Information processing device

Abstract

To reduce the load when responding to user input. [Solution] The information processing device includes: acquisition means for acquiring user input entered by a vehicle user; determination means for determining whether response information generated by an external generative model to respond to the user input is cached in the vehicle; first response means for responding to the user input based on the response information cached in the vehicle when it is determined that the response information is cached in the vehicle; and second response means for responding to the user input based on newly acquired response information from outside the vehicle when it is determined that the response information is not cached in the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the technical field of information processing devices.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of device, there is known one that gives an answer by an automatically generated AI (Artificial Intelligence) to a question from a user. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of executing a process using cached execution information when the execution information corresponding to an input from a user is cached.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When generating an answer to a question using a large amount of data and a large language model (LLM: Large Language Models) constructed by deep learning technology from a device mounted on a vehicle, mobile communication occurs between the vehicle and a server equipped with the LLM. For this reason, although the processing load of the LLM can be reduced by caching the response information of the LLM on the server side, it is difficult to reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the server only by that.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing device capable of reducing the load when responding to an input from a user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] [[ID=第45]] An information processing device according to one aspect of this disclosure includes: acquisition means for acquiring user input entered by a vehicle user; determination means for determining whether response information generated by an external generative model for responding to the user input is cached in the vehicle; first response means for responding to the user input based on the response information cached in the vehicle when it is determined that the response information is cached in the vehicle; and second response means for responding to the user input based on response information newly acquired from outside the vehicle when it is determined that the response information is not cached in the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the information processing device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The following describes an embodiment of the information processing device with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the information processing device is assumed to be configured as a device mounted on a vehicle.

[0009] (Hardware configuration) First, the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment.

[0010] In Figure 1, the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment comprises an arithmetic unit 110, a storage device 120, a communication device 130, an input device 140, and an output device 150. The arithmetic unit 110, the storage device 120, the communication device 130, the input device 140, and the output device 150 are connected to each other via a data bus. All of the devices included in the information processing device 10 described above may be mounted on a vehicle. Alternatively, some of the devices included in the information processing device 10 may be mounted on a vehicle, and the remaining devices may be installed outside the vehicle.

[0011] The arithmetic unit 110 is configured to perform various arithmetic operations in the information processing device 10. The arithmetic unit 110 may have a processor. The arithmetic unit 110 may have a single processor or may have multiple processors. In other words, the arithmetic unit 110 may have one or more processors. The processor may be a multi-core processor. If the arithmetic unit 110 has a single processor that is a multi-core processor, then logically, the arithmetic unit 110 can be said to have multiple processors.

[0012] The processor in the arithmetic unit 110 may be at least one of the following: a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit).

[0013] The storage device 120 may be at least one of the following: RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), hard disk drive, magneto-optical disk drive, SSD (Solid State Drive), and optical disk array. In other words, the storage device 120 may be implemented by a single device or by multiple devices.

[0014] The storage device 120 is capable of storing desired data. The storage device 120 may store the computer program CP that the arithmetic unit 110 will execute. The storage device 120 may temporarily store data that the arithmetic unit 110 will use temporarily when the arithmetic unit 110 is executing the computer program CP.

[0015] The computer program CP may be recorded on a non-temporary recording medium that is readable by a computer. In this case, the computer program CP may be stored in the storage device 120 by reading the recording medium using a recording medium reading device (not shown) provided by the information processing device 10. At least one of the following may be used as the recording medium: an optical disc, a magnetic medium, a magneto-optical disc, a semiconductor memory, and any other medium capable of storing a program. The computer program CP may also be obtained from an external device (not shown) of the information processing device 10 via a communication device 130. In other words, the computer program CP may be downloaded from an external device to the storage device 120 of the information processing device 10.

[0016] The arithmetic unit 110 (for example, a processor) may execute the processing that the information processing device 10 should perform together with the memory device 120 in which the computer program CP is stored (in other words, together with the memory device 120 and the computer program CP stored in the memory device 120). For example, by the arithmetic unit 110 executing the computer program CP, a logical functional block for executing the processing that the information processing device 10 should perform may be realized within the arithmetic unit 110 (for example, within the processor).

[0017] The communication device 130 is configured to communicate with devices outside the information processing device 10. The communication device 130 may use wired communication or wireless communication.

[0018] The input device 140 is a device capable of receiving input of information to the information processing device 10 from the outside. The input device 140 may include an operating device (for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc.) that can be operated by the user of the information processing device 10. The input device 140 may include a recording medium reading device capable of reading information recorded on a detachable recording medium of the information processing device 10, such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. When information is input to the information processing device 10 via the communication device 130 (in other words, when the information processing device 10 acquires information via the communication device 130), the communication device 130 may function as an input device.

[0019] The output device 150 is a device capable of outputting information to the outside of the information processing device 10. The output device 150 may have a display device capable of outputting visual information such as characters and images as the above information. The output device 150 may also have a speaker capable of outputting auditory information such as sound as the above information. The output device 150 may be configured to output the above information (for example, control information of other devices, etc.) to other devices. The output device 150 may be capable of outputting information to a detachable recording medium of the information processing device 10, such as a USB memory. When the information processing device 10 outputs information via the communication device 130, the communication device 130 may function as an output device.

[0020] <Functional Configuration> Next, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment will be described while referring to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment.

[0021] In FIG. 2, the information processing device 10 is configured as a device that responds to an input from a user who uses a vehicle (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as "user input"). The response performed by the information processing device 10 may be, for example, a process of outputting response information for the user input. More specifically, the information processing device 10 may be configured to output a response message to a question input by the user. The information processing device 10 includes a user input acquisition unit 210, a cache determination unit 220, a cache storage unit 230, and a response unit 240 as components for realizing its functions. Note that each of the user input acquisition unit 210, the cache determination unit 220, and the response unit 240 may be a processing block realized by the arithmetic device 110 described above. Also, the cache storage unit 230 may be a database realized by the storage device 120 described above.

[0022] The user input acquisition unit 210 is configured to be able to acquire user input. For example, the user input acquisition unit 210 may acquire text information input by a user who uses a vehicle using a touch panel or the like as user input. Alternatively, the input acquisition unit 210 may acquire voice information input by a user who uses a vehicle using a microphone or the like as user input. In this case, the user input acquisition unit 210 may have a function of converting the acquired voice information into text (i.e., a voice recognition function). [[ID=X]]

[0023] The cache determination unit 220 is configured to be able to determine whether response information for performing a response to the user input is cached (stored) in the cache storage unit 230. Here, the response information is generated in the LLM 510 provided in the server 50 outside the vehicle. The determination result by the cache determination unit 220 is configured to be output to the response unit 240.

[0024] The cache storage unit 230 is configured to store response information previously generated by the LLM 510. The response information generated by the LLM 510 is stored in the server cache storage unit 530. The cache storage unit 230 may be configured to acquire response information distributed from the server cache storage unit 530 and cache it. The server cache storage unit 530 may also be configured to distribute response information to other vehicle cache storage units 610 in other vehicles 60 (i.e., vehicles other than the vehicle on which the information processing device 10 is installed). In this case, the cache storage unit 230 may be configured to perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication to acquire response information stored in the other vehicle cache storage unit 610.

[0025] The cache storage unit 230 may store all of the distributed response information, or it may store only a portion of the distributed response information. If it stores only a portion of the distributed response information, the cache storage unit 230 may select the response information to store based on anticipated user inputs. For example, the cache storage unit 230 may acquire the vehicle's location information and prioritize storing response information corresponding to questions that are likely to be entered at that location (for example, information about nearby shops). It is considered that other vehicles 60 traveling nearby are likely to have such response information stored. Therefore, the cache storage unit 230 may acquire response information from other vehicles 60 located within a predetermined distance from the vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0026] The response unit 240 is configured to be able to respond to user input. Specifically, the response unit 240 outputs response information to the user. For example, the response unit 240 may display the response information on an in-vehicle monitor. Alternatively, the response unit 240 may output the response information as audio from an in-vehicle speaker.

[0027] The response unit 240 comprises a first response unit 241 and a second response unit 242. The first response unit 241 responds to user input when the cache determination unit 220 determines that response information corresponding to user input is stored in the cache storage unit 230. The first response unit 241 responds to user input based on the response information stored in the cache storage unit 230 (hereinafter referred to as "in-vehicle cache" as appropriate). Therefore, no communication occurs between the information processing device 10 and the server 50 in the response by the first response unit 241. On the other hand, the second response unit 242 responds to user input when the cache determination unit 220 determines that response information corresponding to user input is not stored in the cache storage unit 230. The second response unit 242 responds to user input by obtaining response information corresponding to user input from the server 50 (more specifically, by obtaining new response information from the LLM 510). Therefore, the response from the second response unit 242 involves communication between the information processing device 10 and the server 50.

[0028] Furthermore, when the second response unit 242 makes a response, if the server cache storage unit 530 has response information corresponding to the user input stored in it, the response may be made using that response information (hereinafter referred to as "server cache" as appropriate). In this case, there is no need for the LLM to generate new response information, so the increase in the processing load of the LLM can be suppressed. Whether or not a server cache exists can be determined by the server cache determination unit 520.

[0029] (Flow of operations) Next, with reference to Figure 3, the operation flow of the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment (specifically, the operation when responding to user input) will be described. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the information processing device according to the embodiment.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, when the operation of the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment is started, first the user input acquisition unit 210 acquires user input (step S101). Then, the cache determination unit 220 determines whether or not the response information corresponding to the user input acquired by the user input acquisition unit 210 is cached in the cache storage unit 230 (step S102).

[0031] If response information corresponding to user input is cached in the cache storage unit 230 (step S102: YES), the first response unit 241 generates a response based on the in-vehicle cache (step S103). Then, the response unit 240 outputs response information to the user based on the response generated by the first response unit 241 (step S104).

[0032] On the other hand, if the response information corresponding to the user input is not cached in the cache storage unit 230 (step S102: NO), the second response unit 242 sends user information to the server 50 (step S105). Then, the server cache determination unit 520 determines whether or not the response information corresponding to the received user input is cached in the server cache storage unit 530 (step S106).

[0033] If response information corresponding to user input is cached in the server cache storage unit 530 (step S106: YES), the second response unit 242 receives the response information corresponding to user input from the server cache storage unit 530 (step S107). Then, the second response unit 241 generates a response based on the received server cache (step S108). Subsequently, the response unit 240 outputs response information to the user based on the response generated by the second response unit 242 (step S104).

[0034] On the other hand, if the response information corresponding to the user input is not cached in the server cache storage unit 530 (step S106: NO), the server cache determination unit 520 sends the user input to the LLM 510 (step S109). The second response unit 242 then obtains the response newly generated by the LLM (step S110). Subsequently, the response unit 240 outputs response information to the user based on the response generated by the second response unit 242 (step S104).

[0035] After obtaining the response information, the information processing device 10 determines whether or not to terminate the response (step S111). Whether or not to terminate the response may be determined based on the user's reaction to the response information (for example, whether the user wishes to continue the exchange). If it is determined to terminate the response (step S111: YES), the series of operations will end. On the other hand, if it is determined not to terminate the response (step S111: NO), processing may start again from step S101. That is, new user input may be obtained and the processing may be executed repeatedly.

[0036] Furthermore, when repeating the above-described processes, each process may be executed while taking into account the series of interactions up to that point. For example, the information processing device 10 may execute each process while considering not only the user input entered immediately before, but also the user input and responses to responses entered before that.

[0037] (Technical effects) Next, the technical effects obtained by the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0038] As explained in Figures 1 to 3, in the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment, response information for responding to user input is cached on the vehicle side. In this way, responses corresponding to user input can be made without communicating with the server, which not only reduces the processing load on the LLM but also reduces the communication load between the information processing device 10 (in other words, the vehicle) and the server 50.

[0039] Furthermore, when a vehicle communicates with the outside world, communication costs may be incurred each time. Therefore, according to the information processing device 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to reduce not only the processing load and volume of communication, but also the communication costs.

[0040] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate without contradicting the gist or idea of ​​the invention as can be inferred from the claims and the specification as a whole. Information processing devices with such modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 10...Information processing unit, 110...Arithmetic unit, 120...Storage device, 130...Communication device, 140...Input device, 150...Output device, 210...User input acquisition unit, 220...Cache determination unit, 230...Cache storage unit, 240...Response unit, 241...First response unit, 242...Second response unit, 50...Server, 510...LLM, 520...Server cache determination unit, 530...Server cache storage unit, 60...Other vehicles, 610...Other vehicle cache storage unit

Claims

1. A means for acquiring user input entered by the vehicle user, A determination means for determining whether or not response information generated by an external generative model for the user input is cached in the vehicle, A first response means that, when it is determined that the response information is cached in the vehicle, provides a response to the user input based on the response information cached in the vehicle, If it is determined that the response information is not cached in the vehicle, a second response means provides a response to the user input based on the response information newly acquired from outside the vehicle. An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The second response means outputs an instruction to the generation model to generate the response information, and responds to the user input based on the newly generated response information in accordance with the instruction. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The second response means, when the response information is cached outside the vehicle, responds to the user input based on the response information cached outside the vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The system further includes a communication means for obtaining the response information cached in the other vehicle by communicating with the other vehicle, and for caching the response information obtained from the other vehicle in the vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The user input includes the question text, The aforementioned generative model is a large-scale language model, The response information is information for outputting an answer to the question. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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