Control Device and Program

Abstract

To provide a new and improved technology that enables a user to remain awake while reducing discomfort to the user.SOLUTION: A control device includes a presentation control unit that controls a computer so that proposal information for encouraging goal setting in accordance with first information on a user's behavior is presented to the user. A program for functioning as a control device includes a presentation control unit that controls a computer so that the proposal information for encouraging goal setting in accordance with the fist information on the user's behavior is presented to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a scene where a user performs a predetermined action (for example, driving a moving body), it may be required to maintain the user's awakened state (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "awakened state"). In recent years, various techniques are known as techniques for maintaining the user's awakened state. For example, a technique for maintaining the user's awakened state by giving an external stimulus (for example, a warning sound, a fragrance, vibration, and chewing gum) to the user is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in general techniques for maintaining the user's awakened state, there is a problem that the user may be given discomfort by an external stimulus. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved technique that enables maintaining the user's awakened state while reducing discomfort given to the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device including a presentation control unit that controls to present proposal information for prompting target setting according to first information related to a user's action to the user.

[0006] Also, in order to solve the above problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for causing a computer to function as a control device including a presentation control unit that controls to present proposal information for prompting goal setting according to first information regarding user behavior to the user.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a technique that enables maintaining the user's arousal state while reducing the discomfort given to the user.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0010] <0. Overview> First, an overview of an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0011] In recent years, various technologies have been known as technologies for maintaining a user's wakefulness state. For example, there is a known technology for maintaining a user's wakefulness state by giving external stimuli (such as warning sounds, scents, vibrations, and gum chewing) to the user. However, in general technologies for maintaining a user's wakefulness state, there is a possibility of giving discomfort to the user by external stimuli. Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, a technology is proposed that enables maintaining a user's wakefulness state while reducing discomfort given to the user.

[0012] More specifically, the applicants of the present application have conducted research on a technology for maintaining a user's wakefulness state by presenting presentation information that does not correspond to external stimuli (that is, presentation information that directly acts on the user's psychology) to the user. In such research, the applicants of the present application focused on the fact that the relationship between intrinsic motivation and the maintenance of the wakefulness state can be derived from various physiological theories. Note that intrinsic motivation can mean the will (motivation) for a person to spontaneously initiate an action.

[0013] Therefore, the applicants of the present application conducted a verification experiment on whether the user's wakefulness state is maintained when presenting presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation to the user as an example of presentation information that does not correspond to external stimuli.

[0014] The specific content of the presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation is not limited. However, there is a psychological finding that intrinsic motivation can be induced by satisfying the desires for self-efficacy, autonomy, and relatedness. Self-efficacy can correspond to a tendency to learn while effectively interacting with the environment. Autonomy can correspond to a tendency to initiate an action by oneself. Relatedness can correspond to a tendency to interact with others or a community. Therefore, in the verification experiment, presentation information that satisfies these three desires was used as an example of presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation.

[0015] As a result of the verification experiment, the applicants of the present application have obtained the finding that by presenting the user with presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation, it is possible to maintain the user's arousal state while reducing the discomfort given to the user. Furthermore, the applicants of the present application have obtained the finding that presenting the user with presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation can more effectively maintain the user's arousal state than giving the user external stimuli.

[0016] Therefore, hereinafter, a technique for maintaining the user's arousal state by presenting the user with presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation will be described in detail.

[0017] In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the user is a passenger of a moving body (for example, a passenger of a moving body during automatic driving or a passenger of a moving body during manual driving). In such a case, the arousal state of the passenger of the moving body can be maintained. In particular, hereinafter, it is mainly assumed that the user is a passenger (driver) of a moving body during manual driving. However, during automatic driving, since the operations by the passenger decrease or become monotonous, the arousal level of the passenger tends to decrease. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention is also suitable for the passengers of the moving body during automatic driving.

[0018] The user is not limited to being a passenger of a moving body. That is, the user according to the embodiment of the present invention may be a person other than a passenger of a moving body, and may be various persons (for example, a sports player, etc.) who are required to maintain an arousal state. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the moving body is a vehicle. However, the moving body may be a moving body other than a vehicle (for example, an aircraft or a ship).

[0019] The outline of the embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

[0020] <1. One Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0021] <<1.1. Configuration example>> Using FIG. 1, a configuration example of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a control device 10, a vehicle state detection device 20, a surrounding environment detection device 30, and an occupant state detection device 40.

[0022] (Vehicle state detection device 20) The vehicle state detection device 20 detects information indicating the vehicle state (vehicle state information). For example, the vehicle state detection device 20 can detect vehicle state information by one or more sensors (for example, instruments, cameras, radars, etc.) mounted on the vehicle. For example, as the vehicle state information, information indicating the driving state of the vehicle (for example, the running speed of the vehicle, the running position of the vehicle, the operation amount and operation timing of the accelerator, the operation amount and operation timing of the brake, the operation amount and operation timing of the steering wheel, etc.) can be mentioned. Such vehicle state information may correspond to an example of information related to the user's behavior (that is, the vehicle state detection device 20 may correspond to an example of a detection device that detects information related to the user's behavior).

[0023] In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the vehicle state detection device 20 outputs the detected vehicle state information itself to the control device 10. However, the vehicle state detection device 20 may output, to the control device 10, a result obtained by evaluating the vehicle state information (that is, an evaluation result based on the vehicle state information) instead of the information indicating the vehicle state. For example, the evaluation result based on the vehicle state information may correspond to an example of the evaluation result of the driver's performance (driving performance) during manual driving. Examples of the evaluation of vehicle state information will be described in detail later.

[0024] (Surrounding environment detection device 30) The surrounding environment detection device 30 detects information on the environment around the vehicle (surrounding environment information). For example, as an example of the surrounding environment information, information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "other vehicles") can be cited. The information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles may fall under the category of information regarding the user's behavior (that is, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may be an example of a detection device that detects information regarding the user's behavior). Further, as another example of the surrounding environment information, information regarding other vehicles can be cited.

[0025] Examples of the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles include whether there is an other vehicle around the host vehicle (presence or absence of other vehicles), the relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle, or the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle. For example, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may detect information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles by means of one or more sensors (for example, cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors, etc.) mounted on the vehicle.

[0026] Alternatively, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles by communicating with devices installed on the road around the vehicle (vehicle-road communication). For example, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire the traveling speed of the other vehicle by vehicle-road communication, and calculate the relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle based on the traveling speed of the other vehicle and the traveling speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state detection device 20. Alternatively, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire the traveling position of the other vehicle by vehicle-road communication, and calculate the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle based on the traveling position of the other vehicle and the traveling position of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state detection device 20.

[0027] Alternatively, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles through communication with other vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle communication). For example, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire the traveling speed of other vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and calculate the relative speed of other vehicles with respect to the host vehicle based on the traveling speed of other vehicles and the traveling speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state detection device 20. Alternatively, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire the traveling position of other vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and calculate the relative position of other vehicles with respect to the host vehicle based on the traveling position of other vehicles and the traveling position of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state detection device 20.

[0028] In addition, examples of information about other vehicles include information about the drivers of other vehicles (for example, the place of origin of the drivers of other vehicles or driving history, etc.). For example, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire information about the driver read by a predetermined reading device (for example, the smartphone of the driver of other vehicles, etc.) from an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip embedded in the driver's license of other vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. At this time, the place of origin can be specified based on the "number of the public safety commission of the prefecture where the license was first issued" among the "license numbers" read from the IC chip. Also, the driving history can be specified based on the "last two digits of the year of the Western calendar when the license was first issued" among the "license numbers" read from the IC chip.

[0029] Alternatively, when the driver of another vehicle purchases a car and subscribes to auto insurance, it is also assumed that information associating the license plate information of the other vehicle with information about the driver (including, for example, the driver's address, the year of obtaining the driver's license, etc.) is registered in a predetermined server as a purchase history. In such a case, when the license plate of another vehicle is imaged by the camera of the host vehicle, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may acquire information about the driver of the other vehicle from a predetermined server based on the license plate information recognized from the imaged license plate. For example, the place of origin can be specified based on the driver's address. Also, the driving history can be specified based on the year of obtaining the driver's license.

[0030] In the embodiments of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the surrounding environment detection device 30 outputs information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles detected to the control device 10. Further, in the embodiments of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the surrounding environment detection device 30 outputs information regarding the detected other vehicles to the control device 10. However, instead of the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles, the surrounding environment detection device 30 may output to the control device 10 the result obtained by evaluating the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles (that is, the evaluation result based on the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles). For example, the evaluation result based on the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles may correspond to an example of the evaluation result of the driver's performance (driving performance) during manual driving. Examples of the evaluation of the information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles will be described in detail later.

[0031] (Occupant state detection device 40) The occupant state detection device 40 detects information regarding the occupant state (occupant state information). Examples of the occupant state information include information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant. The occupant state detection device 40 can detect information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant by a sensor (for example, a camera etc.) mounted on the vehicle. Such information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant may correspond to an example of the information regarding the user's behavior (that is, the occupant state detection device 40 may correspond to an example of the detection device that detects information regarding the user's behavior). Further, as another example of the occupant state information, measurement data regarding the occupant is mentioned.

[0032] The measurement data regarding the occupant is data that can be a physiological index reflecting the occupant's wakefulness. For example, examples of the measurement data regarding the occupant include a face image obtained by imaging the occupant's face, a body image obtained by imaging the occupant's body, or an eye image obtained by imaging the occupant's eyes. For example, the occupant state detection device 40 may detect these images by a sensor (for example, a camera etc.) mounted on the vehicle.

[0033] Alternatively, as other examples of measurement data for the occupant, there are the occupant's biometric information (for example, the alpha wave content rate of the electroencephalogram, skin conductance level, respiratory interval, heart rate, RSA (Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia) component of heart rate variability, or skin temperature, etc.). For example, the occupant state detection device 40 may detect this biometric information measured by measurement devices attached to various parts of the occupant's body.

[0034] In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the occupant state detection device 40 outputs information indicating the detected line-of-sight position of the occupant to the control device 10. However, instead of the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant, the occupant state detection device 40 may output to the control device 10 a result obtained by evaluating the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant (that is, an evaluation result based on the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant). For example, the evaluation result based on the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant may correspond to an example of the evaluation result of the driving performance of the driver of the vehicle during manual driving, and may also correspond to an example of the evaluation result of the performance (safety confirmation performance) of the occupant during autonomous driving. Examples of the evaluation of the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant will be described in detail later.

[0035] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the occupant state detection device 40 outputs the detected measurement data for the occupant to the control device 10. However, instead of the measurement data for the occupant, the occupant state detection device 40 may output to the control device 10 the estimated arousal level based on the measurement data for the occupant. Examples of the estimation of the arousal level will also be described in detail later.

[0036] (Control device 10) The control device 10 has a function (agent function) of presenting information to the occupant. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the control device 10 is mounted on a vehicle. At this time, the control device 10 may be detachably installed in the vehicle or may simply be placed in the vehicle. For example, the control device 10 is placed near the occupant (for example, within the reach of the occupant's hand or voice). Thereby, the occupant can easily input to the control device 10 or perceive the output from the control device 10.

[0037] The control device 10 is connected to a vehicle state detection device 20, a surrounding environment detection device 30, and an occupant state detection device 40 respectively by a wired or wireless communication network. The communication network may be an in-vehicle communication network conforming to any standard such as, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or LAN (Local Area Network).

[0038] The form of the control device 10 is not particularly limited. For example, the control device 10 may be an occupant's portable terminal (for example, a smartphone, a mobile phone, and a tablet terminal, etc.), or a device other than the occupant's portable terminal (for example, a PC (Personal Computer), etc.). Alternatively, the control device 10 may be a device provided in the vehicle (for example, a navigation system, etc.).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 10 includes a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, an input unit 130, a presentation unit 140, and a storage unit 160.

[0040] (Communication unit 110) The communication unit 110 has a function of performing communication wirelessly or by wire with devices existing in the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as "in-vehicle devices"). The in-vehicle devices may also include various sensors that constitute the above-described vehicle state detection device 20, surrounding environment detection device 30, and occupant state detection device 40. The communication between the communication unit 110 and the in-vehicle devices can be performed using an in-vehicle communication network compliant with any standard such as CAN, LIN, or LAN.

[0041] Further, the communication unit 110 may have a function of performing communication with a device existing outside the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as "external device"). As a function of performing communication with the external device, the communication unit 110 may implement, for example, a cellular communication protocol such as WiMAX, LTE (Long Term Evolution), or other wireless communication protocols such as wireless LAN (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), Bluetooth (registered trademark). The communication unit 110 can be connected to a predetermined server existing on an external network (for example, the Internet) via a base station and an access point. (Control unit 120) The control unit 120 controls each functional block of the control device 10. Note that the control unit 120 may be configured by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MCU (Micro Controller Unit). At this time, the control unit 120 can be realized by a program read from a ROM (Read Only Memory) by the processor being expanded in a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the program being executed by the processor. At this time, a computer-readable recording medium recording the program may also be provided. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may be configured by dedicated hardware or may be configured by a combination of a plurality of hardware.

[0042] Alternatively, the control unit 120 may be implemented by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle, or may be implemented by a microcomputer or the like mounted on the ECU. That is, when the control device 10 is mounted on the vehicle, the control device 10 may be communicatively connected to the ECU wirelessly or by wire, and information may be presented to the occupant according to the control by the ECU. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may be implemented by an external device not mounted on the vehicle (for example, a cloud server on the Internet or the like).

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 120 includes a wakefulness estimation unit 121 and a presentation control unit 124. Details of these blocks will be described later.

[0044] (Input unit 130) The input unit 130 receives an input from the occupant. In the present embodiment, the input unit 130 includes a microphone, and mainly assumes a case where the microphone receives the spoken voice of the occupant as an input. At this time, the spoken voice received by the input unit 130 can be converted into text data by the control unit 120. However, the input unit 130 is not limited to the case including a microphone. For example, the input unit 130 may include other input devices (for example, a touch panel, buttons, a keyboard, or a mouse). At this time, for example, text data is directly received by the other input device as an input by the occupant.

[0045] (Presentation unit 140) The notification unit 140 has a function of presenting information to the occupant in accordance with the control by the control unit 120. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is mainly assumed that the notification unit 140 includes a speaker, and information is presented to the occupant by the speaker. At this time, as an example of the notification information, auditory information (voice) is output by the speaker. However, the notification unit 140 is not limited to the case where it includes a speaker. For example, the notification unit 140 may include other output devices (for example, a display or a projector, etc.). At this time, as an example of the notification information, visual information (image) is displayed by the other output device.

[0046] (Storage unit 160) The storage unit 160 is a storage device capable of storing programs and data for operating the control unit 120. Further, the storage unit 160 can also temporarily store various data required in the process of the operation of the control unit 120. For example, the storage device may be a non-volatile storage device.

[0047] Above, the configuration example of the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described.

[0048] <<1.2. Functional details>> Subsequently, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the functional details of the control device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. Also in the examples shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, it is mainly assumed that the user is an occupant (driver) of the vehicle during manual driving. However, as described above, the user is not limited to the occupant (driver) of the vehicle during manual driving. FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining examples of notification information for inducing intrinsic motivation.

[0049] (Presentation of positive feedback information) FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a first example of presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation. With reference to FIG. 2, a first example of presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation will be described. In the first example, "proposal information for promoting goal setting" corresponds to the example of the above-described "presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation". Also, in the first example, "feedback information indicating positive evaluation" also corresponds to the example of the above-described "presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation".

[0050] First, the occupant state detection device 40 detects measurement data for the occupant 70. Then, the arousal level estimation unit 121 estimates the arousal level of the occupant 70 based on the measurement data for the occupant 70 detected by the occupant state detection device 40. For example, when an image of the occupant 70 (e.g., a face image, a body image, or an eye image of the occupant 70) is detected as the measurement data for the occupant 70 by the occupant state detection device 40, the arousal level estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal level based on the image of the occupant 70. The method for estimating the arousal level based on the image of the occupant 70 is not limited.

[0051] For example, the arousal level estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal level according to the state of the face shown in the face image (e.g., it may be determined that the lower the arousal level, the larger the opening degree of the mouth). Alternatively, the arousal level estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal level according to the state of the body shown in the body image (e.g., it may be determined that the lower the arousal level, the larger the inclination degree of the body with respect to the vertical direction). Alternatively, the arousal level estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal level according to the state of the eyes shown in the eye image (e.g., the arousal level estimation unit 121 may determine that the lower the arousal level, the smaller the opening degree of the eyes, or it may be determined that the lower the arousal level, the larger the number of blinks measured from a plurality of eye images).

[0052] Alternatively, it is also assumed that a pre-built learned arousal estimation model for estimating arousal based on an image of the occupant 70 (e.g., a face image, a body image, or an eye image of the occupant 70) exists. In such a case, the arousal estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal by obtaining the arousal output from the learned arousal estimation model corresponding to the input of the image of the occupant 70 to the learned arousal estimation model.

[0053] Alternatively, when the occupant state detection device 40 detects biometric information of the occupant 70 (e.g., the alpha wave content rate of the electroencephalogram, the skin conductance level, the respiratory interval, the heart rate, the RSA component of the heart rate variability, or the skin temperature) as measurement data for the occupant 70, the arousal estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal based on the biometric information of the occupant 70. The method for estimating arousal based on the biometric information of the occupant 70 is not limited.

[0054] For example, the arousal estimation unit 121 may determine that the lower the values of the alpha wave content rate of the electroencephalogram, the respiratory interval, the RSA component of the heart rate variability, or the skin temperature, the higher the arousal. Alternatively, the arousal estimation unit 121 may determine that the higher the values of the skin conductance level or the heart rate, the higher the arousal.

[0055] Alternatively, it is also assumed that a pre-built learned arousal estimation model for estimating arousal based on the biometric information of the occupant 70 exists. In such a case, the arousal estimation unit 121 may estimate the arousal by obtaining the arousal output from the learned arousal estimation model corresponding to the input of the biometric information of the occupant 70 to the learned arousal estimation model.

[0056] When the arousal level of the occupant 70 is determined to be lower than the threshold value, the prompting control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that feedback information (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "positive feedback information") indicating a positive evaluation according to the information about the actions of the occupant 70 (second information) is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140. By the positive feedback information being perceived by the occupant 70, it is expected that the sense of self-efficacy, self-discipline, and desire for relationship of the occupant 70 are satisfied, the intrinsic motivation of the occupant 70 is induced, and the arousal level is maintained.

[0057] More specifically, it is assumed that information about the actions of the occupant 70 (second information), a preset condition (second condition; hereinafter, also referred to as "high evaluation condition"), and positive feedback information are stored in the storage unit 160 in advance in an associated manner. In such a case, when the prompting control unit 124 determines that the information about the actions of the occupant 70 (second information) satisfies the high evaluation condition associated with the information about the actions of the occupant 70 (second information), the prompting control unit 124 may acquire the positive feedback information associated with the high evaluation condition from the storage unit 160 and control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0058] The information about the actions of the occupant 70 (second information) may include at least any one of vehicle state information, information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles, and information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70.

[0059] For example, the vehicle state information may be information indicating the driving state of the vehicle (e.g., the traveling speed of the vehicle, the traveling position of the vehicle, the operation amount and operation timing of the accelerator, the operation amount and operation timing of the brake, the operation amount and operation timing of the steering wheel, etc.). The information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles may be whether there is another vehicle around the host vehicle (the presence or absence of other vehicles), the relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle, or the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle, etc.

[0060] For example, assume that the presentation control unit 124 evaluates the relative position of another vehicle with respect to the host vehicle as an example of information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and the other vehicle. More specifically, assume a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle satisfies a high evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle is within a preset appropriate range). In such a case, as shown in FIG. 2, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information “the inter-vehicle distance was appropriate” associated with this high evaluation condition is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0061] Note that the positive feedback information is not limited to such an example.

[0062] For example, assume that the presentation control unit 124 evaluates the traveling speed of the vehicle as an example of vehicle state information. More specifically, assume a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that the traveling speed of the vehicle satisfies a high evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the traveling speed of the vehicle is within a preset appropriate range). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information “the traveling speed of the vehicle is appropriate” associated with this high evaluation condition is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0063] Alternatively, assume a case where the presentation control unit 124 evaluates the operation timing of the steering wheel as an example of vehicle state information. More specifically, assume a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that a high evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the steering wheel is operated within an appropriate time after a following vehicle is detected) is satisfied. In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information “yielded to the following vehicle” associated with this high evaluation condition is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0064] Alternatively, it is assumed that the presentation control unit 124 evaluates information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70. More specifically, it is assumed that the presentation control unit 124 determines that a high evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the line of sight of the occupant 70 has moved to at least one of the rear direction with respect to the occupant 70, a mirror showing the rear direction, and a video monitor showing the rear direction) is satisfied. In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information “rear check has been made” associated with this high evaluation condition is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0065] Alternatively, it is assumed that the presentation control unit 124 determines that information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70 satisfies a high evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the line of sight of the occupant 70 has moved to the left direction (which may be the diagonally forward left direction or the diagonally backward left direction) with respect to the occupant 70, the right direction (which may be the diagonally forward right direction or the diagonally backward right direction) with respect to the occupant 70, a mirror showing these directions, and a video monitor showing these directions). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information “surrounding check has been made” associated with this high evaluation condition is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0066] It is assumed that a predetermined input from the occupant 70 is detected by the input unit 130 after the positive feedback information is presented to the occupant 70. FIG. 2 shows an example in which an audio input of “thank you” is made as a predetermined input from the occupant 70. In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that proposal information for prompting a target setting according to information (first information) regarding the action of the occupant 70 is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140. By the proposal information for prompting the target setting being perceived by the occupant 70, it is expected that the sense of self-efficacy, autonomy, and desire for relationship of the occupant 70 are satisfied, the intrinsic motivation of the occupant 70 is induced, and the arousal level is maintained.

[0067] More specifically, it is assumed that a preset condition (a first condition, hereinafter also referred to as a "low evaluation condition") and proposal information for prompting goal setting are associated in advance and stored in the storage unit 160. In such a case, when the presentation control unit 124 determines that the information regarding the action of the occupant 70 satisfies the low evaluation condition associated with the information regarding the action of the occupant 70, the presentation control unit 124 may acquire the proposal information associated with the low evaluation condition from the storage unit 160 and control the presentation unit 140 so as to be presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0068] Similar to the information regarding the action of the occupant 70 (the first information), the information regarding the action of the occupant 70 (the second information) may include at least any one of vehicle state information, information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles, and information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70. The vehicle state information may be information indicating the driving state of the vehicle. The information indicating the relationship between the host vehicle and other vehicles may be whether there is another vehicle around the host vehicle (the presence or absence of other vehicles), the relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle, or the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle.

[0069] For example, it is assumed that the presentation control unit 124 determines that the traveling speed of the vehicle satisfies a low evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the traveling speed of the vehicle is smaller than a preset appropriate range) as an example of the vehicle state information. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 2, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the proposal information for prompting the goal setting "travel without decelerating", which is the proposal information for prompting the goal setting associated with this low evaluation condition, is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0070] Note that the proposal information for prompting goal setting is not limited to such an example. For example, it is assumed that the presentation control unit 124 determines that the traveling position of the vehicle satisfies a low evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the steering wheel is not operated despite the detection of a vehicle behind). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the proposal information for prompting the goal setting "yield the road to the vehicle behind" is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140.

[0071] Alternatively, it is assumed that there is a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that the relative position of another vehicle with respect to the host vehicle satisfies a low evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle is smaller than an appropriate range). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the presentation unit 140 presents proposal information for prompting the setting of the target of "maintaining an appropriate inter-vehicle distance" to the occupant 70.

[0072] Alternatively, it is assumed that there is a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70 satisfies a low evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the line of sight of the occupant 70 does not move to any of the rear direction with respect to the occupant 70, the mirror in which the rear direction is reflected, and the video monitor in which the rear direction is reflected). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the presentation unit 140 presents proposal information for prompting the setting of the target of "performing a rearward check" to the occupant 70.

[0073] Alternatively, it is assumed that there is a case where the presentation control unit 124 determines that the information indicating the line-of-sight position of the occupant 70 satisfies a low evaluation condition (for example, a condition that the line of sight of the occupant 70 does not move to any of the left direction (which may be the left front diagonal direction or the left rear diagonal direction) with respect to the occupant 70, the right direction (which may be the right front diagonal direction or the left rear diagonal direction) with respect to the occupant 70, the mirror in which these directions are reflected, and the video monitor in which these directions are reflected). In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the presentation unit 140 presents proposal information for prompting the setting of the target of "performing a surrounding check" to the occupant 70.

[0074] Further, the predetermined input from the occupant 70 is not limited to the input of words indicating a feeling of gratitude such as "Thank you". For example, the predetermined input from the occupant 70 may be the input of words uttered when simply nodding, such as "Mm-hmm" or "Yes". Alternatively, the predetermined input from the occupant 70 may be the input of any words (that is, even if any words are uttered from the occupant 70, it may be regarded that there is a predetermined input from the occupant 70), a touch operation on the touch panel, or a button press or the like.

[0075] In the example shown in FIG. 2, after the presentation of the positive feedback information "You were able to drive with a comfortable following distance" by the presentation control unit 124 is completed, the presentation control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that the presentation of the proposal information "Let's also challenge driving without decelerating" for prompting goal setting starts. This is because it is considered that it is easier to accept the proposal information after having a positive feeling due to the positive feedback information. However, the order in which the positive feedback information and the proposal information for prompting goal setting are presented is not limited.

[0076] That is, the presentation control unit 124 may control such that after the presentation of either one of the proposal information for prompting goal setting and the positive feedback information is completed, the presentation of the other starts. At this time, the presentation control unit 124 may control such that after the presentation of either one of the proposal information for prompting goal setting and the positive feedback information is completed, when a predetermined input from the occupant 70 is detected by the input unit 130, the presentation of the other starts.

[0077] Note that the positive feedback information is not essential. That is, when it is determined that the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the proposal information for prompting the target setting is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140 without presenting the positive feedback information to the occupant 70. Further, a predetermined input from the occupant 70 is not essential either. That is, after the presentation of either one of the proposal information for prompting the target setting and the positive feedback information is completed, the presentation control unit 124 may control so that the presentation of the other starts without waiting for a predetermined input from the occupant 70.

[0078] Also, before it is determined that the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that either one of the positive feedback information and the proposal information for prompting the target setting is presented. Then, after it is determined that the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the other is presented. Alternatively, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the positive feedback information and the proposal information for prompting the target setting are presented without comparing the arousal level of the occupant 70 with the threshold value.

[0079] The threshold value compared with the arousal level may be set to any value. However, if the arousal level has dropped to the minimum value, there is a possibility that the occupant 70 may not be able to perceive the proposal information for prompting the target setting. Alternatively, even if the occupant 70 can perceive the proposal information for prompting the target setting after the arousal level has dropped to the minimum value, it is assumed that the arousal level will not easily recover. Therefore, the threshold value compared with the arousal level is preferably a value greater than the minimum value (for example, if 1 is the minimum value and 5 is the maximum value, the threshold value is preferably 3 or 4).

[0080] Also, after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has once dropped below the threshold value, even if the arousal level of the occupant 70 increases due to the occupant 70 perceiving the presented information, there is a high possibility that the arousal level of the occupant 70 will drop again. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has dropped below the threshold value, without comparing the arousal level of the occupant 70 with the threshold value, positive feedback information and proposal information for prompting goal setting are presented to the occupant 70 every predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes). The present invention mainly assumes a case where the presentation unit 140 is controlled so as to be presented. Thereby, the awake state can be maintained more effectively.

[0081] However, the presentation control unit 124 may compare the arousal level of the occupant 70 with the threshold value again even after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has once dropped below the threshold value. And, even after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has once dropped below the threshold value, when the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that positive feedback information and proposal information for prompting goal setting are presented to the occupant 70.

[0082] (Presentation of information about other vehicles) FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a second example of the presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation. Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 3, a second example of the presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation will be described. In the second example, "information about other vehicles" corresponds to the above-described example of "presentation information that induces intrinsic motivation".

[0083] Similar to the first example, also in the second example, the arousal level estimation unit 121 estimates the arousal level of the occupant 70 based on the measurement data for the occupant 70 detected by the occupant state detection device 40. When it is determined that the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that information about other vehicles is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140. By the information about other vehicles being perceived by the occupant 70, it is expected that the self-efficacy, autonomy, and desire for relatedness of the occupant 70 will be satisfied, the intrinsic motivation of the occupant 70 will be induced, and the arousal level will be maintained.

[0084] More specifically, as an example of information about other vehicles, assume a case where information about the driver of another vehicle (here, the place of origin or driving history of the driver of the other vehicle 80) is detected by the surrounding environment detection device 30. In such a case, the presentation control unit 124 may control the presentation unit 140 so that the information about the other driver detected by the surrounding environment detection device 30 is presented to the passenger 70 by the presentation unit 140. In the example shown in FIG. 3, presentation information including the place of origin "〇〇 Prefecture" and the driving history "15 years" of the driver of the other vehicle 80 is presented to the passenger 70.

[0085] Note that, similar to the first example, in the second example as well, the threshold value to be compared with the arousal level may be set to any value. Also, similar to the first example, in the second example as well, after the arousal level of the passenger 70 has become lower than the threshold value once, the presentation unit 140 may be controlled so that information about other vehicles is presented to the passenger 70 every predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes) without comparing the arousal level of the passenger 70 with the threshold value. Alternatively, similar to the first example, in the second example as well, the presentation control unit 124 may perform the comparison between the arousal level of the passenger 70 and the threshold value again even after the arousal level of the passenger 70 has become lower than the threshold value once.

[0086] (Communication with the host vehicle) FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a third example of presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation. Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 4, a third example of presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation will be described. In the third example, "response to the speech of the passenger 70" corresponds to the example of the above-described "presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation".

[0087] Similar to the first example, in the third example as well, the arousal level estimation unit 121 estimates the arousal level of the occupant 70 based on the measurement data for the occupant 70 detected by the occupant state detection device 40. When it is determined that the arousal level of the occupant 70 is lower than the threshold value, the presentation control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that a response to the speech from the occupant 70 is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140 as presentation information. By the occupant 70 perceiving the response to the speech, it is expected that the sense of self - efficacy, self - discipline, and desire for relationship of the occupant 70 are satisfied, the intrinsic motivation of the occupant 70 is induced, and the arousal level is maintained.

[0088] More specifically, when the speech from the occupant 70 is detected by the input unit 130, the presentation control unit 124 obtains dialogue language data by performing speech recognition processing on the speech data from the occupant 70. FIG. 4 shows a state where, in response to the query "How are you feeling?" from the control device 10, the occupant 70 says "I'm feeling good". The speech recognition processing is a process of detecting a speech section from the speech data and obtaining candidates for words or phrases included in the detected speech section as dialogue language data. Then, the presentation control unit 124 obtains candidates for sentences by performing natural language processing on the dialogue language data. The natural language processing is a process of obtaining candidates for sentences by performing syntactic analysis on the dialogue language data.

[0089] Then, the presentation control unit 124 estimates the intention of the occupant 70 based on the candidates for sentences obtained by the natural language processing. The presentation control unit 124 generates dialogue language data based on the estimated intention of the occupant 70, and generates dialogue data in a format adapted to the output format by the presentation unit 140 based on the dialogue language data. For example, when the presentation unit 140 includes a speaker, the presentation control unit 124 generates response data as auditory information. Alternatively, when the presentation unit 140 includes a display, the presentation control unit 124 generates response data as visual information. FIG. 4 shows an example where the response data "That's good" is presented. However, the method for generating the response data is not limited.

[0090] Note that, similar to the first example, in the third example as well, the threshold value to be compared with the arousal level may be set to any value. Also, similar to the first example, in the third example as well, after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has once dropped below the threshold value, the presentation unit 140 may be controlled so that positive feedback information and proposal information for prompting target setting are presented to the occupant 70 every predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes) without comparing the arousal level of the occupant 70 with the threshold value. Alternatively, similar to the first example, in the third example as well, the presentation control unit 124 may perform the comparison between the arousal level of the occupant 70 and the threshold value again even after the arousal level of the occupant 70 has once dropped below the threshold value.

[0091] The functional details of the control device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention have been described above.

[0092] <<1.3. Operation Example>> Next, with reference to FIG. 5, an operation example of the system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 only shows an example of the operation of the system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the operation of the system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 5.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 5, the arousal level estimation unit 121 estimates the arousal level of the occupant 70 based on the measurement data for the occupant 70 detected by the occupant state detection device 40 (S11). Subsequently, the presentation control unit 124 determines whether or not the arousal level of the occupant 70 estimated by the arousal level estimation unit 121 is lower than the threshold value (S12). When the presentation control unit 124 determines that the arousal level of the occupant 70 estimated by the arousal level estimation unit 121 is equal to or higher than the threshold value (''NO'' in S12), the operation proceeds to S11.

[0094] On the other hand, when the arousal degree estimation unit 121 determines that the arousal degree of the occupant 70 estimated by the arousal degree estimation unit 121 is equal to or higher than the threshold value ( "YES" in S12), the presentation control unit 124 controls the presentation unit 140 so that presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation is presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140. Examples of the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation include proposal information for prompting goal setting according to information regarding the actions of the occupant 70 (first information). Other examples of the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation include positive feedback information according to information regarding the actions of the occupant 70 (second information).

[0095] The presentation control unit 124 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation was last presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140 (S14). When the presentation control unit 124 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed since the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation was last presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140 ( "YES" in S14), the presentation control unit 124 executes S13 again. On the other hand, when the presentation control unit 124 determines that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation was last presented to the occupant 70 by the presentation unit 140 ( "NO" in S14), the operation proceeds to S15.

[0096] Subsequently, the presentation control unit 124 determines whether or not to end the operation (S15). For example, the presentation control unit 124 may determine whether or not to end the operation based on whether or not a predetermined operation for ending the presentation of the presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation has been input from the occupant 70. When the presentation control unit 124 determines to continue the operation ( "NO" in S15), the presentation control unit 124 executes S14 again. On the other hand, when the presentation control unit 124 determines to end the operation ( "YES" in S15), the operation ends.

[0097] The operation example of the system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

[0098] <<1.3. Effects>> According to the above embodiment, a control device is provided that includes a presentation control unit that controls so that proposal information for prompting goal setting according to first information regarding the user's behavior is presented to the user. According to such a configuration, it is possible to maintain the user's arousal state while reducing the discomfort given to the user. Furthermore, according to such a configuration, it is possible to more effectively maintain the user's arousal state than giving external stimuli to the user.

[0099] <<1.4. Modification Example>> As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can come up with various modification examples or correction examples within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that these also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0100] In the above example, it was mainly assumed that the user is a passenger in a moving body (for example, a passenger in a moving body during autonomous driving or a passenger in a moving body during manual driving). In particular, in the above example, it was mainly assumed that the user is a passenger (driver) in a moving body during manual driving. However, as already described, during autonomous driving, the operations by the passenger decrease or become monotonous, so the arousal level of the passenger tends to decrease. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention are also suitable for passengers in a moving body during autonomous driving.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0101] 1: System, 10: Control device, 110: Communication unit, 120: Control unit, 121: Arousal level estimation unit, 124: Presentation control unit, 130: Input unit, 140: Presentation unit, 160: Storage unit, 20: Vehicle state detection device, 30: Surrounding environment detection device, 40: Occupant state detection device, 70: Occupant, 80: Other vehicle.

Claims

1. A wakefulness estimation unit that estimates the wakefulness of the user from the user's image or biometric information, A presentation control unit that controls so that presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation according to information on the user's behavior is presented to the user when it is determined that the wakefulness of the user is lower than a threshold value, Comprising, The user is a passenger of a moving body, The information on the user's behavior includes information indicating the line-of-sight position of the passenger, A control device.

2. The information on the user's behavior includes first information on the user's behavior, The presentation information includes proposal information for prompting a goal setting according to the first information, The control device according to claim 1.

3. When it is determined that the first information satisfies a first condition set in advance, the presentation control unit controls so that the proposal information associated with the first condition is presented to the user, The control device according to claim 2.

4. The information on the user's behavior includes second information on the user's behavior, The presentation information includes feedback information indicating a positive evaluation according to the second information, The control device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. When it is determined that the second information satisfies a second condition set in advance, the presentation control unit controls so that the feedback information associated with the second condition is presented to the user, The control device according to claim 4.

6. The presentation control unit controls so that after the presentation of either the proposal information or the feedback information is completed, the presentation of the other starts, The control device according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The presentation control unit controls so that after the presentation of the one is completed, when a predetermined input from the user is detected, the presentation of the other starts, The control device according to claim 6.

8. The presentation control unit controls so that after the presentation of the feedback information is completed, the presentation of the proposal information starts, The control device according to claim 6 or 7.

9. The user is a passenger of the moving body during automatic driving, The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The second information includes at least one of information indicating the state of the moving body and information indicating the relationship between the moving body and another moving body, The control device according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

11. The presentation control unit controls so that the presentation information is presented to the user by auditory information or visual information. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A computer, a wakefulness estimation unit that estimates the wakefulness of the user from an image or biological information of the user, a presentation control unit that controls so that presentation information for inducing intrinsic motivation according to information on the behavior of the user is presented to the user when it is determined that the wakefulness of the user is lower than a threshold value, functioning as, wherein the user is a passenger of a moving body, and the information on the behavior of the user includes information indicating the line-of-sight position of the passenger. Program.

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