stores the emotion information acquisition program executed by the emotion information acquisition unit 211b and the location information acquisition program executed by the location information acquisition unit 211c, as well as various data used in these programs. The various data also includes data such as tourist destinations and map information.

[0129] Furthermore, the memory unit 212 has an emotion information database 212a in which emotion information acquired by the emotion information acquisition unit 211b, location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 211c, and landscape information captured by the second camera 240 are stored. In the emotion information database 212a, emotion information, location information, and landscape information are stored in association with each other.

[0130] For example, the information stored in the emotion information database 212a includes date and time, location and weather information, scenery information (still images and videos), and the degree of emotion. For example, text information such as "Month / Day, Location: △△, Weather: Sunny, Degree of emotion: High" is stored together with the scenery image information. The degree of emotion can be set as follows: for example, "Low" for one tap, "Medium" for two taps, and "High" for three or more taps.

[0131] Figure 14 is a block diagram showing the main components of the server 500. As shown in Figure 14, the server 500 comprises a controller 510 and a communication unit 520 electrically connected to the controller 510. The communication unit 520 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the in-vehicle device 200 and external devices via the communication network 301.

[0132] The controller 510 is composed of a computer having an arithmetic unit 511 such as a CPU, a storage unit 512 such as ROM, RAM, or hard disk, and other peripheral circuits (not shown). The arithmetic unit 511 has, functionally, an information receiving unit 511a, a destination suggestion unit 511b, a determination unit 511c, and an information transmission unit 511d.

[0133] The information receiving unit 511a receives various information and commands transmitted from external devices such as the in-vehicle device 200 via the communication unit 520. For example, the information receiving unit 511a receives user information and destination suggestion commands from the user, which are input by the user via the first input unit 221 of the in-vehicle device 200, via the communication unit 520.

[0134] The destination suggestion unit 511b creates destination suggestion information for the user based on the destination suggestion command from the user received by the information receiving unit 511a. When the information receiving unit 511a receives the destination suggestion command, the destination suggestion unit 511b determines the suggested destination based on the emotion information, location information, and scenery information stored in the emotion information database 212a constructed in the storage unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200.

[0135] Specifically, the destination suggestion unit 511b searches for destinations with similar scenery to the scenery information stored in the emotion information database 212a constructed in the storage unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200, and determines the search results as suggested destinations. At this time, the destination suggestion unit 511b calculates the similarity of each of the multiple scenery information stored in the emotion information database 212a, and determines the location with the calculated similarity as a suggested destination.

[0136] For example, if multiple landscape information entries stored in the impression information database 212a contain many "mountains," the system will determine the destination to include mountain scenery. If entries contain many "sea," the system will determine the destination to include sea scenery. If entries contain many "rivers," the system will determine the destination to include river scenery. Furthermore, the similarity score is calculated by analyzing the landscape from all angles using 2D or 3D data from the landscape information, while also considering the time of day the destination was reached.

[0137] The determination unit 511c determines whether or not there has been a change in the user's preference for scenery. Specifically, the determination unit 511c refers to the scenery information stored in the emotion information database 212a constructed in the storage unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200 in chronological order and determines whether or not there has been a change in the user's preference for scenery.

[0138] For example, if the user's preference changes from having many images of the "sea" to having many images of "mountains," the system determines that the user's preference has changed from the "sea" to the "mountains." When the determination unit 511c determines that there has been a change in the user's preference, the destination suggestion unit 511b decides on a destination to suggest to the user, referring to the determination result made by the determination unit 511c. For example, if the determination unit 511c determines that the user's preference has changed from the "sea" to the "mountains," the destination suggestion unit 511b searches for a destination to suggest to the user, focusing on "mountains," and decides on one.

[0139] The information transmission unit 511d transmits destination information to the user, determined by the destination suggestion unit 511b, to the in-vehicle device 200 via the communication unit 520. For example, the information transmission unit 511d transmits the location of the destination, arrival time, weather at arrival, and similar scenery used as reference, determined by the destination suggestion unit 511b, to the in-vehicle device 200 via the communication unit 520. Upon receiving this information, the in-vehicle device 200 outputs this information via the monitor 224 and microphone 223 of the input / output device 220 to inform the user.

[0140] The memory unit 512 stores various programs and data executed by the arithmetic unit 511. The memory unit 512 includes a user database 512a, a vehicle database 512b, and a tourist destination database 512c.

[0141] The user database 512a stores user information for each user, linked to multiple user IDs. The user information includes family information, including users who use the vehicle 201. The family information also includes the preferences of each family member and the user's preferences as determined by the determination unit 511c, and is referenced when searching for a destination determined by the destination suggestion unit 511b.

[0142] The vehicle database 512b stores vehicle information for each user, linked to each of multiple user IDs. The vehicle information includes the vehicle name and engine displacement of vehicle 201, and is referenced when searching for a destination determined by the destination suggestion unit 511b.

[0143] The tourist destination database 512c stores destination information suggested to the user who has issued a destination suggestion command from the in-vehicle device 200. In addition to location information, the destination information includes 2D / 3D landscape information and information on nearby facilities, and is referenced when searching for a destination determined by the destination suggestion unit 511b.

[0144] The operation of the destination suggestion system 100 equipped with the in-vehicle device 200 according to this embodiment can be summarized as follows. First, when the user encounters a breathtaking view while driving the vehicle 201, the user taps the second input unit 222 provided on the steering wheel 202 of the vehicle 201, and a breathtaking view signal is output. When the information receiving unit 211a of the controller 210 receives the breathtaking view signal, the breathtaking information acquisition unit 211b acquires breathtaking information including the view outside the vehicle captured by the second camera 240 and the position information of the vehicle 201 determined by the positioning sensor 260, and stores it in the storage unit 212.

[0145] At this time, the degree of emotion is also stored in association with the above emotion information, according to the number of consecutive taps the second input unit 222 made by the user. In this way, when a user encounters an emotionally moving scene while driving, they can store information corresponding to the moving scenery simply by tapping the second input unit 222. In other words, emotion information, including the degree of emotion, can be stored with a single action.

[0146] Next, when a user goes for a drive without a specific destination, they input a destination suggestion command via the first input unit 221 (for example, by pressing the destination suggestion button), and the server 500 searches for a destination to suggest to the user. At this time, the server 500 suggests a destination with scenery similar to the scenery in the scenery information stored in the memory unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200. Therefore, a destination that suits the user's preferences can be suggested without the user having to input detailed conditions. At this time, the determination unit 511c also determines any changes in the user's preferences, so a destination that matches the user's current preferences can be suggested.

[0147] The destination suggestion system 100 equipped with the in-vehicle device 200 according to this embodiment can achieve the following effects. (1) The in-vehicle device 200 includes an emotion information acquisition unit 211b that acquires emotion information of the user while the vehicle 201 is moving, a location information acquisition unit 211c that acquires location information of the vehicle 201 at the time the emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the user's emotion information, and a storage unit 212 that stores the emotion information acquired by the emotion information acquisition unit 211b and the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 211c in association with each other (Figures 11, 13).

[0148] This allows the system to store scenic and location information of places that moved the user, simply by acquiring their emotional responses.

[0149] (2) The emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the user's emotion information by receiving an emotion scenery signal output by tapping the second input unit 222, which is set in advance (Figures 11, 13). As a result, emotion information can be acquired and stored in the storage unit 212 simply by the user tapping the second input unit 222. In other words, since an emotion scenery signal is transmitted with a single action by the user, emotion information can be easily stored even while driving.

[0150] (3) The predetermined action is set so that the more taps the user makes within a predetermined time, the greater the degree of their emotional response (Figure 11). This allows the user to store emotional information, including the degree of their emotional response, simply by repeatedly tapping, i.e., by repeating the same action.

[0151] (4) The in-vehicle device 200 further includes a first camera 230 capable of capturing the user's facial expressions, and the emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the user's emotion information based on the user's facial expressions captured by the first camera 230 (Figures 11, 13). This makes it possible to store landscape information and location information of the place where the user was moved simply by acquiring the user's facial expressions captured by the first camera 230.

[0152] (5) The in-vehicle device 200 further includes an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor 250 capable of measuring the user's brainwaves, and the emotion information acquisition unit 211b acquires the user's emotion information based on the user's brainwaves measured by the EEG sensor 250 (Figures 11, 13). This makes it possible to store landscape information and location information of places that moved the user simply by acquiring the user's brainwaves measured by the EEG sensor 250.

[0153] (6) The in-vehicle device 200 further includes a second camera 240 that captures the scenery of the location where the emotion information acquisition unit 211b has acquired emotion information, and the storage unit 212 stores the emotion information, location information, and scenery information captured by the second camera 240 in association (Figures 11, 13). This makes it possible to acquire information including scenery information captured by the second camera 240, and to make the information easier to recognize visually.

[0154] (7) The destination suggestion system 100 comprises the above-mentioned in-vehicle device 200 and a destination suggestion unit 511b that suggests a destination for the vehicle 201 to the user based on landscape information stored in the storage unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200 (Figures 10, 13, 14). This makes it possible to suggest a destination according to the user's preferences.

[0155] (8) The destination suggestion unit 511b suggests destinations that have landscapes similar to the landscape information (Figure 14). This makes it possible to suggest destinations that have landscapes similar to those that have impressed the user in the past.

[0156] (9) The destination suggestion unit 511b calculates the similarity of multiple landscape information stored in the storage unit 212 of the in-vehicle device 200, and determines a destination to suggest to the user according to the calculated similarity (Figure 14). This allows the search for landscapes that are closer to landscapes that have impressed the user in the past, and enables the suggestion of a destination that matches the user's preferences.

[0157] (10) The destination suggestion unit 511b analyzes the scenery from all angles using 2D / 3D data and calculates the similarity of the scenery information (Figure 14). This makes it possible to suggest destinations that are more in line with the user's preferences.

[0158] (11) The destination suggestion system 100 further includes a determination unit 511c that determines whether or not there has been a change in the user's landscape preferences, and the destination suggestion unit 511b determines a destination to suggest to the user according to the determination result of the determination unit 511c (Figure 14). In this way, it can respond to changes in the user's preferences and can suggest a destination that matches the user's current preferences.

[0159] The configuration of the information provision system equipped with an information storage device, as explained using Figures 10-14, can be summarized as follows:

[0160] The information storage device comprises: an emotion information acquisition unit that acquires emotion information of a user while the mobile device is in motion; a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the mobile device at the time the emotion information acquisition unit acquires the user's emotion information; and a storage unit that stores the emotion information acquired by the emotion information acquisition unit and the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit in association with each other.

[0161] The aforementioned emotion information acquisition unit acquires user emotion information based on predetermined actions that have been set in advance.

[0162] The aforementioned predetermined actions are set so that the more times the actions are performed within a predetermined time, the greater the degree of the user's emotional response.

[0163] The information storage device described above further includes a facial expression imaging unit capable of capturing the user's facial expressions, and the emotion information acquisition unit acquires the user's emotion information based on the user's facial expressions captured by the facial expression imaging unit.

[0164] The aforementioned information storage device further includes an electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement unit capable of measuring the user's brainwaves, and the emotion information acquisition unit acquires the user's emotion information based on the user's brainwaves measured by the EEG measurement unit.

[0165] The information storage device described above further includes a landscape imaging unit that images the landscape of the location where the emotional information acquisition unit has acquired emotional information, and the storage unit stores the emotional information, location information, and landscape information captured by the landscape imaging unit in association with each other.

[0166] The information provision system comprises the aforementioned information storage device and a destination suggestion unit that suggests a destination for the user on a moving vehicle based on the landscape information stored in the storage unit of the information storage device.

[0167] The destination suggestion section described above proposes destinations that have a landscape similar to the landscape information.

[0168] The destination suggestion unit described above calculates the similarity of multiple landscape information stored in the storage unit of the information storage device, and determines a destination to suggest to the user according to the calculated similarity.

[0169] The destination suggestion unit described above analyzes the landscape from all angles using 2D / 3D data and calculates the similarity of the landscape information.

[0170] The information provision system described above further includes a determination unit that determines whether or not there has been a change in the user's landscape preferences, and the destination suggestion unit determines a destination to suggest to the user according to the determination result of the determination unit.

[0171] The above embodiment can be modified into various forms.

[0172] For example, in the above embodiment, a configuration was described in which the destination suggestion unit 511b is provided on the server 500 and transmits destination suggestion information to the in-vehicle device 200 via the communication network 301. However, the destination suggestion unit 511b may also be provided on the controller 210 of the in-vehicle device 200. In other words, the destination suggestion system 100 may be provided on the in-vehicle device 200. By providing the destination suggestion unit 511b on the in-vehicle device 200, the configuration of the destination suggestion system 100 can be simplified.

[0173] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and modifications described above, as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or more of the above embodiments and modifications, and to combine modifications with each other. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0174] 1 Vehicle, 2 Front seats, 3 Second row seats, 4 Third row seats, 31 First seat, 32 Second seat, 33 Lateral sliding mechanism, 311 First seat cushion, 312 First seat back, 313 First rotation mechanism, 314 Lateral tumble mechanism, 321 Second seat cushion, 322 Second seat back, 323 Second rotation mechanism

Claims

1. A first seat having a first seat cushion and a first seat back, A second seat having a second seat cushion and a second seat back, and positioned on one side of the first seat in the left-right direction, The system includes a lateral sliding device that supports each of the first and second sheets so as to be movable in the left-right direction, The first seat has a first rotation mechanism that allows the first seat back to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and a lateral tumble mechanism that allows the first seat cushion to be flipped up to one side in the left-right direction together with the first seat back about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The vehicle is characterized in that the second seat has a second pivot mechanism that allows the second seat back to rotate in the front-rear direction about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

2. In the vehicle described in claim 1, The lateral tumble mechanism supports the first seat cushion on one side in the left-right direction of the first seat cushion. The vehicle is characterized in that the first seat further has a leg portion on the other side in the left-right direction of the first seat cushion that supports the first seat cushion when not tumbled and can be stored when tumbled.

3. In the vehicle described in claim 2, A vehicle further comprising a fixing part capable of fixing the leg portion supporting the first seat cushion to the floor when not tumbling.

4. In the vehicle described in claim 1, The vehicle is characterized in that the first rotation mechanism includes a first cushion rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the first seat cushion and a first back rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the first seat back.

5. In the vehicle described in claim 1, The system further comprises a third seat provided behind the first and second seats, each having a third seat cushion and a third seat back, The vehicle is characterized in that the third seat is a bench seat capable of seating two or more people.

6. In the vehicle described in claim 5, The vehicle is characterized in that the third seat is configured to be retractable into the floor.

7. In the vehicle described in claim 5, A vehicle characterized in that the upper ends of the first seat back and the second seat back are configured to contact the front end of the third seat cushion when the first seat back and the second seat back are rotated rearward so that they are in a substantially horizontal position.

8. In the vehicle described in claim 1, A vehicle characterized by forming a private space between the second seat and the first seat, which is tumbled on the other side of the second seat in the left-right direction, and an interior section that is erected on one side of the second seat in the left-right direction.

9. In the vehicle described in claim 1, A vehicle further comprising a vertical sliding device that supports each of the first and second seats so as to be movable in the front-to-back direction.

10. In the vehicle described in claim 1, The vehicle is characterized in that the second rotation mechanism includes a second cushion rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the rear end of the second seat cushion and a second back rotation axis extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the second seat back.

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