Information processing device and information processing program

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing device and information processing program that can efficiently acquire video footage necessary to understand the status of an event. [Solution] An information processing device according to one embodiment is an information processing device for a second vehicle located around the first vehicle when an event occurs in the first vehicle. The information processing device receives an analysis request and first analysis data of the event from the first vehicle. The information processing device generates second analysis data of the event detected by the second vehicle. The information processing device compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it transmits the video of the event captured by the second vehicle to the first vehicle or an external device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to an information processing apparatus and an information processing program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, when an accident occurs in a vehicle, the vehicle acquires video images captured by surrounding vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication and transmits them to a server, and the server analyzes the transmitted video images to grasp the situation of the accident (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, Patent Document 1 describes that when a vehicle detects abnormal behavior due to an accident or the like, it requests surrounding vehicles to transmit the captured video images to the server.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, among the video images captured by surrounding vehicles, there may be video images in which an event such as an accident is not captured. In such a case, in the prior art, unnecessary video images in which an event is not captured are transmitted to the server, and there is a possibility that the video images necessary for grasping the situation of the event cannot be efficiently acquired.

[0005] One aspect of the embodiment has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing program capable of efficiently acquiring video images necessary for grasping the situation of an event.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] Furthermore, an information processing device according to another embodiment is mounted on the first vehicle. When an event occurs in the first vehicle, the information processing device sends an analysis request to the second vehicle located around the first vehicle. The information processing device receives second analysis data of the event generated in the second vehicle. The information processing device compares the first analysis data of the event generated in the first vehicle with the second analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it requests the second vehicle to transmit video of the event to the first vehicle or an external device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] An information processing device according to one embodiment compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data, and if it is determined that the two are a match, it transmits the video of the event captured by the second vehicle to the first vehicle or an external device. In this way, by transmitting the video captured by the second vehicle, for which it has been determined that the first analysis data and the second analysis data are a match, it is possible to efficiently acquire the video necessary to understand the situation of the event.

[0009] In another embodiment of the information processing device, the first analysis data generated by the first vehicle is compared with the second analysis data, and if it is determined that the two data match, it requests the second vehicle to transmit the event video to the first vehicle or an external device. In this way, by transmitting the video captured by the second vehicle, where it is determined that the first and second analysis data match, it is possible to efficiently acquire the video necessary to understand the situation of the event. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing system including an information processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the first information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the first video information. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of the first analysis data. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of the second video information. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the second information processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of the second video information. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of the second analysis data. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows the processing sequence according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11A] Figure 11A is a diagram illustrating the processing sequence according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11B] Figure 11B is a diagram illustrating the processing sequence according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11C] Figure 11C is a diagram illustrating the processing sequence according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the first information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the second analysis data. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the second information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a processing sequence according to the second embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the information processing apparatus and the information processing program disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below. Also, in the following, "predetermined" can be read as "predetermined in advance" or "set in advance".

[0012] (First Embodiment) <Overview of Information Processing System> First, an overview of an information processing system including the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described using FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an information processing system including the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, an information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment includes an information processing apparatus 10 mounted on a first vehicle A, an information processing apparatus 20 mounted on a second vehicle B, and a server 100. Hereinafter, the information processing apparatus 10 of the first vehicle A may be referred to as the "first information processing apparatus 10", and the information processing apparatus 20 of the second vehicle B may be referred to as the "second information processing apparatus 20".

[0014] Figure 1 shows an example where an event such as an accident occurs to the first vehicle A. The target of this event is vehicle X, which is in front of the first vehicle A. The second vehicle B is a vehicle located around the first vehicle A where the event occurred. The first vehicle A where the event occurred can be called "the vehicle itself," and the second vehicle B located around the vehicle (first vehicle A) can be called "other vehicles." There may be multiple second vehicles B, but for the sake of simplicity in this explanation, we will focus on a single second vehicle B.

[0015] The first and second information processing devices 10 and 20 are devices that each have, for example, a camera, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, various sensors, a storage device, a microcomputer, etc., and are connected to the server 100 in a communicative manner. The camera of the first information processing device 10 takes images of the area around the first vehicle A. The camera of the second information processing device 20 takes images of the area around the second vehicle B. In the following, the image captured by the camera of the first information processing device 10 may be referred to as the "first image," and the image captured by the camera of the second information processing device 20 may be referred to as the "second image."

[0016] Furthermore, the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are connected to each other in a way that enables communication. In other words, the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are connected in a way that enables vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Also, the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are connected in a way that enables communication via a communication network such as the Internet or a mobile phone network.

[0017] Server 100 is a device that analyzes video footage of an event to understand the circumstances of the event (in this case, an accident). Specifically, Server 100 can provide the administrator of Server 100 with video footage of the event, the results of the video analysis, etc., to help them understand the circumstances of the event. Server 100 may be configured as a cloud server that provides cloud services via a communication network such as the internet or a mobile phone network, or it may be configured to perform distributed processing using multiple servers. Server 100 has a communication function that communicates with the first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20, etc., via the communication network. Note that Server 100 is an example of an external device. The external device is not limited to Server 100; for example, any device capable of analyzing an event using video may be used.

[0018] In this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently acquire video footage necessary to understand the situation of an event.

[0019] Specifically, when an event is detected in the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 analyzes the event using the video (first video) captured by the camera (step S1). Specifically, the first information processing device 10 analyzes the video captured during a predetermined period including the time when the event was detected, and obtains the components of the event estimated from the video as analysis data. The analysis data is data that shows the analysis results. The components of the event are various pieces of information about the event. The components of the event (i.e., the analysis data (analysis results)) include items such as the event target and the relative position of the event target with respect to the first vehicle A. These items will be described later using Figure 5. In the following, the analysis data by the first information processing device 10 may be referred to as "first analysis data".

[0020] Next, the first information processing device 10 transmits the first analysis data and an event analysis request to the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A (step S2). Specifically, for example, while the first vehicle A is in motion, the first information processing device 10 detects the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A by vehicle-to-vehicle communication and associates it with a vehicle ID. The first information processing device 10 stores the vehicle ID of the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A at the time the event occurs, and transmits the first analysis data and an event analysis request to the second vehicle B corresponding to the stored vehicle ID. The transmission of the first analysis data and the event analysis request may be performed via vehicle-to-vehicle communication or via another communication network.

[0021] The second information processing device 20 is an information processing device for the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A when an event occurs in the first vehicle A. The second information processing device 20 receives first analysis data and an event analysis request from the first vehicle A. Upon receiving the analysis request, the second information processing device 20 performs event analysis (step S3). Specifically, the analysis request includes information that can identify the time or location where the event occurred, such as information on the date and time the event occurred, or location information of the place where the event occurred. In response to the analysis request, the second information processing device 20 analyzes video footage (second video footage) taken during a predetermined period including the time the event occurred, or video footage (second video footage) taken at the place where the event occurred, and obtains the components of the event estimated from the video as analysis data. Hereinafter, the analysis data by the second information processing device 20 may be referred to as "second analysis data". In this way, the second information processing device 20 generates second analysis data for the event detected by the second vehicle B.

[0022] Next, the second information processing device 20 compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data received from the first vehicle A and performs a matching determination process to determine whether the two data match (step S4). In the matching determination process, if all of the multiple components of the event included in the second analysis data match all of the multiple components of the event included in the first analysis data, it is determined that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match. The second information processing device 20 may also determine that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match even if only some of the multiple components of the event included in the second analysis data match all of the multiple components of the event included in the first analysis data. In this case, the second analysis data and the first analysis data are determined to match unless all of the multiple components of the event included in the second analysis data and all of the multiple components of the event included in the first analysis data are different. In this way, unnecessary video can be reliably excluded while collecting the video necessary for event analysis. The specific matching determination process will be described later.

[0023] If the second information processing device 20 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match, it transmits the second video of the event captured by the second vehicle B to the first vehicle A (step S5). In other words, if the second analysis data obtained by analyzing the second video matches the first analysis data, it can be estimated that the event is captured in the second video, or that the video captures enough information to understand the situation of the event. In other words, the second video from which the second analysis data matches the first analysis data is the video necessary to understand the situation of the event. By transmitting the second video captured by the second vehicle B, which is determined to have matching analysis data, the video necessary to understand the situation of the event can be efficiently acquired.

[0024] On the other hand, although not shown in the diagram, if the second information processing device 20 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data do not match (determines a mismatch), it does not transmit the second video to the first vehicle A. In other words, if the second analysis data obtained by analyzing the second video does not match the first analysis data, it can be inferred that the event was not captured in the second video, or that the video captured is not sufficient to understand the situation of the event. In other words, a second video from which second analysis data that does not match the first analysis data is obtained is not the video necessary to understand the situation of the event. That is, since a second video from which the second analysis data and the first analysis data are determined to be mismatched is not transmitted, the amount of communication required to acquire the second video can be reduced.

[0025] If the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 transmits the first video in which the event was captured in the first vehicle A and the second video acquired from the second vehicle B to the server 100 (step S6). On the other hand, although not shown in the diagram, if the second information processing device 20 does not transmit the second video to the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 transmits the first video to the server 100.

[0026] Server 100 performs analysis processing on the received video (in this case, the first and second videos) (step S7). In the analysis processing, for example, the content and cause of the event are determined as analysis results. Server 100 can provide the administrator of Server 100 with the received video (in this case, the first and second videos) and the video analysis results so that they can understand the situation of the event. In addition to the administrator of Server 100, Server 100 may also provide the received video and analysis results to the user of the first vehicle A, etc.

[0027] In the example shown in Figure 1, the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the first vehicle A, but the system is not limited to this, and may be configured to transmit directly to the server 100. That is, in this embodiment, the second information processing device 20 may transmit the second video directly to the server 100 if it determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match. When the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the server 100, the first information processing device 10 will transmit the first video to the server 100. The second information processing device 20 may also notify the first vehicle A that it has transmitted the second video to the server 100. In this case, the first information processing device 10 can easily determine whether multiple other vehicles have acquired video of the event. The first information processing device 10 may also change the conditions for the match determination process and resend video requests to other surrounding vehicles. For example, in the first analysis request, the system may request to send video only if all items in the analysis results match. If the number of event videos from multiple other vehicles is less than a predetermined number, the conditions for matching can be changed, and video requests may be sent again to other surrounding vehicles. In this way, the first information processing device 10 can increase the number of videos acquired to understand the status of the event.

[0028] In the above example, the event occurring in the first vehicle A is an accident, but this is not the only example. For example, the event may be a near miss in the first vehicle A. A near miss is an event that does not result in an accident, but makes the user of the first vehicle A feel uneasy or startled, or otherwise feel that it is dangerous. Thus, the event according to this embodiment is either an accident or a near miss in the first vehicle A.

[0029] <Information Processing System> Next, with reference to Figure 2, the configuration of the information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that block diagrams such as Figure 2 only show the components necessary to explain the features of the embodiment, and descriptions of general components are omitted.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the information processing system 1 comprises the server 100 described above, a first information processing device 10 in the first vehicle A, and a second information processing device 20 in the second vehicle B. The server 100, the first information processing device 10, and the second information processing device 20 are connected to each other via a communication network N. The first information processing device 10 and the second information processing device 20 are connected to each other for vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Although Figure 2 shows one second vehicle B and one second information processing device 20, there may be multiple.

[0031] First, the first information processing device 10 installed in the first vehicle A will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the first information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the first information processing device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a camera 12, a sensor group 13, and a GPS sensor 14. The communication unit 11 is a communication interface that connects to a communication network N in a bidirectional manner. The communication unit 11 is also a communication interface that connects to a second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A in a vehicle-to-vehicle communication manner.

[0033] Camera 12 captures images of the area around the first vehicle A (for example, in front, behind, left, and right directions) and outputs the captured video data to the controller 15. The video data is video data, but is not limited to that; it may also be still image data. Camera 12 is a camera equipped with, for example, a lens and an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), but is not limited to that.

[0034] Sensor group 13 includes various sensors for detecting the occurrence of events in the first vehicle A. Sensor group 13 includes, for example, G (accelerometer) sensors and radar devices. The G sensor measures the acceleration applied to the first vehicle A and outputs the measured acceleration information to the controller 15. The controller 15 can detect the occurrence of an event such as an accident when the acceleration applied to the first vehicle A exceeds a threshold that allows it to determine that the vehicle has come into contact with an object in the surrounding area, such as a vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian. The controller 15 can also detect the occurrence of an event such as a near miss when the acceleration applied to the first vehicle A exceeds a threshold that allows it to determine that the first vehicle A has come to a sudden stop.

[0035] The radar device measures the distance between the vehicle and surrounding vehicles, such as the vehicle in front, the vehicle behind, and the vehicles to the left and right, and outputs the measured distance information to the controller 15. The controller 15 can detect the occurrence of an event such as an accident when the distance between the vehicles falls below a threshold that can be determined to indicate contact with a surrounding object. The controller 15 can also detect the occurrence of an event such as a near miss when the distance between the vehicles falls below a threshold that can be determined to indicate that the vehicle has come too close to a surrounding object.

[0036] The sensor group 13 may include both the G-sensor and the radar device described above, or it may include only one of them. The sensor group 13 is not limited to the G-sensor, etc., and may include other sensors that can detect the occurrence of an event, such as a microphone capable of detecting event sound, a brake sensor capable of detecting sudden braking operations, and a steering sensor capable of detecting sudden steering operations. In addition, the controller 15 may detect events by analyzing the first video in addition to, or instead of, the output of the sensor group 13.

[0037] The GPS sensor 14 detects the position of the first vehicle A and outputs position information indicating the detected position of the first vehicle A to the controller 15.

[0038] In the example shown in Figure 3, the first information processing device 10 is configured to include a camera 12, a sensor group 13, and a GPS sensor 14, but it is not limited to this configuration. That is, some or all of the camera 12, sensor group 13, and GPS sensor 14 may be mounted on the first vehicle A separately from the first information processing device 10.

[0039] The memory unit 16 is a memory unit composed of memory devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), data flash, or a hard disk drive. This memory unit 16 stores surrounding vehicle information 16a, first video information 16b, first analysis data 16c, second video information 16d, and information on various programs. The first information processing device 10 may acquire the above-mentioned programs and various information via other computers or portable recording media connected by wired or wireless networks.

[0040] The surrounding vehicle information 16a is information about vehicles located around the first vehicle A (i.e., the second vehicle B). The surrounding vehicle information 16a includes, for example, the vehicle ID and location information of the first vehicle A transmitted from the second vehicle B located around it via vehicle-to-vehicle communication while the first vehicle A is in motion. The surrounding vehicle information 16a may also be further associated with the relative position of the second vehicle B, identified by the vehicle ID, with respect to the first vehicle A.

[0041] The first video information 16b is information about the first video image captured by the camera 12. Here, the first video information 16b will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the first video information 16b.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the first video information 16b includes items such as "first video ID," "vehicle ID," "video information," "location information," "time information," and "event detection," and the data for each item is related to (linked) to each other.

[0043] The "first video ID" is identification information that identifies the first video. More specifically, the first video is video data that is continuously captured while the first vehicle A is in motion. Here, we show an example in which, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the first video ID is assigned to the first video captured at a predetermined time and stored in the storage unit 16, but the method of storing the first video in the storage unit 16 is not limited to this.

[0044] "Vehicle ID" is identification information that identifies the vehicle that captured the first video, and in this case, it is the information that identifies the first vehicle A. "Video Information" is the video data that represents the first video. In the example shown in Figure 4, for convenience, "Video Information" is abstractly described as "E01," but "E01" is assumed to store specific information. Other information may also be described abstractly below.

[0045] "Location information" is information indicating the location of the first vehicle A from which the first video was captured. Location information may be, for example, information indicating latitude and longitude, or information indicating an address. "Time information" is information indicating the time when the first video was captured. "Event detection" is information indicating whether or not an event was detected in the first vehicle A.

[0046] In the example shown in Figure 4, the first video identified by the first video ID "C01" indicates that the vehicle ID is "D01", the video information is "E01", the location information is "F01", the time information is "G01", and event detection is "present".

[0047] The first analysis data 16c will be explained using Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, the first analysis data 16c includes items such as "Vehicle ID," "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle," and the data for each item are related to (linked) each other.

[0048] "Vehicle ID" is identification information that identifies the vehicle from which the first analysis data was obtained, and in this case, it is information that identifies the first vehicle A. "Event target" is information that indicates the object that is the target of the event. "Event target" includes information that indicates, for example, a vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian.

[0049] "Relative position of the event target" is information indicating the relative position of the event target with respect to the first vehicle A. "Relative position of the event target" includes information such as forward, backward, left side, and right side. "Action of the event target" is information indicating the action of the event target. "Action of the event target" includes information such as sudden stop, forward, reverse, sudden start, right turn, left turn, overtaking, and lane change.

[0050] "Relative position of vehicle 1" is information indicating the relative position of vehicle 1 A to the target of the event. "Relative position of vehicle 1" includes information such as forward, backward, left side, and right side. "Action of vehicle 1" is information indicating the action of vehicle 1 A to the target. "Action of vehicle 1" includes information such as sudden stop, forward, reverse, sudden start, right turn, left turn, overtaking, and lane change.

[0051] Furthermore, in the items "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle," if the analysis results are unknown, information indicating that they are unknown will be included.

[0052] In the example shown in Figure 5, the first analysis data obtained from the first vehicle A with vehicle ID "D01" indicates that the event target is "vehicle", the relative position of the event target is "forward", the action of the event target is "sudden stop", the relative position of the first vehicle is "rear", and the action of the first vehicle is "forward".

[0053] In the above example, the analysis data items were shown as "Vehicle ID," "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle." However, the analysis data items may be only a part of these. In other words, the analysis data only needs to include at least one of the following items: "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Relative Action of First Vehicle."

[0054] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the second video information 16d is information relating to the second video image captured by the camera 22 (see Figure 7) of the second information processing device 20. The second video information 16d is information stored in the storage unit 16 when the second video image is transmitted from the second vehicle B to the first vehicle A. Here, we will explain the second video information 16d using Figure 6.

[0055] As shown in Figure 6, the second video information 16d includes items such as "second video ID," "vehicle ID," and "video information," and the data for each item is related to (linked) to each other.

[0056] "Second Video ID" is identification information that identifies the second video. "Vehicle ID" is identification information that identifies the vehicle that captured the second video, and in this case, it is information that identifies the second vehicle B. "Video Information" is video data that represents the second video.

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 6, the second video identified by the second video ID "C11" indicates that the vehicle ID is "D11" and the video information is "E11". Similarly, the second video identified by the second video ID "C21" indicates that the vehicle ID is "D21" and the video information is "E21".

[0058] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the controller 15 includes a microcomputer with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM, and various circuits. The controller 15 controls the operation of the entire first information processing device 10 by having the CPU execute a program (e.g., an information processing program) stored in the ROM, using the RAM as a workspace. Note that the controller 15 may be partially or entirely composed of hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0059] The controller 15 stores the vehicle ID and location information obtained from the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A in the storage unit 16 as surrounding vehicle information 16a. The surrounding vehicle information 16a may further include the relative position of the second vehicle B, identified by the vehicle ID, with respect to the first vehicle A. The controller 15 stores the first video image captured by the camera 12 in the storage unit 16 as first video information 16b. At this time, the controller 15 stores the first video associated with the vehicle ID, location information, time information, and whether or not an event was detected (see Figure 4).

[0060] Furthermore, the controller 15 performs various processes, including analyzing events using the first video, sending and receiving various information with the second vehicle B, and transmitting video to the server 100. Including these various processes, the controller 15 performs information processing according to the processing sequence shown in Figure 10. An explanation using Figure 10 will be given later.

[0061] Next, the second information processing device 20, which is installed in the second vehicle B, will be described with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the second information processing device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a camera 22, a sensor group 23, and a GPS sensor 24. The communication unit 21 is a communication interface that connects to the communication network N in a bidirectional manner. The communication unit 21 is also a communication interface that connects to the first vehicle A in a vehicle-to-vehicle communication manner.

[0062] Camera 22 captures images of the area around the second vehicle B (for example, in front, behind, left, and right directions) and outputs the captured video data to the controller 25. Camera 22 is, for example, a camera equipped with a lens and an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, but is not limited to this.

[0063] Sensor group 23 includes various sensors for detecting the occurrence of events in the second vehicle B. Since sensor group 23 is the same as sensor group 13 of the first information processing device 10, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0064] The vehicle on which the second information processing device 20 is installed is designated as "Vehicle 2B" because it is located around Vehicle 1A, where the event was detected. However, if an event is detected in this vehicle, it will be designated as "Vehicle 1A".

[0065] The GPS sensor 24 detects the position of the second vehicle B and outputs position information indicating the detected position of the second vehicle B to the controller 25. In the example shown in Figure 7, the second information processing device 20 is configured to include a camera 22, a sensor group 23, and a GPS sensor 24, but it is not limited to this configuration. That is, some or all of the camera 22, sensor group 23, and GPS sensor 24 may be mounted on the second vehicle B separately from the second information processing device 20.

[0066] The memory unit 26 is a memory unit composed of memory devices such as RAM, data flash, or hard disk drive. This memory unit 26 stores surrounding vehicle information 26a, first analysis data 26b, second video information 26c, second analysis data 26d, and information on various programs. The second information processing device 20 may acquire the above-mentioned programs and various information via other computers or portable recording media connected by wired or wireless networks.

[0067] The surrounding vehicle information 26a is information about vehicles (e.g., first vehicle A) located around the second vehicle B. The surrounding vehicle information 26a includes, for example, the vehicle ID and location information of a vehicle located around the second vehicle B that is transmitted via vehicle-to-vehicle communication while the second vehicle B is in motion. In addition, the surrounding vehicle information 16a may be further associated with the relative position of the vehicle identified by the vehicle ID.

[0068] The first analysis data 26b is information indicating the first analysis data transmitted from the first vehicle A. Therefore, the first analysis data 26b of the second information processing device 20 is the same information as the first analysis data 16c of the first information processing device 10 (see Figure 5).

[0069] The second video information 26c is information relating to the second video captured by the camera 22. Here, the second video information 26c will be explained using Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the second video information 26c includes items such as "second video ID," "vehicle ID," "video information," "location information," "time information," and "event detection," and the data for each item is related to (linked) to each other.

[0070] The "second video ID" is identification information that identifies the second video. More specifically, the second video is video data that is continuously captured while the second vehicle B is in motion. Here, we show an example in which, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the second video ID is assigned to the second video captured at that predetermined time and stored in the storage unit 26, but the method of storing the second video in the storage unit 26 is not limited to this.

[0071] "Vehicle ID" is identification information that identifies the vehicle that captured the second video, and in this case, it is information that identifies the second vehicle B. "Video Information" is video data that represents the second video. "Location Information" is information that indicates the location of the second vehicle B from which the second video was captured. "Time Information" is information that indicates the time the second video was captured. "Event Detection" is information that indicates whether or not an event was detected in the second vehicle B.

[0072] In the example shown in Figure 8, the second video identified by the second video ID "C11" indicates that the vehicle ID is "D11", the video information is "E11", the location information is "F11", the time information is "G11", and there is "no event detection".

[0073] Returning to the explanation of Figure 7, the second analysis data 26d is information indicating the second analysis data. More specifically, the second analysis data 26d is information indicating the results obtained by the second information processing device 20 when it analyzes the second video in response to an analysis request transmitted from the first vehicle A. The second video to be analyzed is, for example, video captured by camera 22 during a predetermined period including the time when the event occurred, or video captured by camera 22 at the location where the event occurred.

[0074] Here, we will explain the second analysis data 26d using Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, the second analysis data 26d includes items such as "Vehicle ID," "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle," and the data for each item are related to (linked) to each other. Since each item in the second analysis data 26d is the same as in the first analysis data 16c, we will omit the explanation here.

[0075] In the example shown in Figure 9, the second analysis data obtained from the second vehicle B with vehicle ID "D11" indicates that the event target is "vehicle," the relative position of the event target is "forward," the action of the event target is "sudden stop," the relative position of the first vehicle is "rearward," and the action of the first vehicle is "forward." As explained in Figure 5, the relative position of the event target is information indicating the relative position of the event target with respect to the first vehicle A, and the relative position of the first vehicle is information indicating the relative position of the first vehicle A with respect to the event target. The second information processing device 20 can analyze the items "relative position of the event target" and "relative position of the first vehicle" because it receives the vehicle ID and position information of the first vehicle A, for example, through vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0076] Returning to the explanation of Figure 7, the controller 25 includes a microcomputer with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and various circuits. The controller 25 controls the operation of the entire second information processing device 20 by having the CPU execute a program (e.g., an information processing program) stored in the ROM, using the RAM as a workspace. Note that the controller 25 may be partially or entirely composed of hardware such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0077] The controller 25 stores the vehicle ID and location information obtained from vehicles located around the second vehicle B in the storage unit 26 as surrounding vehicle information 26a. The surrounding vehicle information 26a may further include the relative position of the vehicle identified by the vehicle ID with respect to the second vehicle B. The controller 25 stores the second video image captured by the camera 22 in the storage unit 26 as second video information 26c. At this time, the controller 25 stores the second video associated with the vehicle ID, location information, time information, and whether or not an event was detected (see Figure 8).

[0078] Furthermore, the controller 25 performs various processes, including sending and receiving various information with the first vehicle A, analyzing events using the second video, and determining whether the first analysis data and the second analysis data match. The controller 25 performs information processing according to the processing sequence shown in Figure 10, including all of these processes.

[0079] <Information processing in information processing systems> Next, the information processing performed by the first information processing device 10, the second information processing device 20, and the server 100 will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11A to 11C. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the processing sequence according to the first embodiment. Figures 11A to 11C are diagrams for explaining the processing sequence according to the first embodiment.

[0080] As shown in Figure 10, the first information processing device 10 (controller 15) detects an event that has occurred in the first vehicle A (step S101). For example, the first information processing device 10 detects the occurrence of an event when the acceleration measured by the G sensor included in the sensor group 13 is a value that indicates the occurrence of an event.

[0081] When an event is detected in the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 analyzes the first video footage in which the event was captured (step S102). One example of a video analysis method is to determine that if a characteristic point of a vehicle (e.g., a license plate, taillights, tires, etc.) is detected in the video at a position in front of the vehicle, the event target is the "vehicle," the relative position of the event target is "in front," and the relative position of the first vehicle is "behind." The first information processing device 10 reads the first video footage captured during a predetermined period including the time when the event was detected from the first video information 16b in the storage unit 16, and obtains the components of the event (e.g., the event target) extracted from the read first video footage as analysis data (see Figure 11A).

[0082] The first information processing device 10 stores the event analysis data obtained from the first video as first analysis data 16c in the storage unit 16. The first information processing device 10 transmits the first analysis data and an event analysis request to the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A (step S103). Specifically, the first information processing device 10 reads the surrounding vehicle information 16a (see Figure 3) from the storage unit 16 and obtains the vehicle ID of the second vehicle B that was located around the first vehicle A at the time the event occurred. The first information processing device 10 also reads the first analysis data 16c from the storage unit 16. The first information processing device 10 transmits the first analysis data and an event analysis request to the second vehicle B having the acquired vehicle ID via the communication unit 11. The analysis request includes information that can identify the time or location where the event occurred, the vehicle ID of the first vehicle A, and information regarding the acquisition request for the video in which the event was captured.

[0083] In addition, during the processing in step S103, the first information processing device 10 may send an analysis request to all of the multiple second vehicles B that were located around the first vehicle A when the event occurred. Furthermore, if multiple second vehicles B were located around the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 may send an analysis request to some of the multiple second vehicles B.

[0084] When the first information processing device 10 sends an analysis request to some of the vehicles among a group of vehicles, it may limit the direction of the vehicles to which the analysis request is sent. For example, the first information processing device 10 may send an analysis request to a second vehicle B that is located in a direction where it is estimated that an event may have been captured, relative to the first vehicle A, based on the first analysis data obtained from the first vehicle A. In other words, the analysis request may be sent to a second vehicle B that is located in a direction where an event can be captured at the time the event occurs, based on the first analysis data.

[0085] As shown in Figure 11B, for example, in the first analysis data, the vehicle Xa that is the target of the event may be a "motorcycle," the relative position of the target of the event may be "right rear," and the action of the target of the event may be "overtaking." In such a case, the camera 22 of the second vehicle Ba, which is located behind the first vehicle A, is highly likely to have captured images of vehicle Xa overtaking the first vehicle A. In other words, the second image captured by the second vehicle Ba, which is located behind the first vehicle A, is estimated to have a higher probability of capturing an event than the second image captured by the second vehicle Bb, which is located in a different direction. Therefore, the first information processing device 10 sends an analysis request to the second vehicle Ba, which is located in the direction in which it is estimated that an event may have been captured (in this case, behind the first vehicle A), relative to the first vehicle A, according to the first analysis data. Conversely, the first information processing device 10 does not send an analysis request to the second vehicle Bb, which is located in the direction in which it is estimated that an event may have been captured (in this case, to the left front of the first vehicle A), relative to the first vehicle A, according to the first analysis data. In this way, the first information processing device 10 can reduce the amount of communication between the first vehicle A and the second vehicle B while suppressing the acquisition of unnecessary video by limiting the direction in which the analysis request is transmitted, or in other words, the vehicle from which the analysis request is transmitted, according to the first analysis data.

[0086] Returning to the explanation of Figure 10, when the second information processing device 20 receives the first analysis data and an event analysis request from the first information processing device 10, it performs event analysis according to the received analysis request (step S104). Specifically, the second information processing device 20 stores the first analysis data received from the first information processing device 10 of the first vehicle A in the storage unit 26 as first analysis data 26b. In response to the analysis request, the second information processing device 20 reads out the second video image captured during a predetermined period including the time when the event occurred, or the second video image captured at the location where the event occurred, from the second video information 26c in the storage unit 26. The second information processing device 20 analyzes the read second video using an arbitrary video analysis method to obtain the components of the event estimated from the second video as analysis data, as shown in Figure 11C. The second information processing device 20 stores the event analysis data obtained from the second video in the storage unit 26 as second analysis data 26d.

[0087] In the example shown in Figure 11C, the second analysis data obtained from the second vehicle B1 indicates that the event target is "vehicle," the relative position of the event target is "forward," the action of the event target is "sudden stop," the relative position of the first vehicle is "rearward," and the action of the first vehicle is "forward." The second analysis data obtained from the second vehicle B2 indicates that the event target is "unknown," the relative position of the event target is "unknown," the action of the event target is "unknown," the relative position of the first vehicle is "rearward," and the action of the first vehicle is "forward." The second analysis data obtained from the second vehicle B3 indicates that the event target is "vehicle," the relative position of the event target is "forward," the action of the event target is "reverse," the relative position of the first vehicle is "rearward," and the action of the first vehicle is "sudden stop."

[0088] Next, the second information processing device 20 compares the second analysis data obtained from the second video with the first analysis data received from the first vehicle A and performs a matching determination process to determine whether the two match (step S105). Specifically, the second information processing device 20 reads the second analysis data 26d and the first analysis data 26b from the storage unit 26 and compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data. The second information processing device 20 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match if all of the multiple components of the event included in the second analysis data match the multiple components of the event included in the first analysis data, or if some of them match. For example, the second information processing device 20 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match if a predetermined number or more of the multiple components of the event included in the analysis data match. The predetermined number is set to a value such that it can be estimated that the second video is an image captured to the extent that the situation of the event can be grasped, but is not limited to this and can be set to any value.

[0089] In the process of step S105, the second information processing device 20 may change the determination criteria (e.g., a predetermined number) for determining whether the analysis data of the second vehicle B and the analysis data of the first vehicle A match, according to the relative position of the second vehicle B with respect to the first vehicle A. For example, the second information processing device 20 may change the number of items for determining whether the first analysis data and the second analysis data match, depending on the relative position of the second vehicle B with respect to the first vehicle A. Specifically, the second information processing device 20 may relax the determination criteria for the second analysis data of the second vehicle B located in a direction that makes it easy to image events related to the first vehicle A, compared to the determination criteria for the second analysis data of the second vehicle B located in other directions.

[0090] In Figure 11C, the second vehicle B2 is located behind the first vehicle A. Therefore, the second image in the second vehicle B2 includes an image of the entire first vehicle A, where the event occurs, viewed from the rear. Thus, the second vehicle B2 can be said to be the second vehicle B located in a direction that is highly likely to be capturing images of the event related to the first vehicle A. Accordingly, for example, if the vehicle on which the second information processing device 20 is installed is the second vehicle B1 or B3, and it is located in a direction other than the direction that is highly likely to be capturing images of the event, the second information processing device 20 sets the predetermined number used as the determination criterion to the normal value of "4". On the other hand, if the vehicle on which the second information processing device 20 is installed is the second vehicle B2, and it is located in a direction that is highly likely to be capturing images of the event, the second information processing device 20 sets the predetermined number used as the determination criterion to "2", relaxing the determination criterion compared to the normal value. The direction that is highly likely to be capturing images of the event related to the first vehicle A is, for example, the rear of the first vehicle A, and is not limited to directly behind, but could include the right rear, left rear, etc. Also, the predetermined number mentioned above is merely an example and is not limited to any particular direction.

[0091] This makes it easier to determine, for example, whether the second analysis data of the second vehicle B2, which is located in a direction likely to capture an event, matches the analysis data of the first vehicle A. Specifically, in the second video from the second vehicle B2, part or all of the vehicle X, which is the target of the event, is likely to be hidden by the first vehicle A. As a result, the components of the event may be "unknown" in the second analysis data obtained from the second video. In the example in Figure 11C, among the components of the event in the second analysis data of the second vehicle B2, "event target," "relative position of the event target," and "action of the event target" are "unknown," and these components do not match the first analysis data. On the other hand, among the components of the event in the second analysis data, "relative position of the first vehicle" is "rear" and "action of the first vehicle" is "forward," and these components match the first analysis data. Therefore, the number of items in the second analysis data of the second vehicle B2 that match the components of the first analysis data is "2". Here, since the second vehicle B2, on which the second information processing device 20 is installed, is located in a direction that is highly likely to capture an event, the second information processing device 20 sets the predetermined number to "2," and therefore determines that the second analysis data of the second vehicle B2 matches the first analysis data.

[0092] In Figure 11C, the second analysis data for the second vehicle B1 shows that the number of items whose components match those of the first analysis data is "5," which is more than the predetermined number (4 in this case), and therefore it was determined to match the first analysis data for the first vehicle A. On the other hand, the second analysis data for the second vehicle B3 shows that the number of items whose components match those of the first analysis data is "3," which is less than the predetermined number (4 in this case), and therefore it was determined to not match the first analysis data for the first vehicle A.

[0093] Returning to the explanation of Figure 10, if the second information processing device 20 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match, it transmits the second video, in which the event was captured in the second vehicle B, to the first vehicle A (step S106). Specifically, the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video, in which the second analysis data matching the first analysis data is obtained, to the first vehicle A via the communication unit 21. The first information processing device 10 in the first vehicle A stores the received second video as second video information 16d in the storage unit 16 (see Figure 6).

[0094] Next, the first information processing device 10 transmits the first video and the second video to the server 100 (step S107). Specifically, the first information processing device 10 reads the first video in which the event was captured (in other words, the first video from which the first analysis data was obtained) from the first video information 16b in the storage unit 16. The first information processing device 10 also reads the second video acquired from the second vehicle B (in other words, the second video from which the second analysis data was obtained) from the second video information 16d in the storage unit 16. The first information processing device 10 transmits the first video in which the event was captured and the second video acquired from the second vehicle B to the server 100.

[0095] Next, the server 100 performs analysis processing on the received first and second video streams (step S108). The server 100 provides the server administrator, etc., with the received first and second video streams and the video analysis results, thereby allowing them to understand the status of the event.

[0096] In the example shown in Figure 10, the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the first vehicle A. However, the second information processing device 20 may transmit the second video to the server 100, and the first information processing device 10 may transmit the first video to the server 100.

[0097] As described above, the second information processing device 20 according to the first embodiment is an information processing device for the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A when an event occurs in the first vehicle A. The second information processing device 20 receives an analysis request and first analysis data of the event from the first vehicle A. The second information processing device 20 generates second analysis data of the event detected by the second vehicle B. The second information processing device 20 compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it transmits the video of the event captured by the second vehicle B (second video) to the first vehicle A or the server 100.

[0098] In this way, the second information processing device 20 compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it transmits the second video of the event captured by the second vehicle B to the first vehicle A or the server 100. In other words, by transmitting the second video captured by the second vehicle B, which has been determined to match the first analysis data, it is possible to efficiently acquire the video necessary to understand the situation of the event.

[0099] Furthermore, the first and second analysis data include at least one of the following items: the target of the event, the relative position of the target of the event with respect to the first vehicle A, the action of the target of the event, the relative position of the first vehicle A with respect to the target of the event, and the action of the first vehicle A. This makes it possible to obtain the specific components of an event that occurred on the first vehicle A as event analysis data.

[0100] Furthermore, the event is an accident or near-miss in Vehicle 1A. This makes it possible to efficiently acquire the necessary video footage to understand the circumstances of the accident or near-miss in Vehicle 1A.

[0101] (Second Embodiment) Next, the information processing performed by the first information processing device 10, the second information processing device 20, and the server 100 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the first information processing device 10 mounted on the first vehicle A is configured to perform a matching determination process to determine whether the second analysis data and the first analysis data match.

[0102] First, the first information processing device 10 will be described with reference to Figure 12. In the following description, components common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanation may be omitted.

[0103] As shown in Figure 12, in the first information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment, the second analysis data 16e is stored in the storage unit 16. The second analysis data 16e is information indicating the second analysis data transmitted from the second vehicle B in response to an analysis data request, which will be described later. Here, the second analysis data 16e will be explained using Figure 13.

[0104] As shown in Figure 13, the second analysis data 16e includes items such as "Vehicle ID," "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle," and the data for each item are related to (linked) to each other.

[0105] The "Vehicle ID" is identification information that identifies the vehicle that sent the second analysis data to the first vehicle A, and in this case, it is the information that identifies the second vehicle B. The items "Event Target," "Relative Position of Event Target," "Action of Event Target," "Relative Position of First Vehicle," and "Action of First Vehicle" have already been explained.

[0106] In the example shown in Figure 13, the second analysis data obtained from the second vehicle B with vehicle ID "D11" indicates that the event target is "vehicle", the relative position of the event target is "forward", the action of the event target is "sudden stop", the relative position of the first vehicle is "rear", and the action of the first vehicle is "forward".

[0107] Returning to the explanation of Figure 12, the controller 15 performs various processes, including analyzing events using the first video, sending and receiving various information with the second vehicle B, and transmitting video to the server 100. In addition, it performs a process to determine whether the first analysis data and the second analysis data match. The controller 15 performs information processing according to the processing sequence shown in Figure 15, including the above processes. An explanation using Figure 15 will be given later.

[0108] Next, the second information processing device 20 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 14. In the second information processing device 20 according to the second embodiment, a matching determination process is not performed to determine whether the second analysis data and the first analysis data match. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, the first analysis data 26b according to the first embodiment is not stored in the storage unit 26 of the second information processing device 20.

[0109] The controller 25 performs various processes, such as sending and receiving various information with the first vehicle A, and analyzing events using the second video. The controller 25 performs information processing according to the processing sequence shown in Figure 15, including the various processes.

[0110] Next, the information processing performed by the first information processing device 10, the second information processing device 20, and the server 100 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a diagram showing the processing sequence according to the second embodiment.

[0111] As shown in Figure 15, in steps S101 and S102, the first information processing device 10 (controller 15) performs event analysis using the first video if an event is detected in the first vehicle A. That is, the first information processing device 10 generates first analysis data of the event detected by the first vehicle A.

[0112] Next, when an event occurs in the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 transmits an analysis request and an analysis data request to the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A (step S103a). The analysis data request requests the transmission of the analysis data obtained in the second vehicle B, i.e., the second analysis data, to the first vehicle A.

[0113] In addition, the first information processing device 10 may limit the direction of the vehicle to which it transmits the analysis request and analysis data request, similar to the first embodiment. Furthermore, although Figure 15 shows an example in which the first information processing device 10 transmits the analysis request, etc., after analyzing an event using the first video, it is not limited to this, and the analysis request, etc., may be transmitted before analyzing the event (for example, simultaneously with the detection of the event). In the second embodiment, the event analysis request and analysis data request can be transmitted to surrounding vehicles without waiting for the event analysis processing by the first information processing device 10. This makes it possible to send the analysis request, etc., to surrounding vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle communication at an early stage after the event occurs, thereby reducing the loss of opportunities to acquire video due to the movement of surrounding vehicles.

[0114] When the second information processing device 20 receives the first analysis data and the event analysis request from the first information processing device 10, in step S104, it performs event analysis according to the received analysis request and generates second analysis data. The second information processing device 20 stores the second analysis data of the event obtained from the second video as second analysis data 26d in the storage unit 26 (see Figure 14).

[0115] Next, the second information processing device 20 transmits the second analysis data to the first vehicle A (step S104a). Specifically, the second information processing device 20 reads the second analysis data 26d from the storage unit 26 and transmits the second analysis data to the first vehicle A via the communication unit 21.

[0116] Next, the first information processing device 10 receives the second analysis data of the event generated in the second vehicle B. The first information processing device 10 compares the first analysis data of the event generated in the first vehicle A with the second analysis data and performs a matching determination process to determine whether the two match (step S105a). Specifically, the first information processing device 10 stores the second analysis data received from the second information processing device 20 of the second vehicle B in the storage unit 16 as second analysis data 16e. The first information processing device 10 reads the second analysis data 16e and the first analysis data 16c from the storage unit 16 and compares the second analysis data with the first analysis data. The first information processing device 10 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match if all of the multiple components of the event included in the second analysis data match all of the multiple components of the event included in the first analysis data, or if some of them match. Furthermore, if there are multiple second analysis data received, the first information processing device 10 performs a matching determination process for each of the multiple second analysis data.

[0117] Furthermore, similar to the first embodiment, the first information processing device 10 may change the number of items used to determine whether the first analysis data and the second analysis data match, depending on the relative position of the second vehicle B with respect to the first vehicle A.

[0118] When the first information processing device 10 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data match, it requests the second vehicle B to transmit the event video (second video) (step S105b). More specifically, the first information processing device 10 requests the second vehicle B, which transmitted the matching analysis data, to transmit the second video captured by the second vehicle B2. The transmission request to the second vehicle B includes a request for the second video to be transmitted to the first vehicle A.

[0119] In response to a request to transmit a second video, the second information processing device 20 transmits a second video of the event captured by the second vehicle B to the first vehicle A (step S106a). Specifically, in response to a request to transmit a second video, the second information processing device 20 transmits a second video, from which second analysis data matching the first analysis data has been obtained, to the first vehicle A via the communication unit 21. The first information processing device 10 of the first vehicle A stores the received second video as second video information 16d in the storage unit 16.

[0120] Next, in step S107, the first information processing device 10 transmits the first video and the second video to the server 100. Then, in step S108, the server 100 analyzes the received first and second videos and provides the received first and second videos, as well as the video analysis results, to allow administrators and others to understand the status of the event.

[0121] On the other hand, although not shown in the diagram, if the first information processing device 10 determines that the second analysis data and the first analysis data do not match (determines a mismatch), it does not send a request to transmit the second video to the second vehicle B. Therefore, the second video, which is determined not to match the second analysis data and the first analysis data, is not transmitted from the second vehicle B to the first vehicle A.

[0122] Furthermore, while Figure 15 shows an example where the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the first vehicle A, the system is not limited to this. That is, the transmission request from the first vehicle A to the second vehicle B may include a request to transmit the second video to the server 100. In this case, the second information processing device 20 will transmit the second video directly to the server 100. In this case, the second information processing device 20 may notify the first information processing device 10 that the transmission of the second video to the server 100 is complete. Also, when the second information processing device 20 transmits the second video to the server 100, the first information processing device 10 will transmit the first video to the server 100.

[0123] As described above, the first information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment is mounted on the first vehicle A. When an event occurs in the first vehicle A, the first information processing device 10 sends an analysis request to the second vehicle B located around the first vehicle A. The first information processing device 10 receives second analysis data of the event generated in the second vehicle B. The first information processing device 10 compares the first analysis data of the event generated in the first vehicle A with the second analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it requests the second vehicle B to send the event video (second video) to the first vehicle A or the server 100.

[0124] Thus, the first information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment compares the first analysis data generated by the first vehicle A with the second analysis data, and if it determines that the two match, it requests the second vehicle B to transmit the event video to the first vehicle A or the server 100. In other words, by transmitting the second video captured by the second vehicle B, which has been determined to match the first analysis data, it is possible to efficiently acquire the video necessary to understand the situation of the event.

[0125] Furthermore, if the second analysis data and the first analysis data are determined to match, a request to transmit the second video is sent to the second vehicle B. Therefore, second video that is determined not to match is not transmitted. In other words, unnecessary second video that is determined not to match the second analysis data and does not capture enough footage to understand the situation of the event is not transmitted. This reduces the amount of communication required to acquire the second video.

[0126] Furthermore, when the first information processing device 10 requests the second vehicle B to transmit event video (second video) to the first vehicle A, it transmits the first video captured by the first vehicle A and the second video acquired from the second vehicle B in response to the request to the server 100. This allows the necessary video (first and second video) for understanding the event situation to be transmitted to the server 100 together.

[0127] Furthermore, when the first information processing device 10 requests the second vehicle B to send event video (second video) to the server 100, it can cause the second vehicle B to directly send the video necessary to understand the event situation (second video) to the server 100.

[0128] (modified version) Next, modifications of the first and second embodiments will be described. In these modifications, a priority is predetermined for each of the multiple items included in the analysis data, and a matching determination process (see step S105 in Figure 10 or step S105a in Figure 15) to determine whether the second analysis data and the first analysis data match is performed according to the priority.

[0129] To explain in more detail, the items included in the analysis data are, as mentioned above, "event target," "relative position of event target," "action of event target," "relative position of first vehicle," and "action of first vehicle." As an example, let's assume that the priority of "event target" is set higher than that of the other items. In this case, in the matching judgment process, if the "event target" in the second analysis data matches the "event target" in the first analysis data, then it will be determined that the second analysis data of second vehicle B and the first analysis data of first vehicle A are matching.

[0130] In this modified example, priorities are pre-assigned to multiple items included in the first and second analysis data. The controller performing the matching determination process (controller 25 in the first embodiment, controller 15 in the second embodiment) determines that the first and second analysis data match if an item with a higher priority than other items matches.

[0131] This allows for accurate determination of whether a second video contains footage sufficient to understand the event's situation, for example, by prioritizing items that are easily detected through analysis over other items.

[0132] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0133] 1. Information Processing System 10 First Information Processing Device 15 Controllers 20. Second Information Processing Device 25 Controllers 100 servers

Claims

1. When an event occurs in the first vehicle, an information processing device for the second vehicle located around the first vehicle, The vehicle receives an analysis request and first analysis data of the event. The second vehicle generates second analysis data of the event detected by the second vehicle, The second analysis data is compared with the first analysis data, and if it is determined that they match, the video of the event captured by the second vehicle is transmitted to the first vehicle or an external device. Information processing device.

2. An information processing device to be installed in the first vehicle, When an event occurs in the first vehicle, an analysis request is sent to the second vehicle located around the first vehicle. The second analysis data of the event generated by the second vehicle is received, The first analysis data of the event generated by the first vehicle is compared with the second analysis data, and if it is determined that the two data match, the second vehicle is requested to transmit the video of the event to the first vehicle or an external device. Information processing device.

3. The aforementioned analysis request is: Based on the first analysis data, when the event occurs, a signal is transmitted to the second vehicle which is positioned in a direction from which the event can be imaged. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The data from the first analysis and the data from the second analysis are The items include at least one of the following: the target of the event, the relative position of the target of the event with respect to the first vehicle, the operation of the target of the event, the relative position of the first vehicle with respect to the target of the event, and the operation of the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The number of items used to determine whether the first analysis data and the second analysis data match is changed based on the relative position of the second vehicle to the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. Priorities are predetermined for each of the multiple items included in the first analysis data and the second analysis data. If, among the aforementioned multiple items, an item with a higher priority than the other items matches, it is determined that the first analysis data and the second analysis data match. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

7. The aforementioned event was, An accident or near-miss involving the aforementioned first vehicle, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

8. When an event occurs in the first vehicle, the computer of the information processing device of the second vehicle located around the first vehicle, A procedure for receiving an analysis request and first analysis data of the event from the first vehicle, A procedure for generating second analysis data of the event detected by the second vehicle, The procedure involves comparing the second analysis data with the first analysis data, and if it is determined that they match, transmitting the video of the event captured by the second vehicle to the first vehicle or an external device. An information processing program that executes [something].

9. The computer of the information processing unit installed in the first vehicle, When an event occurs in the first vehicle, an analysis request is sent to the second vehicle located around the first vehicle. A procedure for receiving second analysis data of the event generated by the second vehicle, A procedure to compare the first analysis data of the event generated by the first vehicle with the second analysis data, and if it is determined that the two match, to request the second vehicle to transmit the video of the event to the first vehicle or an external device. An information processing program that executes [something].

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