Motion sickness suppression device, motion sickness suppression method, and program

Abstract

To achieve both a good viewing experience while riding and the suppression of motion sickness. [Solution] A motion sickness suppression device comprising: a motion sickness determination unit that determines the degree of motion sickness of an occupant viewing a viewing target displayed on a display device inside a vehicle; and a suppression control unit that switches the mode of suppression display for suppressing motion sickness according to the determined degree of motion sickness and displays it on the display device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle motion sickness suppression device, a vehicle motion sickness suppression method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various methods have been proposed to suppress motion sickness of passengers riding in a vehicle. For example, when a passenger is viewing content such as TV video using a display device mounted in the vehicle, an image outside the vehicle is displayed on a part of the screen, or the display content is changed according to the acceleration of the vehicle, thereby suppressing motion sickness (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, a method of suppressing motion sickness of a passenger by displaying a horizontal line on the display screen of a smartphone used inside the vehicle is also known (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

[0005] Incidentally, the degree of motion sickness varies depending on factors such as the vehicle's behavior and individual differences in tolerance to motion sickness. Conventional methods did not take into account the degree of motion sickness experienced by each passenger, and as a result, motion sickness suppression was sometimes not performed appropriately. For example, for passengers with mild motion sickness, excessive display control to suppress motion sickness may have been applied, interfering with the viewing of content. On the other hand, for passengers with severe motion sickness, the display control to suppress motion sickness may have been insufficient, and the suppression effect may not have been fully achieved.

[0006] This invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a motion sickness suppression device, a motion sickness suppression method, and a program that can achieve both a good viewing experience during a ride and motion sickness suppression by switching the mode of suppression display according to the degree of motion sickness of the occupant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The motion sickness suppression device, motion sickness suppression method, and program according to this invention employ the following configuration. (1) A motion sickness suppression device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a motion sickness determination unit that determines the degree of motion sickness of an occupant who is viewing a viewing object displayed on a display device inside a vehicle, and a suppression control unit that switches the mode of suppression display for suppressing motion sickness according to the determined degree of motion sickness and displays it on the display device.

[0008] (2) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (1) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on the state of the occupant.

[0009] (3) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (2) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on the vital data of the occupant detected by the sensor.

[0010] (4) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (2) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on image data of the occupant captured by the imaging device.

[0011] (5) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (1) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on the input instructions from the occupant.

[0012] (6) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (1) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on the behavior of the vehicle or the location of the vehicle's movement within a predetermined time period in the past.

[0013] (7) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiments of (1) to (6) above, the motion sickness determination unit may determine the degree of motion sickness based on the passenger's tolerance information for motion sickness.

[0014] (8) The motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (7) above may further include a tolerance information management unit that updates the tolerance information based on the history of changes in the degree of motion sickness that have been changed in response to input instructions from the occupant.

[0015] (9) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiments of (1) to (6) above, the suppression indicator may be a horizontal line.

[0016] (10) In a motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiments of (1) to (6) above, the suppression control unit may control the display of the display device such that the suppression display is emphasized as the degree of motion sickness determined worsens.

[0017] (11) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (10) above, the suppression control unit may control the display of the display device such that the display area of ​​the viewing object on the display device is reduced and the display area of ​​the suppression display is expanded as the degree of motion sickness determined worsens.

[0018] (12) In the motion sickness suppression device according to the embodiment of (10) above, the suppression control unit may control the display of the display device such that the contrast of the display of the viewing object on the display device decreases as the determined degree of motion sickness worsens.

[0019] (13) A motion sickness suppression method according to one aspect of the present invention involves a computer determining the degree of motion sickness of an occupant viewing an object displayed on a display device inside a vehicle, and switching the mode of suppression display for suppressing motion sickness according to the determined degree of motion sickness and displaying it on the display device.

[0020] (14) A program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to determine the degree of motion sickness of an occupant who is viewing a viewing object displayed on a display device inside a vehicle, and to switch the mode of suppression display for suppressing motion sickness according to the determined degree of motion sickness and display it on the display device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the embodiments described in (1) to (14) above, by switching the mode of the suppression display according to the degree of motion sickness experienced by the passenger, it is possible to achieve both a good viewing experience during the ride and suppression of motion sickness. This allows for prioritizing the viewing experience when motion sickness is mild, and prioritizing the improvement of the passenger's motion sickness when it worsens. According to the embodiments described in (2) to (4) above, the degree of motion sickness can be determined according to the condition of the occupants, and the mode of suppression display on the display device can be automatically switched. According to the aspect (5) above, it is possible to switch to a suppression display mode according to the passenger's request in response to an input instruction (such as touch panel operation, voice recognition, etc.) by the passenger. According to the aspect (6) above, by switching the suppression display mode according to the behavior of the vehicle or the location where the vehicle is moving, it is possible to take preventive safety countermeasures against motion sickness before the passenger feels motion sickness. Since motion sickness is difficult to cure once it occurs, such preventive safety countermeasures against motion sickness are effective. According to the aspects (7) and (8) above, it is possible to take more effective countermeasures against motion sickness in consideration of the passenger's tolerance to motion sickness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a motion sickness suppression system S according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the state inside the vehicle M according to an embodiment. [Figure 3A] It is a diagram for explaining the display content of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is not implemented. [Figure 3B] It is a diagram for explaining the display content (depth 1, horizontal) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 3C] It is a diagram for explaining the display content (depth 1, left downward tilt) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 3D] It is a diagram for explaining the display content (depth 1, right downward tilt) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 3E] It is a diagram for explaining the display content (depth 2, left downward tilt) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 3F] It is a diagram for explaining the display content (depth 3, left downward tilt) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 3G] This figure illustrates the display content (depth 4) of the display 10 when the suppression control according to the embodiment is implemented. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow of the motion sickness suppression device 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow for depth-dependent suppression control according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of the process flow for detecting the occupant's state and determining the depth according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows crew tolerance information (crew tolerance map of crew member P) associated with the crew member P according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map) of the occupant condition according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow for vehicle state detection and depth determination according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows occupant tolerance information (occupant P tolerance map) associated with the vehicle state of occupant P according to this embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure shows standard resilience information (standard resilience map) related to the vehicle condition according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows occupant resistance information associated with occupant P according to the embodiment, corresponding to the vehicle position. [Figure 13] This figure shows standard resistance information according to the vehicle position according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The embodiments of the motion sickness suppression device, motion sickness suppression method, and program of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The motion sickness suppression device of the embodiment can achieve both a good viewing experience while riding and motion sickness suppression by switching the mode of suppression display for suppressing (improving) motion sickness displayed on the display device according to the degree of motion sickness of the person (occupant) riding in the vehicle. The vehicle is any moving object that a person can ride in, such as a four-wheeled vehicle, a ship, or an airplane. In the following description, the case where the vehicle is a vehicle will be used as an example.

[0024] [System Configuration] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a motion sickness suppression system S according to an embodiment. The motion sickness suppression system S comprises, for example, a motion sickness suppression device 1 mounted on a vehicle M and a management server 3. The motion sickness suppression device 1 and the management server 3 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via a wireless or wired communication network NW. The communication network NW includes, for example, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, the internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), etc.

[0025] Motion sickness refers to a brain dysfunction resulting from a conflict in information received by the balance system due to the swaying and acceleration of a moving vehicle. Symptoms of motion sickness include, for example, nausea, dizziness, sweating, and hyperventilation. The severity of motion sickness can be expressed, for example, by a numerical value (depth). The depth is set so that the higher the severity of motion sickness, the greater the numerical value. Alternatively, the severity of motion sickness may be expressed by levels such as mild, medium, and severe.

[0026] <Vehicle M> Vehicle M can carry one or more occupants P. The power source of vehicle M is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or power discharged from a battery (storage battery) such as a secondary battery or fuel cell. In addition to various mechanisms for driving, vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a display 10, an input interface 20, a communication device 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a camera 50, etc.

[0027] Figure 2 shows the interior of a vehicle M according to an embodiment. The interior of vehicle M is provided with a plurality of displays 10. The plurality of displays 10 include, for example, a first display 11 and a second display 12. The first display 11 is located, for example, in front of the passenger seat PS and is provided on the instrument panel IP. The second display 12 is provided, for example, on the back of the driver's seat DS and the passenger seat PS. The plurality of displays 10 may also include, for example, a display located in front of the driver's seat DS and provided on the instrument panel IP, and portable displays such as smartphones and tablets used inside vehicle M. Display 10 is an example of a "display device".

[0028] Returning to Figure 1, the input interface 20 receives various input operations from the occupant P of the vehicle M. The input operations (operation signals) received by the input interface 20 are output to the motion sickness suppression device 1. The input interface 20 includes, for example, a touch panel, switches, keys, a microphone, etc. If the display 10 is a touch panel, the functions of the input interface 20 may be incorporated into the display 10.

[0029] The communication device 30 communicates with external devices such as the management server 3 via the communication network NW. Various information acquired by the communication device 30 is output to the motion sickness suppression device 1.

[0030] The vehicle sensor 40 detects various information regarding the state of the vehicle M. The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a sensor for detecting the roll angle (e.g., the rotation angle around the longitudinal axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M) (e.g., an acceleration sensor), a yaw rate sensor for detecting the yaw rate (e.g., the rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M), an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M, and a position sensor for detecting the position of the vehicle M. The position sensor acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device, for example. In addition, the vehicle sensor 40 may include an accelerator opening sensor attached to the accelerator pedal for receiving acceleration commands, a brake pedal pressure sensor attached to the brake pedal for receiving brake commands, and so on. The results detected by the vehicle sensor 40 are output to the motion sickness suppression device 1.

[0031] Camera 50 includes, for example, an exterior camera 51 that captures images of the outside of vehicle M and an interior camera 52 that captures images of the inside of vehicle M. Camera 50 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The exterior camera 51 is mounted at any location on the outside of vehicle M. The interior camera 52 is mounted at any location inside vehicle M. The interior camera 52 may be an RGB camera.

[0032] <Motion sickness suppression device> The motion sickness suppression device 1 provides a function for suppressing motion sickness to an occupant P riding in a vehicle M. The motion sickness suppression device 1 comprises, for example, a control unit 100 and a storage unit 200. The control unit 100 comprises, for example, an acquisition unit 101, a suppression control unit 102, a motion sickness determination unit 103, and a tolerance information management unit 104.

[0033] Each of the functional units of the control unit 100 is realized, for example, by a computer processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) executing a program (software). Each of the functional units of the control unit 100 may be realized by hardware (circuit units) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. Each of the functions of the control unit 100 may be realized by a single device, or it may be a system in which multiple devices (for example, a management server 3) connected via a communication network NW cooperate with each other to operate.

[0034] The acquisition unit 101 acquires various types of information used for motion sickness suppression control. For example, the acquisition unit 101 acquires instructions from the occupant P input via the input interface 20, various types of information received from the management server 3, various detection values ​​detected by the vehicle sensor 40, and images captured by the camera 50.

[0035] The motion sickness suppression control unit 102 switches the mode of the motion sickness suppression display on the display 10 according to the degree of motion sickness of the occupant P. The motion sickness suppression control unit 102 controls the display of the display 10 so that the more severe the motion sickness, the more the suppression display is emphasized. For example, the motion sickness suppression control unit 102 controls the display of the display 10 so that the display area of ​​the viewing object on the display 10 is reduced and the display area of ​​the suppression display is expanded as the degree of motion sickness worsens. The motion sickness suppression control unit 102's processing will be described in more detail later.

[0036] The motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the degree of motion sickness experienced by occupant P while viewing a content displayed on the display 10 inside the vehicle M. The motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the degree of motion sickness of occupant P based on input instructions from occupant P, occupant P's condition, the behavior of the vehicle M within a predetermined time period in the past, or the location of the vehicle M's movement. The occupant P's condition is determined based on vital data (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, etc.) detected by sensors such as wearable devices worn by occupant P. Alternatively, the occupant P's condition is determined based on image data of occupant P captured by an imaging device such as an in-vehicle camera 52. The motion sickness detection unit 103 may also determine the degree of motion sickness based on occupant P's tolerance information for motion sickness. Furthermore, the motion sickness detection unit 103 may also determine the degree of motion sickness based on occupant P's speech information (number of utterances, etc.) collected by a microphone. Details of the processing of the motion sickness detection unit 103 will be described later.

[0037] The tolerance information management unit 104 updates the tolerance information for motion sickness of crew member P based on the change history of the degree of motion sickness that has been changed in response to the input instructions from crew member P. Details of the processing by the tolerance information management unit 104 will be described later.

[0038] The memory unit 200 stores various information necessary for controlling the vehicle M. For example, the memory unit 200 stores standard motion sickness information RR and occupant motion sickness information PR obtained from the management server 3. Standard motion sickness information RR is information about the standard motion sickness tolerance of occupants. Occupant motion sickness information PR is information about motion sickness tolerance distinguished for each occupant. The tolerance information includes tolerance information related to occupant conditions and tolerance information related to vehicle conditions. The memory unit 200 is implemented using EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. At least a portion of the information contained in the memory unit 200 may be stored in an external device capable of communicating with the vehicle M.

[0039] <Management Server> The management server 3 comprehensively manages various types of information used for suppression control performed by the motion sickness suppression device 1. For example, the management server 3 manages standard tolerance information RR, which is used commonly across vehicles, and occupant tolerance information PR, which is specific to each occupant P (or each vehicle M). The management server 3 functions as a cloud server.

[0040] [Inhibitory control to suppress motion sickness] The motion sickness suppression device 1 displays a suppression indicator on the display 10 as a suppression control (suppression means) for suppressing motion sickness. In the suppression control, the pattern of the suppression indicator (e.g., a horizon line) is changed in stages according to the degree (depth) of motion sickness of the occupant P. Figures 3A to 3G are diagrams illustrating an overview of the depth-dependent suppression indicator according to the embodiment.

[0041] <No suppression control> Figure 3A illustrates the display content of the display 10 when suppression control is not performed. Figure 3A shows an example where the vehicle M, with occupant P on board, is moving straight in the X-axis direction. In this case, the entire screen of the display 10 becomes the viewing target display area TA. Occupant P can view the viewing target (content such as television images) displayed in this viewing target display area TA.

[0042] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 1, horizontal> Figure 3B shows the display content of the display 10 (depth 1, horizontal) when suppression is implemented. Figure 3B shows an example where a vehicle M, carrying an occupant P determined to be at depth 1, is moving straight along a horizontal road (horizontal line HL) in the X-axis direction. In this case, the viewable display area TA1 is reduced in size while maintaining the aspect ratio compared to the viewable display area TA without suppression control. In addition, suppression display RD is displayed in the area of ​​the display 10 other than the viewable display area TA1 (the remaining area on both sides). Suppression display RD represents, for example, the horizontal line HL. In this case, since the vehicle M remains horizontal, the horizontal line HL is displayed horizontally in the left-right direction of the display 10. For example, the horizontal line HL is displayed at the position of the vertical center line CL of the display 10. Note that suppression display RD is not limited to the horizontal line HL; it can represent any horizontal position. For example, suppression display RD may be a marker displayed in the remaining area on both sides of the viewable display area TA1, or other transparent images.

[0043] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 1, when tilted downwards to the left> Figure 3C shows the display content of the display 10 when suppression control is implemented (depth 1, tilted to the lower left). Figure 3C shows an example where a vehicle M, carrying an occupant P determined to be at depth 1, is traveling straight in the direction of the X-axis on a road that is tilted downwards to the left (a road tilted at an angle θ1 counterclockwise around the X-axis with respect to the horizontal line HL). Similar to Figure 3B, in this case, the viewable display area TA1 is reduced in size while maintaining the aspect ratio compared to the viewable display area TA without suppression control. In addition, the suppression display RD is displayed in the area of ​​the display 10 other than the viewable display area TA1 (the remaining area on both sides). In this case, since the vehicle M is tilted downwards to the left, the horizontal line HL will be displayed downwards to the right on the display 10. For example, the horizontal line HL will be displayed tilted at an angle θ1 clockwise around the X-axis with respect to the center line CL.

[0044] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 1, when tilting downwards to the right> Figure 3D shows the display content of the display 10 when suppression control is implemented (depth 1, tilted downward to the right). Figure 3D shows an example where a vehicle M, carrying an occupant P determined to be at depth 1, is traveling straight in the direction of the X-axis on a road that is tilted downward to the right (a road tilted at an angle θ2 clockwise around the X-axis with respect to the horizontal line HL). Similar to Figure 3B, in this case, the viewable display area TA1 is reduced in size while maintaining the aspect ratio compared to the viewable display area TA without suppression display. In addition, the suppression display RD is displayed in the area of ​​the display 10 other than the viewable display area TA1 (the remaining area on both sides). In this case, since the vehicle M is tilted downward to the right, the horizontal line HL will be displayed downward to the left on the display 10. For example, the horizontal line HL will be displayed tilted at an angle θ2 counterclockwise around the X-axis with respect to the center line CL.

[0045] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 2, when tilting downwards to the left> Figure 3E shows the display content of the display 10 when suppression control is implemented (depth 2, tilted to the lower left). Figure 3E shows an example where a vehicle M carrying an occupant P, whose depth is determined to be 2, is traveling straight in the direction of the X-axis on a road that is tilted downward to the left (a road tilted at an angle θ1 counterclockwise around the X-axis with respect to the horizontal line HL). In this case, the viewing target display area TA2 is further reduced while maintaining the aspect ratio compared to the viewing target display area TA1 (depth 1) shown in Figure 3C. As a result, the area of ​​suppression display RD in the area other than the viewing target display area TA2 (the remaining area on both sides) of the entire screen of the display 10 is expanded. In addition, the viewing target display area TA2 displays the viewing target with reduced contrast compared to the viewing target display area TA1 (depth 1) shown in Figure 3C. As a result, the suppression display RD is displayed with greater emphasis (higher emphasis) compared to the display mode for depth 1 shown in Figure 3C.

[0046] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 3, when tilting downwards to the left> Figure 3F shows the display content of display 10 when suppression control is implemented (depth 3, lower left tilt). Figure 3F shows an example where a vehicle M carrying an occupant P, whose depth has been determined to be 3, is traveling straight in the direction of the X-axis on a road that is tilted downward to the left (a road tilted at an angle θ1 counterclockwise around the X-axis with respect to the horizontal line HL). In this case, the viewing target display area TA3 displays the suppression display RD (display of the horizontal line) superimposed on the viewing target, compared to the viewing target display area TA2 (depth 2) shown in Figure 3E. As a result, the suppression display RD is displayed with greater emphasis (higher emphasis) compared to the display mode for depth 2 shown in Figure 3E.

[0047] <Suppression control enabled: Depth 4> Figure 3G shows the display content (depth 4) of the display 10 when suppression control is implemented. Figure 3G shows an example where the vehicle M, with occupant P determined to be at depth 4, is moving straight in the X-axis direction. In this case, regardless of the road's incline, the display 10 does not display the viewing object, and instead, an alternative display SD is displayed across its entire surface. In the case of the first display 11 for the passenger seat, the alternative display SD may be, for example, a message prompting the occupant to look outside (such as the text "Let's look outside"). In the case of the second display 12 for the rear seat, the alternative display SD may be, for example, an image of the front exterior of the vehicle M captured by the camera 50, or a message prompting the occupant to look outside.

[0048] [Processing flow] <Overall processing> Next, the processing of the motion sickness suppression device 1 will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the motion sickness suppression device 1 according to this embodiment. The processing in this flowchart is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals while the vehicle M in which the occupant P is riding is moving.

[0049] First, the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not occupant P is viewing content using the display 10 (whether or not the content is being played) (step S101). For example, the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not occupant P is viewing content based on the signal output from the display 10. If it is determined that occupant P is not viewing content (step S101; No), the series of processes in this flowchart ends.

[0050] On the other hand, if it is determined that occupant P is watching content (step S101; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not it has received a change instruction for suppression control from occupant P via the input interface 20 (step S103). This change instruction includes, for example, the specification of the degree of motion sickness that occupant P has self-determined (depth 1 to 4). Input from occupant P can be made by touch panel operation or voice recognition. In particular, using voice recognition can reduce the input burden on occupants experiencing motion sickness.

[0051] If it is determined that a command to change the suppression control has been received from crew member P (step S103; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 executes the suppression control according to the depth (step S105). Details of the processing of the depth-dependent suppression control will be described later.

[0052] On the other hand, if it is determined that no instruction to change the suppression control has been received from occupant P (step S103; No), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not there is information about the occupant's condition (step S107). The suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not there is information about the occupant's condition based, for example, on the presence or absence of vital data of occupant P (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, etc.) measured by a wearable device worn by occupant P, or on the presence or absence of an image of occupant P captured by the in-vehicle camera 52.

[0053] If it is determined that there is information on the occupant status (step S107; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 performs occupant status detection and depth determination (step S109). Details of the occupant status detection and depth determination processes will be described later.

[0054] After occupant status detection and depth determination (step S109) are performed, or if it is determined that there is no information on the occupant status (step S107; No), the suppression control unit 102 performs vehicle status detection and depth determination (step S111). Details of the vehicle status detection and depth determination process will be described later. Next, the suppression control unit 102 executes suppression control according to the determined depth (step S105). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0055] <Suppression control based on depth> Next, the details of the processing of the depth-dependent suppression control (step S105) described above will be explained. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of depth-dependent suppression control according to the embodiment. The suppression control unit 102 performs depth-dependent suppression control based on the depth included in the suppression control change instruction received from the occupant P (step S103), or the depth determined based on the occupant state (step S109) and / or the depth determined based on the vehicle state (step S111). When suppression control is performed according to both the depth determined based on the occupant state (step S109) and the depth determined based on the vehicle state (step S111), the higher depth (or the lower depth) of the two depths may be used, the average value of the two depths may be used, or one of the depths predetermined by the occupant P may be used.

[0056] First, the suppression control unit 102 determines whether the depth is "depth 1" (step S201). If it is determined that the depth is 1 (step S201; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 performs suppression control according to depth 1 (step S203). The suppression control unit 102 displays a suppression indicator RD corresponding to depth 1 on the display 10, for example, as shown in Figures 3B to 3D.

[0057] On the other hand, if it is determined that the depth is not "1" (step S201; No), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not the depth is "2" (step S205). If it is determined that the depth is 2 (step S205; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 performs suppression control according to the depth 2 (step S207). The suppression control unit 102 displays a suppression indicator RD corresponding to the depth 2 on the display 10, for example, as shown in Figure 3E.

[0058] On the other hand, if it is determined that the depth is not "2" (step S205; No), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not the depth is "3" (step S209). If it is determined that the depth is 3 (step S209; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 performs suppression control according to the depth of 3 (step S211). The suppression control unit 102 displays a suppression indicator RD corresponding to the depth of 3 on the display 10, for example, as shown in Figure 3F.

[0059] On the other hand, if it is determined that the depth is not "3" (step S209; No), the suppression control unit 102 performs suppression control according to the depth 4 (step S213). The suppression control unit 102 displays an alternative display SD corresponding to the depth 4 on the display 10, for example, as shown in Figure 3G.

[0060] Next, the suppression control unit 102 displays depth information indicating the currently set depth on the display 10 for a predetermined time (for example, a few seconds) and presents it to the occupant P (step S215). Next, the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not it has received a command to change the suppression control (command to change the depth) from the occupant P via the input interface 20 (step S217). For example, if the occupant P determines that there is a discrepancy between the degree of motion sickness (depth) that they have self-determined and the currently set depth, the occupant P inputs a command via the input interface 20 to change to the depth they self-determined. By receiving such a command to change from the occupant P, it becomes possible to set the depth (set the suppression control) in accordance with the occupant P's wishes.

[0061] If it is determined that a command to change the suppression control has been received from crew member P (step S217; Yes), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not it is a response to a depth determination based on the crew member's state (step S219). For example, if crew member P gives a command to change to another depth from the depth determined based on the crew member's state (step S109), the suppression control unit 102 determines that it is a response to a depth determination based on the crew member's state. If it is determined that it is a response to a depth determination based on the crew member's state (step S219; Yes), the tolerance information management unit 104 updates the crew tolerance information for the crew member's state (step S221). Next, returning to step S201, the suppression control unit 102 implements suppression control according to the changed depth and repeats the subsequent processing.

[0062] On the other hand, if it is determined that the response is not to a depth determination based on the occupant's state (step S219; No), the suppression control unit 102 determines whether or not it is a response to a depth determination based on the vehicle's state (step S223). For example, if occupant P gives an instruction to change to another depth from the depth determined based on the vehicle's state (step S111), the suppression control unit 102 determines that it is a response to a depth determination based on the vehicle's state. If it is determined that it is a response to a depth determination based on the vehicle's state (step S223; Yes), the tolerance information management unit 104 updates the occupant tolerance information for the driving state and environment (step S225). Next, returning to step S201, the suppression control unit 102 implements suppression control according to the changed depth and repeats the subsequent processing. Also, if it is determined that the response is not to a depth determination based on the vehicle's state (step S223; No), returning to step S201, the suppression control unit 102 implements suppression control according to the changed depth and repeats the subsequent processing. Ultimately, if it is determined that no instruction to change the suppression control has been received from crew member P (step S217; No), the process of this flowchart ends.

[0063] <Crew status detection and depth determination> Next, the details of the crew state detection and depth determination process (step S109) described above will be explained. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the crew state detection and depth determination process according to the embodiment.

[0064] First, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines whether or not there is crew tolerance information (learned value of crew member P's motion sickness tolerance) associated with crew member P in the management server 3 or the storage unit 200 (step S301). If it is determined that crew tolerance information exists (step S301; Yes), the motion sickness detection unit 103 reads the crew tolerance information (step S303). On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no crew tolerance information (step S301; No), the motion sickness detection unit 103 reads standard tolerance information from the management server 3 or the storage unit 200 (step S313).

[0065] Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines whether or not occupant P has just boarded the vehicle M (boarding time ≤ threshold) (step 305). If it is determined that occupant P has just boarded the vehicle M (step 305; Yes), the motion sickness detection unit 103 detects the normal occupant state of occupant P (heart rate, respiratory rate, upper limb / head movement, eye movement, blinking, etc.) based on the values ​​detected by the wearable device attached to occupant P and the image of occupant P captured by the in-vehicle camera 52 (step S307).

[0066] Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 detects the occupant state of occupant P (heart rate, respiratory rate, upper limb / head movements, eye movements, blinking, etc.) while the vehicle M is in motion (riding time > threshold) based on the values ​​detected by a wearable device attached to occupant P and images of occupant P captured by the in-vehicle camera 52 (step S309).

[0067] Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the recommended depth based on the change in the occupant's state (step S311). If the occupant's tolerance information for occupant P was read in step S303, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the depth based on this occupant tolerance information, the occupant's state under normal conditions, and the occupant's state while driving. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the occupant tolerance information (occupant P's tolerance map) of the occupant's state associated with occupant P according to this embodiment. In this occupant tolerance information for the occupant's state, the horizontal axis is the change in heart rate (difference between heart rate under normal conditions and heart rate while driving), and the vertical axis is the change in head movement (difference between head movement between under normal conditions and head movement). The motion sickness detection unit 103 calculates the difference between the occupant's state under normal conditions detected in step S307 and the occupant's state while driving detected in step S309 as a state change (change in heart rate, change in head movement). The motion sickness detection unit 103 then maps the calculated state changes (changes in heart rate, changes in head movement) to the occupant's tolerance information (occupant P's tolerance map) to determine the depth.

[0068] On the other hand, if standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map) is read in step S313 (if occupant P's occupant tolerance information is not read), the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the depth based on this standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map), the occupant's normal state, and the occupant's state while driving. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map) of the occupant's state according to this embodiment. In this standard tolerance information, the horizontal axis is the change in heart rate (difference between heart rate at rest and while driving), and the vertical axis is the change in the amount of head movement (difference between the amount of head movement at rest and while driving). The motion sickness determination unit 103 calculates the difference between the occupant's normal state (heart rate, amount of head movement) detected in step S307 and the occupant's state while driving (heart rate, amount of head movement) detected in step S309 as a state change (change in heart rate, change in head movement). The motion sickness detection unit 103 then determines the depth by mapping the calculated state changes (changes in heart rate and changes in head movement) to standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0069] <Vehicle state detection and depth determination> Next, the details of the vehicle state detection and depth determination process (step S111) described above will be explained. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the vehicle state detection and depth determination process according to the embodiment.

[0070] First, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines whether or not there is occupant tolerance information for the vehicle condition associated with occupant P in the management server 3 or the storage unit 200 (step S401). If it is determined that occupant tolerance information exists (step S401; Yes), the motion sickness detection unit 103 reads the occupant tolerance information from the management server 3 or the storage unit 200 (step S403). On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no occupant tolerance information (step S401; No), the motion sickness detection unit 103 reads standard tolerance information from the management server 3 or the storage unit 200 (step S415).

[0071] Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 detects the vehicle's behavior over a fixed period of time and calculates the cumulative lateral value (cumulative lateral G) and the cumulative vertical value (cumulative vertical G) of gravitational acceleration that is greater than or equal to a predetermined gravitational acceleration (predetermined G) (step S405).

[0072] Next, the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines a recommended depth (first depth) based on the calculated cumulative lateral G and cumulative vertical G (step S407). If the occupant's tolerance information for occupant P is read in step S403, the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the first depth based on this occupant tolerance information and the calculated cumulative lateral G and cumulative vertical G. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the occupant tolerance information (occupant P's tolerance map) of the vehicle state associated with occupant P according to this embodiment. In this occupant tolerance information, the horizontal axis is cumulative lateral G and the vertical axis is cumulative vertical G. The motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the first depth by mapping the cumulative G (cumulative lateral G, cumulative vertical G) calculated in step S405 above to the occupant tolerance information (occupant P's tolerance map).

[0073] On the other hand, if standard tolerance information has been read in step S415 (and occupant tolerance information for occupant P has not been read), the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the depth (first depth) based on this standard tolerance information and the calculated cumulative G. Figure 11 is a diagram showing standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map) relating to the vehicle state according to the embodiment. In this standard tolerance information, the horizontal axis is cumulative horizontal G, and the vertical axis is cumulative vertical G. The motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the first depth by mapping the cumulative G (cumulative horizontal G, cumulative vertical G) calculated in step S405 to the standard tolerance information (standard tolerance map).

[0074] Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the vehicle's position based on GPS (longitude and latitude information) acquired by the position sensor (step S409). Next, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines a recommended depth (second depth) based on the determined vehicle position (step S411). If the occupant's tolerance information for occupant P has been read in step S403, the motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the depth based on this occupant tolerance information and the determined vehicle position. Figure 12 shows the occupant tolerance information associated with the vehicle position for occupant P according to the embodiment. In this occupant tolerance information, the environment of the vehicle's position (e.g., mountain pass (strong), mountain pass (weak)) is associated with the depth conditions. The motion sickness detection unit 103 determines the vehicle's position environment corresponding to the determined vehicle position based on the map information stored in the memory unit 200, and determines the depth associated with the vehicle's position environment in the occupant tolerance information as the second depth.

[0075] If standard tolerance information has been read in step S415 (and occupant tolerance information for occupant P has not been read), the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the depth (second depth) based on this standard tolerance information and the determined vehicle position. Figure 13 is a diagram showing standard tolerance information according to the vehicle position according to the embodiment. In this standard tolerance information, the environment of the vehicle position (e.g., mountain pass road (strong), mountain pass road (weak)) is associated with the depth conditions. Based on the map information stored in the memory unit 200, the motion sickness determination unit 103 determines the vehicle position environment corresponding to the determined vehicle position, and determines the depth associated with the vehicle position environment in the standard tolerance information as the second depth.

[0076] Next, the intoxication detection unit 103 determines that the higher of the first and second depths is the ultimately recommended depth (step S413). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0077] As described above, this embodiment makes it possible to achieve both a good viewing experience during the ride and motion sickness suppression by switching the mode of the suppression display according to the degree of motion sickness experienced by the passenger.

[0078] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. This makes it possible to prioritize the viewing experience when motion sickness is mild, and to prioritize improving the motion sickness of the passenger when motion sickness worsens. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1…Motion sickness suppression device, 3…Management server, 10…Display, 11…First display, 12…Second display, 20…Input interface, 30…Communication device, 40…Vehicle sensor, 50…Camera, 51…Exterior camera, 52…Interior camera, 100…Control unit, 101…Acquisition unit, 102…Suppression control unit, 103…Motion sickness determination unit, 104…Tolerance information management unit, 200…Storage unit, IP…Instrument panel, M…Vehicle, NW…Communication network, S…Suppression system< / url:>

Claims

1. A motion sickness determination unit that determines the degree of motion sickness of an occupant viewing a content displayed on a display device inside a vehicle, The suppression control unit switches the mode of the suppression display for suppressing motion sickness according to the determined degree of motion sickness and displays it on the display device. A motion sickness suppression device equipped with [the following features].

2. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the state of the occupant. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 1.

3. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the vital data of the occupant detected by the sensor. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 2.

4. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the image data of the occupant captured by the imaging device. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 2.

5. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the input instructions from the occupant. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 1.

6. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the behavior of the vehicle or the location of the vehicle's movement within a predetermined time period in the past. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 1.

7. The motion sickness determination unit determines the degree of motion sickness based on the passenger's tolerance information for motion sickness. A motion sickness suppression device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The system further includes a tolerance information management unit that updates the tolerance information based on a history of changes in the degree of motion sickness, which are modified in response to input instructions from the crew. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned suppression indicator is a horizontal line. A motion sickness suppression device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. The suppression control unit controls the display of the display device so that the suppression display is emphasized as the determined degree of motion sickness worsens. A motion sickness suppression device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. The suppression control unit controls the display of the display device such that the display area of ​​the viewing target on the display device is reduced and the display area of ​​the suppression display is expanded as the determined degree of motion sickness worsens. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 10.

12. The suppression control unit controls the display of the display device such that the contrast of the display of the object being viewed on the display device decreases as the determined degree of motion sickness worsens. The motion sickness suppression device according to claim 10.

13. Computers The degree of motion sickness of a passenger viewing content displayed on a display device inside a vehicle is determined. Depending on the determined degree of motion sickness, the display device switches between different modes of display for suppressing motion sickness. Methods to prevent motion sickness.

14. On the computer, The system determines the degree of motion sickness experienced by passengers viewing content displayed on a display device inside a vehicle. Depending on the determined degree of motion sickness, the display device switches between different modes of display for suppressing motion sickness. program.

Images