Waiting time adjustment method and device

Abstract

To efficiently acquire a user response from a driver without dissipating attention to driving operation when a driving load of a driver becomes excessive.SOLUTION: A driving load estimation part includes a step of calculating a present driving load of a driver based on a present traffic scene which a mobile body encounters, and a standby management part has a step of prolonging standby time. When the calculated present driving load is detected to be equal to or more than a prescribed level during elapsed or expiration of standby time in the prolonging step, standby time is prolonged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waiting time adjustment method and device for adjusting a waiting time for a user response. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a device that outputs an utterance to a user to ask a question, request a confirmation response, or provide information, and then acquires a user response such as an utterance or device operation by the user. For example, in a device that acquires a user instruction by voice dialogue, an outgoing utterance may be output from the device in response to a voice instruction first uttered by the user, requesting a user response such as an action selection required to execute the voice instruction. In such a device, if a predetermined waiting time has elapsed after outputting the outgoing utterance without acquiring a user response, the device may stop the operation related to the outgoing utterance midway or output an utterance urging the user to respond.

[0003] However, depending on the content of the outgoing utterance and the user's situation, it may take time for the user to consider what response to make, or it may take time for the user to make the above-mentioned user response because the user is performing other operations that require priority processing, such as driving operations.

[0004] For example, after a user instructs a navigation device to search for a restaurant to indicate a destination, the navigation device may return an outgoing utterance to the user requesting the user to select a specific restaurant from a list of searched restaurants. In this case, for example, if there are restaurants with similar names in the list, or if the driving scene unfolds (approaching an intersection, etc.) and the user needs to concentrate on driving operations, it may take a considerable amount of time for the user to make a user response for selecting a restaurant.

[0005] In such a case, if a prompting voice is output or the operation of obtaining a user response is stopped due to the lapse of a fixed waiting time, the user may lose attention to driving operations or may need to give instructions to the device again, thereby reducing the convenience of the device.

[0006] Conventionally, it is known that in a voice dialogue device, the degree of a worker's workload is estimated, and when the workload is light, the question voice output to the worker is composed of multiple question and answer sentences or a question and answer sentence including an implicit confirmation, and when the workload is heavy, the question sentence is composed of a single question and answer sentence or a confirmation response sentence (Patent Document 1).

[0007] However, the conventional voice dialogue apparatus does not take into consideration how to deal with a situation in which the worker's workload becomes so heavy that he or she stops thinking about the question sentence. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-108191 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In light of the above background, there is a need for technology that can efficiently acquire user responses from a driver of a moving vehicle without distracting the driver from driving operations, even when the driver is under excessive driving load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a standby time adjustment method for adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a mobile body, the method comprising the steps of: a driving load estimating unit calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the mobile body is encountering; and a standby management unit extending the standby time, the step of extending the standby time including: The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance output to the driver by a client device that acquires the user response, and the waiting time differs for each client device or for each number of times the waiting time is extended. According to another aspect of the invention, the user response is a response utterance of the driver to the outgoing utterance. Another aspect of the present invention is a standby time adjustment method for adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a moving body, the method including the steps of: a driving load estimating unit calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering; and a standby management unit extending the standby time, the step of extending the standby time including the steps of: In the extending step, the waiting time is extended on the condition that the number of times the extension has been performed does not exceed a predetermined number of times. Another aspect of the present invention is a standby time adjustment method for adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a moving body, the method including the steps of: a driving load estimating unit calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering; and a standby management unit extending the standby time, the step of extending the standby time including the steps of: The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance output to the driver by a device that acquires the user response, and in the extension step, when it is detected that the current driving load is less than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the extended waiting time, a reminder utterance is output to the driver at the expiration of the extended waiting time, thereby further extending the waiting time. Another aspect of the present invention is a device having a function of adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a moving body, the device having a driving load estimation unit that calculates a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene encountered by the moving body, and a standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time, the standby management unit extending the standby time when it detects that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time, The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance output to the driver by a client device that acquires the user response, and the waiting time differs for each client device or for each number of times the waiting time is extended. Another aspect of the present invention is a device having a function of adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a moving body, the device having a driving load estimation unit that calculates a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering, and a standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time, the standby management unit extending the standby time when it detects that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time. The waiting time is extended on the condition that the number of times the extension has been performed does not exceed a predetermined number of times. Another aspect of the present invention is a device having a function of adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from a driver of a moving body, the device having a driving load estimation unit that calculates a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering, and a standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time, the standby management unit extending the standby time when it detects that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time. The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance outputted to the driver by a device for acquiring the user response, and when it is detected that the current driving load is less than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the extended waiting time, a reminder utterance is outputted to the driver at the expiration of the extended waiting time to remind the driver of the content of the outgoing utterance, thereby extending the waiting time. . According to another aspect of the invention, the device is a user interface control device that processes input and output of a microphone, a speaker, a display device, and / or an operation panel. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, when obtaining a user response from a driver of a moving body, even when the driving load on the driver becomes excessive, the user response can be obtained efficiently without distracting the driver from driving operations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a UI control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a standby time extension operation in the UI control device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the waiting time extension operation in the UI control device shown in FIG. [Figure 4]1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a waiting time extension process executed by the UI control device shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified example of the standby time extension operation in the UI control device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a response management device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a user interface control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This user interface control device (hereinafter, UI control device) 100 is mounted on a vehicle 102, which is a moving body. The UI control device 100 uses a navigation device 114 and an AV (audio-visual) output device 116, which are communicatively connected via an in-vehicle network bus 104, as clients, and mediates interactions between these devices and a user via a user interface consisting of a microphone 120, a speaker 122, a display device 124, and a touch panel 126.

[0014] Furthermore, the UI control device 100 adjusts the length of the waiting time for a user response after outputting an outgoing utterance instructed by the navigation device 114 and / or the AV output device 116, depending on the driving load of the driver of the vehicle 102, which is a moving body. Note that the devices connected to the UI control device 100 are not limited to the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, but may be any type of any number of devices that wait for a user response after an outgoing utterance to a user.

[0015] In addition, the UI control device 100 is communicatively connected to a traffic scene identification device 106 , a driver evaluation device 108 , a vehicle information acquisition device 110 , and a camera control device 112 via an in-vehicle network bus 104 .

[0016] The camera control device 112 captures images of the interior of the vehicle 102 using an interior camera 132. The camera control device 112 also captures images of the external environment of the vehicle 102 using an exterior camera 134 provided on the exterior of the vehicle 102, for example.

[0017] The vehicle information acquisition device 110 detects the driving operation and the motion state (or dynamic state) of the vehicle 102 from the sensor group 130. The sensor group 130 includes sensors that obtain the presence or absence of user operation and the amount of operation of various operating devices related to vehicle operation, such as an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, a steering sensor, a shift sensor, a direction indicator sensor, etc. The sensor group 130 may also include various sensors that detect the motion state or dynamic state of the vehicle, such as a three-axis acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and a speed sensor.

[0018] The traffic scene identification device 106 identifies, according to conventional techniques, a traffic scene (or driving scene) which is a scene of the traffic environment in which the vehicle 102 travels. The traffic scene identification device 106 may be implemented, for example, as part of a driver assistance system.

[0019] Specifically, the traffic scene identification device 106 includes a processing device 170, which is a computer configured with a processor such as a CPU, and a storage device 172. In this embodiment, the identified traffic scenes are categorized into various traffic situations encountered when driving a vehicle, and may be represented by one or a combination of a plurality of the following, for example: passing through an intersection, turning right at an intersection, turning left at an intersection, driving on opposite sides of a narrow road, overtaking a vehicle ahead, changing lanes, merging onto a highway, passing an emergency vehicle, motorcycles driving side by side, pedestrian congestion, street congestion, driving during a rainstorm, and the like.

[0020] The processing device 170 determines the current traffic scene that the vehicle 102 is encountering based on, for example, the current position and driving direction of the vehicle 102 on a road map, other vehicles, road facilities (traffic lights, road signs, etc.) and / or weather conditions in the external environment of the vehicle 102. Here, the position on the road map and the external environment conditions may be obtained, for example, from the navigation device 114 and from an exterior camera via the camera control device 112.

[0021] The processing device 170 also evaluates the identified traffic scene, and calculates and outputs a standard driving load, which is a numerical representation of the driving load that a standard driver would experience if the standard driver were to drive through the traffic scene. This standard driving load may be expressed, for example, as a numerical value that increases as the driving load increases. In addition, this standard driving load may be, for example, predetermined for each traffic scene categorized as described above and stored in the storage device 172. The traffic scene identification device 106 can refer to the storage device 172, read out the predetermined standard driving load for the identified traffic scene, and output it.

[0022] The driver evaluation device 108 evaluates the driving skills of the driver of the vehicle 102 according to the conventional technology and stores the evaluation result. Specifically, the driver evaluation device 108 includes a processing device 174, which is a computer configured with a processor such as a CPU, and a storage device 176. The processing device 174 acquires a current traffic scene of the vehicle 102 from the traffic scene identification device 106. Then, the processing device 174 evaluates the driving skills of the current driver by, for example, comparing a standard maneuver flow performed by a standard driver in a traffic scene similar to the acquired current traffic scene with an actual executed maneuver flow performed by the current driver of the vehicle 102.

[0023] These maneuvering flows can be expressed by parameters such as the type, sequence, and start timing of driving operations in a series of maneuvers, the speed of the driving operations, and / or the magnitude of the amount of operation of the driving operations. The processing device 174 evaluates the degree of deviation from the standard maneuvering flow for each of the above parameters in the above executed maneuvering flow of the current driver, and stores the evaluation result in the storage device 176 as a driving skill evaluation score. This driving skill evaluation score can be calculated, for example, with a value of 1 as the upper limit, so that the lower the driving skill (i.e., the greater the degree of deviation), the smaller the value.

[0024] Here, each parameter value constituting the execution maneuver flow may be acquired from the vehicle information acquisition device 110. Also, each parameter value for the standard maneuver flow may be determined in advance for each traffic scene and stored in the storage device 176.

[0025] The processing device 174 can calculate the driving skill evaluation score at a predetermined time interval (e.g., every six months) based on data of driving operations during a driving period of a predetermined length (e.g., three months). In addition, when the vehicle 102 is used by multiple users, the processing device 174 calculates the driving skill evaluation score for each user and stores it in the storage device 176. Which user is currently driving the vehicle 102 can be identified according to conventional technology, for example, by authentication processing using ID information acquired from a smart key or a mobile terminal used by each user, or a face image of the driver acquired from the in-vehicle camera 132.

[0026] The navigation device 114 includes a processing device, which is a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU, and performs route guidance according to conventional technology. That is, the navigation device 114 identifies the current position of the vehicle 102 from information received from a GPS receiving device (not shown), searches for a route to a destination specified by the driver, and performs route guidance.

[0027] The driver inputs information such as a destination and issues instructions for route search, for example, by voice instructions via the microphone 120. The navigation device 114 receives a voice recognition result of the voice instructions via the UI control device 100 and executes an operation specified by the voice instructions. The navigation device 114 also displays map information indicating the current position of the vehicle 102 and / or the searched route on the display device 124 via the UI control device 100.

[0028] Here, the navigation device 114 may set the destination through multiple interactions with the driver according to conventional technology. For example, the navigation device 114 receives a route search instruction from the driver by the driver's voice instruction via the microphone 120 or an instruction input via a touch panel provided on the display device 124. In response to receiving the route search instruction, the navigation device 114 may instruct the UI control device 100 to make an outgoing utterance such as "Please indicate the destination." After that, when the driver makes a response utterance such as "A nearby convenience store," the navigation device 114 receives this response utterance via the UI control device 100.

[0029] Next, the navigation device 114 searches for convenience stores around the current location, for example, from map information stored in a storage device (not shown), displays a list of nearby convenience stores on the display device 124, and instructs the UI control device 100 to make an outgoing utterance such as "Please select a convenience store from the list." The navigation device 114 then receives the driver's selection result as a response voice or an input via the touch panel of the display device 124. The response voice can be, for example, an utterance such as "Number 3" indicating a row number in the list. Particularly in this embodiment, the navigation device 114 waits for a response voice or an input to the touch panel from the user in response to the outgoing utterance under the management of the UI control device 100.

[0030] The AV output device 116 includes a processing device, such as a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU, and plays music and videos according to conventional technology, and also includes a web browser to provide the current user with information search and / or information viewing functions.

[0031] The AV output device 116 interacts with the driver via the UI control device 100, similar to the navigation device 114. For example, the driver can issue voice instructions via the microphone 120 to instruct playback of music or video, or to search for information, etc. The AV output device 116 receives a voice recognition result of the voice instruction via the UI control device 100, and executes an operation designated by the voice instruction. In addition, the AV output device 116 outputs the played audio or video to the speaker 122 or the display device 124 via the UI control device 100, and / or displays searched information on the display device 124.

[0032] Similarly to the navigation device 114, the AV output device 116 may obtain one instruction through multiple interactions with the driver according to the conventional technology. For example, the AV output device 116 receives a voice instruction from the driver, "Play the song by ***" (*** is the artist's name), which instructs the driver to play a song by a specific artist. In response to the instruction, the AV output device 116 searches for songs by the corresponding artist from among songs stored in, for example, a storage device (not shown), displays the list on the display device 124, and instructs the UI control device 100 to make an outgoing utterance such as "Please select a song to play." Then, the AV output device 116 receives the driver's selection result as a response voice or an input via the touch panel of the display device 124. In particular, in this embodiment, similar to the navigation device 114, the AV output device 116 waits for a response voice or an input to the touch panel from the user in response to the outgoing utterance under the management of the UI control device 100.

[0033] The UI control device 100 operates as a host that is between the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 and the driver to acquire a user response. That is, the UI control device 100 outputs an outgoing utterance to the driver in response to an instruction from the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, which are client devices, and acquires a user response from the driver to the outputted outgoing utterance. In particular, the UI control device 100 manages a waiting time for acquiring a user response after outputting an outgoing utterance. Note that whether or not an outgoing utterance instructed by the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 requires a user response can be specified by the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 together with an instruction for the outgoing utterance.

[0034] Specifically, the UI control device 100 includes a processing device 140 and a storage device 142. The storage device 142 is configured, for example, by a volatile and / or non-volatile semiconductor memory and / or a hard disk device.

[0035] The processing device 140 is a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU. The processing device 140 may have a configuration including a ROM in which a program is written, a RAM for temporary storage of data, and the like. The processing device 140 includes a UI (user interface) control unit 144 and a response management unit 146 as functional elements or functional units. The UI control unit 144 is composed of a speech output unit 150, a voice recognition unit 152, a display control unit 154, and an input processing unit 156, which are functional elements or functional units. The response management unit 146 is composed of a driving load estimation unit 160 and a standby management unit 162, which are functional elements or functional units.

[0036] These functional elements of the processing device 140 are realized, for example, by the processing device 140, which is a computer, executing a program. The computer program can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, all or part of the functional elements of the processing device 140 can be configured by hardware including one or more electronic circuit components.

[0037] The UI control unit 144 controls the microphone 120, speaker 122, display device 124, and touch panel 126, which are user interfaces, to mediate the exchange of instructions and / or data between the user and the navigation device 114 and AV output device 116, which are client devices. In particular, the UI control unit 144 has a function of having a voice dialogue with the user, and obtains voice instructions from the user and instructions input via the touch panel 126.

[0038] The speech output unit 150 outputs speech to be transmitted to the driver from the speaker 122 in response to instructions from the client devices, the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116. The voice recognition unit 152 acquires speech from the driver using the microphone 120, performs voice recognition processing on the acquired speech, and outputs the speech to the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, according to conventional technology. Alternatively, the voice recognition unit 152 may further perform semantic analysis of the voice recognition processing result, and output the analysis result to the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, according to conventional technology.

[0039] The display control unit 154 controls the display device 124 to output images or videos instructed by the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116. Furthermore, the input processing unit 156 acquires an input from the driver from an operation panel, such as the touch panel 126, according to conventional technology, and outputs a processing result of the acquired input to the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116.

[0040] The response management unit 146 manages a waiting time for a user response after the UI control unit 144 outputs an outgoing utterance to the driver. In particular, the response management unit 146 adjusts the waiting time according to the current driving load of the driver.

[0041] The driving load estimation unit 160 estimates the current driving load of the driver. The driving load estimation unit 160 calculates the current driving load of the driver based on the current traffic scene encountered by the vehicle 102 and the level of the driving skill of the current driver. Specifically, the driving load estimation unit 160 repeatedly acquires the standard driving load of a standard driver based on the current traffic scene encountered by the vehicle 102 from the traffic scene identification device 106 at a predetermined time interval. The above-mentioned predetermined time interval can be, for example, the same as the time interval at which the traffic scene identification device 106 identifies the current traffic scene. In addition, the driving load estimation unit 160 acquires a driving skill evaluation point representing the driving skill of the current driver of the vehicle 102 from the driver evaluation device 108.

[0042] Then, the driving load estimation unit 160 calculates a current driving load, which is the current driving load of the driver, by using the acquired standard driving load and the driving skill evaluation score every time the standard driving load is acquired from the traffic scene identification device 106. For example, the driving load estimation unit 160 calculates the current driving load of the driver by dividing the standard driving load, which takes a larger value as the driving load increases, by the driving skill evaluation score, which takes a smaller value as the driving skill decreases.

[0043] That is, the current driving load is calculated to be a larger value compared to the standard driving load as the driving skill of the current driver is lower, because a driver with low driving skill is considered to have a higher driving load than a driver with high driving skill even in the same traffic scene.

[0044] Then, the driving load estimation unit 160 calculates the current driving load of the current driver as, for example, a five-level load level based on the calculated driving load amount. The load levels indicate the range of driving load amount in stages, and for example, level 5 indicates the highest driving load range and level 1 indicates the lowest driving load range.

[0045] The standby management unit 162 sets a standby time for waiting for a user response after the utterance output unit 150 outputs an outgoing utterance that requires a user response. In particular, after setting the standby time to a predetermined time, the standby management unit 162 extends the standby time when the calculated current operating load is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

[0046] Specifically, when an outgoing utterance is output, the standby management unit 162 sets the standby time to a predetermined default value Δt def After that, during or upon expiration of the currently set standby time, the standby management unit 162 compares the current operating load with a predetermined threshold level, and if the current operating load is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold level, sets the standby time to a predetermined time Δt ext Only extend it.

[0047] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a standby time extension operation for a user response performed by the standby management unit 162. The illustrated vertical axis indicates the driving load, and the illustrated horizontal axis indicates time. The row of bold downward arrows at the top of the figure indicates the timing at which the current driving load is repeatedly calculated. In the illustrated example, the current driving load is repeatedly calculated at a predetermined time interval Δtc. This Δtc is equal to, for example, a repetition period of traffic scene detection in the traffic scene identification device 106.

[0048] Line 200 represents the change over time in the current driving load. Line 200 represents the change over time in the current driving load when, for example, vehicle 102 travels along a straight road, approaches an intersection, turns left at the intersection, and continues traveling. The level 1 range on the left side of line 200, including time t101, represents the current driving load when traveling along a straight road, and the level 4 range thereafter from time t102 to t104 represents the current driving load when traveling through an intersection. In addition, the level 3 range from time t104 to t105 represents the current driving load when turning left at the intersection and entering a new road, and the level 1 range from time t105 onwards represents the current driving load when traveling along a straight road after turning left.

[0049] 2, first, an outgoing utterance is output at time t100. As a result, the standby management unit 162 sets the standby time to a default value Δt def After that, at time t103 when the currently set standby time expires, the standby management unit 162 compares the acquired current operating load with a predetermined threshold level 202 (shown by the dashed line in the figure). In the example shown in the figure, the threshold level 202 is set to a value between level 2 and level 3.

[0050] At time t103, the current operating load at level 4 indicated by the line 200 exceeds the threshold level 202, so the standby management unit 162 extends the standby time by a predetermined time Δt ext Then, at time t106 when the extended standby time expires, the standby management unit 162 again compares the current operating load acquired at time t105 immediately before the expiration of the extended standby time with the threshold level 202. Here, since the acquired current operating load, level 1, is lower than the threshold level 202, the standby management unit 162 determines that the standby time will expire after a predetermined time Δt ext The extension using defAt this time, the operation management unit 164 instructs the utterance output unit 150 to output a reminder utterance. This reminder utterance is a reminder utterance that reminds the driver of the content of the previous outgoing utterance (made at time t100), and may be, for example, an utterance that includes a part of the wording of the outgoing utterance.

[0051] Then, if there is no response action from the driver (in this embodiment, a response utterance or an input to the touch panel 126) by time t108 when the extended standby time expires, the standby management unit 162 instructs the client device that instructed the outgoing utterance at time t100 (in this embodiment, the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116) to stop the related action, and ends the standby time.

[0052] In the above operation, when the current driving load falls below the threshold level 202 and is reduced, the length of the waiting time after the reduction varies depending on whether the comparison between the current driving load and the threshold level 202 is performed immediately before or after the reduction. ext For example, the figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1, if the comparison between the current driving load and the threshold level 202 is performed immediately before the time t105 at which the current driving load changes from level 3 to level 1 (i.e., the time t106 arrives before t105), the waiting time is further increased by Δt ext It will be extended only.

[0053] In this case, the value Δt ext If Δt is too large, a slight difference in the timing of whether the comparison is performed just before or just after time t105 will result in a large difference in the subsequent waiting time, which may cause the driver to feel uncomfortable. ext is preferably set to a value obtained by adding a processing time of about 1 second to the repetition period Δtc of traffic scene detection in the traffic scene identification device 106, for example.

[0054] 3 is a diagram showing another example of the standby time extension operation for a user response, which is performed by the standby management unit 162. The illustrated vertical axis, horizontal axis, threshold level 202, and row of thick arrows at the top of the figure are the same as those in FIG.

[0055] Line 300 shows the change over time in the current driving load. For example, line 300 shows the change over time in the current driving load when the vehicle 102 travels along a straight road and approaches an intersection, an emergency vehicle passes near the intersection, and then the vehicle turns left at the intersection and continues traveling. The level 1 range on the left side of line 300, including time t201, shows the current driving load when traveling along a straight road, and the level 4 range from time t202 to t204 shows the current driving load when entering the intersection.

[0056] The level 5 range from time t204 to t207 indicates the current driving load when an emergency vehicle passes through the intersection. The level 3 range from time t207 to t208 indicates the current driving load when turning left at the intersection and entering a new road, and the level 1 range from time t208 onwards indicates the current driving load when driving straight on the new road after turning left.

[0057] The standby management unit 162 sets the standby time to a default value Δt def 2, the standby management unit 162 compares the current operating load with the threshold level 202 at each of the times t203, t206, and t209 when the set standby time is completed. As a result, at times t203 and t206 when the current operating load is higher than the threshold level 202, the standby management unit 162 sets the standby time to a predetermined time Δt ext At time t209 when the current driving load falls below the threshold level 202, the standby management unit 162 instructs the utterance output unit 150 to give a reminder utterance and extends the standby time by a default value Δt def Then, at time t211 when the waiting time expires, the waiting time ends.

[0058] 2 and 3 are examples of cases where a user response is not received until the end of the waiting time. In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, if the UI control unit 144 receives a user response by time t108 or t211, at which the waiting time ends, the waiting time ends at the time of the reception.

[0059] The UI control device 100 having the above configuration extends a waiting time for acquiring a user response from a driver of the vehicle 102 after outputting an outgoing utterance to the driver, based on the current driving load of the driver. As a result, the UI control device 100 ensures that the driver has enough time to make a user response depending on the driving load situation, so that even when the driving load of the driver becomes excessive, the user response can be efficiently acquired without distracting the driver from driving operations and without interrupting the operation of the client device that requires the user response for a fixed waiting time.

[0060] For example, in the case of a voice dialogue instruction that requires multiple response utterances before a specific operational instruction is confirmed, even if the driving load increases midway through the dialogue, the driver can be enabled to make a user response when the driving load decreases as the traffic scene unfolds, while maintaining the state of the dialogue up to that point (i.e., without ceasing operation of the client device).

[0061] Next, a description will be given of the waiting time extension process performed by the response management unit 146 of the UI control device 100. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing the procedure of the waiting time extension process. This process starts in response to an outgoing utterance requiring a user response being output to the driver from the utterance output unit 150 of the UI control unit 144 based on an instruction from either the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116, which are client devices.

[0062] In addition, in parallel with the process shown in Fig. 4, the driving load estimation unit 160 of the response management unit 146 calculates the current driving load at a predetermined time interval. In addition, in parallel with the process shown in Fig. 4, when there is a user response from the driver, the UI control unit 144 of the UI control device 100 transmits a processing result for the user response to the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116, which is a client device. In this embodiment, the user response is a response voice from the driver or an input from the driver via the touch panel 126. The UI control unit 144 transmits the result of the input processing, if there is an input, and / or the result of the voice recognition processing (and / or the result of the semantic analysis processing), if there is a response utterance, to the client device by the input processing unit 156 and the voice recognition unit 152.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, when the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 receive a valid user response from the UI control unit 144 of the UI control device 100, they transmit a response reception notification indicating that the user response has been received to the in-vehicle network bus 104. This transmission may be, for example, a broadcast communication that does not specify a receiving device.

[0064] When the process of FIG. 4 is started, the standby management unit 162 of the response management unit 146 sets the standby time to the initial default value Δt def Then, the standby management unit 162 resets the flag F, which indicates whether the standby time has been extended from the default value Δt def (S102), the measurement of the elapsed time after the output of the departure utterance to the driver is started (S104), thereby starting a waiting time for obtaining a user response.

[0065] Next, the standby management unit 162 determines whether or not there has been a user response (S106). Whether or not there has been a user response can be determined, for example, by whether or not a response reception notification has been received from the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116.

[0066] If there is a user response (S106, YES), the standby management unit 162 ends this process. On the other hand, if there is no user response (S106, NO), the standby management unit 162 refers to the elapsed time that started in step S104, and determines whether the currently set standby time has expired (S108). If it has not expired (S108, NO), the standby management unit 162 returns to step S106 and repeats the process.

[0067] On the other hand, when the standby time has expired (S108, YES), the standby management unit 162 acquires the latest current operating load calculated by the operating load estimation unit 160 (S110). Next, the standby management unit 162 determines whether the acquired current operating load exceeds a predetermined threshold level (S112). Then, when the current operating load exceeds the threshold (S112, YES), the standby management unit 162 extends the standby time by a predetermined value Δt ext minutes (S118). Next, the standby management unit 162 sets flag F to 1 (S120), and then returns to step S106 to repeat the process.

[0068] On the other hand, when the current operating load does not exceed the threshold level in step S112 (S112, NO), the standby management unit 162 sets the flag F ext It is determined whether or not the count is set to 1 (S114).

[0069] And flag F ext is set to 1 (i.e., when the waiting time has been extended at least once) (S114, YES), the waiting management unit 162 instructs the speech output unit 150 to output a reminder utterance from the speaker 122 to remind the driver of the currently waiting user response (S122).

[0070] Next, the standby management unit 162 further sets the standby time to a default value Δt defThe standby management unit 162 extends the standby time by 15 minutes (S124) to ensure time for the driver to respond to the reminder utterance. Next, the standby management unit 162 determines whether or not there is a user response from the driver (S126). This determination can be made in the same manner as in step S106.

[0071] Then, when there is a user response (S126, YES), the standby management unit 162 ends this process. On the other hand, when there is no user response (S126, NO), the standby management unit 162 judges whether the standby time has expired (S128). Then, when the standby time has expired (S128, YES), the standby management unit 162 ends this process after the standby time has expired (S130).

[0072] When the standby time ends in step S130, the standby management unit 162 transmits a standby end notification indicating that fact to the current client device, the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116. The current client device that receives the standby end notification stops the operation related to the standby. Here, the operation related to the standby is the operation related to the outgoing speech that requires a user response, which triggered the start of the operation flow in FIG. 4. For example, in the case of the navigation device 114, the operation can be an operation of acquiring a user response regarding a destination for route search, and in the case of the AV output device 116, an operation of acquiring a user response regarding the name of a song to be played.

[0073] On the other hand, if the standby time has not expired in step S128 (S128, NO), the standby management unit 162 returns to step S126 and repeats the process.

[0074] On the other hand, in step S114, the flag F ext When the flag F is not set to 1 (S114, NO), the standby management unit 162 ends the standby time without issuing a reminder utterance (S116). ext is not set to 1, i.e., flag F ext When remains reset to 0, the waiting time has never been extended and the initial default value Δtdef This is because the process ends in only this period, so there is no need to output a reminder utterance to the driver.

[0075] Furthermore, when the standby time ends in step S116, the standby management unit 162 transmits a standby end notification indicating that the standby time has ended to the current client device, that is, the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116, as in step S130.

[0076] In the above-described first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the standby management unit 162 performs the standby time extension process assuming that the level of the current driving load acquired immediately before continues until the next current driving load is acquired from the driving load estimation unit 160. However, the aspect of the standby time extension process is not limited to this. As a modified example of the first embodiment, for example, the standby time extension process may be performed assuming that the level of the current driving load decreases over time from the level at the time of calculation as a starting point.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modified example of the waiting time extension operation in the UI control device 100, and is a diagram showing an example of the waiting time extension operation in the case where the current driving load level decreases over time as described above.

[0078] In Fig. 5, the illustrated vertical axis, horizontal axis, threshold level 202, and the row of thick arrows at the top of the figure are the same as those in Fig. 3. Line 500 represents the change over time in the current driving load when an emergency vehicle passes near an intersection, similar to line 300 shown in Fig. 3. For reference, a line the same as line 300 in Fig. 3 is shown in Fig. 5 as a dashed line.

[0079] In the example shown in Fig. 5, the current working load indicated by line 500 decreases over time along a straight line that decreases at a constant attenuation rate starting from the calculated level. However, when the level of the next calculated current working load is higher than the working load indicated by the straight line that decreases at the constant attenuation rate, the current working load increases to the level of the next calculated current working load, and then decreases linearly over time at the constant attenuation rate starting from that level. This current working load that decreases over time may be calculated by the standby management unit 162 based on the current working load acquired from the working load estimation unit 160 at a predetermined time interval, or may be calculated by the working load estimation unit 160 itself.

[0080] Specifically, the current driving load indicated by the line 500 rises from level 1 to level 4 at time t202, and then decreases at a constant attenuation rate along a straight line 502-1 (shown as a two-dot chain line) starting from level 4 at time t202. Thereafter, at time t204, when a driving load of level 5, which is higher than the level indicated by the straight line 502-1, is calculated based on a new traffic scene of an emergency vehicle passing, the current driving load indicated by the line 500 rises to the level 5, and then decreases again along a straight line 502-2, which decreases at a constant attenuation rate. Similarly, at time t205, a driving load of level 5, which is higher than the straight line 502-2, is calculated again based on the passage of the emergency vehicle that has continued since time t204, so that the current driving load indicated by the line 500 rises again to the level 5 at time t205, and then decreases at a constant attenuation rate along a straight line 502-3.

[0081] In response to this, the standby management unit 162 extends the standby time Δt def After setting the standby time to Δt, as long as the current operating load exceeds the threshold level 202, the standby time is increased by Δt ext Then, at the expiration time t212 of the waiting time after the current driving load falls below the threshold level 202, a reminder is instructed to be spoken, and the waiting time is further extended by a default value Δt defThen, at time t214 when the extended waiting time expires, the waiting time ends.

[0082] Generally, when a driver experiences a traffic scene that increases the driving load and experiences increased tension, even if a new traffic scene with a lower driving load appears immediately thereafter, the driver's perceived driving load does not decrease rapidly due to the increased tension.

[0083] In the modified example shown by line 500 in Fig. 5, the current driving load is calculated as a value that decreases with time at a constant attenuation rate from a driving load level that has increased to a higher level, and therefore is more consistent with the tendency of driving load generally felt by the driver. Therefore, in the modified example, the driving load state felt by the driver can be more accurately reflected, and the driver can be more appropriately provided with a margin of time for user response.

[0084] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a UI control unit 144 that mediates information exchange between a client device and a driver, and a response management unit 146 that manages a waiting time for a user response are provided in one UI control device 100. In contrast, in the second embodiment described below, a part corresponding to the response management unit 146 of the UI control device 100 shown in Fig. 1 is realized as one device.

[0085] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a response management device 600 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 6, the same elements as those shown in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the above description of Fig. 1 is to be used.

[0086] This response management device 600 has a function corresponding to the response management unit 146 of the UI control device 100 shown in Fig. 1. The response management device 600 is mounted on the vehicle 102, and is communicatively connected to the traffic scene identification device 106, the driver evaluation device 108, the vehicle information acquisition device 110, the camera control device 112, the navigation device 114, the AV output device 116, and the UI control device 602 via the in-vehicle network bus 104.

[0087] The UI control device 602 has the same function as the UI control unit 144 included in the processing device 140 of the UI control device 100 according to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In other words, the UI control device 602 operates as a host that is between the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 and the driver to obtain a user response. The UI control device 602 is connected to the microphone 12, which is a user interface. 0、 It controls the speaker 122, the display device 124, and the touch panel 126 to mediate the exchange of instructions and / or data between the user and the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, which are client devices.

[0088] Specifically, the UI control device 602 outputs an outgoing utterance to the driver in response to instructions from the client devices, the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116, and acquires a user response from the driver to the outputted outgoing utterance. The UI control device 602 has a function in particular to have a voice dialogue with the user, and acquires a voice instruction from the user and an instruction input via the touch panel 126.

[0089] The UI control device 602 includes a processing device 620 and a storage device 622. The storage device 622 is, for example, a volatile and / or non-volatile semiconductor memory and / or a hard disk device. The processing device 620 is, for example, a computer including a processor such as a CPU. The processing device 620 may include a ROM in which a program is written, a RAM for temporarily storing data, and the like. The processing device 620 includes, as functional elements or functional units, a speech output unit 624, a voice recognition unit 626, a display control unit 628, and an input processing unit 630.

[0090] These functional elements of the processing device 620 are realized, for example, by the processing device 620, which is a computer, executing a program. The computer program can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, all or part of the functional elements of the processing device 620 can be configured by hardware including one or more electronic circuit components.

[0091] The speech output unit 624, the voice recognition unit 626, the display control unit 628, and the input processing unit 630 have the same configuration as the speech output unit 150, the voice recognition unit 152, the display control unit 154, and the input processing unit 156 of the UI control device 100 shown in FIG. 1, but differ in that the speech output unit 150, the voice recognition unit 152, the display control unit 154, and the input processing unit 156 exchange data with the standby management unit 162 via the in-vehicle network bus 104.

[0092] Furthermore, when the processing device 620 receives an instruction to make an outgoing speech from the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116, which is a client device, together with an instruction to require a user response, it notifies the response management device 600 of that effect.

[0093] The response management device 600 has the same function as the response management unit 146 included in the processing device 140 of the UI control device 100 shown in Fig. 1. That is, the response management device 600 manages a waiting time for a user response after the UI control device 602 outputs an outgoing utterance to the driver. In particular, the response management device 600 extends the waiting time according to the current driving load of the driver, similar to the response management unit 146 shown in Fig. 1.

[0094] Specifically, the response management device 600 includes a processing device 610 and a storage device 612. The storage device 612 is configured, for example, by a volatile and / or non-volatile semiconductor memory and / or a hard disk device.

[0095] The processing device 610 is a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU. The processing device 610 may have a configuration including a ROM in which a program is written, a RAM for temporarily storing data, etc. The processing device 610 has a driving load estimation unit 614 and a standby management unit 616 as functional elements or functional units.

[0096] The driving load estimation unit 614 has a configuration similar to that of the driving load estimation unit 160 of the UI control device 100 shown in Fig. 1, and transmits the current driving load to the standby management unit 616 at a predetermined time interval. The standby management unit 616 has a configuration similar to that of the standby management unit 162 of the UI control device 100 shown in Fig. 1, but differs in that it acquires information from the UI control device 602 that an outgoing utterance requesting a user response has been output.

[0097] The standby management unit 616 executes the standby time extension process similar to that in Fig. 4 when it receives information from the UI control device 602 that the outgoing utterance requesting the user response is output, and adjusts the length of the standby time for the user response after the outgoing utterance. The standby management unit 616 recognizes that the user response has been made by receiving the above-mentioned response reception notification from the navigation device 114 or the AV output device 116 via the in-vehicle network bus 104. When the standby time ends, the standby management unit 616 notifies the client device of a standby end notification via the in-vehicle network bus 104.

[0098] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modified examples, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0099] For example, the above-described UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 are, as an example, configured to manage the waiting time for a user response from the driver of the vehicle 102, but the target of the user response is not limited to the driver of the vehicle 102. The UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 can be mounted on any moving body and manage the waiting time for a user response from the driver of the any moving body.

[0100] Further, the above-mentioned UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 are, as an example, assumed to manage the waiting time of a user response to an outgoing utterance in response to an instruction from a client device, but the user response to be the subject of waiting time management is not limited to this. The UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 can be assumed to manage the waiting time of a user response to any form of output shown from the client device via any user interface device including the speaker 122 and the display device 124. Such output can be, in addition to outgoing utterance, for example, a message displayed on the display device 124 or a predetermined sound (beep, etc.) output from the speaker 122.

[0101] 2, 3, and 5, the standby management unit 162 determines whether the current operating load is less than the threshold level at the expiration of the standby time, but the timing of the determination is not limited to this. The standby management unit 162 may determine whether the current operating load is less than the threshold level during the elapse of the standby time.

[0102] 2, 3, and 5, the standby management unit 162 repeatedly extends the standby time as long as the current operating load is equal to or higher than the threshold level, but the operation of the standby management unit 162 is not limited to this. For example, when a period in which the current operating load is equal to or higher than the threshold level continues, the standby management unit 162 can extend the standby time on the condition that the number of times the standby time has been extended does not exceed a predetermined number (i.e., within a range not exceeding the predetermined number of times).

[0103] In addition, the default value Δt def may be different for each client device (the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 in the above embodiment) that obtains the corresponding user response. ext may be different values ​​for each client device and / or each number of extensions.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the current driving load calculated by the driving load estimation unit 160 is a five-step load level, but the mode of the calculated current driving load is not limited to this. The calculated current driving load may be a multi-step load level having a number of steps other than five, or a continuous value.

[0105] In addition, the above-mentioned UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 are configured to extend the waiting time for a user response that the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116 are to be client devices, but the client devices are not limited to the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116. The UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 can extend the waiting time for a user response by using any number of any types of devices that require a user response as client devices. Such any devices can be, for example, a control device that controls any in-vehicle electrical device such as an air conditioner, a driver assistance system, or the like.

[0106] The standby management units 162, 616 may be provided in devices that require acquisition of a user response, such as the navigation device 114 and the AV output device 116. In addition, such devices may also be provided with driving load estimation units 160, 614.

[0107] Moreover, the UI control device 100 does not necessarily have to be a standalone device, and may be, for example, a device that configures a part of the AV output device 116 or includes the AV output device 116 as a part of its components. Such a device may be, for example, a so-called Display Audio (DA) device.

[0108] In addition, the response management device 600 described above is provided in a mobile body in which a client device is mounted, for example, a vehicle 102, but the installation location of the response management device 600 does not necessarily have to be inside the mobile body in which the client device is mounted. For example, the response management device 600 may be realized in a server or the like provided outside the mobile body that is communicably connected to the client device mounted on the mobile body.

[0109] As described above, the UI control device 100 or the response management device 600 executes the standby time adjustment method shown in the flow chart in FIG. 4 in order to adjust the length of the standby time for waiting for a user response. Here, the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object, for example, a vehicle 102. This standby time adjustment method includes a step (S110) in which the driving load estimation unit 160 calculates the current driving load of the driver based on the current traffic scene encountered by the vehicle 102 and the degree of the driver's driving skill, and a step (S118) in which the standby management unit 162, 616 extends the standby time. Then, in the extending step (S118), when it is detected that the calculated current driving load is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold level during or at the expiration of the standby time, the standby time is extended by a predetermined time Δt ext Extend for minutes.

[0110] According to this configuration, when acquiring a user response from the driver of the vehicle 102, it is possible to ensure a sufficient time for the driver to make a user response depending on the driver's condition. As a result, even when the driving load on the driver becomes excessive, it is possible to efficiently acquire a user response from the driver without distracting the driver from driving operations.

[0111] In addition, the user response may be a response from the driver to an outgoing utterance output from a device that acquires the user response to the driver. With this configuration, a waiting time for a user response after an outgoing utterance from a device that requests a response from the driver can be appropriately secured according to a current driving load of the driver.

[0112] The user response may be a response utterance of the driver to the outgoing utterance. With this configuration, even when the driver's instruction to the device having a voice dialogue function is given through multiple interactions between the device and the driver, the instruction can be efficiently acquired without distracting the driver from the driving operation.

[0113] In addition, when the standby management unit 162 or 616 detects that the current driving load is less than a predetermined threshold level during or at the expiration of the extended standby time, the standby management unit 162 or 616 outputs a reminder utterance to remind the driver of the content of the transmitted utterance at the expiration of the extended standby time, and extends the standby time by a further predetermined time Δt def According to this configuration, when the current driving load falls below the threshold level 202, the reminding speech is issued, so that the driver can remember the question or confirmation request from the device regarding the user response that was in the middle of being responded to, and can smoothly respond thereafter.

[0114] Furthermore, the standby management unit 162 or 616 can extend the standby time on condition that the number of times the extension has been performed does not exceed a predetermined number of times. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the standby time from being extended repeatedly until the current operating load becomes lower than the threshold level.

[0115] The UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 described above are devices having a function of adjusting the length of a standby time for waiting for a user response, the user response being a response from the driver of the vehicle 102, which is a moving body. The UI control device 100 and the response management device 600 may include a driving load estimation unit 160, 614 that calculates the current driving load of the driver based on the current traffic scene encountered by the vehicle 102 and the degree of the driver's driving skill, and a standby management unit 162, 616 that sets the length of the standby time. When the standby management unit 162, 616 detects that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold level during or at the expiration of the standby time, the standby management unit 162, 616 extends the standby time to a predetermined time Δt ext Extend for minutes.

[0116] According to this configuration, when acquiring a user response from the driver of the vehicle 102, it is possible to ensure a sufficient time for the driver to make a user response depending on the driver's condition. As a result, even when the driving load on the driver becomes excessive, it is possible to efficiently acquire a user response from the driver without distracting the driver from driving operations.

[0117] The UI control device 100 is a device that processes input and output of user interface devices including a microphone, a speaker, a display device, and / or an operation panel. With this configuration, the device that controls the user interface devices that interact with the driver can directly adjust the waiting time for a user response. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 100, 602...UI control device, 102...vehicle, 104...in-vehicle network bus, 106...traffic scene identification device, 108...driver evaluation device, 110...vehicle information acquisition device, 112...camera control device, 114...navigation device, 116...AV output device, 120...microphone, 122...speaker, 124...display device, 126...touch panel, 130...sensor group, 132...in-vehicle camera 134...exterior vehicle camera, 140, 170, 174, 610, 620...processing device, 142, 172, 176, 612, 622...storage device, 144...UI control unit, 146...response management unit, 150, 624...speech output unit, 152, 626...voice recognition unit, 154, 628...display control unit, 156, 630...input processing unit, 160, 614...driving load estimation unit, 162, 616...standby management unit.

Claims

1. 1. A method for adjusting a waiting time length for waiting for a user response, comprising: the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimator calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene encountered by the moving object; A standby management unit extends the standby time; having In the extending step, when it is detected that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the waiting time, the waiting time is extended; The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance outputted to the driver by a client device that acquires the user response, The waiting time varies depending on the client device or the number of times the waiting time is extended. How to adjust standby time.

2. The user response is a response utterance of the driver to the outgoing utterance. The standby time adjusting method according to claim 1 .

3. 1. A method for adjusting a waiting time length for waiting for a user response, comprising: the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimator calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene encountered by the moving object; A standby management unit extends the standby time; having In the extending step, when it is detected that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the waiting time, the waiting time is extended; In the extending step, the waiting time is extended on the condition that the number of times the extension has been performed does not exceed a predetermined number of times. How to adjust standby time.

4. 1. A method for adjusting a waiting time length for waiting for a user response, comprising: the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimator calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene encountered by the moving object; A standby management unit extends the standby time; having In the extending step, when it is detected that the calculated current driving load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the waiting time, the waiting time is extended; The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance outputted to the driver by a device for acquiring the user response, In the extending step, when it is detected that the current driving load is less than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the extended waiting time, a reminder utterance is outputted to the driver at the expiration of the extended waiting time, to remind the driver of the content of the transmitted utterance, thereby further extending the waiting time. How to adjust standby time.

5. An apparatus having a function of adjusting a length of a waiting time for waiting for a user response, the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimation unit for calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering; A standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time; having When the standby management unit detects that the calculated current operating load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time, the standby management unit extends the standby time; The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance outputted to the driver by a client device that acquires the user response, The waiting time varies depending on the client device or the number of times the waiting time is extended. Device.

6. An apparatus having a function of adjusting a length of a waiting time for waiting for a user response, the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimation unit for calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering; A standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time; having When the standby management unit detects that the calculated current operating load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time, the standby management unit extends the standby time; Extending the waiting time on the condition that the number of times the extension has been performed does not exceed a predetermined number of times. Device.

7. An apparatus having a function of adjusting a length of a waiting time for waiting for a user response, the user response is a response from a driver of a moving object; a driving load estimation unit for calculating a current driving load of the driver based on a current traffic scene that the moving body is encountering; A standby management unit that sets the length of the standby time; having When the standby management unit detects that the calculated current operating load is equal to or greater than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the standby time, the standby management unit extends the standby time; The user response is a response of the driver to an outgoing utterance outputted to the driver by a device for acquiring the user response, When it is detected that the current driving load is less than a predetermined level during or at the expiration of the extended standby time, a reminder utterance is outputted to the driver at the expiration of the extended standby time, causing the driver to remember the content of the transmitted utterance, thereby extending the standby time. Device.

8. The device is a user interface control device that processes input and output of a microphone, a speaker, a display device, and / or an operation panel.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

Images