Information processing device and program

Abstract

To satisfy a taste in a ride feeling of an occupant riding in a vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes: a calculation unit which calculates control variables for controlling a wheel speed and inclination of each of four wheels of a vehicle, and a suspension supporting each of the wheels, on the basis of taste information on a taste in a ride feeling of an occupant riding in the vehicle and sensor information of the vehicle; and a control unit which controls automated driving on the basis of the control variables calculated by the calculation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a program. [Background Art]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle having an automatic driving function. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2022-035198 [Summary of the Invention] [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes: a calculation unit that calculates control variables for controlling the wheel speed and inclination of each of four wheels of the vehicle, and a suspension that supports each of the wheels, based on preference information related to preference of riding sensation of an occupant riding in the vehicle and sensor information of the vehicle; and a control unit that controls automatic driving based on the control variables calculated by the calculation unit.

[0005] In the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus further includes an acquisition unit that acquires sensory information related to a bodily sensation of the occupant, and the calculation unit calculates the control variables based on the preference information analyzed from the acquired sensory information.

[0006] In the information processing apparatus, the sensory information is at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of the occupant's voice, line of sight, and biological information.

[0007] In the information processing apparatus, the control unit controls the automatic driving in units of one-billionth of a second based on the control variables calculated by the calculation unit.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a program is provided for causing a computer to function as the information processing device.

[0009] It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention. Furthermore, subcombinations of these features may also constitute an invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram schematically illustrates the risk prediction capability of the AI ​​for ultra-high-performance autonomous driving according to this embodiment. [Figure 2A] This diagram schematically shows an example of the network configuration inside a vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2B] This block diagram shows an example of the functional configuration of Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart executed by Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is the first explanatory diagram illustrating an example of autonomous driving control using Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a second explanatory diagram illustrating an example of autonomous driving control by Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a third explanatory diagram illustrating an example of autonomous driving control by Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a fourth explanatory diagram illustrating an example of autonomous driving control by Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a fifth explanatory diagram illustrating an example of autonomous driving control by Central Brain according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram schematically shows an example of a computer hardware configuration that functions as a central brain. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The present invention will be described below through embodiments, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0012] Figure 1 schematically illustrates the hazard prediction capability of the AI ​​for ultra-high-performance autonomous driving according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, information from multiple types of sensors is converted into AI data and stored in the cloud. The AI ​​predicts and determines the best mix of conditions every nanosecond (one billionth of a second) and optimizes the operation of the vehicle 12.

[0013] Figure 2A is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the Central Brain 120 within the vehicle 12. The Central Brain 120 is an example of an information processing device.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2A, multiple Gateways 130 are connected to the Central Brain 120 in a communicative manner. The Central Brain 120 is connected to an external cloud via Gateways 130. The Central Brain 120 is configured to be able to access the external cloud via Gateways 130. On the other hand, the presence of Gateways 130 prevents direct access to the Central Brain 120 from the outside.

[0015] The Central Brain 120 outputs a request signal to the server at predetermined intervals. Specifically, the Central Brain 120 outputs a request signal representing a query to the server every one billionth of a second.

[0016] Examples of sensors used in this embodiment include radar, LiDAR, high-pixel, telephoto, ultra-wide-angle, 360-degree, high-performance cameras, vision recognition, fine sound, ultrasonic waves, vibration, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, electromagnetic waves, temperature, humidity, spot AI weather forecast, high-precision multi-channel GPS, low-altitude satellite information, long-tail incident AI data, etc. Long-tail incident AI data refers to trip data of Level 5 implemented automobiles.

[0017] Examples of sensor information acquired from a plurality of types of sensors include the line of sight, voice, heart rate, body temperature and other biological information of an occupant riding in a vehicle 12, movement of the center of gravity of body weight, detection of road material, detection of outside air temperature, detection of outside air humidity, detection of vertical, horizontal and oblique inclination angles of a slope, detection of how a road freezes and moisture content, detection of the material, wear status and air pressure of each tire, road width, presence / absence of no-passing, oncoming vehicles, vehicle type information of preceding and following vehicles, cruising status of these vehicles, surrounding conditions (birds, animals, soccer balls, accident vehicles, earthquakes, fires, wind, typhoons, heavy rain, light rain, snowstorms, fog, etc.), and in this embodiment, these detections are performed every one-billionth of a second.

[0018] In this embodiment, the Central Brain 120 acquires sensor information including preference information related to the occupant's preference for riding sensations in the vehicle 12, which is set in advance by the occupant, as well as sensor information detected by the above-mentioned sensors, which includes sensory information experienced by the occupant in the vehicle 12 (e.g., biometric information such as the occupant's gaze, voice, heart rate, and body temperature) and road information indicating the road conditions on which the vehicle 12 is traveling (e.g., road material, incline angle of slopes, degree of road freezing, and road moisture content). Based on the preference information and sensor information including road information and sensory information including sensory information, the Central Brain 120 functions as a calculation unit that calculates control variables for controlling the wheel speed, inclination, and suspension supporting the wheels for each of the four wheels of the vehicle 12. Note that the wheel inclination includes both the inclination of the wheel with respect to an axis horizontal to the road and the inclination of the wheel with respect to an axis perpendicular to the road. Specifically, the Central Brain 120 calculates a total of 16 control variables for controlling the wheel speed of each of the four wheels, the inclination of each of the four wheels relative to an axis horizontal to the road, the inclination of each of the four wheels relative to an axis perpendicular to the road, and the suspension supporting each of the four wheels. In this embodiment, the calculation of the above 16 control variables is performed every 1 billionth of a second. The wheel speed of each of the four wheels can also be described as the "spin rate (rotation speed) of the in-wheel motor mounted on each of the four wheels," and the inclination of each of the four wheels relative to an axis horizontal to the road can also be described as the "horizontal angle of each of the four wheels." These control variables, for example, become values ​​for optimal steering when the vehicle is traveling on a mountain road, and values ​​for optimal driving angle when the vehicle is parking in a parking lot.

[0019] Also, in the present embodiment, the Central Brain 120 functions as a control unit that controls autonomous driving in units of one-billionth of a second based on the control variables calculated above. Specifically, the Central Brain 120 performs autonomous driving by controlling in-wheel motors respectively mounted on four wheels based on the 16 control variables described above, thereby controlling the wheel speed and inclination of each of the four wheels of the vehicle 12, as well as the suspensions that respectively support each of the four wheels.

[0020] FIG. 2B is a block diagram for explaining the functional configuration of the Central Brain 120. As shown in FIG. 2B as an example, the Central Brain 120 functions as an acquisition unit 200, a calculation unit 210, and a control unit 220 by executing an information processing program.

[0021] The acquisition unit 200 acquires preference information, road information, and sensor information including somatic sensation information. For example, the acquisition unit 200 acquires, as preference information, the occupant's riding feel preferences such as whether traveling on inclined surfaces is permitted, whether traveling through puddles is permitted, and whether traveling by parallel movement is permitted, which are set in advance by the occupant. The acquisition unit 200 also acquires road information such as road material, vertical / lateral / diagonal inclination angles of slopes, road freezing conditions, and road moisture content detected by sensors mounted on the vehicle 12. The acquisition unit 200 also acquires, as somatic sensation information, the occupant's line of sight, voice, and biological information such as heart rate and body temperature.

[0022] The calculation unit 210 uses the acquired road information, preference information, and somatic sensation information to calculate control variables for controlling the wheel speed and inclination of each of the four wheels of the vehicle 12, as well as the suspensions that support the wheels. For example, the calculation unit 210 calculates control variables for controlling the vehicle to achieve the occupant's preferred riding feel in accordance with the preference information including whether traveling on inclined surfaces, traveling through puddles, and traveling by parallel movement are permitted, and the road information.

[0023] Furthermore, the calculation unit 210 analyzes the sensory information to calculate preference information indicating the occupant's preferences, and uses the calculated preference information and road information to calculate control variables. For example, if the occupant's heart rate and body temperature, which are included in the sensory information, rise, the calculation unit 210 determines that the current driving is not to the occupant's liking and calculates control variables to direct the vehicle 12 in the forward direction and decelerate the wheel speed of the vehicle 12.

[0024] Furthermore, the calculation unit 210 calculates preference information according to the occupant's gaze, which is included in the sensory information, and calculates control variables. For example, if the occupant's gaze is directed 90 degrees to the left of the direction of travel, the calculation unit 210 calculates control variables to rotate the vehicle 12 in the front-rear direction 90 degrees to the left of the direction of travel, and to control the vehicle 12 to continue moving in the direction of travel (for example, sideways).

[0025] Furthermore, the calculation unit 210 calculates preference information based on the occupant's voice and gaze included in the sensory information, and calculates control variables. For example, the calculation unit 210 analyzes the occupant's voice saying "I want to look closely" included in the sensory information and extracts the "want to look" feature. Based on the extracted feature, the calculation unit 210 calculates control variables that reduce the wheel speed of the vehicle 12 and control the suspension so that the body of the vehicle 12 tilts in the direction of the occupant's gaze.

[0026] The control unit 220 controls the automatic driving of the vehicle 12 based on the control variables calculated by the calculation unit 210.

[0027] The Central Brain 120 repeatedly executes the flowchart shown in Figure 3.

[0028] In step S10, the Central Brain 120 acquires preference information set by the occupants. Then, the Central Brain 120 proceeds to step S11.

[0029] In step S11, the Central Brain 120 acquires sensory information detected by the sensors. Then, the Central Brain 120 proceeds to step S12.

[0030] In step S12, the Central Brain 120 acquires sensor information, including road information detected by the sensors. Then, the Central Brain 120 proceeds to step S13.

[0031] In step S13, the Central Brain 120 calculates the 16 control variables based on the acquired preference information, sensory information, and other data. Then, the Central Brain 120 proceeds to step S14.

[0032] In step S14, the Central Brain 120 controls the automatic driving based on the control variables calculated in step S13. Then, the Central Brain 120 terminates the processing of the flowchart.

[0033] Figures 4 to 8 are explanatory diagrams illustrating examples of autonomous driving control by Central Brain 120. Figures 4 to 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the vehicle 12 from a frontal view, while Figures 7 and 8 are explanatory diagrams showing the vehicle 12 from a downward view.

[0034] Figure 4 shows the vehicle 12 traveling on a flat road R1. Based on the 16 control variables calculated according to the road R1, the Central Brain 120 controls the in-wheel motors 31 mounted on each of the four wheels 30, thereby controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and the suspension 32 supporting each of the four wheels 30 to perform autonomous driving.

[0035] Figure 5 shows the vehicle 12 traveling on a mountain road R2. Based on the 16 control variables calculated according to the mountain road R2, the Central Brain 120 controls the in-wheel motors 31 mounted on each of the four wheels 30, thereby controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and the suspension 32 supporting each of the four wheels 30 to perform autonomous driving.

[0036] Figure 6 shows the vehicle 12 driving through a puddle R3. Based on the 16 control variables calculated according to the puddle R3, the Central Brain 120 controls the in-wheel motors 31 mounted on each of the four wheels 30, thereby controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and the suspension 32 supporting each of the four wheels 30 to perform automatic driving.

[0037] Figure 7 shows the case where the vehicle 12 curves in the direction indicated by arrow A1. Based on the 16 control variables calculated according to the curved road being entered, the Central Brain 120 controls the in-wheel motors 31 mounted on each of the four wheels 30, thereby controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and the suspension 32 (not shown) supporting each of the four wheels 30 to perform automatic driving.

[0038] Figure 8 shows the case where the vehicle 12 moves in parallel in the direction indicated by arrow A2. Based on the 16 control variables calculated in accordance with the parallel movement in the direction indicated by arrow A2, the Central Brain 120 controls the in-wheel motors 31 mounted on each of the four wheels 30, thereby controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and suspension 32 (not shown) supporting each of the four wheels 30 to perform automatic driving.

[0039] It should be noted that the states (tilts) of the wheels 30 and suspension 32 shown in Figures 4 to 8 are merely examples, and it goes without saying that different states of the wheels 30 and suspension 32 may occur.

[0040] While conventional in-wheel motors in vehicles can independently control each drive wheel, this particular vehicle was unable to analyze road conditions and control the in-wheel motors accordingly. Therefore, for example, when driving on mountain roads or through puddles, this vehicle could not perform appropriate automated driving based on road conditions. However, according to the vehicle 12 of this embodiment, based on the configuration described above, it is possible to perform automated driving in which the speed, steering, etc., are controlled in a manner suitable for the environment, such as road conditions.

[0041] Figure 9 schematically shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 1200 that functions as a Central Brain 120. A program installed on the computer 1200 can cause the computer 1200 to function as one or more "parts" of the apparatus according to this embodiment, or to cause the computer 1200 to execute operations associated with the apparatus according to this embodiment or such one or more "parts", and / or to cause the computer 1200 to execute a process or a stage of such process according to this embodiment. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to execute specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0042] The computer 1200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 1212, RAM 1214, and a graphics controller 1216, which are interconnected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, a DVD drive, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The DVD drive may be a DVD-ROM drive and a DVD-RAM drive, etc. The storage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive and a solid-state drive, etc. The computer 1200 also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0043] The CPU 1212 operates according to the programs stored in the ROM 1230 and RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphics controller 1216 acquires the image data generated by the CPU 1212 and stores it in the frame buffer provided in RAM 1214 or within itself, so that the image data is displayed on the display device 1218.

[0044] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The storage device 1224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD drive reads programs or data from a DVD-ROM or the like and provides them to the storage device 1224. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to an IC card.

[0045] The ROM 1230 stores boot programs and / or hardware-dependent programs of the computer 1200, which are executed by the computer 1200 upon activation. The input / output chip 1240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 1220 via USB ports, parallel ports, serial ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, etc.

[0046] The program is provided on a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM or IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable storage medium and installed on a storage device 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230, which are examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described within these programs is read by the computer 1200, resulting in coordination between the program and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured to realize the operation or processing of information in accordance with the use of the computer 1200.

[0047] For example, when communication is performed between a computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded into RAM 1214 and, based on the processing described in the communication program, instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as RAM 1214, storage device 1224, DVD-ROM, or IC card, transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes received data received from the network to a reception buffer area provided on the recording medium.

[0048] Furthermore, the CPU 1212 may read all or necessary parts of a file or database stored on an external recording medium such as the storage device 1224, a DVD drive (DVD-ROM), or an IC card into the RAM 1214, and perform various types of processing on the data in the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write the processed data back to the external recording medium.

[0049] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on the recording medium and subjected to information processing. The CPU 1212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgments, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information retrieval / replacement, etc., as described throughout this disclosure and specified by the program instruction sequence, and write the results back to RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may also retrieve information in files, databases, etc., within the recording medium. For example, if multiple entries are stored in the recording medium, each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute, the CPU 1212 may search among the multiple entries for an entry that matches the specified condition for the attribute value of the first attribute, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in that entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies the predetermined condition.

[0050] The program or software module described above may be stored on or near the computer 1200 in a computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided within a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0051] In this embodiment, blocks in the flowchart and block diagram may represent a stage in a process in which an operation is performed or a "part" of a device that has the role of performing an operation. A particular stage and "part" may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The dedicated circuit may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuit may include reconfigurable hardware circuits, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and programmable logic arrays (PLAs), which include logical AND, logical OR, exclusive OR, negated AND, negated OR, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, and memory elements.

[0052] A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions to be executed by a suitable device, and as a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein will comprise a product that includes instructions that can be executed to create means for performing operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multipurpose disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0053] Computer-readable instructions may include assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, Java®, C++, and traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as the C programming language or similar programming languages.

[0054] Computer-readable instructions may be provided to a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or a programmable circuit, either locally or via a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN) or the internet, so that the computer-readable instructions may be executed by the processor or programmable circuit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, in order to generate means for performing operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, and the like.

[0055] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0056] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before" or "prior to," and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," and "next," for convenience, this does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order.

[0057] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0058] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before" or "prior to," and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," and "next," for convenience, this does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 120 Central Brain, 130 Gateway, 1200 Computer, 1210 Host Controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphics Controller, 1218 Display Device, 1220 Input / Output Controller, 1222 Communication Interface, 1224 Storage Device, 1230 ROM, 1240 Input / Output Chip

Claims

1. A calculation unit calculates control variables for controlling the wheel speed, tilt, and suspension supporting each of the four wheels of the vehicle, based on preference information relating to the riding sensation preferences of the occupants riding in the vehicle and sensor information of the vehicle. Based on the control variables calculated by the calculation unit, a control unit controls automatic driving. An acquisition unit that acquires subjective information related to the occupant's physical sensations, Equipped with, The calculation unit described above, The wheel speed of each of the four wheels, the inclination of each of the four wheels with respect to an axis horizontal to the road, the inclination of each of the four wheels with respect to an axis perpendicular to the road, and a total of 16 control variables for controlling the suspension that supports each of the four wheels are calculated. The system analyzes the occupant's voice included in the subjective information to extract features, and calculates a total of 16 control variables that reduce the wheel speed and control the suspension so that the vehicle body tilts in the direction of the occupant's line of sight, according to the extracted features. Information processing device.

2. The calculation unit calculates the control variable based on the preference information analyzed from the acquired subjective information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned sensory information is at least one piece of information from the occupant's voice, gaze, and biometric information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The control unit controls the automatic operation in units of one billionth of a second based on the control variables calculated by the calculation unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A program for causing a computer to function as an information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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