Information processing device and information processing system

Abstract

To allow for providing a driver of a vehicle with appropriate driving assistance.SOLUTION: An information processing device disclosed herein is configured to acquire first data on behavior of a driver of a first vehicle during a first period from the time the first vehicle leaves a departure point to the time the vehicle arrives at a first point, and provide driving assistance during a second period from the time the first vehicle leaves the first point to the time the vehicle arrives at a destination on the basis of the first data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance function of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a navigation device that proposes appropriate routes and destinations to a vehicle occupant according to a situation. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a navigation device that extracts and proposes candidate destinations based on weather, season, time of day, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-337361 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to provide appropriate driving assistance to vehicle occupants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing device having a control unit that acquires first data regarding the behavior of an occupant of a first vehicle during a first period from when the first vehicle leaves a starting point to when the first vehicle reaches a first location, and provides driving assistance during a second period from when the first vehicle leaves the first location to when the first vehicle reaches a destination based on the first data.

[0006] One aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing system including an information processing device associated with a first vehicle and a mobile terminal associated with an occupant of the first vehicle, wherein the mobile terminal generates first data regarding the behavior of the occupant, and the information processing device provides driving assistance during a second period from when the first vehicle leaves a starting point to when it reaches a destination based on the first data generated by the mobile terminal during a first period from when the first vehicle leaves a starting point to when it reaches a first location.

[0007] Further, other aspects include a method executed by the above-mentioned device, a program for causing a computer to execute the method, or a computer-readable storage medium non-transitoryly storing the program. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, appropriate driving assistance can be provided to vehicle occupants. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating components of a vehicle 10. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the actions of an occupant and driving assistance provided. [Figure 4] 3 shows an example of route data stored in the storage unit 102. [Diagram 5] 3 shows an example of facility data stored in the storage unit 102. [Figure 6] 4 shows an example of determination data stored in the storage unit 102. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart of a process executed by an in-vehicle device in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is an example of first determination data in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 is an example of second determination data in the second embodiment. [Figure 10]10 is a flowchart of a process executed by an in-vehicle device in a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining components of a mobile terminal 200. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart of a process executed by an in-vehicle device in a third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the actions of an occupant and driving assistance provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] In the field of automobiles, navigation devices are widely used. In general, navigation devices guide a vehicle along a route from a starting point to a destination. Also, navigation devices capable of guiding a route via a plurality of points are known.

[0011] In general, a navigation device provides route guidance based on current traffic conditions and environmental information (weather, etc.). However, general navigation devices cannot make suggestions based on past information. For example, there are known navigation devices that can suggest stopover points along the route, but they do not use information such as "Have the crew already had a meal?" or "How tired are the crew?", so there may be cases where they cannot make appropriate suggestions. The information processing device according to the present disclosure solves such a problem.

[0012] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that it has a control unit that acquires first data regarding the behavior of an occupant of a first vehicle during a first period from when the first vehicle leaves a starting point to when it reaches a first location, and provides driving assistance during a second period from when the first vehicle leaves the first location to when it reaches a destination based on the first data.

[0013] The first point may be a current location of the first vehicle or a point to be reached by the first vehicle. The control unit acquires data (first data) related to actions taken by an occupant of the first vehicle during a period (first period) from when the first vehicle departs to when the first vehicle arrives at the first point. The first data may be, for example, a classification of the actions performed by the occupant into predetermined categories, such as "eating," "shopping," "work," and "exercise." The actions taken by the occupant during the first time period can be estimated based on, for example, route points taken by the vehicle during the first time period, their attributes, duration of stay, etc. The attributes of the route points may be determined based on, for example, map data, etc.

[0014] The first data may be data related to the amount of activity of the occupant. Examples of the data related to the amount of activity of the occupant include the number of steps taken, the distance traveled by walking, calories burned, etc. Such data may be acquired from, for example, a mobile terminal carried by the occupant.

[0015] The control unit performs driving assistance during the second period based on the first data. Examples of the driving assistance include suggestions of route points, adjustments to the in-car environment (driving environment), and adjustments to driving assistance functions. For example, when it is determined that the driver of the vehicle is fatigued based on the driver's behavior during the first period, a location where the driver can rest may be suggested as a new route point. Also, the vehicle environment and driving environment may be adjusted according to the condition of the driver and passengers estimated based on the behavior history. The adjustment of the environment may be performed, for example, by transmitting data specifying the environment to an electronic control unit included in the platform of the vehicle.

[0016] When the amount of activity of the occupant is used as the first data, the content or level of the support may be determined according to the amount of activity. For example, the support may be provided such that the load on the occupant in the second period is lighter as the amount of activity in the first period is greater. Methods for lightening the load on the occupant include, for example, selecting a route that is easier to drive, selecting a route that includes multiple rest areas, or suggesting a seating position that places less strain on the occupant.

[0017] Furthermore, if the vehicle is equipped with an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), the parameters of the system (parameters related to driving) may be determined according to the amount of activity. Examples of parameters related to driving include the following distance, cruising speed, and sensor sensitivity. For example, if it is determined that the occupant is fatigued, it is possible to increase the following distance in anticipation of a decrease in reaction speed.

[0018] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, and the like described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to only those.

[0019] First Embodiment An overview of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The vehicle system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10 on which an in-vehicle device 100 and an ECU 110 are mounted.

[0020] The vehicle 10 is a connected car having a communication function with an external network. The vehicle 10 includes an in-vehicle device 100 and an electronic control unit (EC) 110. 1 illustrates a single ECU, the vehicle 10 may include multiple ECUs.

[0021] The in-vehicle device 100 is a device (for example, a car navigation device) that provides information to the passengers of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 100 is also called a car navigation device, an infotainment device, or a head unit. The in-vehicle device 100 can provide navigation and entertainment to the passengers of the vehicle.

[0022] The ECU 110 is an electronic control unit that controls components of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 may include a plurality of ECUs. The plurality of ECUs control components of different systems, such as an engine system, an electrical system, and a powertrain system. The ECU has a function of generating a prescribed message and periodically transmitting and receiving the message via an in-vehicle network. In this embodiment, the ECU 110 is exemplified by an ECU that controls electrical equipment of the vehicle 10 and an ECU that provides an advanced driving assistance system.

[0023] In this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 100 has a function of searching for a route from a departure point to a destination and providing the route to the vehicle occupant. The route may include a plurality of intermediate points. Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 100 estimates the behavior of the occupant of the vehicle 10 from the departure point to the current location (first point), and determines the content of driving assistance from the current location to the destination based on the result of the estimation.

[0024] The driving assistance may be provided by the in-vehicle device 100 or by the ECU 110. A method for estimating the behavior of an occupant and a method for providing driving assistance will be described later. In this disclosure, the term "vehicle occupant" typically refers to the driver of the vehicle 10. It may be a passenger.

[0025] 2 is a diagram illustrating components of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. The vehicle 10 according to this embodiment includes an in-vehicle device 100, a body ECU 110A, and a driving assistance ECU 110B.

[0026] First, the in-vehicle device 100 will be described. The in-vehicle device 100 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, an EPROM, a hard disk drive, and an auxiliary storage device such as a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that match a predetermined purpose, as described below, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA.

[0027] The in-vehicle device 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, an input / output unit 104, a wireless communication unit 105, and a position information acquisition unit 106.

[0028] The control unit 101 is a calculation unit that executes a predetermined program to realize various functions of the in-vehicle device 100. The control unit 101 may be realized by, for example, a CPU. The control unit 101 is configured to have two functional modules: a navigation unit 1011 and a support unit 1012. Each functional module may be realized by executing a stored program by a CPU.

[0029] The navigation unit 1011 provides route guidance to the occupant of the vehicle 10. The navigation unit 1011 acquires information about the destination from the occupant of the vehicle 10, and generates a route for the vehicle 10 from the departure point to the destination. Note that the route may include multiple intermediate points. Here, the route generated by the navigation unit 1011 will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the travel of the vehicle 10 in a predetermined period (for example, one day). As shown in the figure, the vehicle 10 may make multiple trips before arriving at the final destination. In the following description, the word "trip" is used as a term representing a unit of one trip. In this example, after leaving the departure point A, the vehicle 10 stops at two waypoints and finally arrives at the destination D. That is, the travel shown in the figure is composed of three trips.

[0030] The navigation unit 1011, for example, acquires destination D, which is the final destination, and searches for a route connecting departure point A and destination D. In this case, intermediate points B and C can be specified by the vehicle occupants in the process of searching for the route. Additionally, the navigation unit 1011 may sequentially search for a route corresponding to the next trip each time the vehicle 10 starts a new trip. For example, the navigation unit 1011 may search for a route corresponding to trip A (route between A and B) when the vehicle 10 leaves the departure point A, and may search for a route corresponding to trip B (route between B and C) when the vehicle 10 leaves the intermediate point B. By repeating this process, a route to the final destination can be generated.

[0031] Furthermore, the navigation unit 1011 periodically acquires the position information of the vehicle 10 from the position information acquisition unit 106, and stores the position information in the storage unit 102, which will be described later.

[0032] The support unit 1012 detects the current location of the vehicle 10 from the departure point based on the accumulated location information. The actions taken by the occupants during the period until the vehicle 10 reaches the destination are estimated, and the content of the driving assistance during the period until the vehicle 10 reaches the destination is determined based on the results of the estimation.

[0033] For example, in the example of FIG. 3, assume that a route search corresponding to trip B was performed at the time when vehicle 10 departs from waypoint B. Here, assume that the support unit 1012 estimates that the occupant of the vehicle performed the activity of "shopping" for more than two hours at waypoint B. Such an estimation can be made based on the position information of the vehicle 10 that is periodically acquired and accumulated. For example, based on data on a plurality of facilities (hereinafter, facility data), if the vehicle 10 has been parked in a parking lot of a shopping mall for two hours, it can be estimated that the occupant of the vehicle 10 performed the activity of "shopping" for two hours.

[0034] In this example, the support unit 1012 proposes a driving environment or an in-vehicle environment suitable for the state of the occupant based on the estimated behavior. For example, if it is estimated that the occupant has walked for a long time, it is possible to predict a decrease in the reaction speed of the feet due to fatigue, and therefore it is possible to propose to move the driver's seat position further forward than usual. For example, the support unit 1012 outputs the content of the proposal via the input / output unit 104, and when the occupant agrees, transmits a command to the body ECU 110A. The command is, for example, a command to adjust the positions of the driver's seat, the passenger seat, and the rear seat. The support unit 1012 may adjust other things as long as they relate to the driving environment or the vehicle interior environment. For example, it is possible to adjust the temperature, ventilation, air conditioning, etc., inside the vehicle.

[0035] In addition, the support unit 1012 can suggest parameters of the ADAS system suitable for the state of the occupant based on the estimated behavior. For example, if an occupant is fatigued, a suggestion can be made to set the following distance in the cruise control to be greater than normal. For example, the support unit 1012 outputs the contents of the proposal via the input / output unit 104, and when the occupant agrees, transmits a command to the driving support ECU 110B. The command is, for example, a command to specify parameters used in a cruise control function, an automatic braking function, an obstacle detection function, a lane keeping function, a driver monitoring function, and the like.

[0036] The driving assistance may be something other than changing the driving environment, the in-vehicle environment, or the parameters of the ADAS system. For example, the driving assistance may be something that changes or modifies the route of the vehicle 10 to the destination, or something that suggests a new route.

[0037] For example, in the example of FIG. 3, it is determined that the occupant had a meal at waypoint C. In this case, in order to prevent drowsiness, a suggestion may be made to add a waypoint where a rest can be taken a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) after departure from waypoint C. Also, the route may be changed to stop at a facility or the like where a rest can be taken. Also, if the occupant is fatigued, a route that places less strain on driving (e.g., a route via a wide main road, a road with few intersections, or a highway for motor vehicles) may be re-searched and suggested. In this case, the support unit 1012 outputs the contents of the proposal via the input / output unit 104, and if the passenger agrees, instructs the navigation unit 1011 to change the route, add a waypoint, or the like.

[0038] The storage unit 102 is configured to include a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store an operating system for executing the programs. The programs stored in the memory are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, thereby implementing the above-mentioned functions.

[0039] The storage unit 102 stores three types of data: route data, facility data, and judgment data.

[0040] The route data is data relating to a route taken by the vehicle 10 in the past or a planned route of the vehicle 10. For example, the route data is a collection of position information indicating points that the vehicle 10 has passed in the past or points that the vehicle 10 is scheduled to pass. The route data is updated by the navigation unit 1011. 4 is an example of route data. As shown in the figure, the route data includes location information, date and time information, and type. When the location information represents a point that the vehicle 10 has passed through in the past, the type is "actual." When the location information represents a point that the vehicle 10 is scheduled to pass through, the type is "planned." The points through which the vehicle 10 is scheduled to pass may be points on a route generated by the navigation unit 1011 .

[0041] The facility data is data relating to facilities that the vehicle 10 can stop at. 5 is an example of facility data. As shown in the figure, the facility data is data in which a facility identifier, location information (such as latitude and longitude), name, type, and an identifier of an action estimated at the facility are associated with each other. By referring to the facility data, the support unit 1012 can estimate the action taken by an occupant of the vehicle 10 who stopped at a certain point.

[0042] The determination data is data that associates the action taken by an occupant of the vehicle 10 with the content of the driving assistance provided to the occupant. An example of the determination data is shown in Fig. 6. As shown in the figure, the determination data includes an estimated action, a required time (a duration of the action), a control target, and a content of driving assistance. The controlled object is an entity that provides driving assistance, and in this embodiment, is one of the "ADAS system," "electrical equipment," and "on-vehicle device." When the control target is an "ADAS system", it means that driving assistance is provided by the driving assistance ECU 110B. When the control target is an "electrical component", it means that driving assistance is provided by the body ECU 110A. When the control target is a "navigation device", it means that driving assistance is provided by the in-vehicle device 100.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 2, we continue the explanation. The communication unit 103 is a communication interface that connects the in-vehicle device 100 to a bus of an in-vehicle network.

[0044] The input / output unit 104 is a means for accepting an input operation performed by a user and presenting information to the user. Specifically, it is composed of a touch panel and its control means, and a liquid crystal display and its control means. In this embodiment, the touch panel and the liquid crystal display are composed of one touch panel display. The input / output unit 104 may include a unit for outputting sound (an amplifier and a speaker), a unit for inputting sound (a microphone), etc.

[0045] The wireless communication unit 105 includes an antenna and a communication module for performing wireless communication. The antenna is an antenna element that inputs and outputs wireless signals. In this embodiment, the antenna is suitable for mobile communication (e.g., mobile communication such as 3G, LTE, and 5G). The antenna may be configured to include multiple physical antennas. The communication module is a module for performing mobile communication.

[0046] The location information acquisition unit 106 includes a GPS antenna and a positioning module for measuring location information. The GPS antenna is an antenna that receives a positioning signal transmitted from a positioning satellite (also called a GNSS satellite). The positioning module is a module that calculates location information based on the signal received by the GPS antenna.

[0047] The network bus is a communication bus that constitutes an in-vehicle network. Although one bus is illustrated in this example, the vehicle 10 may have two or more communication buses. The multiple communication buses may be connected to each other by a gateway that manages the multiple communication buses.

[0048] Next, the contents of the driving assistance that the vehicle 10 can provide will be described. As described above, driving assistance can be performed by using the in-vehicle device 100, electrical equipment of the vehicle 10, or an ADAS system.

[0049] Examples of driving assistance provided by the in-vehicle device 100 include the following. (A1) Change the planned route to one that takes you through a motorway (A2) Change the planned route to one that takes you through wider roads (main roads) (A3) Addition of stopovers where rest is possible

[0050] Further, examples of driving assistance provided using electrical equipment of the vehicle 10 include the following. (B1) Setting the seat position for a comfortable driving posture (B2) Setting the seat position to make it easier to step on the pedals (B3) Switching air conditioning modes (for example, switching from recirculated air mode to fresh air mode to prevent drowsiness) (B4) Using the seat massage function

[0051] Further, examples of driving assistance provided using the ADAS system of the vehicle 10 include the following. (C1) Using Cruise Control (C2) Set a longer distance between vehicles (C3) Set cruising speed to low

[0052] The support unit 1012 transmits instructions for carrying out these driving support operations to the corresponding devices. Note that, before issuing these instructions, the support unit 1012 may propose the contents of the driving support to the occupant of the vehicle 10 and obtain a response. If the occupant agrees with the proposal, the above-mentioned data is transmitted to each component.

[0053] For example, if the driver is estimated to be physically fatigued or prone to drowsiness, the driving assistance described above can be provided to reduce the burden on the driver or improve the safety margin.

[0054] Next, a process in which the in-vehicle device 100 estimates the behavior of an occupant of the vehicle 10 and performs driving assistance based on the estimated behavior will be described. Fig. 7 is a flowchart of the process performed by the in-vehicle device 100. The illustrated process is performed by the assistance unit 1012 at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, a periodic timing or a timing when the occupant of the vehicle 10 performs a new route search.

[0055] First, in step S11, the stopover points (waypoints) of the vehicle 10 from the departure point of the vehicle 10 to the current time are acquired. The stopover points of the vehicle 10 are stored in the memory unit 102. The determination can be made based on stored route data. In this step, for example, the locations where the vehicle 10 has stopped between the time when the vehicle 10 left the departure point and the present time are determined by comparing the temporal progression of the location information indicated by the route data with the facility data. The departure point of the vehicle 10 may be, for example, the point where the vehicle 10 first starts moving during the same day.

[0056] In step S12, the stay time at the stop point is determined. The stay time of the vehicle 10 and its occupants at a certain point can be determined based on time-series position information included in the route data. Next, in step S13, the behavior of the occupant at the stopover point is estimated. The behavior can be estimated based on the attributes of the stopover point indicated in the facility data and the duration of the stopover point. For example, if the route data indicates that the vehicle 10 was parked in a parking lot of a sports gym for 45 minutes, it is estimated that the behavior "exercise (30 minutes or more and less than 1 hour)" was performed. In the following description, "behavior" refers to a combination of an action type, such as eating, shopping, or exercise, and a duration.

[0057] Next, in step S14, the content of driving assistance corresponding to the estimated behavior is determined. The content of driving assistance can be performed based on the determination data stored in the storage unit 102. In addition, if the occupant of the vehicle 10 has performed a plurality of actions in the past journey, driving assistance corresponding to any one of the actions may be implemented, or all of the applicable driving assistance may be implemented.

[0058] Next, in step S15, a process for executing the determined driving assistance is performed. In this step, the assistance unit 1012 transmits data including the details of the driving assistance to the entity that provides the driving assistance. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 6, when it is determined that the action of "exercise (30 minutes or more and less than 1 hour)" has been performed, the driving assistance ECU 110B performs control to increase the distance between the vehicles, and the body ECU 110A sets the position of the driver's seat closer to the front.

[0059] As described above, the vehicle system in the first embodiment determines the content of driving assistance to be provided to the vehicle occupant in the subsequent journey based on the actions taken by the vehicle occupant in the journey from when the vehicle started traveling to the present. With this configuration, it becomes possible to provide appropriate assistance according to the occupant's condition (e.g., fatigue level).

[0060] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the behavior of the occupant at a certain waypoint is estimated, and driving assistance in the next trip is performed based on the estimated behavior. On the other hand, since physical fatigue and the like accumulates gradually, there may be cases in which it is not appropriate to determine whether or not to provide driving assistance based on a single action (e.g., "shopping") performed at a certain point.

[0061] To deal with this, in the second embodiment, the in-vehicle device 100 estimates the cumulative amount of activity of the occupant up to the present time, and determines whether or not to provide driving support and the content of the support based on the estimated amount of activity. The amount of activity is a value indicating the amount of physical activity. In the second embodiment, the amount of activity is used as an evaluation value for determining whether or not to provide driving support and the content of the support.

[0062] In the second embodiment, the judgment data stored in the storage unit 102 includes first judgment data and second judgment data. The first judgment data is data that associates the behavior of the occupant with the amount of activity, and the second judgment data is data that associates the amount of activity with the content of driving support. It is.

[0063] FIG. 8 is an example of the first determination data in the second embodiment. In the first determination data, an action and the time required for that action are associated with a numerical value representing the amount of activity. In this system, the amount of activity is a value representing the intensity of physical activity, and the stronger the intensity of physical activity, the larger the value is defined. By accumulating such values, the fatigue level of a person in a day can be estimated. Note that, if the action taken by the occupant includes resting, a negative amount of activity may be associated. This makes it possible to express recovery from fatigue.

[0064] FIG. 9 is an example of the second determination data. In the second determination data, the content of the driving assistance provided is associated with each cumulative amount of activity. In this example, the content of the driving assistance is defined so that the burden on driving becomes lighter as the cumulative amount of activity increases. By referring to the first determination data and the second determination data, it becomes possible to calculate the cumulative value of the amount of activity corresponding to the occupant of the vehicle 10, and it becomes possible to determine the content of the driving assistance according to the cumulative value. In the example of Fig. 9, the support content is exemplified by suggesting resting places, but resting places and the number of resting places may be determined according to the cumulative value of the amount of activity. Also, the route may be changed to one with a lower driving load according to the cumulative value of the amount of activity.

[0065] 10 is a flowchart of the process executed by the in-car device 100 in the second embodiment. Processes similar to those in the first embodiment are indicated by dashed lines, and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] In the second embodiment, after the occupant's behavior is estimated in step S13, the amount of activity corresponding to the estimated behavior is calculated. In step S21, the amount of activity corresponding to the estimated behavior is obtained. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, if the exercise is performed for 45 minutes, the corresponding amount of activity is "30". The amount of activity may be defined by a table as shown in the figure, or may be calculated using a formula, a machine learning model, or the like.

[0067] Next, in step S22, a cumulative value of the amount of activity from when the vehicle 10 leaves the departure point to the present is calculated. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, when the vehicle is located at waypoint B, the amount of activity corresponding to the behavior performed at waypoint B is calculated. When the vehicle is located at waypoint C, the sum of the amount of activity corresponding to the behavior performed at waypoint B and the amount of activity corresponding to the behavior performed at waypoint C is calculated. The obtained cumulative value corresponds to the total amount of physical activity performed by the vehicle occupants during their journey in one day.

[0068] Next, in step S23, the content of driving support for the subsequent trips is determined based on the calculated cumulative value. For example, in the example of Fig. 9, when the cumulative activity amount is "25", the support unit 1012 determines to perform driving support of "setting the inter-vehicle distance longer" and "setting the seat position more forward".

[0069] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the content of driving assistance to be provided to the occupant of the vehicle 10 can be determined based on the amount of activity of the occupant from when the vehicle 10 started traveling until the present. This makes it possible to provide driving assistance that takes into account the accumulation and recovery of fatigue.

[0070] Third embodiment In the second embodiment, the behavior of the occupant is estimated based on the places where the vehicle 10 stops, and the amount of activity corresponding to the behavior is acquired. In contrast, in the third embodiment, data on physical activity is acquired from a mobile terminal carried by the occupant, and the amount of activity corresponding to the behavior is acquired based on the data. 1 is an embodiment for calculating an amount of activity.

[0071] 11 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle system according to the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the third embodiment, an in-vehicle device 100 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with a mobile terminal (mobile terminal 200) carried by a passenger of a vehicle 10.

[0072] The mobile terminal 200 is a computer capable of acquiring and providing data related to a physical activity performed by a user. The mobile terminal 200 is a small computing device such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, etc. The mobile terminal 200 has a function of acquiring data related to physical activity. Examples of data related to physical activity include the number of steps, the distance traveled, the heart rate, and the estimated calories burned. Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 100 determines the amount of activity of the occupant associated with the mobile terminal 200 based on the data on physical activity acquired from the mobile terminal 200.

[0073] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating components of a mobile terminal 200 according to the third embodiment.

[0074] The mobile terminal 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or a GPU, a main memory such as a RAM or a ROM, an EPROM, a hard disk drive, and an auxiliary memory such as a removable medium, similar to the in-vehicle device 100. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0075] The mobile terminal 200 is configured to include a control unit 201 , a storage unit 202 , a communication unit 203 , an input / output unit 204 , a position information acquisition unit 205 , and a sensor 206 .

[0076] First, the sensor 206 will be described. The sensor 206 is a set of one or more sensors that sense data related to the user's physical activity. Examples of such sensors include a step sensor, a heart rate sensor, and an acceleration sensor. For example, by acquiring acceleration in each axis of three dimensions, it is possible to determine the intensity of the exercise performed by the user wearing the mobile terminal 200.

[0077] The control unit 201 is a calculation unit that executes a predetermined program to realize various functions of the mobile terminal 200. The control unit 201 may be realized by, for example, a CPU. The control unit 201 includes, as a functional module, a data acquisition unit 2011. The functional module may be realized by executing a stored program by a CPU.

[0078] The data acquisition unit 2011 generates data on the user's physical activity (hereinafter, activity data) based on the sensor data acquired from the sensor 206. Examples of the sensor data include acceleration, heart rate, etc. Examples of the activity data include the number of steps taken, the distance traveled by walking, calories burned, etc. during a given period of time. The data acquisition unit 2011 periodically acquires and accumulates the activity data, and transmits the activity data to the in-vehicle device 100 at a predetermined timing. An example of the predetermined timing is the timing when an occupant gets into the vehicle 10.

[0079] The storage unit 202 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The auxiliary storage device is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit 201 and the data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit 201 and the data used by the control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device may store an operating system for executing the programs. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 201, thereby realizing the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the storage unit 202 stores the above-mentioned activity data.

[0080] The communication unit 203 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the mobile terminal 200 to a network. The communication unit 203 includes an antenna for wireless communication and a communication module for mobile communication. In this embodiment, the antenna is compatible with mobile communication (e.g., mobile communication such as 3G, LTE, and 5G). Although mobile communication has been exemplified here, the in-vehicle device 100 and the mobile terminal 200 may communicate with each other via short-range wireless communication or the like.

[0081] The input / output unit 204 is a means for accepting input operations performed by the user and presenting information to the user. Specifically, it is composed of a touch panel and its control means, and a liquid crystal display and its control means. In this embodiment, the touch panel and the liquid crystal display are composed of a single touch panel display.

[0082] The position information acquisition unit 205 includes a GPS antenna and a positioning module for measuring the position information. The GPS antenna is an antenna that receives a positioning signal transmitted from a positioning satellite (also called a GNSS satellite). The positioning module is a module that calculates the position information based on the signal received by the GPS antenna.

[0083] 13 is a flowchart of the process executed by the in-car device 100 in the third embodiment. Processes similar to those in the second embodiment are indicated by dashed lines, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] In the third embodiment, after acquiring the stop-off point of the vehicle 10 in step S11, activity data is received from the mobile terminal 200, and the amount of activity of the occupant at the stop-off point is calculated based on the activity data. First, in step S31, the stay period at the stopover point (i.e., the period during which the vehicle 10 was parked) is determined. The stay period can be determined, for example, based on route data (periodically acquired position information of the vehicle 10). In this step, for example, it is determined that the vehicle 10 remained at a certain location from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

[0085] In step S32, communication is performed with the mobile terminal 200 to obtain activity data generated during the stay period. For example, in the above example, activity data generated between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. is received from the mobile terminal 200.

[0086] Next, in step S33, the amount of activity is calculated based on the activity data. In this step, it is necessary to convert values ​​indicated by the activity data (e.g., the number of steps, the distance traveled by walking, the calories burned, etc.) into the amount of activity in the present system. For this reason, the in-vehicle device 100 may store a conversion rule for converting the activity data received from the mobile terminal 200 into the amount of activity used in the present system. The process from step S22 onwards is similar to that in the second embodiment.

[0087] As described above, according to the third embodiment, data on the amount of activity of the occupant of the vehicle 10 is acquired from the mobile terminal 200 carried by the occupant, and is used for the determination. Previously, activity levels were estimated based on the type of facility and length of stay, but by using activity data, it is possible to estimate activity levels that are closer to the actual levels.

[0088] In this embodiment, the activity amount is calculated using only the activity data acquired from the mobile terminal 200, but the activity amount may be calculated using other data in combination. For example, if the facility visited by the occupant of the vehicle 10 is a sports gym, the occupant may exercise without wearing the mobile terminal 200. In such a case, the amount of activity estimated from the stay time may be inconsistent with the amount of activity indicated by the activity data. In such a case, the amount of activity may be estimated using data other than the activity data (for example, the attribute of the facility or the stay time).

[0089] In addition, the amount of activity may be calculated by using other data and the activity data acquired from the mobile terminal 200 in combination. For example, the amount of activity may be calculated by the method exemplified in the second embodiment and the method exemplified in the third embodiment, and these may be integrated. In addition, the amount of activity calculated by the second embodiment may be corrected by using the activity data acquired from the mobile terminal 200.

[0090] (Fourth embodiment) In the first to third embodiments, the content of the driving assistance for the subsequent journey is determined based on the actions taken by the occupant from the time the vehicle 10 departs until the current time. On the other hand, the actions to be estimated are not limited to past actions.

[0091] For example, in a case where a plurality of stopover points between the departure point and the destination have already been set in the navigation device, it may be possible to estimate the future behavior of the passengers. 14 is a diagram illustrating a plurality of waypoints from when the vehicle 10 leaves the departure point A to when it reaches the destination E. In this example, the vehicle 10 is assumed to be located at waypoint B. Also, waypoints C and D are assumed to be set in the in-vehicle device 100 as planned waypoints. In this case, the in-vehicle device 100 determines the content of driving assistance for the trip B based on the actions at waypoint B.

[0092] Furthermore, the content of driving assistance for trip C can be determined in advance based on the occupant's future actions. In this example, for example, it can be estimated that "the attribute of waypoint C is a restaurant, so the occupant will have a meal at waypoint C." In this case, for example, it can be determined in advance that driving assistance for taking care of drowsiness will be provided in trip C.

[0093] Similarly, the content of driving assistance for trip D can be determined in advance based on the occupant's future actions. In this example, for example, it can be estimated that "the attribute of route D is a hot spring facility, so the occupant will take a rest at route D." In this case, for example, it can be determined in advance that the provision of driving assistance for treating fatigue and drowsiness will be terminated in trip D.

[0094] In this way, the period for estimating the behavior of the occupants, etc. is not limited to the period from when the vehicle 10 departs to the present, but may be the period from when the vehicle 10 departs to a specified time in the future.

[0095] (Modification) The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0096] In addition, in the description of the embodiment, the content of the driving assistance is determined based on the behavior of the occupant at the "stopover point of the vehicle 10", but the content of the driving assistance may be determined by further using other data related to the occupant's past behavior, activity, or exercise. For example, the content of the driving assistance may be determined by taking into account the travel distance, travel time, or continuous driving time of the vehicle 10.

[0097] Furthermore, when voice in the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 10 can be acquired, the fatigue level, drowsiness, condition, etc. of the occupants may be determined based on the acquired voice. For example, the calculated activity level may be corrected based on the speech included in the voice. Furthermore, the content of the driving assistance provided may be changed based on the result of the determination.

[0098] In addition, in the description of the embodiment, the driver is assumed to be an occupant of the vehicle 10, but the content of the service provided to the passenger may be determined based on the passenger's behavior, etc. For example, the passenger's fatigue level may be determined based on activity data acquired from the mobile terminal 200 carried by the passenger, and support may be provided according to the passenger's fatigue level. Examples of support according to the passenger's fatigue level include adjusting the seat position, providing a massage function, providing a ventilation function, setting the reclining angle, and providing a seat heating function.

[0099] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0100] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10. Vehicle 100...In-vehicle equipment 110···ECU 200 Mobile terminals 101, 201...Control unit 102,202...Storage section 103,203···Communications Department 104,204...Input / output section 105 Wireless communication unit 106,205...Location information acquisition unit 206 Sensor

Claims

1. acquiring, at a first location, first data indicative of an occupant's behavior of the first vehicle during a first period of time from when the first vehicle leaves a starting location until when the first vehicle arrives at the first location; Executing a first driving assistance during a second time period from when the first vehicle leaves the first location to when the first vehicle arrives at a second location based on the first data; A control unit that executes The control unit further includes: At the first location, based on route information that is information indicating route points of the first vehicle, estimate one or more first actions that are actions to be taken by the occupant at the second location; Calculating a fatigue level of the occupant caused by the first action after passing the second point; determining in advance content of a second driving assistance, which is driving assistance to be executed during a third time period from leaving the second point to arriving at a third point, based on the fatigue level; Information processing device.

2. The control unit: Acquire assistance information which is information indicating the content of driving assistance determined for each fatigue level; determining content of the second driving assistance based on the fatigue level and the assistance information; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit determines a driving environment of the first vehicle during the second period based on the first data, and transmits data designating the determined driving environment to a platform of the first vehicle. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The control unit determines parameters of an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) system of the first vehicle during the second period based on the first data, and applies the determined parameters to the advanced driver assistance system. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. The control unit determines attributes of the route points based on facility data, and estimates the behavior of the occupant based on the determined attributes. The information processing device according to claim 4.

6. The control unit estimates the behavior of the occupant based further on a stay time at the route point. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The control unit calculates an evaluation value indicating an activity amount of the occupant during the first period based on the first data. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. The control unit calculates the evaluation value further based on activity amount information acquired from a mobile device associated with the occupant. The information processing device according to claim 7.

9. The activity amount information includes at least one of the number of steps or the distance traveled by walking. The information processing device according to claim 8.

10. The control unit calculates the evaluation value further based on an utterance of the occupant detected in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle. The information processing device according to claim 7.

11. The control unit determines the content of the driving assistance in the second period such that a load on the occupant in the second period is smaller as the activity amount indicated by the evaluation value is larger. The information processing device according to claim 7.

12. when the amount of activity indicated by the evaluation value exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit modifies the planned route of the first vehicle in the second period to a second planned route that imposes a smaller load on the occupant. The information processing device according to claim 7.

13. The second planned route is a route including one or more rest areas determined based on the amount of activity indicated by the evaluation value. The information processing device according to claim 12.

14. The control unit determines a driving position of the occupant during the second period based on the amount of activity indicated by the evaluation value. The information processing device according to claim 7.

15. The control unit determines parameters of an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) system of the first vehicle during the second period based on the amount of activity indicated by the evaluation value. The information processing device according to claim 7.

16. An information processing system including an information processing device associated with a first vehicle and a mobile terminal associated with an occupant of the first vehicle, The mobile terminal includes: generating first data relating to the occupant's actions; The information processing device includes: acquiring, at a first location, first data indicative of an occupant's behavior of the first vehicle during a first period of time from when the first vehicle leaves a starting location until when the first vehicle arrives at the first location; Executing a first driving assistance during a second time period from when the first vehicle leaves the first location to when the first vehicle arrives at a second location based on the first data; A control unit that executes The control unit further includes: At the first location, based on route information that is information indicating route points of the first vehicle, estimate one or more first actions that are actions to be taken by the occupant at the second location; Calculating a fatigue level of the occupant caused by the first action after passing the second point; determining in advance content of a second driving assistance, which is driving assistance to be executed during a third time period from leaving the second point to arriving at a third point, based on the fatigue level; Information processing system.

17. The information processing device acquires support information which is information indicating the content of driving support determined for each of the fatigue levels, determining content of the second driving assistance based on the fatigue level and the assistance information; 17. The information processing system according to claim 16.

18. The first data is data regarding an amount of activity.

17. The information processing system according to claim 16.

19. The first data is data on any one of the number of steps, the distance traveled by walking, or the calories burned.

20. The information processing system according to claim 18.

20. the information processing device determines content of the driving assistance in the second period such that a load on the occupant in the second period is reduced as the amount of activity increases.

20. The information processing system according to claim 18.

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