Control device, robot, control method for control device, and control program for control device

Abstract

This control device comprises: an acquiring unit that acquires moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information relating to a moving body; a determining unit that determines a traveling state of the moving body on the basis of the moving body data; a control signal generating unit that generates a control signal for causing a robot that can ride on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the traveling state determined by the determining unit; and a signal delivery unit that delivers the control signal to the robot.

Description

Control device, robot, control method for control device, and control program for control device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device, a robot, a control method for a control device, and a control program for a control device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a robot to be mounted on a moving body, which is provided with a thinking means and performs actions such as singing and dancing based on the results of thinking by the thinking means.

[0003] The technology described in Patent Document 1 does not consider at all how to change the robot's behavior in order to provide a highly entertaining environment for the passengers of the vehicle.

[0004] JP 2009-297892 A

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a technology that changes the behavior of a robot so as to provide a highly entertaining environment for the occupants of a moving vehicle.

[0006] A control device in one aspect of the present disclosure is a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body, a determination unit that determines the running state of the moving body based on the moving body data, a control signal generation unit that generates a control signal to cause a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the running state determined by the determination unit, and a signal transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the robot.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a robot can be operated to provide a highly entertaining environment for the occupants of a vehicle.

[0008] 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information processing system according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a robot according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of various devices provided in the robot. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the robot. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a video stored in a video database. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration of a mode table. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of an overall view of the processing of the information processing system according to embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing details of the processing in step S106 of FIG. 7. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing details of the processing in step S110 of FIG. 16. FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information processing system according to embodiment 2. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a robot according to embodiment 2. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing details of the processing of an information processing system according to modified example (13). FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of various devices provided in the robot according to modified example (13). FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a parking / stopping table.

[0009] (Background to the present disclosure) Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology for making a robot mounted on a moving object perform actions such as singing and dancing to entertain the occupants of the moving object. However, if the robot repeatedly performs these actions, the occupants may become bored with the robot's actions. In this case, it is not possible to realize a highly entertaining environment.

[0010] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems.

[0011] (1) A control device in one aspect of the present disclosure is a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body, a determination unit that determines the running state of the moving body based on the moving body data, a control signal generation unit that generates a control signal to cause a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the running state determined by the determination unit, and a signal transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the robot.

[0012] According to this configuration, the robot's behavior differs depending on the traveling state of the vehicle, which prevents the occupant of the vehicle from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing the occupant with a highly entertaining environment.

[0013] (2) In the control device described in (1) above, the determination unit may perform a first determination based on the mobile body data to determine whether the driving state of the mobile body corresponds to a general driving state or a high-speed driving state.

[0014] With this configuration, the robot's behavior changes depending on the moving speed of the moving object, which prevents the occupant of the moving object from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing the occupant with a highly entertaining environment.

[0015] (3) In the control device described in (2) above, when the determination unit determines that the driving state is the high-speed driving state, the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal to make the amount of movement of the robot greater than the amount of movement of the robot when the determination unit determines that the driving state is the general driving state.

[0016] With this configuration, when the traveling state of the moving object corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, the amount of movement of the robot increases. In other words, when the traveling speed of the moving object is relatively high, the robot moves dynamically. By making the robot perform such powerful movements, a more entertaining environment can be provided for the passengers.

[0017] (4) In the control device described in (2) or (3) above, when the determination unit determines that the driving state is the high-speed driving state, the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal to make the movement speed of the robot faster than the movement speed of the robot when the determination unit determines that the driving state is the general driving state.

[0018] According to this configuration, when the traveling state of the moving object corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, the robot's movement speed increases. In other words, when the traveling speed of the moving object is relatively fast, the robot moves nimbly. By making the robot perform such dynamic movements, a more entertaining environment can be provided for the passengers.

[0019] (5) In the control device described in any one of (1) to (4) above, the acquisition unit further acquires, as the mobile body data, congestion information indicating whether the road on which the mobile body is traveling is congested or not, and the determination unit makes a second determination based on the congestion information to determine whether the driving state of the mobile body corresponds to a congested driving state or a non-congested driving state, and the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal so that the robot operates differently when the driving state of the mobile body corresponds to the congested driving state and when it corresponds to the non-congested driving state.

[0020] According to this configuration, the robot's behavior differs depending on whether the traveling state of the moving object corresponds to a congested traveling state or a non-congested traveling state. In other words, the robot's behavior further changes depending on whether the moving object is traveling in a congested section or not. This further prevents the occupants of the moving object from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing a more entertaining environment for the occupants.

[0021] (6) In the control device described in (5) above, when the determination unit determines that the driving state corresponds to the non-congestion driving state, the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal to increase the amount of movement of the robot compared to the amount of movement of the robot when the determination unit determines that the driving state corresponds to the congestion driving state.

[0022] According to this configuration, when the traveling condition of the moving object corresponds to a non-congestion traveling condition, the robot's movement amount increases. In other words, when the moving object is traveling outside of a congested section, the robot moves dynamically. By having the robot perform such powerful movements, a more entertaining environment can be provided for the passengers.

[0023] (7) In the control device described in (5) or (6) above, when the determination unit determines that the driving state corresponds to the non-congestion driving state, the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal to make the robot's movement speed faster than the movement speed of the robot when the determination unit determines that the driving state corresponds to the congestion driving state.

[0024] With this configuration, when the traveling condition of the moving object corresponds to a non-congestion traveling condition, the robot's movement speed increases. In other words, when the moving object is traveling outside of a congested section, the robot moves agilely. By having the robot perform such dynamic movements, a more entertaining environment can be provided for the passengers.

[0025] (8) In the control device described in any one of (1) to (7) above, the acquisition unit may further acquire time zone information as the mobile body data, the determination unit may perform a third determination based on the time zone information to determine whether the driving state of the mobile body corresponds to a night driving state, and the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal so that the robot operates differently when the driving state of the mobile body corresponds to the night driving state and when it does not correspond to the night driving state.

[0026] According to this configuration, the robot's behavior differs depending on whether the traveling condition of the moving object corresponds to a night traveling condition or not. In other words, the robot's behavior further changes depending on the time of day. This further prevents the occupants of the moving object from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing the occupants with a more entertaining environment.

[0027] (9) In the control device described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the acquisition unit further acquires home base information and destination information of the mobile body as the mobile body data, the determination unit performs a fourth determination based on the home base information and the destination information to determine whether the running state of the mobile body corresponds to an outbound running state or a return running state, and the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal so that the robot operates differently when the running state of the mobile body corresponds to the outbound running state and when it corresponds to the return running state.

[0028] According to this configuration, the robot's behavior differs depending on whether the traveling state of the moving object corresponds to an outward traveling state or a return traveling state. In other words, the robot's behavior further changes depending on whether the moving object is traveling in an outward direction or a return traveling state. This further prevents the occupants of the moving object from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing a more entertaining environment for the occupants.

[0029] (10) In the control device described in any one of (1) to (9) above, a memory unit may further be provided for storing a plurality of images, and the control signal generation unit may further generate an image playback signal for causing a playback device installed on the moving body to play an image from the plurality of images that corresponds to the driving state determined by the determination unit.

[0030] To entertain passengers of a moving vehicle, a playback device installed in the moving vehicle may play videos. However, if the playback device repeatedly plays the same video, the passengers may become bored with the video. In contrast, with the above configuration, the video changes depending on the traveling state of the moving vehicle. This prevents passengers from becoming bored with the video, providing a more entertaining environment.

[0031] It is generally known that motion sickness occurs when a passenger's physical sensations do not match their visual senses. For example, motion sickness can occur when a passenger is reading a book while a moving vehicle is moving, and the passenger's gaze is focused on one point even though the passenger's body is shaking. Here, with the above configuration, the passenger is entertained by the robot's movements and the video played by the playback device, which prevents the passenger's gaze from focusing on one point. This prevents the passenger from experiencing motion sickness.

[0032] (11) In the control device described in (10) above, the control signal generation unit may generate the video playback signal for causing the playback device to play back video corresponding to the movement of the robot.

[0033] This configuration allows the occupants to be provided with in-vehicle content that has a consistent feel, thereby providing the occupants with a more entertaining environment.

[0034] (12) In the control device described in any one of (1) to (11) above, the judgment unit may further perform a fifth judgment based on the mobile body data to determine whether the running state of the mobile body corresponds to a parking state, and the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal so that the robot operates differently when the running state of the mobile body corresponds to the parking state and when the running state does not correspond to the parking state.

[0035] According to this configuration, the robot's behavior differs depending on whether the traveling state of the vehicle corresponds to a parked state or not. This makes it possible to further prevent the occupants of the vehicle from becoming bored with the robot's behavior, thereby providing a more entertaining environment for the occupants.

[0036] (13) In the control device described in (12) above, when the determination unit determines that the running state of the moving body corresponds to the parked / stopped state, the control signal generation unit may generate the control signal to cause the robot to execute an occupant detection process to detect the presence or absence of an occupant inside the moving body.

[0037] According to this configuration, when the vehicle is parked or stopped, the robot detects whether or not there is an occupant inside the vehicle, which makes it possible to detect whether or not an occupant has been left behind inside the vehicle, i.e., whether or not an occupant has been abandoned.

[0038] (14) In the control device described in (13) above, the judgment unit may determine whether or not an occupant is present inside the moving body based on the detection data obtained as a result of the occupant detection process, and may further include an output unit that outputs alert information when the judgment unit determines that an occupant is present inside the moving body.

[0039] According to this configuration, when there is an occupant inside the vehicle, that is, when an abandonment has occurred, alert information is output. In this way, the fact that an abandonment has occurred is made known, and the occurrence of an accident caused by abandonment can be reduced.

[0040] (15) In another aspect of the present disclosure, a robot is a robot capable of riding on a moving body, and includes a robot acquisition unit that acquires status information indicating the running status of the moving body, a robot memory unit that stores an operation database in which information regarding operations corresponding to the running status is stored, and a determination unit that refers to the operation database in response to the robot acquisition unit acquiring the status information and determines an operation corresponding to the running status.

[0041] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a robot that can achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned control device.

[0042] (16) In the robot described in (15) above, the robot acquisition unit may acquire the moving body data from a control device capable of acquiring moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body, and acquire the status information based on the moving body data.

[0043] According to this configuration, the state information can be obtained accurately.

[0044] (17) In the robot described in (15) or (16) above, the robot acquisition unit may acquire the status information indicating whether the running status of the moving body corresponds to a general running status or a high-speed running status.

[0045] With this configuration, the robot can determine whether the traveling state of the moving object corresponds to a normal traveling state or a high-speed traveling state.

[0046] (18) A control method in another aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, which acquires moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body, determines a running state of the moving body based on the moving body data, generates a control signal for causing a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the running state, and sends the control signal to the robot.

[0047] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a control method that can obtain the same effects as the control device described in (1) above.

[0048] (19) In the control method described in (18) above, the determination of the driving state may include a first determination based on the moving body data to determine whether the driving state of the moving body corresponds to a general driving state or a high-speed driving state.

[0049] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a control method that can achieve the same effects as the control device according to (2) above.

[0050] (20) In another aspect of the present disclosure, a control program is a control program for a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, and causes a computer to execute the following processing: acquire moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body; determine the running state of the moving body based on the moving body data; generate a control signal for causing a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an action corresponding to the running state; and send the control signal to the robot.

[0051] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a control program that can achieve the same effects as the control device described in (1) above.

[0052] The present disclosure can also be realized as an information processing system operated by such a control program. Needless to say, such a computer program can be distributed on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0053] (21) In the control program described in (20) above, the determination of the driving state may include a process of making a first determination based on the moving body data to determine whether the driving state of the moving body corresponds to a general driving state or a high-speed driving state.

[0054] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a control program that can achieve the same effects as the control device described in (2) above.

[0055] Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, components, steps, and step orders shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the highest concept are described as optional components. Furthermore, in all of the embodiments, the respective contents can be combined.

[0056] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system 1 to which a control device 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied. The information processing system 1 includes a robot 10, a mobile controller 20A, a car navigation device 25, a control device 30, a video control unit 35 (an example of a video playback signal generation unit), a sound control unit 36, and a lighting control unit 37.

[0057] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a robot 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating various devices included in the robot 10. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating the operation of the robot 10. The robot 10 is an electrically powered robot that can be mounted (carried) on a moving body 20, which will be described later. As an example, the following assumes that a stuffed animal-type robot modeled after a rabbit as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is mounted on the moving body 20. However, the appearance of the robot 10 is not limited to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the robot 10 may have an appearance that imitates, for example, a character that appears in a video game, a manga, or the like. Furthermore, the robot 10 is not limited to a stuffed animal-type robot, and may be a doll-type robot. In addition, the type and shape of the robot 10 can be changed as appropriate.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2, the robot 10 includes a control communication unit 11 , a vibration device unit 12 , a movable device unit 13 , a charging unit 14 , a memory unit 15 , and a speaker unit 16 .

[0059] The control communication unit 11 is an electronic circuit such as a microcontroller, and controls the overall operation of the robot 10. The control communication unit 11 operates the robot 10 in accordance with robot control signals (described later) received from the control device 30.

[0060] The vibration device unit 12 is disposed inside the robot 10 and vibrates the robot 10. The vibration device unit 12 is configured, for example, by a vibration motor. The vibration device unit 12 can change its vibration frequency. As shown in FIG. 3, the vibration device unit 12 is disposed, for example, inside the abdomen of the robot 10. By operating the vibration device unit 12 in this state to vibrate the abdomen of the robot 10 as shown by arrow A1 in FIG. 4, a movement simulating abdominal breathing is realized. Note that the location of the vibration device unit 12 is not limited to the inside of the abdomen, and it may be disposed, for example, in the heart area of ​​the robot 10. In this case, it is possible to reproduce the appearance of a vibrating heart. Alternatively, the vibration device unit 12 may be disposed inside the tip of the limb of the robot 10.

[0061] Returning to FIG. 2 , the movable device unit 13 is disposed on the joints of the limbs, the neck, ears, eyelids, etc. of the robot 10 to move these parts. The movable device unit 13 is configured, for example, by a servo motor. The upper limit of the movable range of the movable device unit 13 is set, for example, to approximately ±20° with respect to a predetermined reference angle. As shown in FIG. 3 , the movable device unit 13 according to this embodiment is disposed inside the ear of the robot 10. By operating the movable device unit 13 in this state, the ear is moved left and right as indicated by arrow A2 in FIG. 4 . Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the movable device unit 13 according to this embodiment is disposed also on the joints of the limbs of the robot 10. By operating the movable device unit 13 in this state, the limb is swung as indicated by arrows A3 and A4 in FIG. 4 . In addition, by disposing the movable device unit 13 on the neck or eyelids of the robot 10 as shown in FIG. 3 , it is possible to reproduce movements such as tilting the head or closing the eyes. In particular, by operating the vibration device unit 12 to vibrate the abdomen of the robot 10 with the eyes closed, it is possible to reproduce the sleeping motion.

[0062] 2 , the charging unit 14 is a charging port for supplying power to a battery (not shown) mounted inside the robot 10. Specifically, the charging unit 14 is configured as a USB port provided on the outer surface of the robot 10, such as the abdomen. In this embodiment, the remaining power of the battery of the robot 10 is managed by the control communication unit 11.

[0063] The memory unit 15 is a storage device capable of storing various types of information. The memory unit 15 stores an operation manual that the control communication unit 11 refers to when operating the robot 10. The operation manual specifies the order and direction of movement of each part of the robot 10 when making the robot 10 perform actions such as walking, running, sleeping, playing, waving, and eating. The operation manual can be added (updated) to the memory unit 15 at any time. Each time a new manual is added, the types of actions that the robot 10 can perform increase.

[0064] The speaker unit 16 is a device that causes the robot 10 to output sounds. The speaker unit 16 is disposed inside the head of the robot 10, for example.

[0065] Returning to FIG. 1 , the mobile object controller 20A is configured with a computer such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and controls the overall operation of the mobile object 20. The mobile object 20 is, for example, an electric vehicle that has a battery, which is a rechargeable secondary battery, and moves by supplying power charged in the battery to an electric motor (not shown). However, the mobile object 20 is not limited to an electric vehicle and may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a ship, an airplane, a train, a bus, a bullet train, or the like. The mobile object 20 may also be a vehicle equipped with an automatic driving system. The mobile object 20 has a display 21 (an example of a playback device) for playing videos, a speaker 22 for outputting sounds such as background music and sound effects, and a lighting device 23 that emits light at a predetermined color temperature. The display 21 is, for example, a monitor. However, the display 21 may be configured by VR (Virtual Reality) goggles, AR (Augmented Reality) goggles, or a projection system including a projector and a screen, which are provided on the mobile body 20. The display 21 may also be a display screen provided on a smartphone or tablet computer provided on the mobile body 20 or communicatively connected to the mobile body 20. The mobile body 20 also has various sensors. For example, the mobile body 20 has a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The GPS sensor acquires location information of the mobile body 20. Note that the location information of the mobile body 20 refers to, for example, information indicating the latitude and longitude of the current location of the mobile body 20. The vehicle speed sensor detects the moving speed of the mobile body 20. The information detected by these sensors is managed by the mobile body controller 20A. The moving body 20 may have an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the moving body 20 instead of the vehicle speed sensor.

[0066] The car navigation device 25 has a memory (not shown) and presents the driver with a route to a destination based on map data stored in the memory and the current location information of the mobile object 20 acquired by the GPS sensor. The car navigation device 25 is connected to the mobile object controller 20A so as to be able to send and receive various information and signals. The car navigation device 25 is disposed on the dashboard or the like of the mobile object 20.

[0067] The control device 30 is disposed (mounted) in, for example, a console box of the vehicle 20, and includes a controller 31, a storage unit 40, a communication interface 45, and peripheral circuits (not shown).

[0068] The controller 31 is configured with electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The controller 31 executes a control program stored in the storage unit 40 to function as an acquisition unit 32, a determination unit 33, and a content control unit 34. However, each of the acquisition unit 32 to the content control unit 34 may be realized by a dedicated hardware circuit independent of each other.

[0069] The acquisition unit 32 acquires mobile body data. The mobile body data is various information related to the mobile body 20, and includes at least one of position information and speed information of the mobile body 20. As described above, the position information and speed information are managed by the mobile body controller 20A. Therefore, the acquisition unit 32 according to this embodiment acquires at least one of the position information and speed information by communicating with the mobile body controller 20A.

[0070] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 32 according to the present embodiment acquires, as mobile object data, congestion information, time zone information, home base information, and destination information. The congestion information is information indicating whether or not a road on which the mobile object 20 is traveling is congested. More specifically, the congestion information is information regarding whether or not a congested section where congestion occurs exists. The acquisition unit 32 acquires congestion information, for example, via VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System) or the Internet communication network. In addition, the acquisition unit 32 may acquire information such as the speed limit and average traveling speed of the road on which the mobile object 20 is traveling. In this case, the determination unit 33 (described later) may determine that the road on which the mobile object 20 is traveling is congested if the difference (speed difference) between the actual speed and the traveling speed of the mobile object 20 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The predetermined value is, for example, 30 km / h. The time zone information is information regarding the time zone in which the mobile object 20 is traveling. The acquisition unit 32 acquires the time zone information by, for example, referring to the current time. The home base information is information indicating the home base address and residence of the occupant who owns the mobile body 20. Note that if the mobile body 20 is owned by an organization such as a company, the home base information may be information indicating the home base address of the organization. The home base information is input in advance by the occupant of the mobile body 20 or an administrator of the organization, and is stored in the memory unit 40. The destination information is information indicating the place name, address, etc. of the destination of the current journey of the mobile body 20. The place name of the destination is input into the car navigation device 25 before the mobile body 20 starts traveling and is stored in a memory (not shown) of the car navigation device 25. The address of the destination is stored in map data (not shown) of the car navigation device 25.

[0071] In addition, the acquisition unit 32 may acquire various information as mobile body data. For example, the acquisition unit 32 according to this embodiment acquires route information, estimated arrival time, occupant information, main body information, etc. The route information is information indicating a travel route proposed by the car navigation device 25 to the occupant of the mobile body 20. The estimated arrival time is the estimated time of arrival at the destination, which is estimated by the car navigation device 25 based on the distance from the current location to the destination and traffic congestion information, etc. The occupant information is information indicating characteristics of the occupant, such as the occupant's identifier, weight, gender, age, and family composition. The main body information is information indicating characteristics of the mobile body 20 itself, such as the identifier, model, type, performance, and weight of the mobile body 20.

[0072] The determination unit 33 determines the traveling state of the mobile object 20 based on the mobile object data acquired by the acquisition unit 32. In order to determine the traveling state of the mobile object 20, the determination unit 33 according to this embodiment performs a speed determination (an example of a first determination), a congestion determination (an example of a second determination), a time period determination (an example of a third determination), and a round trip determination (an example of a fourth determination). The speed determination performed by the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state or a general traveling state. The congestion determination performed by the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a congestion traveling state or a non-congestion traveling state. The time period determination performed by the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a night traveling state. The round trip determination performed by the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a outbound traveling state or a return traveling state.

[0073] The content control unit 34 (an example of a control signal generating unit) controls in-vehicle content. The in-vehicle content refers to entertainment content provided to the occupants of the mobile body 20. For example, the actions performed by the robot 10 while the mobile body 20 is traveling, the video played on the display 21, the sound output from the speaker 22, and the lighting pattern output from the lighting device 24 correspond to the in-vehicle content. Note that "while the mobile body 20 is traveling" refers to the period from when the engine of the mobile body 20 starts until the engine of the mobile body 20 stops.

[0074] The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal (an example of a control signal) for causing the robot 10 to perform an action corresponding to the running state determined by the determination unit 33 .

[0075] Specifically, when the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 is a high-speed traveling state, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for increasing the amount of movement of the robot 10 compared to the amount of movement of the robot 10 when the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state is a normal traveling state. Note that the amount of movement of the robot 10 refers to, for example, the size of the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 of the robot 10. In this case, increasing the amount of movement of the robot 10 means widening the range of motion of the movable device unit 13.

[0076] Furthermore, when the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 is a high-speed traveling state, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for making the movement speed of the robot 10 faster than the movement speed of the robot 10 when the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state is a normal traveling state. Note that the movement speed of the robot 10 refers to, for example, at least one of the speed of movement of the movable device unit 13 and the frequency of vibration of the vibration device unit 12 when the robot 10 performs a predetermined movement. In this case, increasing the movement speed of the robot 10 means at least one of increasing the speed of movement of the movable device unit 13 and increasing the frequency of vibration of the vibration device unit 12.

[0077] In addition, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal so that the robot 10 operates differently depending on whether the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to a night traveling state or not.

[0078] In addition, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal so that the robot 10 operates differently depending on whether the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to an outward traveling state or a return traveling state.

[0079] In detail, the content control unit 34 according to this embodiment refers to the determination result of the determination unit 33 regarding the traveling state of the mobile object 20 and a mode table 43 described later, to determine a mode for controlling the robot 10, and generates a robot control signal so that the robot 10 performs an operation according to the determined mode. Note that the robot control signal generated by the content control unit 34 includes a signal for controlling the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10.

[0080] Furthermore, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing on the display 21 a video corresponding to the traveling state of the mobile object 20. Specifically, the content control unit 34 according to the present embodiment generates a video playback signal for playing on the display 21 a video corresponding to the movement of the robot 10. For example, when the content control unit 34 determines that the robot 10 is to execute a walking movement, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing on the display 21 a video of the robot 10 walking. In other words, the content control unit 34 generates a signal for playing on the display 21 a video linked to the movement of the robot 10.

[0081] In addition, the content control unit 34 formulates a content plan based on the mobile object data acquired by the acquisition unit 32. The content plan is a plan that specifies the type of in-vehicle content to be provided to the occupants during the current trip, the length of the in-vehicle content, the timing of switching the in-vehicle content, and the like.

[0082] The video control unit 35 is composed of a drive circuit that drives the display 21 , and controls the operation of the display 21 in accordance with the video playback signal from the content control unit 34 .

[0083] The audio control unit 36 ​​is composed of a drive circuit (for example, an amplifier) ​​that drives the speaker 22, and generates an audio reproduction signal for causing the speaker 22 to reproduce sounds such as background music and sound effects.

[0084] The illumination control unit 37 is configured with a drive circuit that drives the illumination device 23, and generates an illumination output signal for causing the illumination device 23 to output a predetermined illumination pattern.

[0085] The storage unit 40 includes a video database 41 , an audio database 42 , and a mode table 43 .

[0086] The video database 41 stores a plurality of videos. Fig. 5 shows an example of a video stored in the video database 41. As shown in Fig. 5, the video database 41 stores videos of the character corresponding to the robot 10 dancing and sleeping. In addition, the video database 41 stores videos of the character corresponding to the robot 10 walking, running, playing, sleeping, eating, etc.

[0087] The sound database 42 stores a plurality of sounds, such as background music, sound effects, and the cry of the robot 10, which are played in synchronization with the images stored in the image database 41.

[0088] The communication interface 45 has a function of transmitting and receiving data and signals to and from an external device such as the mobile object 20 via a communication circuit that uses a wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), a communication network of a mobile information terminal carrier, etc. The communication interface 45 may also transmit and receive data and signals via a wired communication method.

[0089] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the mode table 43. The mode table 43 stores mode information. The mode information stores each mode in association with a control method for the robot 10 in each mode. As shown in FIG. 6, the mode information includes the following items: "Mode Name," "Running State," "Robot Movement," "Robot Movement Speed," "Video," "Video Speed," "Movement Range," "Vibration," "Time Linkage," and "Speaker." The "Mode Name" item stores a name (identifier) ​​identifying each mode. The "Running State" item stores information identifying the running state corresponding to each mode. The "Robot Movement" item stores information identifying the part of the robot 10 to be operated in each mode. The "Robot Movement Speed" item stores information identifying the movement speed of the robot 10 in each mode. The "Video" item stores information identifying the type of video to be played in each mode. The "Video Speed" item stores information specifying the speed at which the character moves in the video for each mode. The "range of motion" item stores information that specifies the width of the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 of the robot 10. The "vibration" item stores information that specifies whether vibration is present in each mode and the vibration period. The "time linkage" item stores information that specifies whether the robot 10's behavior changes depending on the time of day and the nature of the change. The "speaker" item stores information that specifies whether sound is played on the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10.

[0090] 6 is merely an example, and more mode information may be stored in the mode table 43. Specifically, the mode table 43 may include items that specify whether or not background music or sound effects are to be played by the speaker 22, items that specify the lighting patterns to be output by the lighting device 23, and the like.

[0091] The processing of the information processing system 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an overall image of the processing of the information processing system 1 according to embodiment 1. The processing shown in Fig. 7 starts, for example, when the engine of the mobile object 20 starts.

[0092] In step S101, the acquisition unit 32 acquires mobile object data. Also in step S101, the content control unit 34 refers to the mobile object data acquired by the acquisition unit 32. The mobile object data referred to by the content control unit 34 includes location information, traffic congestion information, destination information, and estimated arrival time of the mobile object 20.

[0093] In step S102, the content control unit 34 formulates a content plan based on the moving body data. In other words, it determines what kind of in-vehicle content to provide to the occupants during the current trip. Here, it is assumed that the content control unit 34 formulates a content plan in which the robot 10 performs a walking motion for the first 30 minutes after the moving body 20 starts traveling, and then performs a dancing motion for the next 30 minutes.

[0094] In step S103, the content control unit 34 starts the in-vehicle content. Specifically, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for controlling the operation of the robot 10. In this example, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for causing the robot 10 to walk. The robot control signal generated by the content control unit 34 is sent to the control communication unit 11 of the robot 10 via the communication interface 45. The control communication unit 11, which receives the robot control signal, causes the robot 10 to walk.

[0095] Furthermore, in step S103, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing a video on the display 21. In this example, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 walking on the display 21. This video playback signal is sent to the video control unit 35 via the communication interface 45. Upon receiving the video playback signal, the video control unit 35 controls the display 21 to play a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 walking. In this manner, the in-vehicle content is started.

[0096] In step S104, the determination unit 33 performs a speed determination. In the speed determination, the determination unit 33 determines whether the mobile object 20 is in a general driving state or a high-speed driving state based on at least one of the speed information and the location information. For example, the determination unit 33 determines that the driving state of the mobile object 20 is in a general driving state when the speed of the mobile object 20 is less than 50 km / h, and determines that the driving state of the mobile object 20 is in a high-speed driving state when the speed of the mobile object 20 is 50 km / h or more. Alternatively, the determination unit 33 determines that the driving state of the mobile object 20 is in a general driving state when the mobile object 20 is driving on a general road, and determines that the driving state is in a high-speed driving state when the mobile object 20 is driving on a highway. Whether the mobile object 20 is driving on a general road or a highway can be determined by referring to the location information of the mobile object 20. Note that "highway" includes, for example, national expressways and expressways.

[0097] If the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state (Yes in step S104), the process proceeds to step S105. If the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state (No in step S104), the process proceeds to step S109.

[0098] In step S105, the determination unit 33 performs a congestion determination. In the congestion determination, the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a congestion traveling state or a non-congestion traveling state based on the congestion information. That is, the determination unit 33 determines whether the mobile object 20 is traveling in a congestion section. Whether the mobile object 20 is traveling in a congestion section can be determined by referring to the congestion information and the location information of the current location of the mobile object 20. Then, when the mobile object 20 is traveling in a congestion section, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a congestion traveling state. On the other hand, when the mobile object 20 is traveling outside the congestion section, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a non-congestion traveling state.

[0099] If the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a traffic jam traveling state (Yes in step S105), the process proceeds to step S106. If the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a non-traffic jam traveling state (No in step S105), the process proceeds to step S107.

[0100] In step S106, the determination unit 33 performs round-trip determination and time zone determination, and the content control unit 34 determines the mode according to the results of these determinations. Details of the processing in step S106 will be described later.

[0101] In step S107, the content control unit 34 determines a mode for controlling the robot 10. First, the content control unit 34 communicates with the determination unit 33 to ascertain the traveling state of the mobile object 20. At the time of step S107, the speed determination and traffic congestion determination by the determination unit 33 have determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state and a non-traffic congestion traveling state. Next, the content control unit 34 refers to the "operation state" item and the "mode name" item in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6. Here, the mode table 43 defines a "Normal_1" mode as a mode corresponding to the case where the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state and a non-traffic congestion traveling state. Therefore, the content control unit 34 determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Normal_1" mode.

[0102] In step S108, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Normal_1" mode. As shown in FIG. 6, the "robot movement" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_1" mode, the entire body of the robot 10 is moved. Also, the "robot movement speed" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_1" mode, the movement speed of the robot 10 is set to slow. Also, as described above, the content plan formulated in step S102 determines that the robot 10 is to walk. Therefore, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for causing the robot 10 to walk while slowly moving the moving device unit 13 of the entire body.

[0103] 6, the "range of motion" item in the mode table 43 specifies that the range of motion of the robot 10 is set to ±5° from the reference angle in the "Normal_1" mode. Therefore, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 of the entire body of the robot 10 to ±5° from the reference angle.

[0104] 6, the "Speaker" item in the mode table 43 specifies that sound is to be output in the "Normal_1" mode. Therefore, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for outputting sound from the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10.

[0105] 6, the "Video" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_1" mode, a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 moving is played back. The "Video Speed" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_1" mode, the video playback speed is set to slow. Therefore, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing back on the display 21 a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 walking slowly.

[0106] The robot control signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S108 is sent to the control communication unit 11 of the robot 10 via the communication interface 45. Then, the control communication unit 11, having received the robot control signal, operates the robot 10 in accordance with the signal. That is, the control communication unit 11 causes the robot 10 to walk while slowly moving the entire body movable device unit 13 within a range of ±5° from a reference angle. Furthermore, the control communication unit 11 causes the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10 to output sound.

[0107] The video playback signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S108 is sent to the video control unit 35 via the communication interface 45. Then, upon receiving the video playback signal, the video control unit 35 controls the display 21 in accordance with this signal to play back a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 walking slowly.

[0108] 7 , in step S109, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not a traffic jam is occurring. If the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a traffic jam traveling state (Yes in step S109), the process proceeds to step S110. If the traveling state of the mobile object 20 does not correspond to a non-traffic jam traveling state (No in step S109), the process proceeds to step S111.

[0109] In step S110, the content control unit 34 determines the mode in accordance with the result of the round trip determination by the determination unit 33. Details of the process in step S110 will be described later.

[0110] In step S111, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as described in step S108 to determine the mode. Specifically, at the time of step S111, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state and a non-congestion traveling state based on the speed determination and congestion determination by the determination unit 33. As shown in the "Operation State" and "Mode Name" fields in FIG. 6, the mode table 43 defines a "High" mode as a mode corresponding to the case where the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state and a non-congestion traveling state. Therefore, the content control unit 34 determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "High" mode.

[0111] In step S112, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "High" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21 by referring to the mode information stored in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the "High" mode specifies in the mode table 43 the following: moving the movable device unit 13 of the entire body of the robot 10; setting the movement speed of the robot 10 to a normal speed; playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 moving; increasing the video playback speed; setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 to ±20° with respect to a reference angle; and outputting sound from the speaker unit 16. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal by referring to this mode information and the content plan formulated in step S102.

[0112] The robot control signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S112 is sent to the control communication unit 11 of the robot 10. The control communication unit 11, which has received the robot control signal, causes the robot 10 to walk while moving the whole-body movable device unit 13 within a range of ±20° from the reference angle at a normal speed, and causes the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10 to output sound. Furthermore, the video playback signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S112 is sent to the video control unit 35. The video control unit 35, which has received the video playback signal, controls the display 21 to play back a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 walking at high speed.

[0113] 7, in step S113, the content control unit 34 maintains control in the mode determined until an arbitrary operation time has elapsed, which may be, for example, one minute.

[0114] In step S114, the determination unit 33 determines whether the in-vehicle content has been completed to the end. In this example, the determination unit 33 determines whether one hour has passed since the in-vehicle content started, by referring to the content plan formulated in step S102. If the in-vehicle content has been completed to the end (Yes in step S114), the process ends. If the in-vehicle content has not been completed to the end (No in step S114), the process returns to step S104, and the processes from step S104 to step S113 are repeated.

[0115] When the process returns to step S104, the acquisition unit 32 updates the mobile object data, i.e., updates the location information, traffic congestion information, time zone information, etc. of the mobile object 20.

[0116] Next, the process of step S106 in Fig. 7 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the details of the process of step S106 in Fig. 7.

[0117] First, in step S201, the determination unit 33 performs a round-trip determination. In the round-trip determination, the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to an outbound traveling state or a return traveling state based on the home base information and the destination information. Specifically, the determination unit 33 determines whether the address of the destination indicated in the destination information matches the address of the home base indicated in the home base information. If the location information of the destination and the location information of the home base differ, i.e., if a location other than the home base of the occupant is set as the destination of the current trip, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to the outbound traveling state. On the other hand, if the location information of the destination and the location information of the home base match, i.e., if the home base of the occupant is set as the destination of the current trip, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to the return traveling state.

[0118] If the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to the outbound traveling state (Yes in step S201), the process proceeds to step S202. If the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to the return traveling state (No in step S201), the process proceeds to step S207.

[0119] In step S202, the determination unit 33 performs a time zone determination. In the time zone determination, the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a night traveling state based on the time zone information. For example, if the current time is between 5 PM and 4:59 AM, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a night traveling state. Furthermore, if the current time is between 5 AM and 4:59 PM, the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a morning traveling state or a daytime traveling state, but does not correspond to a night traveling state.

[0120] If the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a night traveling state (Yes in step S202), the process proceeds to step S203. If the traveling state of the moving object 20 does not correspond to a night traveling state (No in step S202), the process proceeds to step S204.

[0121] In step S203, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as described in step S108 of Fig. 7 to determine the mode. Specifically, at the time of step S203, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a general traveling state, a traffic jam traveling state, an outbound traveling state, and a night traveling state based on the speed determination, traffic jam determination, round trip determination, and time zone determination of the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the "operation state" item and the "mode name" item in the mode table 43 of Fig. 6 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Normal_3" mode.

[0122] In step S204, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Normal_3" mode. As in the process of step S108, the content control unit 34 references the mode information stored in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6 and generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 6 , the "Robot Movement" section specifies that in the "Normal_3" mode, the robot 10 will move its entire body and vibrate its abdomen. The "Time Linkage" section specifies that in the "Normal_3" mode, the robot 10 will wake up at irregular intervals. The "Robot Movement Speed" section specifies that the robot's movement speed will be set slowly. The content plan formulated in step S102 also determines that the robot 10 will walk. In this case, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for causing the robot 10 to wake up at irregular intervals and walk while slowly moving the forward movement device unit 13, and a robot control signal for causing the robot 10 to vibrate the abdominal vibration device unit 12 with its eyelids closed.

[0124] 6, the "Video" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_3" mode, a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 moving and a video of the character sleeping are played. In this case, the content control unit 34 generates a video playback signal for playing on the display 21 a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 sleeping but waking up at irregular intervals and walking slowly.

[0125] 6, the "range of motion" item in the mode table 43 specifies that in the "Normal_3" mode, the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 is set to ±1° from the reference angle when the robot 10 is awake, and that the movable device unit 13 is not moved from the reference angle when the robot 10 is asleep. Therefore, in step S204, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 of the entire body of the robot 10 to ±1° from the reference angle, and a robot control signal for not moving the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 of the entire body of the robot 10 from the reference angle.

[0126] 6, the "Vibration" item in the mode table 43 specifies that the vibration device unit 12 is to vibrate 20 times per minute in the "Normal_3" mode. Therefore, in step S204, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal for vibrating the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen of the robot 10 20 times per minute.

[0127] The robot control signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S204 is sent to the control communication unit 11 of the robot 10 via the communication interface 45. The control communication unit 11, which has received this robot control signal, causes the robot 10 to perform the following actions: sleeping while shaking the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen at a frequency of 20 times per minute, and waking up irregularly and walking while slowly moving the movable device unit 13 within a range of ±1° from a reference angle. Furthermore, the video playback signal generated by the content control unit 34 in step S204 is sent to the video control unit 35 via the communication interface 45. The video control unit 35, which has received this video playback signal, controls the display 21 to play a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 sleeping, and a video of the sleeping character waking up irregularly and walking slowly.

[0128] Returning to Fig. 8 , in step S205, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as that described in step S108 of Fig. 7 to determine the mode. Specifically, at the time of step S205, it has been determined that the driving state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a normal driving state, a traffic jam driving state, an outbound driving state, and not a night driving state based on the speed determination, congestion determination, round trip determination, and time zone determination of the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the "driving state" item and the "mode name" item in the mode table 43 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Normal_2" mode.

[0129] In step S206, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Normal_2" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21 by referring to the mode information defined in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, in the "Normal_2" mode, the mode table 43 defines the following: moving the entire movable device unit 13; setting the movement speed of the robot 10 to slow; playing a video in which a character corresponding to the robot 10 moves; setting the playback speed of the video to slow; and setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 to ±1°. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal in accordance with this mode information.

[0130] In step S206, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and sends the generated video playback signal to the control communication unit 11, and sends the generated video playback signal to the video control unit 35. The control communication unit 11 receives the robot control signal and causes the robot 10 to walk slowly while moving the whole-body movable device unit 13 within a range of ±1° from the reference angle. The video control unit 35 receives the video playback signal and controls the display 21 to play a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 walking slowly.

[0131] 8 , in step S207, the determination unit 33 performs a time zone determination. If the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a night traveling state (Yes in step S207), the process proceeds to step S208. If the traveling state of the moving object 20 does not correspond to a night traveling state (No in step S207), the process proceeds to step S210.

[0132] In step S208, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as that described in step S108 of Fig. 7 to determine the mode. At the time of step S208, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state, a traffic jam traveling state, a return traveling state, and a night traveling state based on the speed determination, traffic jam determination, round trip determination, and time period determination by the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the mode table 43 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Normal_5" mode.

[0133] In step S209, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Normal_5" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21 by referring to the mode information defined in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, in the "Normal_5" mode, the mode table 43 defines the following: vibrating the vibration device unit 12 located on the abdomen; slowing down the movement speed of the robot 10; playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 sleeping; setting the video playback speed to slow; not moving the movable device unit 13 from the reference angle; and causing the robot 10 to continue the sleeping motion. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal in accordance with this mode information.

[0134] In step S209, the content control unit 34 sends the generated robot control signal to the control communication unit 11, and sends the generated video playback signal to the video control unit 35. The control communication unit 11, which has received the robot control signal, causes the robot 10 to perform an action of continuing to sleep while shaking its abdomen at a frequency of 20 times per minute. The video control unit 35 also causes the display 21 to play a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 continuing to sleep. In this way, if a child is on board the vehicle 20, the child can be encouraged to sleep.

[0135] Returning to Fig. 8, in step S210, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as that described in step S108 of Fig. 7 to determine the mode. At the time of step S210, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state, a traffic jam traveling state, a return traveling state, and not a night traveling state, based on the speed determination, congestion determination, round trip determination, and time period determination made by the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the mode table 43 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Normal_4" mode.

[0136] In step S211, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Normal_4" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 references the mode information defined in the mode table 43 of Fig. 6 and generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21. 6 , the mode table 43 specifies the following for the "Normal_4" mode: moving the entire body movable device unit 13 and vibrating the abdominal vibration device unit 12; setting the movement speed of the robot 10 to slow; playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 moving and a video of the character sleeping; setting the video speed to slow; setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 to ±1° from a reference angle when the robot 10 is awake; not moving the movable device unit 13 from the reference angle when the robot 10 is performing a sleeping motion; vibrating the abdominal vibration device unit 12 of the robot 10 20 times per minute; causing the robot 10 to perform sleeping motions at irregular intervals; and outputting sound from the speaker unit 16. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal according to this mode information.

[0137] In step S211, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and sends the generated video playback signal to the control communication unit 11, and sends the video playback signal to the video control unit 35. Upon receiving the robot control signal, the control communication unit 11 causes the robot 10 to perform the following actions: walking while slowly moving the whole-body movable device unit 13 within a range of ±1° from a reference angle; and sleeping irregularly by vibrating the abdominal vibration device unit 12 at a rhythm of 20 times per minute. The control communication unit 11 also causes the speaker unit 16 of the robot 10 to output sound. The video control unit 35 then controls the display 21 to play a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 walking slowly and sleeping irregularly.

[0138] Next, the process of step S110 in Fig. 7 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the details of the process of step S110 in Fig. 7.

[0139] First, in step S301, the determination unit 33 performs a round-trip determination. If the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to an outward traveling state (Yes in step S301), the process proceeds to step S302. If the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a return traveling state (No in step S301), the process proceeds to step S304.

[0140] In step S302, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as that described in step S108 of Fig. 7 to determine the mode. At the time of step S302, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, a traffic jam traveling state, and an outbound traveling state based on the speed determination, traffic jam determination, and round trip determination by the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the mode table 43 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Slow_1" mode.

[0141] In step S303, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Slow_1" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21 by referring to the mode information defined in the mode table 43 of Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 6, in the "Slow_1" mode, the mode table 43 defines the following: performing an action of moving the movable device unit 13 of the entire body and an action of vibrating the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen of the robot 10; setting the movement speed of the robot 10 to slow; playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 moving and a video of the character sleeping; setting the speed of the video to slow; setting the range of motion of the movable device unit 13 to ±1° from the reference angle when the robot 10 is awake; not moving the movable device unit 13 from the reference angle when the robot 10 is performing a sleeping action; vibrating the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen 20 times per minute; and causing the robot 10 to perform an action of waking up at irregular intervals. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal in accordance with this mode information.

[0142] In step S303, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and sends the generated video playback signal to the control communication unit 11, and sends the video control unit 35. The control communication unit 11, upon receiving the robot control signal, causes the robot 10 to perform the following actions: waking up at irregular intervals from its sleep while vibrating its abdomen at a frequency of 20 times per minute; and, upon waking up, walking slowly while moving the entire body movable device unit 13 within a range of ±1° from a reference angle. The video control unit 35, upon receiving the video playback signal, controls the display 21 to play back a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 waking up at irregular intervals and walking slowly when awake.

[0143] 9 , in step S304, the content control unit 34 performs the same process as that described in step S108 of FIG. 7 to determine the mode. At the time of step S304, it has been determined that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, a traffic jam traveling state, and a return traveling state based on the speed determination, traffic jam determination, and round trip determination by the determination unit 33. In this case, the content control unit 34 refers to the mode table 43 and determines to control the operation of the robot 10 in the "Slow_2" mode.

[0144] In step S305, the content control unit 34 starts controlling the robot 10 in the "Slow_2" mode. As in the process in step S108, the content control unit 34 generates various signals for controlling the robot 10 and the display 21 by referring to the mode information defined in the mode table 43 of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, in the "Slow_2" mode, the mode table 43 defines the following actions for vibrating the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen of the robot 10, setting the movement speed of the robot 10 to slow, playing a video of a character corresponding to the robot 10 sleeping, setting the video speed to slow, not moving the movable device unit 13 from the reference angle, vibrating the vibration device unit 12 on the abdomen 20 times per minute, and causing the robot 10 to continue the sleeping action. The content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and a video playback signal in accordance with this mode information.

[0145] In step S305, the content control unit 34 generates a robot control signal and sends the generated video playback signal to the control communication unit 11 and the video control unit 35, respectively. The control communication unit 11 receives the robot control signal and causes the robot 10 to perform an action of sleeping while shaking its abdomen 20 times per minute. The video control unit 35 receives the video playback signal and causes the display 21 to play a video of the character corresponding to the robot 10 sleeping.

[0146] As described above, according to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the behavior of the robot 10 changes in various ways depending on whether the moving object 20 is traveling at high speed, traveling in a congested section, traveling on the outbound route, or traveling at night. This prevents the occupant of the moving object 20 from getting bored with the behavior of the robot 10. As a result, a highly entertaining environment can be provided for the occupant.

[0147] Furthermore, in the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment, when the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, the amount of movement of the robot 10 becomes relatively large. For example, when the robot 10 is controlled in the "Normal_1" mode, the range of movement of the movable device unit 13 of the robot 10 is set to ±5° with respect to the reference angle, whereas when the robot 10 is controlled in the "High" mode, the range of movement of the movable device unit 13 is set to within a range of ±20° with respect to the reference angle. In this way, by dynamically moving the robot 10 when the traveling speed of the moving object 20 is relatively high, it is possible to provide a more entertaining environment for the occupant.

[0148] Furthermore, in the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment, when the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, the movement speed of the robot 10 becomes relatively fast. For example, when the moving object 20 is controlled in the "Normal_1" mode, the movement speed of the robot 10 is set to "slow," whereas when the moving object 20 is controlled in the "High" mode, the movement speed of the robot 10 is set to "normal." In this way, by making the robot 10 move agilely when the traveling speed of the moving object 20 is relatively fast, it is possible to provide a more entertaining environment for the occupant.

[0149] Furthermore, according to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the video played on the display 21 changes depending on the driving conditions, thereby providing the occupants with a more entertaining environment. In particular, the content control unit 34 of this embodiment generates a video playback signal for playing video linked to the movement of the robot 10, thereby providing the occupants with in-vehicle content that has a consistent feel. As a result, it is possible to provide the occupants with a more entertaining environment.

[0150] (Embodiment 2) In embodiment 2, the robot 10 autonomously determines an operation corresponding to the traveling state of the moving body 20. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system 1A according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Note that in embodiment 2, the same components as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0151] Unlike the control device 30 according to the first embodiment, the control device 30A of the information processing system 1A according to the second embodiment does not have a content control unit 34. Moreover, unlike the storage unit 40 according to the first embodiment, the storage unit 40A of the information processing system 1A according to the second embodiment does not have a mode table 43.

[0152] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a robot 10A according to the second embodiment. The robot 10A according to the second embodiment further includes a robot controller 101. The robot controller 101 is configured with electronic circuits such as a CPU. The robot 10A also includes a memory unit 15A (an example of a robot storage unit). The memory unit 15A is configured with memories such as ROM and RAM. The memory unit 15A differs from the memory unit 15 according to the first embodiment in that it stores a motion database 151. The motion database 151 stores information about motions corresponding to the running states. Specifically, the motion database 151 stores a mode table 43 (FIG. 6).

[0153] The robot controller 101 executes a program stored in the memory unit 15A to function as a robot acquisition unit 110 and a determination unit 120. However, the robot acquisition unit 110 and the determination unit 120 may be realized by dedicated hardware circuits that are independent of each other.

[0154] The robot acquisition unit 110 acquires mobile body data from the above-described control device 30 capable of acquiring mobile body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the mobile body 20, and acquires status information indicating the traveling state of the mobile body 20 based on the mobile body data. In this embodiment, the status information includes information indicating whether the traveling state of the mobile body 20 corresponds to a normal traveling state or a high-speed traveling state. Also, in this embodiment, the status information includes information on whether the traveling state of the mobile body 20 corresponds to a traffic jam traveling state or a non-traffic jam traveling state. Furthermore, the status information includes information on whether the traveling state of the mobile body 20 corresponds to a morning traveling state, a daytime traveling state, or a night traveling state, and information on whether the traveling state of the mobile body 20 corresponds to an outbound traveling state or a return traveling state. The robot acquisition unit may acquire the mobile body data from a control device capable of acquiring mobile body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the mobile body, and acquire the status information based on the mobile body data.

[0155] In addition, the robot acquisition unit 110 acquires moving body data through the control communication unit 11 .

[0156] The decision unit 120 changes the behavior of the robot 10 depending on the running state of the moving object 20. Specifically, the decision unit 120 refers to the mode table 43 ( FIG. 6 ) stored in the behavior database 151 in response to the robot acquisition unit 110 acquiring state information of the moving object 20. Then, the decision unit 120 determines a mode for controlling the behavior of the robot 10 based on the running state of the moving object 20 included in the state information and the mode information stored in the mode table 43. In this way, the decision unit 120 changes the behavior of the robot 10.

[0157] According to the information processing system 1A configured as above, the same effects as those of the information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0158] The present disclosure can employ the following modifications.

[0159] (Modification)

[0160] (1) The content control unit 34 may change the type of motion of the robot 10 depending on the traveling state of the mobile object 20. For example, when the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a general traveling state, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to perform a walking motion, and when the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a high-speed traveling state, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to perform a running motion. In addition, when the mobile object 20 corresponds to a return traveling state and is traveling near the base of the occupant, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to perform a waving motion of its arms and legs.

[0161] (2) In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the determination unit 33 performs a traffic jam determination, a time period determination, and a round trip determination. However, these determinations are not essential. For example, the determination unit 33 may perform a speed determination and a traffic jam determination, but may not perform a time period determination and a round trip determination. In this case, the content control unit 34 may determine the mode from, for example, one of "Normal_1," "Normal_3," "High," and "Slow_1."

[0162] (3) The determination unit 33 may evaluate the driving state of the mobile object 20 in more detail in determining the speed. For example, if the driving speed of the mobile object 20 is low or if the mobile object 20 is driving on a residential road, the determination unit 33 may determine that the driving state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a low-speed driving state. A residential road refers to a road in a residential area or a road off a main road. When driving on a residential road, the mobile object 20 needs to respond to passing oncoming vehicles and pedestrians suddenly appearing from blind spots such as around corners, compared to roads other than residential roads, and therefore the driving state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a low-speed driving state. If the driving state corresponds to a low-speed driving state, the content control unit 34 may slow the movement speed of the robot 10 below the movement speed in a normal driving state. Furthermore, if the driving speed of the mobile object 20 is very high, the determination unit 33 may determine that the driving state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to an ultra-high-speed driving state. If the driving state corresponds to an ultra-high-speed driving state, the content control unit 34 may speed the movement speed of the robot 10 higher than the movement speed in a high-speed driving state. According to the configuration of this modified example, the movements of the robot 10 can be varied in a more diverse manner, so that a more entertaining environment can be provided to the occupants of the moving body 20.

[0163] (4) In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the determination unit 33 determines whether the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to a night traveling state. In addition, the determination unit 33 may further determine whether the traveling state corresponds to a morning traveling state and whether the traveling state corresponds to a daytime traveling state. The behavior of the robot 10 may then be changed depending on whether the traveling state corresponds to a morning traveling state, a daytime traveling state, or a night traveling state. According to the configuration of this modification, the behavior of the robot 10 changes in a more diverse manner, thereby providing a more entertaining environment for the occupant of the moving body 20. Furthermore, the determination unit 33 may further determine whether the traveling state of the moving body 20 corresponds to an early morning traveling state, an evening traveling state, or a late-night traveling state.

[0164] (5) The content control unit 34 may change the behavior of the robot 10 depending on the season. For example, the content control unit 34 may change the behavior of the robot 10 depending on whether the season is spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

[0165] (6) In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the movement speed of the robot 10 is set to be slow in the "Normal_1" mode and slow in the "Normal_2" mode. That is, an example has been described in which the movement speed of the robot 10 is set to be equal in the "Normal_1" mode and the "Normal_2" mode. However, the movement speed of the robot 10 in the "Normal_1" mode may be faster than the movement speed of the robot 10 in the "Normal_2" mode. That is, when the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a traffic jam traveling state, the content control unit 34 may slow the movement speed of the robot 10 when the traveling state of the moving object 20 corresponds to a non-traffic jam traveling state.

[0166] (7) In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the movement speed of the robot 10 was set to “normal” or “slow.” However, the movement speed of the robot 10 may be varied in more diverse ways depending on the traveling state of the moving object 20. For example, the movement speed of the robot 10 in the “High” mode may be set to “high speed.” The movement speed of the robot 10 in the “Normal_2” mode may be set to “slow speed.”

[0167] It should be noted that when changing the motion speed of the robot 10, the frequency of vibration of the vibration device unit 12 of the robot 10 may be changed. For example, when the motion speed of the robot 10 is set to be relatively fast, the frequency of vibration of the vibration device unit 12 may be increased, and when the motion speed of the robot 10 is set to be relatively slow, the frequency of vibration of the vibration device unit 12 may be decreased.

[0168] (8) In the first embodiment, the content control unit 34 causes the robot 10 to wake up at irregular intervals in the "Normal_3" and "Normal_5" modes. However, the content control unit 34 may control the operation of the robot 10 so that the robot 10 wakes up when the moving body 20 is traveling near the occupant's home base. That is, the robot 10 may be caused to sleep until the moving body 20 reaches the periphery of the home base, and wake up after the moving body 20 reaches the periphery of the home base. In this way, when a child is riding in the moving body 20, the child can be encouraged to sleep until the moving body 20 reaches the periphery of the home base, and wake up after the moving body 20 reaches the periphery of the home base.

[0169] (9) The content control unit 34 may change the behavior of the robot 10 depending on the remaining power level of the battery of the robot 10. For example, when the remaining power level of the battery of the robot 10 is equal to or less than a predetermined reference level, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to place its hands on its stomach. That is, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to perform a behavior indicating that it is hungry. Furthermore, when the robot 10 is being charged, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to open and close its mouth. That is, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10 to perform a behavior indicating that it is eating.

[0170] (10) In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which video corresponding to the movement of the robot 10 is played as video corresponding to the running state. However, video not showing a character corresponding to the robot may be played as video corresponding to the running state. In this case, the display mode of the video not showing a character corresponding to the robot may be changed depending on the running state. For example, in a high-speed running state, video with large or fast movements may be played. Video of nature, for example, may be played as video not showing a character corresponding to the robot.

[0171] (11) In the first embodiment, an example in which the control device 30 is mounted on the moving body 20 has been described. However, the control device 30 may be mounted on, for example, a mobile information terminal carried by the occupant P of the moving body 20. In this case, the mobile information terminal may have application software installed thereon that is capable of implementing the functions of the control device 30 described in the first embodiment. The mobile information terminal may be a tablet computer or a smartphone. Alternatively, the control device 30 may be mounted on a server that can communicate with the moving body controller 20A and the robot 10 via a communication circuit that utilizes a communication network of a mobile information terminal carrier, for example. In other words, the configuration of the control device 30 may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0172] (12) In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the car navigation device 25 is installed in the vehicle 20. However, the functions of the car navigation device 25 may be realized by application software of a portable information terminal carried by the occupant P.

[0173] (13) Hereinafter, a state in which the mobile body 20 is parked or stopped will be referred to as a parked / stopped state. The determination unit 33 may further perform a fifth determination to determine whether the traveling state of the mobile body 20 corresponds to a parked / stopped state. The mobile body data according to this modification includes at least one of position information and speed information. The determination unit 33 determines that the mobile body 20 corresponds to a parked / stopped state when the position information of the mobile body 20 does not change or when the speed information indicates zero (stopped).

[0174] Note that the mobile body data may include, in addition to or instead of at least one of the position information and the speed information, information regarding the operating state of the engine of the mobile body 20 or information regarding the output of the power supply of the mobile body 20. When the determination unit 33 acquires information indicating that the engine or power supply of the mobile body 20 has been turned off, the determination unit 33 may determine that the mobile body 20 is in a parked or stopped state.

[0175] Furthermore, the content control unit 34 according to this modification generates a control signal so that the robot 10B behaves differently depending on whether the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a parked / stopped state or not. For example, when the determination unit 33 determines that the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a parked / stopped state, the content control unit 34 generates a control signal to cause the robot 10B to execute an occupant detection process for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant inside the mobile object 20.

[0176] Furthermore, the determination unit 33 according to this modified example determines whether or not an occupant is present inside the moving body 20 based on the detection data acquired as a result of the occupant detection process.

[0177] Although not shown in detail, the controller 31 according to this modified example further includes an output unit that outputs alert information when the determination unit 33 determines that an occupant is present inside the moving body 20.

[0178] 12 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the information processing system according to this modification. The processing shown in FIG. 12 is started when, for example, an occupant of the mobile body 20 inputs an operation to start in-vehicle content into the mobile body controller 20A while the mobile body 20 is being driven.

[0179] In step S501, the content control unit 34 monitors the mobile data acquired by the acquisition unit 32.

[0180] In step S502, the determination unit 33 determines the traveling state of the mobile object 20. For example, the determination unit 33 determines the traveling state of the mobile object 20 by performing the above-described first determination, second determination, third determination, fourth determination, fifth determination, etc.

[0181] In step S503, the content control unit 34 determines whether the mobile object 20 is parked or stopped based on the determination result in step S502. If the mobile object 20 is parked or stopped (YES in step S503), the process proceeds to step S504. On the other hand, if the mobile object 20 is not parked or stopped (NO in step S503), control according to each traveling state is performed. For example, the control described in the above steps S106, S108, S110, S112, S204, S206, S209, S211, S303, S305, etc. is performed.

[0182] In step S504, the robot 10B performs sensing for a certain period of time. Specifically, in step S504, the content control unit 34 generates a control signal for causing the robot 10B to execute an occupant detection process. Upon receiving this control signal, the robot 10B performs sensing for a certain period of time as the occupant detection process.

[0183] The process of step S504 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 13 is a diagram schematically showing devices provided in the robot 10B. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a parking / stopping table 44 that defines in-vehicle content when it is determined that the moving object 20 is in a parked / stopped state.

[0184] As shown in FIG. 13 , the robot 10B according to this modification includes a sound collection unit 18, a thermo unit 19, a movable device unit 13, a charging unit 14, and a vibration device unit 12. The sound collection unit 18 is, for example, a sound collection microphone and measures sounds around the robot 10B. The sound collection unit 18 is, for example, located near the ears of the robot 10B. The thermo unit 19 is, for example, a thermosensor such as an infrared sensor located inside the eye of the robot 10B, or a human presence sensor. The movable device unit 13 is located inside the joints of the limbs of the robot 10B, the neck, ears, and eyelids, and moves these parts. The movable device unit 13 is, for example, a servo motor. The charging unit 14 is a charging port for supplying power to a battery (not shown) mounted on the robot 10B and is located near the heart of the robot 10B. The vibration device unit 12 is, for example, located inside the abdomen of the robot 10B and vibrates the robot 10B. The vibration device unit 12 is configured by, for example, a vibration motor.

[0185] When the traveling state of the mobile object 20 corresponds to a parking / stopping state, the content control unit 34 controls the robot 10B and each device of the mobile object 20 according to the parking / stopping table 44 shown in FIG. 14 . That is, the content control unit 34 starts the "Check_1" mode. In the "Check_1" mode, playback of the video content is stopped. In this mode, the content control unit 34 also causes the robot 10B to open its eyes. At this time, the content control unit 34 operates the thermo unit 19 (e.g., a thermosensor) of the robot 10B for a certain period of time to acquire temperature data indicating the location and surface temperature of surrounding heat sources. In addition, the content control unit 34 operates the sound collection unit 18 (e.g., a sound collection microphone) of the robot 10B for a certain period of time to cause the robot 10B to acquire surrounding sounds (such as a child's crying). Information acquired by the robot 10B sensing the internal conditions of the mobile object 20 for a certain period of time is called detection data.

[0186] In this way, in step S504, a sensor provided on the robot 10B detects whether or not there is still an occupant (e.g., a child) inside the moving body 20 after a certain time has elapsed since it was determined that the moving body 20 is in a parked or stopped state.

[0187] In step S505, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not an abandonment has occurred based on the detection data. Specifically, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not sound data indicating the presence of an occupant (child) inside the moving body 20 has been acquired based on the sound data acquired by the sound pickup microphone. For example, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not a sound corresponding to the crying of a child has been detected. Then, if sound data indicating the presence of an occupant (child) inside the moving body 20 has been acquired, the determination unit 33 determines that an abandonment has occurred.

[0188] In addition, the judgment unit 33 may determine whether or not there is a heat source around the robot 10B that has a temperature equivalent to the child's body temperature based on temperature data acquired by the thermosensor of the robot 10B, and may determine that abandonment has occurred if such a heat source is present around the robot 10B.

[0189] If no abandonment has occurred (NO in step S505), the process proceeds to step S506. In step S506, the robot 10B transmits a signal indicating that it has confirmed that the inside of the moving body 20 is unmanned to the moving body controller 20A. Then, the process proceeds to step S509.

[0190] On the other hand, if an occupant has been left behind (YES in step S505), the process proceeds to step S507. In step S507, the output unit (not shown) of the controller 31 outputs alert information. The alert information is output to an external device, which is an information processing terminal located outside the vehicle 20. An example of the external device is a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone carried by an occupant (e.g., the driver) other than the occupant who has been left behind. The alert information includes a message notifying the occupant that there is a possibility that an occupant has been left behind inside the vehicle 20. The alert information also includes information indicating the situation around the robot 10B. The information indicating the situation around the robot 10B may be, for example, image data generated by the robot 10B by photographing the occupant inside the vehicle, or audio data generated by the robot 10B by recording the occupant crying.

[0191] The alert information may be sent to a mobile information terminal carried by a passenger (such as a driver) by various methods, such as email, SMS service, telephone, etc. Furthermore, if the application software described in the modification (11) is installed on the mobile information terminal carried by the passenger, the alert information may be sent via the application software.

[0192] The alert information may also be transmitted to an information processing terminal managed by a third party. The third party may be, for example, an administrator of the information processing system 1, the seller of the robot 10B, or the seller of the mobile body 20. The information processing terminal managed by the third party may be, for example, a personal computer or a server device such as a cloud server. In this way, even if the power of the occupant's mobile information terminal is turned off, it is possible to reliably notify the third party that the mobile body 20 has been abandoned. In this case, mobile body data including the location information of the mobile body 20 may also be transmitted to the third party along with the alert information.

[0193] In step S508, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not the door has been opened or closed. The door opening or closing may be detected by an existing detection technique using, for example, a door switch or a magnetic sensor. If the door opening or closing is detected (YES in step S508), the process proceeds to step S509. On the other hand, if the door opening or closing is not detected (NO in step S508), the process returns to step S504. The process from step S504 to step S508 is repeated until the determination in step S508 is YES. In other words, the alert information is repeatedly transmitted until the door opening or closing is detected.

[0194] In addition, the determination unit 33 may determine YES in step S508 if it detects any change in the state of the mobile object 20, such as the engine or power supply of the mobile object 20 being turned on or the mobile object 20 resuming its travel.

[0195] In step S509, the determination unit 33 determines whether the running state has been updated. That is, it determines whether the parked or stopped state continues. If the running state has been updated, the process returns to step S503. If the running state has not been updated, the process returns to step S504.

[0196] According to the configuration of this modification, the robot 10B detects that an occupant may still be present in the vehicle 20 even after a certain time has elapsed since the vehicle 20 was parked, and transmits alert information, thereby preventing the occupant from being left behind.

[0197] In this modification, an example has been described in which the robot 10B is equipped with a thermosensor such as an infrared sensor, a human presence sensor, a sound pickup microphone, and the like, but any sensor that can be used to detect the presence or absence of an occupant may be equipped. For example, a vibration sensor, a camera, and the like may be equipped on the robot 10B. Note that these sensors do not necessarily have to be provided on the robot 10B; it is sufficient that at least one sensor is provided on either the moving body 20 or the robot 10B.

[0198] The content control unit 34 may also determine whether the abandoned occupant is an adult or a child. If the abandoned occupant is a child, alert information may be transmitted. If the occupant is an adult, alert information need not be transmitted. The determination of whether the occupant is an adult or a child can be made, for example, by inputting a facial image acquired by a camera provided in the robot 10B into a machine learning model and based on the output result. Alternatively, the captured facial image can be input into a generation AI (e.g., LLM) and the generated response can be used to make the determination. Furthermore, the determination of whether the occupant is an adult or a child may be made using information obtained from a vibration sensor or audio information obtained by a sound-collecting microphone.

[0199] In addition, in this modification, the robot 10B senses its surroundings for a certain period of time under the control of the content control unit 34, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not abandonment has occurred, and the output unit outputs alert information. However, this is merely an example. If the robot 10B includes the robot controller 101 ( FIG. 11 ), the robot 10B may sense the surrounding situation under the control of the robot controller 101, determine whether or not abandonment has occurred, and output alert information. In other words, the series of processes for preventing abandonment may be performed primarily by the robot 10B.

[0200] In this modification, the robot 10B is caused to open its eyes in the parked / stopped mode (Check_1), but the behavior of the robot 10B is not limited to this. For example, when the moving body 20 is determined to be in a parked / stopped state and an occupant remains inside the moving body 20 after a certain period of time has elapsed, the robot 10B may be caused to perform an action similar to any of the modes shown in FIG. 6 or a different action.

[0201] In this way, the robot 10B can be operated even when the vehicle is parked, providing a highly entertaining environment for the occupants. This allows the children to have fun when only some of the occupants (e.g., children) are temporarily in the vehicle while it is parked, for example, at a gas station. As a result, the burden on the remaining occupants (e.g., parents) is reduced.

[0202] (14) The robot 10B may include a speaker unit 16 ( FIG. 2 ). The content control unit 34 may use the speaker unit 16 to cause the robot 10B to speak. The acoustic database 42 according to this modification includes voice data in addition to the above-described acoustic data. The voice data includes data for causing the robot 10 to speak, such as "hello" and "how are you?". In addition, the voice data may include data for causing the robot 10 to speak according to the weather, date, time, and location. The voice data may also include data for causing the robot 10 to speak corresponding to each mode shown in FIG. 6 . In this case, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10B to perform an action corresponding to the running state while playing a sound corresponding to the running state from the robot 10B. The acoustic database 42 may also include music data such as songs and music. In this case, the content control unit 34 may cause the robot 10B to perform an action corresponding to the running state while playing a song corresponding to the running state from the robot 10B.

[0203] The present disclosure is useful in the technical field of providing a comfortable space for passengers in a vehicle.

Claims

1. A control device capable of being mounted on a moving body, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires moving body data including at least one of position information and speed information of the moving body; a determination unit that determines a running state of the moving body based on the moving body data; a control signal generation unit that generates a control signal for causing a robot capable of being mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the running state determined by the determination unit; and a signal transmission unit that transmits the control signal to the robot.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit performs a first determination of determining whether the running state of the moving body corresponds to either a normal running state or a high-speed running state based on the moving body data.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein when the determination unit determines that the running state is the high-speed running state, the control signal generation unit generates the control signal for making the operation amount of the robot larger than the operation amount of the robot when the determination unit determines that the running state is the normal running state.

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein when the determination unit determines that the running state is the high-speed running state, the control signal generation unit generates the control signal for making the operation speed of the robot faster than the operation speed of the robot when the determination unit determines that the running state is the normal running state.

5. The acquisition unit further acquires traffic jam information indicating whether the road on which the moving body travels is congested as the moving body data, the determination unit performs a second determination of determining whether the running state of the moving body corresponds to either a congested running state or a non-congested running state based on the traffic jam information, and the control signal generation unit generates the control signal such that the operation of the robot is different when the running state of the moving body corresponds to the congested running state and when it corresponds to the non-congested running state. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein when the determination unit determines that the running state corresponds to the non-congested running state, the control signal generation unit generates the control signal for making the operation amount of the robot larger than the operation amount of the robot when the determination unit determines that the running state corresponds to the congested running state.

7. The control signal generation unit generates the control signal for making the operating speed of the robot higher than that when the determination unit determines that the traveling state corresponds to the non-traffic-jammed traveling state, when the determination unit determines that the traveling state corresponds to the non-traffic-jammed traveling state. The control device according to claim 5.

8. The acquisition unit further acquires time zone information as the moving body data, the determination unit makes a third determination based on the time zone information to determine whether the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the night traveling state, and the control signal generation unit generates the control signal such that the operation of the robot is different between the case where the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the night traveling state and the case where it does not correspond to the night traveling state. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. The acquisition unit further acquires the home base information and the destination information of the moving body as the moving body data, the determination unit makes a fourth determination based on the home base information and the destination information to determine whether the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to either the outbound traveling state or the return traveling state, and the control signal generation unit generates the control signal such that the operation of the robot is different between the case where the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the outbound traveling state and the case where it corresponds to the return traveling state. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. Further, a storage unit that stores a plurality of videos is provided, and the control signal generation unit further generates a video playback signal for causing the playback device installed in the moving body to play back the video corresponding to the traveling state determined by the determination unit among the plurality of videos. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The control signal generation unit generates the video playback signal for causing the playback device to play back the video corresponding to the operation of the robot. The control device according to claim 10.

12. The determination unit further makes a fifth determination based on the moving body data to determine whether the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the parked state, and the control signal generation unit generates the control signal such that the operation of the robot is different between the case where the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the parked state and the case where it does not correspond to the parked state. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

13. The control signal generation unit generates the control signal for causing the robot to execute an occupant detection process for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant inside the moving body when the determination unit determines that the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to the parked state. The control device according to claim 12.

14. The determination unit determines whether an occupant exists inside the moving body based on the detection data obtained as a result of the occupant detection process. When the determination unit determines that an occupant exists inside the moving body, the control device according to claim 13 further includes an output unit that outputs alert information.

15. A robot that can be mounted on a moving body, the robot including: a robot acquisition unit that acquires state information indicating the traveling state of the moving body; a robot storage unit that stores an operation database storing information regarding an operation corresponding to the traveling state; and a determination unit that refers to the operation database in response to the robot acquisition unit acquiring the state information and determines an operation corresponding to the traveling state.

16. The robot according to claim 15, wherein the robot acquisition unit acquires the moving body data from a control device capable of acquiring the moving body data including at least one of the position information and the speed information of the moving body, and acquires the state information based on the moving body data.

17. The robot according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the robot acquisition unit acquires the state information indicating which of the general traveling state and the high-speed traveling state the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to.

18. A control method for a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, the method including: acquiring moving body data including at least one of the position information and the speed information of the moving body; determining the traveling state of the moving body based on the moving body data; generating a control signal for causing a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the traveling state; and sending the control signal to the robot.

19. In the determination of the traveling state, a first determination is performed to determine which of the general traveling state and the high-speed traveling state the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to based on the moving body data. The control method according to claim 18.

20. A control program for a control device that can be mounted on a moving body, causing a computer to acquire moving body data including at least one of the position information and speed information of the moving body, determine the traveling state of the moving body based on the moving body data, generate a control signal for causing a robot that can be mounted on the moving body to perform an operation corresponding to the traveling state, and execute a process of sending the control signal to the robot.

21. The control program according to claim 20, wherein in the determination of the traveling state, a first determination is made to determine whether the traveling state of the moving body corresponds to either a general traveling state or a high-speed traveling state based on the moving body data, and a process of executing the determination is performed.

Images