Control device, vehicle, control system, and control method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a control device, a vehicle, a control system, and a control method that achieves improved convenience of a user. [Solution] In a control device 10, an allowable opening degree setting unit 11 sets an allowable opening degree of an opening / closing part of a moving body, on the basis of a position of an object around the moving body. The allowable opening degree represents a degree of opening of the opening / closing part in a state where the opening / closing part of the moving body is opened to the maximum without being brought into contact with the object around the moving body. An opening / closing control unit 12 limits an opening degree of the opening / closing part of the moving body, with the allowable opening degree set by the allowable opening degree setting unit 11 as an upper limit. An output control unit 13 causes an output device to output information based on the allowable opening degree set by the allowable opening degree setting unit.

Description

Control device, vehicle, control system, and control method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device, a vehicle, a control system, and a control method.

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a vehicle door opening / closing control device that calculates the maximum opening angle of the door from the distance between an adjacent object and the side of the vehicle, and controls the door to limit opening by maximizing the braking force that resists the door's rotation at the maximum opening angle.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-143251

[0004] However, the vehicle door opening / closing control device described in Patent Document 1 merely sets a permissible opening angle so as to avoid contact with an adjacent obstacle, and limits the door opening / closing angle based on the permissible opening angle, and does not provide any information that would improve user convenience.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a control device, a vehicle, a control system, and a control method that realize improved convenience for users.

[0006] A control device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes an allowable opening setting means for setting an allowable opening of an opening / closing section of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body, an opening / closing control means for limiting the opening of the opening / closing section with the set allowable opening as an upper limit, and an output control means for outputting information based on the set allowable opening to an output device.

[0007] A vehicle according to a second aspect of the present disclosure comprises a control device including an allowable opening setting means for setting the allowable opening of an opening / closing part of the mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body, an opening / closing control means for limiting the opening of the opening / closing part with the set allowable opening as an upper limit, and an output control means for causing an output device to output information based on the set allowable opening, an opening / closing part, and an output device.

[0008] A control system according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes an allowable opening setting unit that sets the allowable opening of an opening / closing unit of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body, an opening / closing control unit that limits the opening of the opening / closing unit with the set allowable opening as an upper limit, and an output control unit that causes an output device to output information based on the set allowable opening.

[0009] A control method according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure sets an allowable opening degree of an opening / closing section of a moving body based on the position of an object around the moving body, limits the opening degree of the opening / closing section with the set allowable opening degree as an upper limit, and outputs information based on the set allowable opening degree to an output device.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve convenience for users.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a vehicle according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an example of information to be output. FIG. 5 is an example of information to be output. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a moving body having a plurality of opening / closing sections. FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a positional relationship between a moving body and an object around the moving body. FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a positional relationship between a moving body and a passenger. FIG. 15 is an example of information to be output. FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a positional relationship between a moving body and an object around the moving body. FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device that realizes the components of each device according to the present disclosure.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the description of each drawing. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as necessary for clarity of explanation.

[0013] <First embodiment> Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device according to the present disclosure. In Fig. 1, the control device 10 has an allowable opening setting unit 11, an opening / closing control unit 12, and an output control unit 13. The control device 10 may be configured as a single device or may be configured as multiple devices. The allowable opening setting unit 11 serves as allowable opening setting means, the opening / closing control unit 12 serves as opening / closing control means, and the output control unit 13 serves as output control means.

[0014] The allowable opening setting unit 11 sets the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit of the mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body. The position of the object around the mobile body may be acquired from an external device such as an imaging device or a sensor, or may be detected by the control device 10. If the object is a mobile body, the position information of the object may be acquired through communication with the cloud or vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0015] The allowable opening angle represents the degree to which the opening / closing unit of the mobile body is opened to the maximum extent without coming into contact with objects around the mobile body. The allowable opening angle is, for example, the angle between the side of the mobile body and the opening / closing unit of the mobile body when the opening / closing unit of the mobile body is opened to the maximum extent without coming into contact with objects around the mobile body. The allowable opening angle does not have to be an angle as long as it is a value that represents the degree to which the opening / closing unit is opened, such as the distance between the side of the mobile body and the opening / closing unit of the mobile body, or the length of the path that the opening / closing unit traces as it opens. Hereinafter, the allowable opening angle may be represented by θ.

[0016] When a mobile object is equipped with multiple opening / closing units, the allowable opening setting unit 11 may set an allowable opening for each opening / closing unit. Therefore, multiple allowable openings may be set for one mobile object, or different allowable openings may be set for each of multiple opening / closing units equipped in one mobile object. The allowable opening setting unit 11 may set an allowable opening for all opening / closing units equipped in the mobile object, or may set an allowable opening for some of the opening / closing units.

[0017] For example, if there is a risk that an obstacle may come into contact with the opening / closing unit of the mobile object if the opening / closing unit is opened wider than 60 degrees, the allowable opening setting unit 11 may set the allowable opening to 60 degrees, or may set the allowable opening to an angle obtained by subtracting a predetermined value from 60 degrees. The predetermined value may be, for example, 5 degrees or 10 degrees. By subtracting the predetermined value, contact with the object can be more reliably prevented.

[0018] The opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening degree of the opening / closing unit with the allowable opening degree θ set by the allowable opening degree setting unit 11 as the upper limit. For example, when a user of the mobile object operates the opening / closing unit until the opening degree of the opening / closing unit reaches θ, the opening / closing control unit 12 controls the opening / closing unit so that the opening degree does not exceed θ at the point when the opening degree reaches θ. The opening / closing control unit 12 may control the opening / closing unit on behalf of the user so that the opening / closing unit opens until the opening degree reaches θ.

[0019] The output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information based on the allowable opening θ set by the allowable opening setting unit 11. For example, if the set θ is less than a predetermined threshold α, the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information indicating that the set θ is less than the predetermined threshold α (less than the first threshold). For example, if the set θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold α, the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information indicating that the set θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold α (first threshold). For example, if the difference between the current opening of the gate and θ is less than a predetermined threshold β, the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening of the gate and θ is less than the predetermined threshold β. For example, if the current opening of the gate and θ are equal to θ, the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information indicating that the current opening of the gate and θ are equal to θ. The threshold α may be, for example, the minimum opening at which a user can board or disembark. The threshold value β may be, for example, 5 degrees or 10 degrees, or may be the difference between the allowable opening degree and the threshold value α, or may be the difference between the allowable opening degree and a second set opening degree described later. Note that the threshold values ​​α and β may be fixed values ​​set in advance, or may be set appropriately depending on the user of the mobile body or the state of the mobile body, or may be customizable by the user of the mobile body.

[0020] Furthermore, the output control unit 13 may, for example, cause the output device to output information about the detected object. The output control unit 13 may also cause the output device to output information about the presence, position, and type of the detected object. The output control unit 13 may, for example, cause the output device to output information about, among the detected objects, objects that are located in positions that may be contacted when the opening / closing unit is opened. The output control unit 13 may, for example, cause the output device to output information about, among the detected objects, objects that are located near the opening / closing unit whose allowable opening degree is less than the threshold value α.

[0021] The information that the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output is not limited to the above example. The output control unit 13 may cause the output device to output multiple pieces of information simultaneously, or may determine which piece of information to output from the multiple pieces of information depending on the state of the moving object, such as the magnitude of θ or the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit.

[0022] 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. The allowable opening setting unit 11 sets the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit of the mobile object based on the position of an object around the mobile object (step S200). The opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening of the opening / closing unit of the mobile object, with the allowable opening set by the allowable opening setting unit 11 as the upper limit (step S201). The output control unit 13 outputs information based on the allowable opening set by the allowable opening setting unit to the output device (step S202). Note that steps S201 and S202 may be executed in an order different from that shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2. That is, the order of steps S201 and S202 is arbitrary, and steps S201 and S202 may be executed simultaneously, or step S201 may be executed after step S202.

[0023] The control device 10 may start the process flow of FIG. 2 when a predetermined trigger condition is satisfied. The trigger condition may be detection of a user's intention to get on or off the vehicle. The trigger condition may also be, for example, the user's contact with the door / door, the user's initiation of opening the door / door, the engine of the vehicle being turned on or off, the power supply of the vehicle being turned on or off, or the locking unit of the vehicle being unlocked.

[0024] As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to improve convenience for users.

[0025] Second Embodiment The second embodiment relates to a vehicle or a system having a control device 10 .

[0026] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 3, a vehicle 50 includes a control device 10, an opening / closing unit 20, and an output device 30.

[0027] The control device 10 controls the opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 and the output of the output device 30 .

[0028] The opening / closing unit 20 may be a door used by a person to get on or off the vehicle 50. The opening / closing unit 20 may have a hinge. The opening / closing unit 20 may be driven by an actuator such as an electric motor or a hydraulic cylinder. The opening / closing unit 20 may be, for example, a front door, a rear door, a back door, a swing door, a sliding door, or a hatch door. The vehicle 50 may have a single opening / closing unit 20 or multiple opening / closing units 20. When the vehicle 50 has multiple opening / closing units 20, each of the opening / closing units 20 may be a different type of opening / closing unit.

[0029] The output device 30 outputs information based on the allowable opening degree set by the control device 10. The output device 30 may be composed of a single device included in the vehicle 50, or may be composed of multiple devices included in the vehicle 50. The output device 30 may be, for example, a display or a speaker. If the output device 30 is a display, the information based on the allowable opening degree is output in the form of characters, figures, etc. The user of the vehicle 50 can obtain the information based on the allowable opening degree displayed on the display as visual information. If the output device 30 is a speaker, the information based on the allowable opening degree is output in the form of audio. The user of the vehicle 50 can obtain the information based on the allowable opening degree output as audio from the speaker as auditory information.

[0030] 3 , the control device 10 has an allowable opening setting unit 11, an opening / closing control unit 12, and an output control unit 13. The control device 10 may be configured as a single device included in the vehicle 50, or may be configured as a plurality of devices included in the vehicle 50.

[0031] The allowable opening setting unit 11 sets the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20 of the vehicle 50 based on the position of an object 60 (not shown) around the vehicle 50. The object 60 may be, for example, a person, an animal, a wall, a structure on a road, a moving object, an empty vehicle, or an occupied vehicle. When the vehicle 50 has multiple opening / closing units 20, the allowable opening setting unit 11 can set the allowable opening for each of all or some of the multiple opening / closing units 20.

[0032] The opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20, with the allowable opening set by the allowable opening setting unit 11 as the upper limit. When the allowable opening degree is set for each of the multiple opening / closing units 20, the opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening degree of each of the multiple opening / closing units 20, with the allowable opening degree set for each of the multiple opening / closing units 20 as the upper limit.

[0033] The opening / closing control unit 12 may start to generate a load that makes it difficult to open the opening / closing unit 20 when the opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 reaches a predetermined threshold value α that is smaller than the allowable opening degree θ. If the threshold value α is set to the minimum opening degree at which a user of the vehicle 50 can get in and out, the user can smoothly open the opening without feeling any load as long as the user gets in and out using the minimum opening degree necessary for getting in and out, but will feel a load if the user gets in and out using an opening degree that is greater than necessary. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both smooth ingress and egress for users and prevention of contact with objects.

[0034] The output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 of the vehicle 50 to output information based on the allowable opening θ set by the allowable opening setting unit 11. When the allowable opening θ is set for each of the multiple opening / closing units 20, the output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output information based on all of the multiple allowable openings θ, or may cause the output device 30 to output information based on some of the multiple allowable openings θ. When the vehicle 50 has multiple output devices 30, the output control unit 13 may cause the multiple output devices 30 to output the same information, or may cause the multiple output devices 30 to output different information.

[0035] For example, if the set θ is less than a predetermined threshold value α, the output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output information indicating that the set θ is less than the predetermined threshold value α. For example, if the set θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value α, the output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output information indicating that the set θ is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value α. In these cases, the predetermined threshold value α may be the minimum opening degree at which a user can get on or off the vehicle 50. By notifying the user of the information indicating that the set θ is less than the threshold value α, the user can understand that they cannot get on or off the vehicle 50, for example, without having to open the opening / closing unit 20. By notifying the user of the information indicating that the set θ is equal to or greater than the threshold value α, the user can understand that the opening / closing unit 20 can be opened or closed to the extent that they can get on or off the vehicle, for example, without having to open the opening / closing unit 20.

[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of information to be output by the output device 30. In FIG. 4, the output device 30 may indicate whether the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20 is greater than or equal to the threshold value α or less than the threshold value α by using the brightness, saturation, hue, line thickness, etc., of the color of the graphic representing the opening / closing unit 20. The output device 30 may indicate whether the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20 is greater than or equal to the threshold value α or less than the threshold value α by assigning a predetermined code. The output device 30 may display either or both of a graphic and text information. The output device 30 may not display all of the opening / closing units 20, but may display only some of the opening / closing units 20. The output device 30 may display information regarding the detected object. The above example can be modified as appropriate and applied to outputting other information not shown in FIG. 4. The output method is not limited to the above example.

[0037] For example, when the difference between the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 and θ becomes less than a predetermined threshold value β, the output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 and θ becomes less than the predetermined threshold value β. In this case, if θ is expressed as an angle, the predetermined threshold value β may be 5 degrees or 10 degrees. The predetermined threshold value β may be the difference between the allowable opening degree and a threshold value α. The predetermined threshold value β may be the difference between the allowable opening degree and a second set opening degree described below. By notifying the user of the information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree and the set θ is small, the user knows that if the opening operation of the opening / closing unit 20 continues, the allowable opening degree θ will soon be reached, allowing the user to carefully open the opening / closing unit 20. The output device 30 may, for example, notify the user of the information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree and the set θ is small by an alarm sound. As the difference between the current opening degree and the set θ becomes smaller, the volume of the alarm sound may be increased or the frequency of the alarm sound may be increased.

[0038] Additionally, the output device 30 may display information indicating that the difference between the current opening and the set θ is small, along with or instead of the warning sound. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of information to be output by the output device 30. In FIG. 5 , the output device 30 displays the current opening and the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20. The output device 30 may also display the ratio of the current opening of the opening / closing unit 20 to the allowable opening. The output device 30 may also display whether the difference between the current opening and the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20 is equal to or greater than the threshold value β or less than the threshold value β (less than the second threshold value) by using the brightness, saturation, hue, or line thickness of the color of the graphic representing the opening / closing unit 20. The output device 30 may also display whether the difference between the current opening and the allowable opening of the opening / closing unit 20 is equal to or greater than the threshold value β or less than the threshold value β by assigning a predetermined code. The output device 30 may display either or both of a graphic and text information. The output device 30 may not display all of the opening / closing units 20, but may display only some of the opening / closing units 20. Information about the detected object may also be displayed. Note that in FIG. 5, the allowable opening is indicated by a solid line, and the angle obtained by subtracting the threshold value β from the allowable opening is indicated by a dotted line, but this is not limited to this. The above example can be modified as appropriate and applied to output other information not shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, the output method is not limited to the above example.

[0039] For example, when the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 becomes equal to θ, the output control unit 13 causes the output device to output information indicating that the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 becomes equal to θ. In this case, the user knows that the opening operation of the opening / closing unit 20 should be stopped, and therefore it is possible to prevent damage to the opening / closing unit 20 caused by forcibly applying a load in the opening direction to the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12, and to prevent contact between the opening / closing unit 20 and the object 60 caused by applying a load in the opening direction with a force that exceeds the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0040] Although the present disclosure has been described above by taking an example in which it is applied to the vehicle 50, the present disclosure can also be applied to vehicles other than the vehicle 50.

[0041] 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 6, a control system 100 includes a control device 10, an opening / closing unit 20, and an output device 30.

[0042] A part or all of the control device 10 may be located inside the mobile object. The mobile object may be a vehicle 50, or may not be a vehicle 50 as long as it has the opening / closing unit 20 and the output device 30. The mobile object may be, for example, a private car, a passenger car, a train, a ship, an airplane, a helicopter, a vehicle with an automatic driving function, a vehicle with a remote driving function, a drone, a robot, etc.

[0043] Some or all of the functions of the control device 10 may be implemented by a device independent of the mobile object or by the cloud, which can reduce the processing load within the mobile object.

[0044] Although the opening / closing unit 20 and the output device 30 are provided on the mobile body, some of these may be located outside the mobile body. For example, if the mobile body is equipped with a remote driving function and can communicate with a control room that remotely monitors or operates the mobile body, some or all of the output device 30 may be located in the control room. In this case, information based on the allowable opening degree can be communicated not only to the passengers of the mobile body but also to the person monitoring or operating the mobile body, thereby improving convenience for not only the passengers of the mobile body but also the person monitoring or operating the mobile body. Furthermore, for example, if the mobile body is a mobile body that transports objects and there is a person at the destination who loads and unloads the objects, some or all of the output device 30 may be located at the destination. In this case, information based on the allowable opening degree can be communicated not only to the passengers of the mobile body but also to the person loading and unloading the objects, thereby improving convenience for not only the passengers of the mobile body but also the person loading and unloading the objects.

[0045] As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to improve convenience for users.

[0046] Third Embodiment The third embodiment relates to a system having a control device 10 .

[0047] Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. In the control system 101 shown in Fig. 7, the control device 10 further includes a second opening setting unit 14. Hereinafter, the allowable opening setting unit 11 may be referred to as the first opening setting unit 11. Hereinafter, the allowable opening may be referred to as the first set opening.

[0048] The second opening setting unit 14 sets a second set opening degree that is smaller than the first set opening degree based on the first set opening degree set by the first opening degree setting unit 11. The second opening degree setting unit 14 may set the second set opening degree by subtracting a predetermined value from the first set opening degree. The second opening degree setting unit 14 may set the second set opening degree by multiplying the first set opening degree by a value greater than or equal to 0.0 and less than 1.0. The second opening degree setting unit 14 may set the second set opening degree to a threshold value α, which is the minimum opening degree at which a user can get on and off the vehicle. The second opening degree setting unit 14 may set the second set opening degree based on a recognition result from the passenger recognition unit 15, which will be described later.

[0049] When the control device 10 has the second opening setting unit 14, the opening / closing control unit 12 may control the opening / closing unit 20 based on both the first set opening set by the first opening setting unit 11 and the second set opening set by the second opening setting unit 14. For example, when the opening of the opening / closing unit 20 reaches the second set opening, which is earlier than the first set opening, the control of the opening / closing unit 20 may be started, and a load may be generated that makes it gradually more difficult to open the opening / closing unit 20 as the opening approaches the first set opening.

[0050] When the control device 10 has the second opening setting unit 14, the output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output information based on the first set opening, or may cause the output device 30 to output information based on both the first set opening and the second set opening. For example, the output device 30 may output different information depending on whether the current opening of the opening / closing unit is less than the second set opening, is equal to or greater than the second set opening but less than the first set opening, or is equal to or greater than the first set opening.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. The first opening setting unit 11 sets a first opening setting for the opening / closing unit of the mobile object based on the position of an object around the mobile object (step S300). The second opening setting unit 14 sets a second opening setting based on the first opening setting (step S301). The opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening setting of the opening / closing unit of the mobile object based on the first opening setting and the second opening setting (step S302). The output control unit 13 outputs information based on the first opening setting and the second opening setting to an output device (step S303). Note that the steps in FIG. 8 may be executed in a different order from that shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8.

[0052] According to the third embodiment as described above, the control device 10 controls the opening / closing section 20 and the output device 30 based on not only the first set opening degree but also the second set opening degree, thereby further improving convenience for users.

[0053] Fourth Embodiment The fourth embodiment relates to setting of the first set opening degree.

[0054] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. In the control system 102 illustrated in FIG. 9 , the control device 10 sets a first preset opening degree based on information acquired from a sensing device included in the control system 102. The control device 10 may set the first preset opening degree based on information acquired from a single sensing device, or may set the first preset opening degree based on information acquired from multiple sensing devices. The sensing device may be, for example, an imaging device 70 or a sensor 80. The imaging device 70 may be a 360-degree camera provided on a mobile object. The sensor 80 may be an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor. The control device 10 may acquire position information of an object 60 (not shown) from the sensing device, or may acquire the distance between the mobile object equipped with the opening / closing unit 20 and the object 60. The control device 10 may calculate the distance between the mobile object equipped with the opening / closing unit 20 and the object 60 from the acquired position information of the object 60. For example, when the control device 10 sets the first set opening degree based on the distance between the side of the moving body equipped with the opening / closing section 20 and the target object 60, the first set opening degree can be set by applying the calculation method disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0055] The control device 10 sets a first set opening degree based on information obtained from the sensing device, and controls the opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 and the information to be output by the output device 30 based on the set first set opening degree.

[0056] As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the position of the object can be acquired from the imaging device or sensor in the control system.

[0057] Fifth Embodiment The fifth embodiment relates to further recognition of an occupant.

[0058] Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. In a control system 103 shown in Fig. 10, the control device 10 further includes an occupant recognition unit 15. The occupant recognition unit 15 serves as an occupant recognition means.

[0059] The passenger recognition unit 15 recognizes passengers of the mobile body. The passenger recognition unit 15 may recognize the physique, age, gender, and face of the passenger using, for example, an imaging device 70 and a sensor 80. In this case, the sensor 80 may be a sensor that recognizes the passenger's voice, fingerprint, iris, etc. In addition, the passenger recognition unit 15 may compare the passenger recognition result with information about the passenger stored in advance in the control device 10, the control system 103, a device not shown, a cloud, etc. The control device 10 can control at least one of the opening / closing unit 20 and the output device 30 further based on the passenger identification result.

[0060] 1 shows an example in which the control device 10 controls the opening / closing unit 20 further based on the result of occupant recognition by the occupant recognition unit 15. For example, the second opening setting unit 14 may set the second set opening degree based on the result of occupant recognition performed by the occupant recognition unit 15, in addition to the first set opening degree set by the first opening setting unit 11. The occupant recognition unit 15 may recognize the shoulder width, waist width, and body thickness of the occupant.

[0061] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method according to the present disclosure. The first opening setting unit 11 sets a first opening setting for the opening / closing unit of the vehicle based on the position of an object around the vehicle (step S400). The occupant recognition unit 15 recognizes the vehicle occupant (step S401). The second opening setting unit 14 sets a second opening setting based on the first opening setting and the occupant recognition result (step S402). The opening / closing control unit 12 limits the opening setting for the opening / closing unit of the vehicle based on the first opening setting and the second opening setting (step S403). The output control unit 13 outputs information based on the first opening setting and the second opening setting to the output device (step S404). Note that the steps in FIG. 11 may be executed in an order different from that of the flowchart in FIG. 11 . For example, if step S401 is executed before step S400, the first opening setting for the opening / closing unit of the vehicle can be set in step S400 based on the position of the object around the vehicle as well as the occupant recognition result.

[0062] If the first set opening degree is 60 degrees, the second set opening degree may be set to a smaller value of 30 degrees for a occupant with a large width or thickness, and may be set to a larger value of 55 degrees for a occupant with a small width or thickness. A occupant with a large build may operate the opening / closing unit 20 to open with greater force than a slender occupant. Even in this case, by starting to generate a load on the opening / closing unit 20 well before the first set opening degree is reached, it is more likely to prevent contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 caused by forcibly operating the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0063] Alternatively, if the first set opening degree is 60 degrees, the second set opening degree may be set to a smaller value of 30 degrees if the occupant is recognized as a child, and may be set to a larger value of 55 degrees if the occupant is recognized as an elderly occupant. A child occupant may open the opening / closing unit 20 more vigorously than an elderly occupant. Even in such a case, by starting to apply a load to the opening / closing unit 20 well before the first set opening degree is reached, it is more likely to prevent contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 caused by forcibly opening the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0064] Alternatively, if the first set opening degree is 60 degrees, the second set opening degree may be set to a smaller value of 30 degrees if the occupant is recognized as a male, and may be set to a larger value of 55 degrees if the occupant is recognized as a female. A male occupant may operate the opening / closing unit 20 to open with greater force than a female occupant. Even in this case, by starting to apply a load to the opening / closing unit 20 well before the first set opening degree is reached, it is more likely that contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 caused by forcibly operating the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12 can be prevented.

[0065] In this way, the opening / closing control unit 12 can control the opening / closing unit 20 based on the second set opening degree according to the passenger recognition result, in addition to the first set opening degree, according to the passenger's physical strength, muscle strength, attention level, and other levels, depending on their physique, age, and gender. In the above example, the second set opening degree is set based on each of the passenger's physique, age, and gender, but the recognition results are not limited to the passenger's physique, age, and gender. The second set opening degree may also be set based on the characteristics of objects inside the vehicle, such as the user's belongings. The second set opening degree may also be set by combining multiple recognition results.

[0066] Another example will be shown in which the control device 10 controls the opening / closing unit 20 further based on the result of the occupant recognition by the occupant recognition unit 15.

[0067] In the case of a passenger who is wide or thick, a large load may be generated when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it difficult to open or close the opening / closing unit 20, whereas in the case of a passenger who is narrow or thick, a small load may be generated when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it easy to open or close the opening / closing unit 20. A passenger with a large build may operate the opening / closing unit 20 with a greater force than a slender passenger. Even in such a case, by generating a larger load on the opening / closing unit 20, it is more likely that contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 can be prevented, which would otherwise be caused by forcibly operating the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0068] Alternatively, if the occupant is recognized as a child, a large load may be applied when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it difficult to open or close the opening / closing unit 20, and if the occupant is recognized as an elderly person, a small load may be applied when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it easier to open or close the opening / closing unit 20. A child occupant may open the opening / closing unit 20 more forcefully than an elderly occupant. Even in such a case, applying a larger load to the opening / closing unit 20 increases the likelihood of preventing contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 caused by forcibly opening the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0069] Alternatively, if the gender of the occupant is recognized as male, a large load may be generated when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it difficult to open or close the opening / closing unit 20, and if the gender of the occupant is recognized as female, a small load may be generated when controlling the opening / closing unit 20, making it easier to open or close the opening / closing unit 20. A male occupant may operate the opening / closing unit 20 with a larger force than a female occupant. Even in such a case, by generating a larger load on the opening / closing unit 20, it is more likely that contact with an object 60 (not shown) or damage to the opening / closing unit 20 can be prevented, which would otherwise be caused by forcibly operating the opening / closing unit 20 against the control of the opening / closing control unit 12.

[0070] In this way, the opening / closing control unit 12 can control the opening / closing unit 20 according to the level of physical strength, muscle strength, attention, etc., based on the occupant recognition result in addition to the first set opening degree. In the above example, the load applied to the opening / closing unit 20 is adjusted based on each of the occupant's physique, age, and gender, but the recognition results are not limited to physique, age, and gender. The load applied to the opening / closing unit 20 may be adjusted by combining multiple recognition results.

[0071] 10 shows an example in which the control device 10 controls the output device 30 further based on the passenger recognition result obtained by the passenger recognition unit 15. The control device 10 can set the threshold value α based on the passenger recognition result obtained by the passenger recognition unit 15. The threshold value α is, for example, the minimum opening angle at which a passenger can get on or off the vehicle equipped with the opening / closing unit 20. The passenger recognition unit 15 may recognize the passenger's shoulder width, waist width, and body thickness. For example, when the passenger recognition unit 15 recognizes the passenger's shoulder width, the threshold value α may be the passenger's shoulder width or an angle derived based on the shoulder width. If the passenger's shoulder width is narrow, a small value is set as the threshold value α, and if the passenger's shoulder width is wide, a large value is set as the threshold value α. The passenger recognition unit 15 may also recognize the width of an object. The passenger recognition unit 15 may recognize the size of a passenger's belongings, or may be able to recognize the widths of multiple passengers and multiple belongings. For example, if the passengers are an infant using a stroller and its parent, the passenger recognition unit 15 may recognize the width of the stroller and set the threshold value α based on the stroller width. The passenger recognition unit 15 may recognize and compare the infant's shoulder width, the parent's shoulder width, and the stroller width, and set the threshold value α based on the largest value. The output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output at least one of information indicating that the first set opening angle θ is equal to or greater than the threshold value α or information indicating that the first set opening angle θ is less than the threshold value α. If the first set opening angle θ is 60 degrees and the passenger recognition unit 15 recognizes the passenger's shoulder width and sets the threshold value α to 50 degrees, it is considered that the passenger can get in or out of the vehicle without difficulty by opening the opening / closing unit 20 to the first set opening angle. Therefore, the output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output information indicating that the passenger can get in or out of the vehicle or information prompting the passenger to open the opening / closing unit 20. On the other hand, if the first set opening angle θ is 60 degrees and the passenger recognition unit 15 recognizes the passenger's shoulder width and sets the threshold value α to 70 degrees, it is considered that the passenger will have difficulty getting on or off the vehicle even if the opening / closing unit 20 is opened to the first set opening angle. Therefore, the output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output a message that it will be difficult to get on or off the vehicle or that the passenger should refrain from opening the opening / closing unit 20.Furthermore, even when there is no passenger inside the vehicle, a person outside the vehicle or an object inside the vehicle may be recognized, the threshold value α may be set based on the recognition result, and information based on the first set opening degree and the threshold value α may be output to the output device 30. In this way, by setting the threshold value α based on the recognition result of the user of the vehicle or the object inside the vehicle, and outputting information based on the first set opening degree and the threshold value α to the output device 30, it is possible to notify the user of the vehicle or the object inside the vehicle of appropriate information.

[0072] 10 shows another example in which the control device 10 controls the output device 30 further based on the occupant recognition result obtained by the occupant recognition unit 15. The control device 10 can set the threshold value β based on the occupant recognition result obtained by the occupant recognition unit 15. The threshold value β is, for example, the difference between the first set opening degree and the second set opening degree. Setting the second set opening degree based on the occupant recognition result obtained by the occupant recognition unit 15 is as described above. If the first set opening degree is 60 degrees and the second set opening degree set based on the occupant recognition result is 50 degrees, the threshold value β is set to 10 degrees. If the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 exceeds the second set opening degree, the difference between the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit 20 and the first set opening degree becomes less than 10 degrees. On the other hand, if the first set opening degree is 60 degrees and the second set opening degree set based on the occupant recognition result is 40 degrees, the threshold value β is set to 20 degrees. When the current opening degree of the opening-closing unit 20 exceeds the second set opening degree, the difference between the current opening degree of the opening-closing unit 20 and the first set opening degree becomes less than 20 degrees. The output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree of the opening-closing unit 20 and the first set opening degree θ is less than the threshold value β. By setting the threshold value β to the difference between the first set opening degree and the second set opening degree in this way, the output control unit 13 can start control of the opening-closing unit 20 by the opening-closing control unit 12 and cause the output device 30 to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree of the opening-closing unit 20 and the first set opening degree θ is less than the threshold value β. For example, if a passenger is recognized as being well-built, the second set opening degree is set smaller than when a passenger is recognized as being slender, thereby enabling the opening-closing unit 20 and the output device 30 to be controlled at an earlier timing. In this way, by setting the threshold value β based on the user of the mobile body or an object inside the mobile body and causing the output device 30 to output information based on the threshold value β, it is possible to notify the user of the mobile body or an object inside the mobile body of appropriate information corresponding to the user of the mobile body or an object inside the mobile body.

[0073] As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the opening / closing unit 20 or the output device 30 can be controlled more appropriately depending on the user of the moving body or the object inside the moving body.

[0074] In the above description, the occupant is recognized and the control of the opening / closing unit 20 or the output device 30 is changed, but if data on the occupant's past opening and closing methods is available, the control of the opening / closing unit 20 or the output device 30 may be adjusted based on this data. For example, if the occupant normally opens the door roughly, the setting value of the second set opening degree may be reduced, or strict warning information may be notified.

[0075] In addition, in FIG. 10, the control system 103 has the second opening setting unit 14, but in this embodiment, the second opening setting unit 14 may be omitted.

[0076] Sixth Embodiment The sixth embodiment relates to a case where a moving body has a plurality of opening / closing sections.

[0077] Fig. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a mobile body having a plurality of opening / closing sections. In Fig. 12, the mobile body is a vehicle 51, and the vehicle 51 has at least four swing doors, namely, opening / closing section 20A, opening / closing section 20B, opening / closing section 20C, and opening / closing section 20D. With respect to the vehicle 51, opening / closing section 20A is located on the front right, opening / closing section 20B is located on the rear right, opening / closing section 20C is located on the front left, and opening / closing section 20D is located on the rear left.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a moving body and an object around the moving body. While FIG. 13 illustrates a case in which the moving body is a vehicle 51, the present invention is not limited to this. The moving body may be, for example, a private car, a passenger car, a train, a ship, an airplane, a helicopter, a vehicle with an automatic driving function, a vehicle with a remote driving function, a drone, or a robot. The object 60 is located immediately to the right of the opening / closing unit 20A and to the right in front of the opening / closing unit 20B provided on the vehicle 51. In this case, the first opening setting unit 11 may set the first opening setting of the opening / closing unit 20A to 10 degrees, the first opening setting of the opening / closing unit 20B to 80 degrees, the first opening setting of the opening / closing unit 20C to 90 degrees, and the first opening setting of the opening / closing unit 20D to 90 degrees, for example. The opening / closing control unit 12 controls each of the opening / closing units 20 using each of the first opening setting degrees as an upper limit.

[0079] The minimum opening angle at which a passenger can get on or off the vehicle is the threshold value α, and when the threshold value α is 30 degrees, the first set opening angle of opening-closing section 20A is less than the threshold value α, so even if opening-closing section 20A is opened to the first set opening angle, the passenger cannot get on or off the vehicle through opening-closing section 20A. On the other hand, the first set opening angles of opening-closing sections 20B, 20C, and 20D are equal to or greater than the threshold value α, so if any of opening-closing sections 20B, 20C, and 20D is opened, the passenger can get on or off the vehicle.

[0080] The output control unit 13 causes the output device 30 to output information based on the first set opening degree and the threshold value α for each of the opening / closing units 20. The output control unit 13 may, for example, cause the output device 30 to output information indicating the opening / closing units 20 whose first set opening degree is less than the threshold value α. By notifying the passenger of the information indicating the opening / closing units 20 whose first set opening degree is less than the threshold value α, the passenger can know that they cannot get on or off the notified opening / closing unit 20 without having to open the notified opening / closing unit 20. The output control unit 13 may, for example, cause the output device 30 to output information indicating the opening / closing unit 20 whose first set opening degree is equal to or greater than the threshold value α. By notifying the passenger of the information indicating the opening / closing unit 20 whose first set opening degree is equal to or greater than the threshold value α, the passenger can know that they can get on or off the notified opening / closing unit 20 without having to open the notified opening / closing unit 20.

[0081] Furthermore, the information to be output by the output device 30 may be determined based on the current position of the object 60 and the current position of the passenger.

[0082] An example of determining information to be output by the output device 30 based on the current position of the object 60 will be described. In FIG. 13 , the object 60 is located to the right of the vehicle 51. If the object 60 is an object that is likely to move, such as a person, an animal, or a vehicle carrying a person, the distance between the vehicle 51 and the object 60 may change. In the state of FIG. 13 , even if passengers can get on or off the vehicle 51 through the opening / closing section 20B, if the object 60 moves backward, it may become impossible for passengers to get on or off the vehicle 51 through the opening / closing section 20B. The control device 10 may predict the future position of the object 60 based on the current position of the object 60. If only the first set opening degree of opening / closing section 20A is less than the minimum opening degree at which passengers can board or disembark, and the first set opening degrees of opening / closing sections 20B, 20C, and 20D are each equal to or greater than the minimum opening degree at which passengers can board or disembark, the output control section 13 may, for example, notify information suggesting boarding or disembarking from opening / closing section 20C or opening / closing section 20D, excluding opening / closing section 20B, of the three opening / closing sections 20 at which passengers can board or disembark.

[0083] An example of determining information to be output by the output device 30 based on the current location of each passenger will be described below. When there are multiple passengers, appropriate information may be notified to each passenger based on their current location.

[0084] 14 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a moving body and a passenger. Inside a vehicle 51, a passenger 90 is located near an opening / closing section 20A. When only the first set opening degree of opening / closing section 20A is less than the minimum opening degree at which the passenger can get in or out of the vehicle, and the first set opening degrees of opening / closing sections 20B, 20C, and 20D are equal to or greater than the minimum opening degrees at which the passenger can get in or out of the vehicle, the output control unit 13 may, for example, notify the passenger 90 of information suggesting that the passenger 90 open the opening / closing section 20C, which is closest to the passenger 90's current location among the three opening / closing sections 20 at which the passenger 90 can get in or out of the vehicle, or may notify the passenger 90 of information suggesting that the passenger 90 open the opening / closing section 20B or 20C, excluding the opening / closing section 20D, which is farthest from the passenger 90's current location.

[0085] FIG. 15 is an example of information to be output by the output device 30. In FIG. 15, whether an opening / closing unit 20 should be opened or closed may be indicated by the color brightness, color saturation, hue, or line thickness of the graphic representing the opening / closing unit 20. Whether an opening / closing unit 20 should be opened or closed may be indicated by assigning a predetermined symbol. Information suggesting the opening / closing unit 20 that should be most opened may be displayed. Either or both graphic and text information may be displayed. Instead of displaying all opening / closing units 20, only some of the opening / closing units 20 may be displayed. Information regarding a detected object may be displayed. The above example can be modified as appropriate and applied to outputting other information not shown in FIG. 15. The output method is not limited to the above example.

[0086] As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, it is possible to inform the passenger of the opening / closing section that should be opened.

[0087] Seventh Embodiment The seventh embodiment relates to causing an output device to output information recommending a change in the position of a moving object.

[0088] 16 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of the positional relationship between a moving body and an object around the moving body. In FIG. 16, an object 60 exists around all of the opening / closing sections 20 of a vehicle 51. If the first set opening degrees of all of the opening / closing sections 20 are less than the minimum opening degree that allows passengers to get on or off the vehicle, passengers cannot get on or off the vehicle even if all of the opening / closing sections 20 are opened.

[0089] The output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output information suggesting not to open the opening / closing section 20. The output control unit 13 may cause the output device 30 to output information recommending a change in the position of the mobile object. If the mobile object is a vehicle, the output device 30 may output information suggesting a change in the parking position of the vehicle. A passenger who receives such a notification can know that they cannot get in or out of the mobile object through the opening / closing section 20 without having to open the opening / closing section 20. Alternatively, they can know that they need to change the position of the mobile object to get in or out of the mobile object without having to open the opening / closing section 20 of the mobile object. In FIG. 16 , for example, by reparking the vehicle 51 in a position closer to the object 60A, the distance between the vehicle 51 and the object 60B increases, which may allow passengers to get in or out of the opening / closing section 20A or 20B. Alternatively, by reparking the vehicle 51 in a position with a sufficient distance from both the object 60A and the object 60B, passengers may be able to get in or out of all the opening / closing sections 20.

[0090] In FIG. 16, the vehicle 51 has a plurality of opening / closing sections 20, but this is not limited thereto and the present invention can also be applied to a vehicle having a single opening / closing section 20.

[0091] As described above, according to the seventh embodiment, it is possible to notify the passenger of information recommending that the passenger change the position of the moving object.

[0092] Eighth Embodiment The eighth embodiment relates to the control device 10 further sensing factors that may affect the ease of opening and closing an opening / closing part of a mobile object.

[0093] Fig. 17 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system according to the present disclosure. The control system 104 shown in Fig. 17 further includes a second sensor 85. In the control system 104 shown in Fig. 17, the control device 10 can control the opening / closing unit 20 and the output device 30 based on information acquired from the second sensor 85 that may affect the ease of opening and closing the opening / closing unit 20. The control device 10 may acquire information from a single sensor or from multiple sensors. The second sensor 85 may be, for example, an anemometer or a tilt sensor.

[0094] The control device 10 may acquire information regarding wind direction and wind strength from the second sensor 85. For example, if wind is blowing in the same direction as the opening direction of the opening / closing unit 20, the opening / closing unit 20 may be blown by the wind, causing the opening / closing unit 20 to open wider than intended by the user of the mobile object. In this case, the control device 10 may, for example, control the opening / closing unit 20 to be more difficult to open, or may cause the output device 30 to output information warning the user not to be blown by the wind. Furthermore, for example, if wind is blowing in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the opening / closing unit 20, the opening / closing unit 20 may encounter wind resistance, causing the user of the mobile object to have difficulty opening the opening / closing unit 20. In this case, the control device 10 may, for example, control the opening / closing unit 20 to be more easily opened, or may cause the output device 30 to output information suggesting that the opening operation be performed with greater force. If the mobile object is equipped with multiple opening / closing units 20, the output device 30 may output information indicating an opening / closing unit 20 that is less susceptible to adverse effects from wind among the multiple opening / closing units 20.

[0095] The control device 10 may acquire information regarding the tilt of the mobile object from the second sensor 85. For example, if the mobile object is tilted in a direction that causes gravity to act in the opening direction of the opening / closing unit 20, the opening / closing unit 20 may open to an extent unintended by the user of the mobile object. In this case, the control device 10 may, for example, control the opening / closing unit 20 to make it more difficult to open, or may cause the output device 30 to output information alerting the user to the load caused by gravity. Furthermore, for example, if the mobile object is tilted in a direction that causes gravity to act in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the opening / closing unit 20, the user of the mobile object may experience difficulty opening the opening / closing unit 20. In this case, the control device 10 may, for example, control the opening / closing unit 20 to make it easier to open, or may cause the output device 30 to output information suggesting that the opening operation should be performed with greater force. If the mobile object is equipped with multiple opening / closing units 20, the output device 30 may output information indicating an opening / closing unit 20 of the multiple opening / closing units 20 that is least susceptible to adverse effects due to tilt.

[0096] In addition, the control device 10 may obtain information that may affect the ease of opening and closing the opening / closing section 20 from outside the control system 104, such as from a sensor that the control system 104 does not have, or from the cloud, rather than from the second sensor 85.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the opening / closing unit 20 is mainly a swing door on the side of the vehicle, but the present invention can also be applied to other doors. For example, in the case of a flip-up type tailgate, the indicator indicating the degree of opening of the opening / closing unit 20, such as the first set opening degree and the second set opening degree, may be the flip-up angle of the opening / closing unit 20. In this case, contact with objects located behind or above the vehicle can be prevented. Furthermore, in the case of a double-door type tailgate, contact with objects located behind or to the left or right of the vehicle can be prevented.

[0098] (Hardware Configuration) In each embodiment of the present disclosure, each component of each device is represented by a functional block. Some or all of the components of each device are realized by an arbitrary combination of an information processing device 900 and a program, for example, as shown in Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 900 that realizes each component of each device.

[0099] Each component of each device in each embodiment is realized by the CPU 901 acquiring and executing a program 904 that realizes the function of that component. The program 904 that realizes the function of each component of each device is stored in advance in, for example, the storage device 905 or the ROM 902, and is read by the CPU 901 as needed. The program 904 may be supplied to the CPU 901 via the communication network 909, or may be stored in advance on the recording medium 906, and the drive device 907 may read the program and supply it to the CPU 901.

[0100] Furthermore, this program 904 can display the processing results, including intermediate states, at each stage as necessary on a display device, or can communicate with the outside via a communication interface. Furthermore, this program 904 can be recorded in a computer-readable (non-transitive) storage medium.

[0101] There are various variations in the method of realizing each device. For example, each device may be realized by any combination of a separate information processing device 900 and a program for each component. Furthermore, multiple components of each device may be realized by any combination of a single information processing device 900 and a program. That is, the above-described embodiments can be realized by a computer program that causes the processors installed in these devices to execute the above-described processes using the hardware.

[0102] In addition, some or all of the components of each device may be realized by other general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, etc., or a combination of these. These may be configured by a single chip, or by multiple chips connected via a bus.

[0103] Some or all of the components of each device may be realized by a combination of the above-mentioned circuits and programs.

[0104] When some or all of the components of each device are realized by multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc., the multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be centrally or decentralized. For example, the information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be realized as a client-server system, a cloud computing system, or the like, in a form in which each device is connected via a communication network.

[0105] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to only the above-described embodiments. In other words, those skilled in the art can modify or substitute the above-described embodiments to construct various modified forms without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0106] Furthermore, the features of the first to eighth embodiments described above can be combined to form other embodiments. For example, the control devices 10 of the second and seventh embodiments can be combined to form a control device 10 having a function of causing the output device 30 to output information indicating that the allowable opening degree is less than the threshold value α and a function of causing the output device 30 to output information suggesting a change in the position of the moving object. Furthermore, for example, the control devices 10 of the sixth and fifth embodiments can be combined to form a control device 10 having a function of indicating which opening / closing unit should be opened and a function of limiting the opening degree of the opening / closing unit when the difference between the current opening degree and the allowable opening degree reaches the threshold value β.

[0107] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Supplementary Note 1) A control device comprising: a permissible opening setting means for setting a permissible opening of an opening / closing unit of the mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body; an opening / closing control means for limiting the opening of the opening / closing unit, with the set permissible opening as an upper limit; and an output control means for causing an output device to output information based on the set permissible opening. (Supplementary Note 2) The control device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output at least one of information indicating that the permissible opening is less than a first threshold value and information indicating that the permissible opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value. (Supplementary Note 3) The control device according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output information suggesting a position change of the mobile body when the permissible opening is less than the first threshold value. (Supplementary Note 4) The control device according to Supplementary Note 2 or 3, wherein, when there are, among the plurality of opening / closing units provided in the mobile body, an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening degree is less than the first threshold and an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening degree is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the output control means causes the output device to output information suggesting an opening operation for the opening / closing unit whose allowable opening degree is equal to or greater than the first threshold. (Supplementary Note 5) The control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 4, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output information indicating that a difference between a current opening degree of the opening / closing unit and the allowable opening degree is less than a second threshold. (Supplementary Note 6) The control device according to Supplementary Note 5, wherein the opening / closing control means limits the opening degree of the opening / closing unit when a difference between the current opening degree and the allowable opening degree reaches the second threshold. (Supplementary Note 7) The control device according to any one of Supplements 2 to 6, further comprising occupant recognition means for recognizing an occupant, and the first threshold is set based on the recognized occupant. (Supplementary Note 8) A vehicle equipped with the control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 7. (Supplementary Note 9) A control system comprising: an allowable opening setting unit that sets an allowable opening of an opening / closing unit of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body; an opening / closing control unit that limits the opening of the opening / closing unit with the set allowable opening as an upper limit; and an output control unit that causes an output device to output information based on the set allowable opening.(Supplementary Note 10) A control method comprising: setting an allowable opening degree of an opening / closing part of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body; limiting the opening degree of the opening / closing part with the set allowable opening degree as an upper limit; and outputting information based on the set allowable opening degree to an output device.

[0108] The forms of Supplementary Notes 9 and 10 can be expanded to the forms of Supplementary Notes 2 to 7, similarly to Supplementary Note 1.

[0109] The disclosures of the above-cited patent documents are incorporated herein by reference and may be used as the basis or part of this disclosure, as necessary. Modifications and adjustments of the embodiments and examples are possible within the scope of the entire disclosure (including the claims), and further based on the basic technical concepts thereof. Furthermore, various combinations and selections (including partial deletions) of various disclosed elements (including elements of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible within the scope of the disclosure of this document. In other words, this disclosure naturally includes various modifications and alterations that would be possible by a person skilled in the art in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the claims, and the technical concepts thereof. In particular, with regard to the numerical ranges described herein, any numerical value or subrange within that range should be construed as specifically described, even if not otherwise specified. Furthermore, the disclosures of the above-cited documents, when used in part or in whole in combination with the disclosures herein, as part of the disclosure of this document, in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure, are also deemed to be included in the disclosures of this application.

[0110] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Control device 11 First opening setting unit (allowable opening setting unit, allowable opening setting means) 12 Opening / closing control unit (opening / closing control means) 13 Output control unit (output control means) 14 Second opening setting unit 15 Passenger recognition unit (passenger recognition means) 20 Opening / closing unit 30 Output device 50 Vehicle 51 Vehicle 60 Object 70 Imaging device 80 Sensor 85 Second sensor 90 Passenger 100 Control system 101 Control system 102 Control system 103 Control system 104 Control system 901 CPU (Central Processing Unit) 902 ROM (Read Only Memory) 903 RAM (Random Access Memory) 904 Program 905 Storage device 907 Drive device 908 Communication interface 909 Communication network 910 Input / output interface 911 Bus

Claims

1. A control device comprising: an allowable opening setting means for setting the allowable opening of an opening / closing part of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body; an opening / closing control means for limiting the opening of the opening / closing part with the set allowable opening as an upper limit; and an output control means for outputting information based on the set allowable opening to an output device.

2. The control device described in claim 1, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output at least one of information indicating that the allowable opening is less than a first threshold value and information indicating that the allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output information suggesting a change in the position of the moving body when the allowable opening is less than the first threshold value.

4. A control device as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the output control means causes the output device to output information suggesting the opening operation of an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold when, among the multiple opening / closing units provided on the mobile body, there is an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is less than the first threshold and an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

5. A control device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the output control means causes an output device to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening of the opening / closing section and the allowable opening is less than a second threshold value.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein the opening / closing control means limits the opening of the opening / closing unit when the difference between the current opening and the allowable opening reaches the second threshold value.

7. A control device as described in any one of claims 2 to 6, further comprising an occupant recognition means for recognizing an occupant, wherein the first threshold value is set based on the recognized occupant.

8. A vehicle equipped with a control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A control system comprising: an allowable opening setting unit that sets the allowable opening of an opening / closing unit of a mobile body based on the position of an object around the mobile body; an opening / closing control unit that limits the opening of the opening / closing unit with the set allowable opening as an upper limit; and an output control unit that outputs information based on the set allowable opening to an output device.

10. A control system as described in claim 9, wherein the output control unit causes the output device to output at least one of information indicating that the allowable opening is less than a first threshold value and information indicating that the allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

11. A control system as described in claim 10, wherein the output control unit causes the output device to output information suggesting a change in position of the moving body when the allowable opening is less than the first threshold value.

12. A control system as described in claim 10 or 11, wherein, when there are, among the multiple opening / closing units provided on the mobile body, an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is less than the first threshold value and an opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, the output control unit outputs to the output device information suggesting the opening operation of the opening / closing unit whose allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

13. A control system according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the output control unit causes an output device to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening of the opening / closing unit and the allowable opening is less than a second threshold value.

14. A control system according to claim 13, wherein the opening / closing control unit limits the opening of the opening / closing unit when the difference between the current opening and the allowable opening reaches the second threshold value.

15. A control method comprising: setting an allowable opening degree of an opening / closing part of a moving body based on the position of an object around the moving body; limiting the opening degree of the opening / closing part with the set allowable opening degree as an upper limit; and outputting information based on the set allowable opening degree to an output device.

16. The control method according to claim 15, wherein the output device is caused to output at least one of information indicating that the allowable opening is less than a first threshold value and information indicating that the allowable opening is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

17. The control method according to claim 16, further comprising causing the output device to output information suggesting a change in position of the moving object when the allowable opening is less than the first threshold value.

18. A control method as described in claim 16 or 17, wherein, when, among the multiple opening / closing units provided on the moving body, there are opening / closing units whose allowable opening degree is less than the first threshold value and opening / closing units whose allowable opening degree is equal to or greater than the first threshold value, information suggesting an opening operation for the opening / closing unit whose allowable opening degree is equal to or greater than the first threshold value is output to the output device.

19. A control method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, further comprising causing an output device to output information indicating that the difference between the current opening degree of the opening / closing unit and the allowable opening degree is less than a second threshold value.

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein the opening of the opening / closing unit is limited when the difference between the current opening and the allowable opening reaches the second threshold value.

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