Information processing method, information processing device, and information processing program

Abstract

This information processing method for an information processing device includes acquiring the travel environment of a moving body, and subjecting one or more apparatuses included in the moving body to apparatus control for suppressing motion sickness of an occupant of the moving body. Performing the apparatus control includes performing the apparatus control in stages according to the susceptibility to motion sickness of the occupant, said susceptibility being based on the travel environment.

Description

Information processing method, information processing device, and information processing program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to techniques for reducing motion sickness.

[0002] The technology described in Patent Document 1 discloses a mobile device control device that controls the operation of mobile devices mounted on a mobile body. This device includes a situation determination unit that identifies a level of susceptibility to motion sickness in a situation and determines whether the situation makes the occupant susceptible to motion sickness based on the identified level of susceptibility, and a device control unit that controls the mobile device to perform motion sickness prevention operations when it is determined that the occupant is susceptible to motion sickness.

[0003] The technology described in Patent Document 1 controls devices in a manner that is not commensurate with the level of susceptibility to motion sickness, which may result in excessive changes to the in-vehicle environment and ultimately reduce the comfort of the occupants.

[0004] Patent No. 6472169

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can prevent occupants from experiencing motion sickness while ensuring the comfort of the occupants.

[0006] An information processing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method in an information processing device, and includes acquiring the driving environment of a moving body and performing device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, wherein performing the device control includes performing the device control in stages according to the susceptibility of the occupants to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent occupants from experiencing motion sickness while ensuring the comfort of the occupants.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of device control executed by the information processing system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the interior of a vehicle when viewed from the left and right. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the interior of a vehicle when viewed from the back seat. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a content database. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the information processing system. FIG. 7 is an example of a display screen presented to a user operating a user terminal. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of processing to determine a level. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a change prohibition time.

[0009] (Findings underlying the present disclosure) After studying technologies for suppressing motion sickness, the present inventors discovered that there is a trade-off between the magnitude of the motion sickness suppression effect obtained by device control for suppressing motion sickness and the comfort of the occupants. Specifically, the inventors discovered that increasing the intensity of device control for suppressing motion sickness results in a greater motion sickness suppression effect, but increasing the intensity of device control for suppressing motion sickness leads to significant changes in the in-vehicle environment, thereby increasing the likelihood of impairing the comfort of the occupants. From this, the inventors discovered that, in order to ensure the comfort of the occupants, it is important to consider the balance between the level of motion sickness susceptibility in the driving environment and the intensity of device control for suppressing motion sickness. The inventors also discovered that by performing step-by-step device control according to the level of motion sickness susceptibility in the driving environment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of motion sickness in the occupants while ensuring their comfort.

[0010] In contrast, Patent Document 1 does not consider the balance between the level of motion sickness susceptibility in the driving environment and the strength of device control to suppress motion sickness. Specifically, the technology described in Patent Document 1 divides motion sickness susceptibility levels into D, C, B, A, S, and SS. Level D is a comfortable level where motion sickness is unlikely to occur, while levels C, B, A, S, and SS are considered to be levels where the burden on occupants increases and the likelihood of motion sickness increases. Furthermore, the above technology discloses that, to prevent motion sickness, the volume of high and low frequencies output from speakers is reduced, melodies or music data that relieve stress for occupants is played, or the brightness or saturation of the display screen viewed by occupants is reduced. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider implementing these device controls in stages according to the level of motion sickness susceptibility. As a result, device control that is out of proportion to the level of motion sickness susceptibility is performed, which may cause excessive changes to the in-vehicle environment and ultimately impair occupant comfort.

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the following techniques are disclosed.

[0012] (1) An information processing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method in an information processing device, and includes acquiring the driving environment of a moving body and performing device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, wherein performing the device control includes performing the device control in stages according to the susceptibility of the occupants to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

[0013] According to this configuration, the device control is performed in stages according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness based on the driving environment, and the device control is performed to suppress the occupant's motion sickness. In this way, the device control is performed in a manner disproportionate to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness in the driving environment, which can prevent excessive changes in the in-vehicle environment. Therefore, it is possible to suppress motion sickness while ensuring the comfort of the occupant.

[0014] (2) In the information processing method described in (1) above, the method may further include determining to which of a plurality of levels the driving environment belongs according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness, and performing the equipment control may include performing equipment control for suppressing motion sickness in the occupant in stages on one or more devices according to the determined level, which is the determined level.

[0015] According to this configuration, it is determined to which of a plurality of levels the traveling environment of the moving body belongs, according to the traveling environment's susceptibility to motion sickness. Then, stepwise device control is performed according to the determined level, to suppress motion sickness in the occupants. In this way, device control is performed that is disproportionate to the traveling environment's susceptibility to motion sickness, thereby suppressing excessive changes in the in-vehicle environment. Therefore, it is possible to suppress motion sickness while ensuring the comfort of the occupants.

[0016] (3) In the information processing method described in (2) above, performing the device control may include performing control to improve the occupant's visibility of the external environment of the moving body.

[0017] A discrepancy between the visual information and balance information of passengers can cause motion sickness. In other words, a discrepancy between the sensations felt through vision and the sense of movement caused by driving can cause motion sickness. Specifically, when passengers are reading, watching video content, or operating an information processing device such as a smartphone in a situation where it is difficult to see the scenery outside the vehicle, a discrepancy is likely to occur between the visual information and balance information, making motion sickness more likely to occur.

[0018] According to the above configuration, by controlling the devices to suppress motion sickness, the visibility of the occupant to the external environment of the moving body can be improved. In this way, it is possible to suppress the discrepancy between the visual information and the balance sense information of the occupant, and therefore it is possible to effectively suppress the occurrence of motion sickness in the occupant.

[0019] (4) In the information processing method described in (2) or (3) above, the degree of device control may differ for each of the multiple levels, and performing the device control may include increasing the degree of device control as the decision level becomes higher.

[0020] According to this configuration, the degree of device control can be increased as the decision level becomes higher. In this way, it is possible to more reliably prevent device control that is disproportionate to the likelihood of motion sickness in the driving environment. This makes it possible to more reliably ensure user comfort.

[0021] (5) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (4) above, performing the device control may include varying at least one of the number and type of the one or more devices that are the subject of the device control for each of the multiple levels.

[0022] With this configuration, at least one of the number and type of devices to be controlled varies for each of the multiple levels, so that the mode of device control can be reliably changed for each of the multiple levels, thereby more reliably realizing stepwise device control according to the decision level.

[0023] (6) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (5) above, the one or more devices may include one or more shading devices that are provided on the mobile body and can be controlled to open and close, and controlling the device may include controlling the opening and closing of the one or more shading devices to vary the degree of opening and closing for each of the multiple levels.

[0024] According to this configuration, since a light blocking member that can be controlled to open and close is used, the visibility of the outside of the moving body can be easily adjusted.

[0025] (7) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (6) above, the one or more devices may include a display device provided on the mobile body and having a screen whose transparency can be controlled, and controlling the device may include controlling the transparency of the screen to vary the transparency of the screen for each of the multiple levels.

[0026] According to this configuration, a display device having a screen whose transparency can be controlled is used, so that the visibility of the outside of the moving body can be easily adjusted.

[0027] (8) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (7) above, the one or more devices may include at least one or more shading devices provided on the mobile body that can be controlled to open or close, and a display device provided on the mobile body that has a screen that can control the transmittance, and controlling the devices may include increasing at least one of the types and number of the devices to be controlled in a predetermined order as the decision level becomes higher.

[0028] According to this configuration, as the decision level increases, at least one of the types and number of devices increases in a predetermined order, so that the effect of suppressing motion sickness can be improved more reliably as the decision level increases.

[0029] (9) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (8) above, the method may further include determining the predetermined order so that the visibility of the moving body relative to the external environment improves as the determination level increases.

[0030] According to this configuration, the predetermined order is determined so as to improve the visibility of the external environment of the moving body. Then, when device control for motion sickness prevention is performed, at least one of the types and number of devices to be controlled increases according to this predetermined order. In this way, the visibility of the external environment of the moving body can be more reliably improved in accordance with an increase in the determination level.

[0031] (10) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (9) above, acquiring the running environment of the moving body may include acquiring the magnitude of shaking of the moving body, and determining the level to which the running environment belongs may include evaluating the magnitude of the shaking.

[0032] According to this configuration, it is possible to determine the level to which the driving environment belongs by utilizing the magnitude of the shaking occurring in the moving body, and therefore it is possible to more accurately determine the level to which the driving environment belongs.

[0033] (11) In the information processing method described in (10) above, determining the level to which the driving environment belongs may include evaluating the magnitude of the shaking based on at least any of the acceleration of the moving body in the forward / backward direction, which is the direction along the moving body's direction of travel, the acceleration of the moving body in the left / right direction perpendicular to the forward / backward direction, the acceleration of the moving body in the up / down direction perpendicular to each of the forward / backward direction and the left / right direction, and the vibration frequency of the moving body.

[0034] With this configuration, any of the acceleration of the moving body in the forward / backward direction, the acceleration of the moving body in the left / right direction, the acceleration of the moving body in the up / down direction, and the vibration frequency of the moving body are used, thereby making it possible to more accurately evaluate the magnitude of the shaking.

[0035] (12) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (11) above, acquiring the driving environment of the moving body may include acquiring the driving position of the moving body, and determining the level to which the driving environment belongs may include evaluating the susceptibility of the occupant to motion sickness on the driving route on which the moving body is driving, based on the driving position.

[0036] According to this configuration, it is possible to determine the level to which the driving environment belongs by utilizing the sickness susceptibility of the road, so that the level to which the driving environment belongs can be determined more accurately.

[0037] (13) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (12) above, the mobile body may be provided with a display device that displays one or more contents, and may further include correcting the decision level depending on the type of the content.

[0038] With this configuration, the decision level can be corrected depending on the type of content. For example, when content that is likely to cause motion sickness is displayed on the display device, the decision level can be corrected to be higher, and when content that is unlikely to cause motion sickness is displayed on the display device, the decision level can be corrected to be lower. As a result, it is possible to perform device control that is more suited to the in-vehicle environment.

[0039] (14) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (13) above, the method may further include determining whether the decision level has changed from a first level to a second level, and if it is determined that the decision level has changed to the second level, obtaining the elapsed time since starting equipment control corresponding to the first level, and determining whether the elapsed time exceeds a reference time, and performing the equipment control may include restricting the performance of the equipment control corresponding to the second level if it is determined that the elapsed time does not exceed the reference time.

[0040] When a vehicle is traveling in an area where the driving environment changes frequently, the decision level may change frequently. In this case, the device control mode also changes frequently, which may cause discomfort to the passengers.

[0041] According to the above configuration, when the determination level changes from the first level to the second level, if the elapsed time since the start of the device control corresponding to the first level does not exceed the reference time, the execution of the device control corresponding to the second level is restricted. This prevents frequent changes in the device control mode, thereby reducing discomfort to the occupants.

[0042] (15) In the information processing method described in any one of (2) to (14) above, the mobile body is provided with a display device that displays one or more contents, and further includes determining whether the decision level has changed from a first level to a second level, and if it is determined that the decision level has changed to the second level, determining whether the content is a predetermined type of content, and performing the device control may include restricting the performance of the device control corresponding to the second level if it is determined that the content is a predetermined type of content.

[0043] With regard to certain types of content, such as content that is a favorite of the occupant or content that leads the occupant to a certain state by immersing the occupant in the content, it is undesirable for the manner in which the equipment control for preventing motion sickness is changed to interfere with the occupant's immersion in the content.

[0044] According to the above configuration, when a predetermined type of content is displayed on the display device, even if the determination level changes from the first level to the second level, the execution of device control corresponding to the second level is restricted. This prevents the mode of device control for preventing motion sickness from changing and disrupting the occupant's immersion in the content.

[0045] Furthermore, the present disclosure can be realized not only as an information processing method that executes the characteristic processes described above, but also as an information processing device having a characteristic configuration corresponding to the characteristic processes executed by the information processing method. Furthermore, the present disclosure can also be realized as a computer program that causes a computer to execute the characteristic processes included in such an information processing method. Therefore, the same effects as those of the above information processing method can also be achieved in the following other aspects.

[0046] (16) Another aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device that includes a processor, which acquires the driving environment of a moving body and performs device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, and when performing the device control, the processor performs the device control in stages according to the occupant’s susceptibility to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

[0047] (17) An information processing program according to yet another aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to acquire the driving environment of a moving body and perform device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, and when performing the device control, causes the device control to be performed in stages according to the susceptibility of the occupants to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

[0048] The present disclosure can also be realized as an information processing system operated by such an information processing program. Needless to say, such a program can be distributed on a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM, or via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0049] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, components, steps, and order of steps 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 an independent claim that represents a top-level concept will be described as optional components. Furthermore, in all embodiments, the respective contents can be combined.

[0050] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 includes an information processing device 10 and a vehicle 100.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of device control executed by the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, when the vehicle 100 is traveling on a mountain road, i.e., in an environment where motion sickness is likely to occur, the information processing system 1 performs device control to suppress motion sickness. For example, the information processing system 1 increases the degree of opening and closing (opening degree) of the curtains 21 and the shading screen 41 provided on the vehicle 100 and increases the transmittance of the transparent display 31. This improves visibility outside the vehicle 100 and suppresses motion sickness. On the other hand, when the vehicle 100 is traveling on an ordinary road, i.e., in an environment where motion sickness is unlikely to occur, the information processing system 1 refrains from performing device control to suppress motion sickness. For example, the information processing system 1 closes the curtains 21 and the shading screen 41 and decreases the transmittance of the transparent display 31. This reduces visibility outside the vehicle 100 and promotes immersion in the video content displayed on the transparent display 31.

[0052] The vehicle 100 is an example of a moving body. The vehicle 100 is, for example, a passenger car. However, the vehicle 100 may also be a bus, a taxi, or the like. Alternatively, the moving body may be a ship, an airplane, or the like. The device control for suppressing motion sickness in the occupants may be device control for improving external visibility, as well as device control related to sound playback, air conditioning, and fragrance emission.

[0053] In the following description, the direction along the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 is referred to as the front-rear direction. In particular, the direction in which the vehicle 100 moves forward is referred to as the front, and the direction in which the vehicle 100 moves backward is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is referred to as the up-down direction, and the directions perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the up-down direction are referred to as the left-right direction.

[0054] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the interior of the vehicle 100 when viewed from the left and right. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the interior of the vehicle 100 when viewed from a rear seat 92 provided in the vehicle 100. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the vehicle 100 includes a front seat 91, a rear seat 92, a plurality of curtains 21 (Fig. 4), a transparent display 31, and a light-shielding screen 41 (Fig. 3).

[0055] The front seats 91 are seats including, for example, a driver's seat. The rear seats 92 are seats disposed behind the front seats 91. In this embodiment, passengers of the vehicle 100 sit in the rear seats 92.

[0056] Multiple curtains 21 ( FIG. 4 ) are arranged near the windows of the vehicle 100. Each of the multiple curtains 21 includes a rail (not shown) installed along the window of the vehicle 100, multiple runners attached to the rail, curtain fabric suspended by the multiple runners, and a curtain motor for moving the multiple runners. The multiple runners move along the rail when driven by the curtain motor. Accordingly, the curtain fabric moves to cover or expose the window. That is, the curtain 21 opens and closes. When the curtain fabric covers the window (when the curtain 21 is closed), visibility outside the vehicle 100 is reduced. When the curtain fabric exposes the window (when the curtain 21 is open), visibility outside the vehicle 100 is improved. The degree of opening and closing of each of the multiple curtains 21 is controlled by a curtain control unit 20, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 4 , the vehicle 100 according to this embodiment includes two curtains 21. However, this is merely an example, and the number of curtains 21 can be changed as appropriate. The curtains 21 are an example of one or more devices and one or more shading devices that can be controlled to open and close.

[0057] The transparent display 31 is a rectangular, plate-like transparent member. The transparent display 31 is, for example, a transparent organic EL display. The transparent display 31 is an example of one or more devices and a display device.

[0058] The transparent display 31 has a screen 32 whose light transmittance (one example of transmittance) is controlled by a display device control unit 30 ( FIG. 1 ), which will be described later. The screen 32 has a constant light transmittance of, for example, 80% or more, 90% or more, or 100%. When the light transmittance of the screen 32 is set high, the visibility of the outside of the vehicle 100 is improved. On the other hand, when the light transmittance of the screen 32 is set low, the visibility of the outside of the vehicle 100 is reduced. The screen 32 displays video content to passengers seated in the rear seats 92 under the control of the display device control unit 30 ( FIG. 1 ).

[0059] A light-controlling film may be attached to the transparent display 31. For example, the light-controlling film may be attached to a rear surface 33 of the transparent display 31, which is provided on the opposite side of the screen 32 in the front-to-rear direction. This light-controlling film may adjust the light blocking rate (an example of transmittance) of the rear surface 33 under the control of the display device control unit 30 ( FIG. 1 ).

[0060] The transparent display 31 is disposed in a position between the rear seat 92 of the vehicle 100 and the light-shielding screen 41 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the transparent display 31 is disposed in the above position so that the screen 32 of the transparent display 31 and the scenery in the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 overlap when viewed from an occupant sitting in the rear seat 92, and so that the longitudinal direction of the transparent display 31 is aligned with the left-right direction.

[0061] Alternatively, a projector may be provided at the upper rear portion of the rear seat 92 of the vehicle 100, and the transparent display 31 may be made of semi-transparent glass. In this case, the projector may project video content onto the screen 32 of the glass under the control of the display device control unit 30 (FIG. 1), thereby displaying the video content on the screen 32.

[0062] The shading screen 41 is a roll screen configured to allow the shading sheet 43 to be rolled up. The shading screen 41 is disposed behind the front seats 91 and in front of the transparent display 31. In other words, as viewed from an occupant sitting in the rear seat 92, the transparent display 31 is disposed on the near side and the shading screen 41 is disposed on the far side. The shading screen 41 is an example of one or more devices and a display device.

[0063] The shading screen 41 includes a winding unit 42 and a shading sheet 43. The winding unit 42 is disposed in front of the upper end of the transparent display 31. The winding unit 42 moves the sheet-shaped shading sheet 43 in the up-down direction. Specifically, the winding unit 42 includes a motor (not shown) controlled by a screen control unit 40 (described later) and a winding shaft 410 that rotates around an axis parallel to the left-right direction by the motor. The motor rotates the winding shaft 410, causing the shading sheet 43 to move in the up-down direction. The shading sheet 43 is a sheet-shaped member whose longitudinal direction is longer than the longitudinal direction of the transparent display 31 and whose lateral direction is also longer than the lateral direction of the transparent display 31. The shading sheet 43 has a constant shading rate of 100% (complete shading) or 95% or more.

[0064] 3 shows a state in which the shading sheet 43 is pulled out below the winding shaft 410 of the winding section 42. In other words, this shows a state in which the shading screen 41 is closed. In this state, light is prevented from traveling from the front of the shading screen 41 to the rear of the shading screen 41. As a result, the occupants' visibility of the environment outside the vehicle 100 is reduced.

[0065] 4 shows a state in which the sheet-like shading sheet 43 is completely wound up on the winding portion 42. In other words, it shows the shading screen 41 in a fully open state. In this state, light is allowed to travel from the front of the shading screen 41 to the rear of the shading screen 41. If the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 is set high in this state, occupants sitting in the rear seats 92 can see the front seats 91. In addition, they can see the scenery outside the vehicle 100 through the window provided in front of the front seats 91. In other words, occupants' visibility of the external environment is improved.

[0066] Note that the above devices are merely examples, and the types and number of devices provided in the vehicle 100 are not limited to the above examples. For example, the vehicle 100 may further include a sunroof that can be controlled to open and close. The sunroof is an example of one or more devices, and is an example of a shading device. The number of each device provided in the vehicle 100 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the vehicle 100 may be provided with a greater or lesser number of curtains 21, transparent displays 31, and shading screens 41.

[0067] Returning to Fig. 1 , the information processing device 10 will be described. The information processing device 10 is configured, for example, by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that is installed in the vehicle 100 and controls the overall operation of the vehicle 100. However, this is merely an example, and the information processing device 10 may also be configured by an external server including one or more computers that can remotely communicate with the vehicle 100. The information processing device 10 is an example of a computer.

[0068] The information processing device 10 includes a processor 11 and a memory 12. The processor 11 includes a central processing unit (CPU). The memory 12 includes semiconductor memory such as a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM).

[0069] The processor 11 includes an acquisition unit 111 and a device control unit 112. The acquisition unit 111 and the device control unit 112 are realized by the processor 11 executing an information processing program 121 stored in the memory 12. The acquisition unit 111 and the device control unit 112 may be configured as dedicated hardware circuits such as ASICs.

[0070] The acquisition unit 111 acquires driving environment information that indicates the driving environment of the vehicle 100. The driving environment information includes vibration information and driving position information.

[0071] The shaking information is information indicating the magnitude of shaking of the vehicle 100. The shaking information includes acceleration data and vibration frequency data. The acceleration data includes at least one of acceleration in the front-to-rear direction, acceleration in the left-to-right direction, and acceleration in the up-to-down direction of the vehicle 100. The vibration frequency data includes information indicating the frequency (vibration frequency) of shaking of the vehicle 100. The acceleration data and vibration frequency data are acquired by an acceleration sensor 51 provided in the vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 111 communicates with the acceleration sensor 51 via the communication unit 13 and acquires the acceleration data and vibration frequency data, thereby acquiring the shaking information.

[0072] The traveling position information includes current location information and traveling route information. The current location information is information indicating the coordinates of the current location of the vehicle 100. The coordinates are expressed by, for example, latitude and longitude. The current location information is acquired by the GPS sensor 52 provided in the vehicle 100. The acquisition unit 111 acquires the current location information by communicating with the GPS sensor 52 via the communication unit 13.

[0073] The driving path information indicates the type of driving path on which the vehicle 100 is currently traveling. Examples of the driving path types include "mountain road," "general road," and "urban road." The acquisition unit 111 according to this embodiment acquires the driving path information from a map database (not shown) stored in the memory 12. The map database stores various types of geographical information, such as maps, place names, altitudes, building names, traffic volume, and weather conditions. In this map database, the driving path information is stored in association with coordinates. The acquisition unit 111 acquires the driving path information associated with the coordinates of the current location based on the current location information. That is, the acquisition unit 111 determines whether the driving path on which the vehicle 100 is currently traveling is a mountain road, a general road, or an urban road by referring to the map database using the current location information as a key. Note that the types of driving paths are not limited to the above examples, and more types may be stored in the map database.

[0074] The acquisition unit 111 also acquires user attribute information from the user input unit 60. The user input unit 60 is configured by a portable information processing terminal such as a smartphone or laptop computer owned by the occupant. However, the user input unit 60 may also be configured by an information processing terminal such as an operation panel provided in the vehicle 100. The occupant inputs user attribute information through the user input unit 60.

[0075] The user attribute information is information indicating the attributes of the occupant (user) and includes an occupant ID for identifying the occupant and occupant sickness susceptibility information indicating the occupant's susceptibility to sickness. The occupant sickness susceptibility information is information self-reported by the occupant. The occupant selects (inputs) a category that applies to them from three categories, for example, "prone to sickness," "normal," and "not prone to sickness." In addition, the user attribute information may include the occupant's gender, age, height, physical condition, etc. The user attribute information is input via the user input unit 60, and the user attribute information accepted by the user input unit 60 is acquired by the acquisition unit 111 via the communication unit 13.

[0076] The acquisition unit 111 also acquires setting information that the occupant inputs to the user input unit 60 to set the in-vehicle environment. This setting information includes, for example, a lock setting that specifies whether to lock (restrict) a function that executes device control for preventing motion sickness, a playback setting that specifies whether to play video content while the vehicle 100 is traveling, and a type setting that specifies the type of video content that the occupant desires to play on the transparent display 31.

[0077] The device control unit 112 performs device control in stages according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness based on the driving environment. Specifically, the device control unit 112 determines which of a plurality of levels according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness the driving environment of the vehicle 100 belongs to. More specifically, the device control unit 112 determines a motion sickness susceptibility level indicating the susceptibility to motion sickness in the driving environment in which the vehicle 100 is traveling, based on the driving environment information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. The motion sickness susceptibility level is an index indicating the susceptibility to motion sickness in the driving environment, and is divided into four levels, for example, from level L1 to level L4. A low motion sickness susceptibility level (a small numerical value for the motion sickness susceptibility level) indicates a driving environment that is less likely to cause motion sickness in the occupant. On the other hand, a high motion sickness susceptibility level (a large numerical value for the motion sickness susceptibility level) indicates a driving environment that is more likely to cause motion sickness in the occupant. Hereinafter, the motion sickness susceptibility level determined by the device control unit 112 will be referred to as the determined level.

[0078] The device control unit 112 performs stepwise device control of one or more devices provided in the vehicle 100 to suppress occupant motion sickness, depending on the determination level. Specifically, the device control unit 112 according to the present embodiment performs stepwise device control by transmitting predetermined control signals to the curtain control unit 20, the display device control unit 30, and the screen control unit 40. Each of the curtain control unit 20 and the screen control unit 40 includes a drive circuit that converts the control signal received from the device control unit 112 into a physical operation, and uses this drive circuit to control the opening and closing degrees (opening degrees) of the multiple curtains 21 and the shading screen 41. The display device control unit 30 sets the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 based on the control signal received from the device control unit 112.

[0079] In the present embodiment, performing device control for motion sickness prevention includes performing control for improving the occupant's visibility of the environment outside the vehicle 100. That is, the device control unit 112 changes the opening degrees of the multiple curtains 21 and the light blocking screen 41, or changes the light transmittance of the transparent display 31, depending on the determination level, thereby gradually improving the visibility of the environment outside the vehicle 100.

[0080] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the degree of device control performed by the device control unit 112 on the multiple curtains 21, the transparent display 31, and the light-shielding screen 41 varies for each of the multiple motion sickness susceptibility levels. The device control performed by the device control unit 112 includes increasing the degree of device control as the determined level increases. That is, in the present embodiment, the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21 and the light-shielding screen 41 gradually increases as the motion sickness susceptibility level increases. For example, when the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be Level 1, it sets the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21 to 50% (half open), and when the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be Level L2 or higher, it sets the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21 to 100% (fully open). Furthermore, for example, the device control unit 112 sets the degree of opening / closing of the light-shielding screen 41 to 0% (fully closed) when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L1 or level L2, and sets the degree of opening / closing of the light-shielding screen 41 to 100% (fully open) when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L3 or higher. Furthermore, for example, the device control unit 112 sets the light transmittance of the screen 32 of the transparent display 31 to 0% when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be any of levels L1 to L3, and sets the light transmittance of the screen 32 of the transparent display 31 to 100% when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L4.

[0081] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the device control unit 112's device control for reducing motion sickness includes varying at least one of the number and type of devices to be controlled for each of a plurality of motion sickness susceptibility levels. For example, when the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L1 or level L2, the device control unit 112 controls only the plurality of curtains 21. When the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L3, the device control unit 112 controls, for example, the plurality of curtains 21 and the light-blocking screen 41. Furthermore, when the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L4, the device control unit 112 controls, for example, the plurality of curtains 21, the transparent display 31, and the light-blocking screen 41. In this way, the device control unit 112 changes the type of devices to be controlled for each of a plurality of levels. Furthermore, the device control unit 112 may change the number of devices to be controlled for each of a plurality of levels. For example, when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L1 or level L2, some of the curtains 21 may be controlled, and when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L3 or level L4, all of the curtains 21 may be controlled. Furthermore, the device control unit 112 may change both the number and type of devices to be controlled for each of the multiple levels.

[0082] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the device control unit 112's device control for motion sickness prevention includes increasing at least one of the types and number of devices to be controlled in a predetermined order as the determination level increases. In particular, the device control unit 112 according to the present embodiment determines the predetermined order so that the visibility of the external environment of the vehicle 100 improves as the determination level increases. For example, the device control unit 112 increases the types of devices to be controlled in the following order: the curtains 21, the light-shielding screen 41, and the transparent display 31. Specifically, for motion sickness susceptibility levels L1 and L2, the curtains 21 are the control targets; for motion sickness susceptibility level L3, the curtains 21 and the light-shielding screen 41 are the control targets; and for motion sickness susceptibility level L4, the curtains 21, the transparent display 31, and the light-shielding screen 41 are the control targets. Increasing the devices to be controlled in this order can improve the visibility of the external environment of the vehicle 100 as the determination level increases. However, the above order is merely an example, and the order can be changed as appropriate as long as the order improves visibility as the determination level increases.

[0083] The device control unit 112 may also increase the number of devices to be controlled in a predetermined order. For example, if the vehicle 100 is equipped with four curtains 21, four transparent displays 31, and four shading screens 41, one curtain 21, one transparent display 31, and one shading screen 41 may be controlled at motion sickness susceptibility level L1; four curtains 21, one transparent display 31, and one shading screen 41 may be controlled at motion sickness susceptibility level L2; four curtains 21, four shading screens 41, and one transparent display 31 may be controlled at motion sickness susceptibility level L3; and four curtains 21, four transparent displays 31, and four shading screens 41 may be controlled at level L4. In this way, the number of devices to be controlled may be increased in a predetermined order. The device control unit 112 may also increase both the number and types of devices to be controlled in a predetermined order.

[0084] The device control unit 112 may determine the order based on the magnitude of the sickness suppression effect, for example, as follows: X1: 100% transmittance of the transparent display 31, the light-shielding screen 41 fully open, and the multiple curtains 21 fully open, X2: 0% transmittance of the transparent display 31, the light-shielding screen 41 fully open, and the multiple curtains 21 fully open, X3: 0% transmittance of the transparent display 31, the light-shielding screen 41 fully closed, and the multiple curtains 21 fully open (or half open), and normal state: 0% transmittance of the transparent display 31, the light-shielding screen 41 fully closed, and the multiple curtains 21 fully closed.

[0085] The order of magnitude of the sickness suppression effect is assumed to be "X1>X2>X3>normal".

[0086] In this case, the equipment control unit 112 may determine the order so that the multiple curtains 21 are the first control target, the shading screen 41 is the second control target, and the transparent display 31 is the third control target.

[0087] In addition, as a variant, the device control unit 112 may determine the order so that the curtains 21 with the smallest anti-sickness effect are the first to be controlled, the transparent display 31 with the second smallest anti-sickness effect is the second to be controlled, and the shading screen 41 with the largest anti-sickness effect is the third to be controlled.

[0088] In this embodiment, since the transparent display 31 is provided in front of the shading screen 41, when the shading screen 41 is fully closed, changing the transmittance of the transparent display 31 does not change the appearance, and the magnitude of the sickness suppression effect does not change either. Therefore, as described above, the order may be determined so that the shading screen 41 is the second control target and the transparent display 31 is the third control target.

[0089] The memory 12 includes an information processing program 121 , a content storage unit 122 , a user attribute information storage unit 123 , and a user setting storage unit 124 .

[0090] The information processing program 121 is read into the processor 11 to cause the processor 11 to function as the device control unit 112 and the acquisition unit 111 .

[0091] The content storage unit 122 stores video data of various video contents, and also stores a content database DB in which information relating to various video contents is stored.

[0092] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the content database DB. As shown in Fig. 5, the content database DB includes a column C1 for category, a column C2 for type, a column C3 for the presence or absence of a device control section, and a column C4 for a motion sickness susceptibility coefficient.

[0093] The category column C1 stores information indicating the category of the video content. As shown in Fig. 5, the categories of the video content include "mode switching," "work environment," "entertainment," and "information guidance."

[0094] The type column C2 stores information indicating the type of video content. The video content types include "power reset," "creativity," "concentration," "relaxation," "online conference," "PC mirroring," "sports," and "tourist information." Power reset is video content (video program) that helps occupants switch their minds to the next task (e.g., work). Power reset is composed of a series of phases, for example, a relaxation phase, a sleep phase, and a wakefulness phase. In the relaxation phase, videos (e.g., nature videos) are played to relax the occupants' minds. In the sleep phase, videos are played to lull the occupants to sleep. In the wakefulness phase, videos are played to wake the occupants up. However, this is merely an example, and power reset may be composed of more or fewer phases, and the order and purpose of each phase can be changed as appropriate. "creativity" is video content that helps occupants perform creative tasks in the car. "concentration" is video content that helps occupants mentally concentrate in the car. "relaxation" is video content that helps occupants relax in the car. "Online conference" refers to video content that is played when a passenger holds an online conference in the vehicle. "PC mirroring" refers to video content that is projected onto the transparent display 31 by an information processing terminal, such as a laptop PC, operated by a passenger, executing a so-called mirroring function. "Tourist information guide" refers to video content that introduces tourist spots located around the destination of the vehicle 100, for example.

[0095] The column C3 for presence or absence of device control section stores information indicating whether or not the video content includes a device control section.

[0096] The device control section is a predetermined section of the playback time of the video content during which the device control unit 112 executes device control for preventing motion sickness. Also, sections of the playback time of the video content other than the device control section are hereinafter referred to as non-control sections. During the non-control sections, the device control unit 112 does not execute device control for preventing motion sickness.

[0097] 5, in column C3 indicating whether or not there is a device control section, the word "yes" is written for video content that includes a device control section, and the word "no" is written for video content that does not include a device control section. Note that if the video content does not include a device control section, that is, if the entire playback time of the video content is set as a non-control section, the device control unit 112 will not execute device control for sickness prevention until playback of the video content is completed.

[0098] When a video content includes multiple phases, such as a video content for power reset, information indicating whether or not each phase includes a device control section may be stored in the column C3 indicating whether or not the phase includes a device control section. For example, in the video content for power reset, information indicating that the relax phase includes a device control section, the sleep phase does not include a device control section, and the wake phase includes a device control section may be stored. In the example shown in Figure 5, such information is expressed as "yes / no / yes."

[0099] The occupant may set whether or not the video content includes a device control section. For example, the occupant may operate the user input unit 60 to input a setting regarding whether or not to include a device control section in the "creative" video content. In this case, the occupant may set the start and end points of the device control section. For example, if the "creative" video content has a total playback time of 60 minutes, the occupant may set the first 30 minutes from the start of playback as a device control section, and the remaining 30 minutes as a non-control section.

[0100] The motion sickness susceptibility coefficient column C4 stores information indicating the motion sickness susceptibility coefficient of the video content. The motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is a numerical value used to correct the motion sickness susceptibility level. The more likely a video content is to cause motion sickness, the higher (larger) the motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is set. For example, for video content such as "sports" that tends to play images with rapid changes and is likely to cause motion sickness in occupants, a value of "2" is set. On the other hand, for video content such as "tourist information" that tends to play images with relatively gentle changes and is unlikely to cause motion sickness in occupants, a value of "1" is set. Note that if the video content includes multiple phases, such as a power reset video content, a motion sickness susceptibility coefficient may be set for each phase. For example, the motion sickness susceptibility coefficient may be set to "2" in the relaxation phase and wakefulness phase, and to "1" in the sleep phase. Note that these numerical values ​​are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0101] The light-blocking / non-light-blocking column C5 stores information indicating whether the vehicle interior state in the non-control section is a light-blocking state or a non-light-blocking state. As described above, in the non-control section, the equipment control unit 112 does not execute equipment control for sickness prevention. Furthermore, in the non-control section, the equipment control unit 112 may maintain either a light-blocking state or a non-light-blocking state. Specifically, in the non-control section, the equipment control unit 112 may control the opening degrees of the curtains 21 and the light-blocking screen 41 to 0% and the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 to 0%. A state in which the opening degrees of the curtains 21 and the light-blocking screen 41 are controlled to 0% (fully closed state) and the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 is controlled to 0% is referred to as a light-blocking state. Furthermore, in the non-control section, the equipment control unit 112 may control the opening degrees of the curtains 21 and the light-blocking screen 41 to greater than 0% and the transmittance of the transparent display 31 to greater than 0%. A state in which the opening degrees of the curtains 21 and the light-shielding screen 41 are controlled to be greater than 0% and the transmittance of the transparent display 31 is controlled to be greater than 0% is called a non-light-shielding state.

[0102] Whether the state inside the vehicle in the non-controlled section is to be a darkened state or a non-lightened state is defined for each video content.

[0103] 5 stores the word "shaded" for video content that causes the interior of the train to be shaded in the non-controlled section, and stores the word "non-shaded" for video content that causes the interior of the train to be non-shaded in the non-controlled section. For example, for video content that causes the interior of the train to be non-shaded in the non-controlled section, such as video content providing tourist information, the word "non-shaded" is stored.

[0104] The user may also set whether the interior of the vehicle is shaded or unshaded in the non-controlled section. In this case, the words "User Set" are stored in the shade / unshaded column C5.

[0105] Furthermore, if the video content does not include a non-control section, the light blocking / non-light blocking column C5 is left blank (indicated as "-" in FIG. 5).

[0106] Furthermore, when the video content includes multiple phases, such as the video content of a power reset, information indicating whether the interior of the vehicle will be in a light-shielded state or a non-light-shielded state for each phase may be stored in the light-shielded / non-light-shielded column C5.

[0107] The user attribute information storage unit 123 stores the user attribute information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. The user setting storage unit 124 stores the setting information acquired by the acquisition unit 111.

[0108] The communication unit 13 is a communication interface that enables communication between the information processing device 10 and each device provided in the vehicle 100 via wired communication or wireless communication.

[0109] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed in the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0110] In step S1, the acquisition unit 111 acquires user attribute information, such as an occupant ID for identifying an occupant and occupant motion sickness susceptibility information indicating the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness.

[0111] In step S2, the acquisition unit 111 acquires setting information from the user input unit 60. Specifically, in step S2, the occupant inputs to the user input unit 60 a lock setting that specifies whether to lock (restrict) a function that executes device control for motion sickness prevention, a playback setting that specifies whether to play video content while the vehicle 100 is traveling, a type setting that specifies the type of video content that the occupant wants to play on the transparent display 31, and the like. Then, the acquisition unit 111 acquires this setting information from the user input unit 60.

[0112] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen 200 presented to an occupant operating the user input unit 60 (e.g., a smartphone). The occupant inputs a lock setting through the display screen 200. As shown in FIG. 7, the display screen 200 includes a curtain setting area AR1, a display setting area AR2, and a light-shielding screen setting area AR3. The curtain setting area AR1 includes a first button B1, the display setting area AR2 includes a second button B2, and the light-shielding screen setting area AR3 includes a third button B3. The occupant switches the lock setting of each device on or off by operating these buttons. When the lock setting of a specific device is set to on, the device control unit 112 excludes the specific device from the device control targets for sickness prevention. On the other hand, when the lock setting is set to off, the device control unit 112 includes the specific device as the device control target for sickness prevention.

[0113] In step S3, the device control unit 112 starts playing the video content on the transparent display 31. Specifically, the device control unit 112 plays the video content designated by the occupant in step S2 on the transparent display 31.

[0114] In step S4, the device control unit 112 determines whether or not a lock setting is in effect. Specifically, it determines whether or not the lock setting is on for all of the multiple curtains 21, the transparent display 31, and the light-blocking screen 41. If the lock setting for all of the devices is on, the device control unit 112 determines YES in step S4. In this case, the processing ends. On the other hand, if the lock setting for at least one of the devices is off, the device control unit 112 determines NO in step S4. In this case, the processing proceeds to step S5. That is, the device control unit 112 determines whether the device control function for sickness prevention is enabled or disabled. If it is disabled (YES in step S4), the processing ends. If it is enabled (NO in step S4), the processing proceeds to step S5.

[0115] In step S5, the device control unit 112 determines whether the video content is currently playing a device control section. As described above, the device control section is a predetermined section of the playback time of the video content, during which the device control unit 112 executes device control for motion sickness prevention. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the content storage unit 122 stores the start and end times of the device control section in each piece of video content. For example, for a piece of video content related to "power reset," it is stored that the playback time from 0 minutes 0 seconds to 14 minutes 59 seconds is a device control section, the playback time from 15 minutes 0 seconds to 44 minutes 59 seconds is a non-control section, and the playback time from 45 minutes to 60 minutes 0 seconds is a device control section. In addition, for a piece of video content related to "sports," the content storage unit 122 stores information such as the entire playback time from the start to the end of playback being a device control section.

[0116] In step S5, if the device control unit 112 determines that the video content is currently playing the device control section (YES in step S5), the process proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if the device control unit 112 determines that the video content is not currently playing the device control section (NO in step S5), the process proceeds to step S14.

[0117] In step S6, the acquisition unit 111 acquires driving environment information indicating the driving environment of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the acquisition unit 111 acquires the driving position information and the shaking information.

[0118] In step S7, the device control unit 112 determines whether shaking of the vehicle 100 has been detected based on the shaking information acquired by the acquisition unit 111 in step S6. The device control unit 112 detects shaking based on the measurement values ​​of the acceleration sensor 51. For example, if the acceleration sensor 51 measures acceleration in any direction, the device control unit 112 determines that shaking has been detected (YES in step S7). In this case, the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, if the device control unit 112 has not measured acceleration in all directions, for example, if the acceleration in all directions is 0, the device control unit 112 determines that shaking has not been detected (NO in step S7). In this case, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0119] In step S8, the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process for determining the motion sickness susceptibility level.

[0120] In step S81, the device control unit 112 evaluates the magnitude of the shaking based on the shaking information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. The device control unit 112 according to this embodiment evaluates the magnitude of the shaking based on the acceleration of the vehicle 100 in the forward / backward direction, the acceleration of the vehicle 100 in the left / right direction, the acceleration of the vehicle 100 in the up / down direction, and the vibration frequency of the vehicle 100. Specifically, the device control unit 112 calculates a shaking score, which is an index indicating the magnitude of the shaking, based on this information.

[0121] In step S81, the device control unit 112 first analyzes the acceleration data of the vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction. Then, the device control unit 112 determines whether the acceleration changes from positive to negative, or vice versa, within a certain period of time with a frequency equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold. If the acceleration changes with a frequency equal to or greater than the first threshold, the device control unit 112 determines that the vehicle 100 has suddenly stopped or started in the longitudinal direction, and adds one point to the sway score.

[0122] Next, the device control unit 112 analyzes the acceleration data of the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction. Then, the device control unit 112 determines whether the acceleration changes from positive to negative, or vice versa, within a certain period of time with a frequency equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold. If the acceleration changes with a frequency equal to or greater than the second threshold, the device control unit 112 determines that the vehicle 100 has suddenly stopped or started in the left-right direction, and adds another point to the sway score.

[0123] Next, the device control unit 112 analyzes the acceleration data of the vehicle 100 in the vertical direction and determines whether the amplitude at a specific frequency exceeds a predetermined third threshold. If the amplitude at the specific frequency exceeds the third threshold, the device control unit 112 evaluates that the vehicle 100 is swaying in the vertical direction (pitch swaying) and adds another point to the sway score.

[0124] Next, the device control unit 112 analyzes the frequency data to determine whether low-frequency vibrations are present. For example, the device control unit 112 uses a band-pass filter to extract low-frequency components in the range of, for example, 0.2 Hz to 0.5 Hz and determines whether the amplitude of these frequency components exceeds a predetermined fourth threshold. If the amplitude exceeds the fourth threshold, the device control unit 112 determines that low-frequency vibrations are present and adds one more point to the vibration score. For example, the fourth threshold is set to 0.5 m / s².

[0125] The device control unit 112 then calculates the total value of the shaking scores. The total value of the shaking scores is used to calculate the motion sickness susceptibility level. Details will be described in step S85.

[0126] In step S81, the device control unit 112 may further determine whether the vehicle 100 is shaking irregularly. For example, the device control unit 112 may calculate a standard deviation to evaluate the variability of the acceleration data. Then, the device control unit 112 may determine whether the standard deviation indicates a value higher than a predetermined fifth threshold. If the standard deviation indicates a value higher than the fifth threshold, it may be determined that irregular movement exists, and one point may be added to the shaking score.

[0127] In step S82, the device control unit 112 evaluates the likelihood of motion sickness on the road based on the driving position information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. Specifically, the device control unit 112 calculates a road score, which is an index indicating the likelihood of motion sickness on the road, based on the road information included in the driving position information.

[0128] In step S82, the device control unit 112 refers to the driving path information included in the driving position information acquired by the acquisition unit 111. As described above, the driving path information is information indicating the type of driving path on which the vehicle 100 is currently traveling. For example, if the acquisition unit 111 acquires "mountain road" as the driving path information, that is, if the vehicle 100 is traveling on a mountain road, the device control unit 112 evaluates the driving path score as 2 points. Furthermore, if the acquisition unit 111 acquires "urban road" as the driving path information, the device control unit 112 evaluates the driving path score as 1 point. Note that when the vehicle 100 is traveling on an urban road, the vehicle 100 may repeatedly decelerate or stop to prevent a collision accident. In other words, the vehicle 100 may be more likely to shake. For this reason, urban roads can be considered a driving environment in which occupants are more likely to experience car sickness. Furthermore, if the acquisition unit 111 acquires "general road" as the driving path information, the device control unit 112 evaluates the driving path score as 0 points. The road score is used to calculate the level of likelihood of motion sickness, as will be described in detail in step S85.

[0129] In step S83, the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility coefficient of the video content being played on the transparent display 31. As described above, the motion sickness susceptibility coefficient of the video content (hereinafter referred to as the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient) is stored in column C4 of the content database DB ( FIG. 5 ). For example, suppose the transparent display 31 is playing a video content titled "Sports." In this case, the device control unit 112 references the content database DB to determine that the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is 2. Also, suppose the transparent display 31 is playing a video content titled "Tourist Information." In this case, the device control unit 112 references the content database DB to determine that the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is 1. Also, suppose the transparent display 31 is playing a video content titled "Power Reset" (relaxation phase). In this case, the device control unit 112 determines that the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is 2.

[0130] In step S84, the device control unit 112 determines a coefficient indicating the occupant's own susceptibility to motion sickness (hereinafter referred to as the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient) based on the user attribute information. For example, if the occupant selects the "prone to motion sickness" category when inputting user attribute information into the user input unit 60, the device control unit 112 sets the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient to "2." If the occupant selects the "normal" category, the device control unit 112 sets the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient to "1." If the occupant selects the "not prone to motion sickness" category, the device control unit 112 sets the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient to "0.5."

[0131] In step S85, the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level. First, the device control unit 112 calculates the following equation (1).

[0132] L = (p1 + p2) × p3 × p4 ... Equation (1) In equation (1), L represents the motion sickness susceptibility level. p1 represents the total value of the swaying scores. p2 represents the roadway score. p3 represents the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient. p4 represents the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient. For example, assume that the total value of the swaying scores p1 is 1 point. Also, assume that the vehicle 100 is traveling on a mountain road and the roadway score p2 is 2 points. Also, assume that the relaxation phase of the power reset video content is being played and the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient is 2. Also, assume that the occupant selects the "not susceptible to motion sickness" category as user attribute information and the device control unit 112 sets the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient to 0.5. In this case, the device control unit 112 calculates "L = (1 + 2) × 2 × 0.5" to determine that the motion sickness susceptibility level L is 3. Based on this calculation result, the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to level L3.

[0133] As described above, the motion sickness susceptibility level according to this embodiment is divided into four levels, from level L1 to level L4. Therefore, when a value smaller than 1 is calculated as a result of calculating formula (1), the device control unit 112 may determine the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L1. Furthermore, when a value greater than 4 is calculated as a result of calculating formula (1), the device control unit 112 may determine the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L4.

[0134] The method for determining the level of susceptibility to motion sickness described here is merely an example, and the level of susceptibility to motion sickness may be determined by any appropriate method.

[0135] In the above example, the motion sickness susceptibility level is calculated based on the sway score, the roadway score, the first motion sickness susceptibility coefficient, and the second motion sickness susceptibility coefficient. However, the motion sickness susceptibility level may be determined using only some of these. For example, the motion sickness susceptibility level may be determined based only on the sway score. Alternatively, the motion sickness susceptibility level may be determined based only on the roadway score.

[0136] Returning to FIG. 6, in step S9, the device control unit 112 executes device control according to the determination level.

[0137] When the device control unit 112 according to the present embodiment determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L1, it transmits a control signal to the curtain control unit 20 to set the opening degrees of the plurality of curtains 21 to 50% (half open). Upon receiving this control signal, the curtain control unit 20 drives a curtain motor (not shown) to set the opening degree of each of the plurality of curtains 21 to 50%.

[0138] When the equipment control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L2, it transmits a control signal to the curtain control unit 20 to set the opening degree of each of the multiple curtains 21 to 100% (fully open).

[0139] Note that when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L1 or level L2, the device control unit 112 according to this embodiment does not include the transparent display 31 and the light-shielding screen 41 in the control targets. That is, the device control unit 112 does not send control signals to the display device control unit 30 and the screen control unit 40. In this case, the display device control unit 30 sets the light transmittance to, for example, 0%. Furthermore, the screen control unit 40 sets the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41 to, for example, 0%. That is, at motion sickness susceptibility levels L1 and L2, the display device control unit 30 does not allow light to pass through the transparent display 31, and the screen control unit 40 does not open the light-shielding screen 41.

[0140] When the equipment control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L3, it transmits a control signal to the curtain control unit 20 to set the opening degree of each of the multiple curtains 21 to 100% (fully open). Furthermore, the equipment control unit 112 transmits a control signal to the screen control unit 40 to set the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41 to 100%. Upon receiving this control signal, the screen control unit 40 sets the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41 to 100%.

[0141] When the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L3, the device control unit 112 according to the present embodiment does not include the transparent display 31 in the control targets. In this case, the display device control unit 30 sets the light transmittance of the screen 32 of the transparent display 31 to, for example, 0%.

[0142] When the equipment control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to be level L4, it transmits a control signal to the curtain control unit 20 to set the opening degree of each of the multiple curtains 21 to 100% (fully open). The equipment control unit 112 also transmits a control signal to the screen control unit 40 to set the opening degree of the light-blocking screen 41 to 100%. Furthermore, the equipment control unit 112 transmits a control signal to the display device control unit 30 to set the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 to 100%. Upon receiving this control signal, the display device control unit 30 sets the light transmittance of the screen 32 of the transparent display 31 to 100%.

[0143] In step S10, the device control unit 112 determines whether the change prohibition time (an example of a reference time) has elapsed. Specifically, the device control unit 112 determines whether the time that has elapsed since the start of the processing in step S9 is longer than the change prohibition time. The change prohibition time is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 minutes. If the change prohibition time has elapsed (YES in step S10), the processing proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the change prohibition time has not elapsed (NO in step S10), the processing returns to step S9. In other words, the device control unit 112 continues the device control that started in step S9 until the change prohibition time has elapsed.

[0144] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the change prohibition time. The horizontal axis T in FIG. 9 represents the time axis. Furthermore, time point T1 in FIG. 9 represents the time when the device control related to step S9 is started. T2 in FIG. 9 represents the time when the change prohibition time (e.g., 5 minutes) ends. T3 in FIG. 9 represents the time when the decision level changes. Hereinafter, the decision level before the change will be referred to as the first level, and the decision level after the change will be referred to as the second level. Note that the example shown in FIG. 9 assumes a situation in which the video content "power reset" is being played on the transparent display 31.

[0145] For example, suppose that at time T1 in Fig. 9 , the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to level L1 (an example of a first level) and starts device control according to this determined level. Now, suppose that the vehicle 100 starts traveling on a mountain road, for example, and at the timing shown as time T2 in Fig. 9 , the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to level L4 (an example of a second level). In this case, the device control unit 112 continues device control according to the motion sickness susceptibility level L1 until the change prohibition time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed. Then, at the timing when the change prohibition time has elapsed, i.e., the timing shown as time T3 in Fig. 9 , the device control unit 112 starts device control according to level L4.

[0146] 6 , if no shaking is detected (NO in step S7), in step S11, the device control unit 112 executes device control for when no shaking is detected. For example, the device control unit 112 sets the opening degree of the curtains 21 to 0%, the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 to 0%, and the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41 to 0%.

[0147] In step S12, the device control unit 112 determines whether the change prohibition time has elapsed. That is, it determines whether the time that has elapsed since the start of the process in step S11 has exceeded the change prohibition time. If the change prohibition time has elapsed (YES in step S12), the process proceeds to step S13. If the change prohibition time has not elapsed (NO in step S12), the process returns to step S11.

[0148] In step S13, the device control unit 112 determines whether the device control period has ended. If the device control period has ended (YES in step S13), the process proceeds to step S14. If the device control period has not ended (NO in step S13), the process returns to step S6.

[0149] In step S14, the device control unit 112 determines whether the playback of the video content has finished. If the playback of the video content has finished (YES in step S14), the process ends. If the playback of the video content has not finished (NO in step S14), the process returns to step S6.

[0150] As described above, in the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment, the device control mode changes in stages depending on the level of susceptibility to motion sickness. Specifically, the device control unit 112 of the information processing system 1 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to, for example, level L1 or level L2 in an environment where the occupant is unlikely to experience motion sickness, and determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to, for example, level L3 or level L4 in an environment where the occupant is likely to experience motion sickness. When the device control unit 112 determines the motion sickness susceptibility level to level L1 or level L2, the device control unit 112 reduces the intensity of the device control. For example, the device control is limited to increasing the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21. This limits changes in the in-vehicle environment, thereby reducing discomfort to the occupant. Furthermore, when the occupant is watching video content, it is possible to reduce the loss of the occupant's immersion in the video content. Furthermore, increasing the opening degree of the curtains 21 improves visibility outside the vehicle 100, thereby reducing the occupant's motion sickness. On the other hand, if the sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L3 or level L4, the device control unit 112 increases the intensity of device control. For example, in addition to increasing the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21, the device control unit 112 also increases the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 and the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41. This more reliably prevents the occupant from experiencing motion sickness. As a result, the occupant can be prevented from experiencing discomfort associated with motion sickness. Therefore, the information processing system 1 can prevent motion sickness while ensuring the comfort of the occupant.

[0151] The present disclosure can employ the following modifications.

[0152] (1) It is not essential to play video content on the transparent display 31. When not playing video content on the transparent display 31, the device control unit 112 may refer to the non-playback setting in step S5 of Fig. 6. The non-playback setting is a setting that specifies whether or not to perform control for reducing motion sickness when the transparent display 31 does not play video content.

[0153] If the non-playback setting specifies that control for preventing motion sickness be performed when the transparent display 31 is not playing video content, the device control unit 112 proceeds to step S6. In this case, in step S13, the device control unit 112 determines whether the vehicle 100 has arrived at the destination. Then, the processes from step S6 to step S12 are repeated until the vehicle 100 has arrived at the destination. Then, when the vehicle 100 has arrived at the destination, the process ends.

[0154] On the other hand, if the non-playback settings specify that no control for suppressing motion sickness is performed when the transparent display 31 is not playing video content, the device control unit 112 terminates the processing.

[0155] (2) In the previous embodiment, an example was described in which the types of devices to be controlled were increased so that visibility improved as the determination level increased. However, the device control unit 112 may increase at least one of the number and type of devices to be controlled in a predetermined order without considering visibility. For example, when the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L1, multiple curtains 21 may be controlled. When the motion sickness susceptibility level is determined to be level L2, a speaker (not shown) installed in the vehicle 100 may be included in the devices to be controlled. At the motion sickness susceptibility level L2, the device control unit 112 may then play music with a stress-reducing effect through the speaker. Note that stress is generally known to cause motion sickness. Therefore, playing music with a stress-reducing effect can suppress motion sickness. The vehicle 100 may also be equipped with an air conditioning device (not shown), a fragrance emitting device (not shown), or the like that emits fragrances such as aromas. The device control unit 112 may include these air conditioning devices and fragrance emitting devices in the devices to be controlled. The device control unit 112 may control an air conditioner to blow air or adjust the temperature inside the vehicle in order to prevent occupants from feeling sick. The device control unit 112 may also control a fragrance emitting device to emit a fragrance that has a stress-reducing effect.

[0156] (3) The acquisition unit 111 may further acquire information indicating whether the road on which the vehicle 100 is currently traveling is a curved road. Whether the road is a curved road may be determined, for example, based on whether the radius of curvature of the road is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. If the road on which the vehicle 100 is currently traveling is a curved road, the device control unit 112 may add a specific number (for example, 1 point) to the sway score in step S81.

[0157] (4) After the process of step S9 in FIG. 6 and before starting the process of S10, a process may be performed to determine whether the decision level has changed. If the decision level has changed, the process may proceed to step S10. On the other hand, if the decision level has not changed, the process may return to step S9. In other words, the device control started in step S9 may be continued until the decision level changes. Only when the decision level has changed may the process proceed to step S10.

[0158] Then, in step S10, it may be determined whether the elapsed time since the start of the processing in step S9 has exceeded a change prohibition time (an example of a reference time). That is, it may be determined whether the elapsed time since the start of device control corresponding to the first level (the level before the change) has exceeded the change prohibition time. If the elapsed time does not exceed the change prohibition time, device control corresponding to the second level (the level after the change) may be restricted. In this case, device control corresponding to the first level may be maintained until the elapsed time exceeds the change prohibition time.

[0159] (5) If step S13 is determined to be NO and the process returns to step S6, the device control unit 112 may determine whether the motion sickness susceptibility level has changed, instead of the processes of steps S7 and S8. That is, the device control unit 112 may determine whether the decision level has changed from the first level to the second level. Then, if it is determined that the decision level has changed from the first level to the second level, the device control unit 112 may determine whether the video content being played on the transparent display 31 is a predetermined type of content. Specifically, the device control unit 112 may determine whether the video content includes a device control section or does not include a device control section. If video content not including a device control section is being played, i.e., if the video content is a predetermined type of content, the device control unit 112 may restrict the device control corresponding to the second level. That is, even if the motion sickness susceptibility level has changed from the first level to the second level, if the video content currently being played on the transparent display 31 is a type of video content that does not include a device control section, the device control unit 112 does not perform the device control corresponding to the second level. In this case, the device control unit 112 continues the device control corresponding to the first level. Alternatively, the device control unit 112 sets the opening degree of the multiple curtains 21 to 0%, sets the light transmittance of the transparent display 31 to 0%, and sets the opening degree of the light-shielding screen 41 to 0%.

[0160] (6) Depending on the determination level, the device control unit 112 may increase the opening degree of the sunroof instead of increasing the opening degree of the curtain 21 or at the same time as increasing the opening degree of the curtain 21.

[0161] (7) The vehicle 100 may include a smart window whose transparency can be switched by electrical control. The device control unit 112 may control the transparency of the smart window according to the determination level in order to reduce motion sickness in the occupants.

[0162] The technology according to the present disclosure is useful in the technical field of suppressing motion sickness.

Claims

1. An information processing method in an information processing device, comprising: acquiring the driving environment of a moving body; and performing device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, wherein performing the device control includes performing the device control in stages according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

2. The information processing method of claim 1, further comprising determining to which of a plurality of levels the driving environment belongs according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness, and performing the device control includes performing device control for suppressing motion sickness in the occupant in stages on one or more devices according to the determined level, which is the determined level.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2, wherein the device control includes control for improving the occupant's visibility of the external environment of the vehicle.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3, wherein the degree of device control differs for each of the plurality of levels, and performing the device control includes increasing the degree of device control as the decision level becomes higher.

5. The information processing method according to claim 3, wherein performing the device control includes varying at least one of the number and type of the one or more devices that are the subject of the device control for each of the plurality of levels.

6. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more devices include one or more shading devices that are provided on the moving object and can be controlled to open or close, and the device control includes controlling the opening and closing of the one or more shading devices to vary the degree of opening or closing for each of the plurality of levels.

7. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more devices include a display device provided on the mobile body and having a screen whose transparency can be controlled, and the device control includes controlling the transparency of the screen to vary the transparency of the screen for each of the plurality of levels.

8. The information processing method of claim 5, wherein the one or more devices include at least one or more shading devices provided on the mobile body that can be controlled to open or close, and a display device provided on the mobile body that has a screen whose transmittance can be controlled, and controlling the devices includes increasing at least one of the types and number of the devices to be controlled in a predetermined order as the decision level becomes higher.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, further comprising determining the predetermined order so that the visibility of the moving object in the external environment improves as the determination level increases.

10. The information processing method according to claim 2, wherein acquiring the running environment of the moving body includes acquiring the magnitude of shaking of the moving body, and determining the level to which the running environment belongs includes evaluating the magnitude of shaking.

11. The information processing method of claim 10, wherein determining the level to which the driving environment belongs includes evaluating the magnitude of the shaking based on at least any of the acceleration of the moving body in the forward / backward direction, which is the direction along the moving body's direction of travel, the acceleration of the moving body in the left / right direction perpendicular to the forward / backward direction, the acceleration of the moving body in the up / down direction perpendicular to each of the forward / backward direction and the left / right direction, and the vibration frequency of the moving body.

12. The information processing method of claim 2, wherein acquiring the driving environment of the moving body includes acquiring the driving position of the moving body, and determining the level to which the driving environment belongs includes evaluating the susceptibility of the occupant to motion sickness on the driving route on which the moving body is traveling based on the driving position.

13. The information processing method according to claim 2, wherein the mobile object is provided with a display device that displays one or more pieces of content, and further includes correcting the decision level according to the type of the content.

14. The information processing method of claim 2, further comprising: determining whether the decision level has changed from a first level to a second level; and, if it is determined that the decision level has changed to the second level, acquiring the elapsed time since starting equipment control corresponding to the first level; and determining whether the elapsed time exceeds a reference time; and performing the equipment control includes restricting the performance of the equipment control corresponding to the second level if it is determined that the elapsed time does not exceed the reference time.

15. The information processing method of claim 2, wherein the mobile body is equipped with a display device that displays one or more contents, and further includes: determining whether the decision level has changed from a first level to a second level; and, if it is determined that the decision level has changed to the second level, determining whether the content is a predetermined type of content; and performing the device control includes restricting the performance of the device control corresponding to the second level if it is determined that the content is a predetermined type of content.

16. An information processing device including a processor, wherein the processor acquires the driving environment of a moving body, and performs device control on one or more devices equipped on the moving body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the moving body, and when performing the device control, the processor performs the device control in stages according to the susceptibility of the occupants to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

17. An information processing program that causes a computer to acquire the driving environment of a mobile body, and to perform device control on one or more devices equipped on the mobile body to suppress motion sickness in occupants of the mobile body, and when performing the device control, causes the device control to be performed in stages according to the occupant's susceptibility to motion sickness based on the driving environment.

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