Information processing system, information processing method, and program

• US 10,627,813 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2016
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuji, Masanaga, Mori, Toshiya, Emura, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/567,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0029 Mathematical model of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/007 Switching between manual and automatic parameter input, and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/10 Number of lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 : Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 : Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 : Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 : Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 : Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 : Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 : Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 : from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

An information processing system capable of estimating a driving conduct suited to a driver includes: a history obtainer that obtains a personal driving environment history of each of a plurality of drivers, each of the personal driving environment histories indicating one or more vehicle behaviors selected by the driver, and a driving environment associated with each of the one or more behaviors, the driving environment being a driving environment of the vehicle at a point in time of selection of the behavior it is associated with; and a modeler that models, from a driving environment history including the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers, the personal driving environment history of at least one of the plurality of drivers, to build a driver model indicating a relationship between a behavior and a driving environment for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a history obtainer that obtains a personal driving environment history of each of a plurality of drivers, each of personal driving environment histories indicating one or more behaviors, of a vehicle, selected by a driver, and a driving environment associated with each of the one or more behaviors, the driving environment being a driving environment of the vehicle at a point in time of a selection of a behavior it is associated with;

a modeler that models, from a driving environment history including the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers, the personal driving environment history of at least one of the plurality of drivers, to build a driver model indicating a relationship between the driving environment and a selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers;

an environment obtainer that obtains a driving environment of a vehicle of a target driver that is a target for estimation;

a behavior estimation unit configured to, in the driver model built, estimate an estimated behavior of the target driver, the estimated behavior being associated with the driving environment obtained by the environment obtainer; and

a display unit configured to display a behavior candidate

wherein each of the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers

indicates, for each of the one or more behaviors, of the vehicle, selected by the driver, a first parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment of the vehicle at the point in time of selection of the behavior, and a second parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment at a time a corresponding behavior was displayed as the behavior candidate,

the modeler

models the value of each environment parameter included in the first parameter set and the value of each environment parameter included in the second parameter set indicated in the personal driving environment history of the at least one of the plurality of drivers, to build the driver model indicating a relationship between the first parameter set, the second parameter set, and the selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers,

the environment obtainer

obtains the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation as a parameter set, and

the behavior estimation unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, estimate the estimated behavior of the target driver, the estimated behavior being associated with the first parameter set or the second parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained by the environment obtainer.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the modeler

models similar personal driving environment histories included in the driving environment history for each group of the similar personal driving environment histories, to build the driver model indicating a relationship between the driving environment and the selected behavior for the vehicle for each model driver,

the behavior estimation unit is configured to:

select, from the driver model, a model driver having a relationship, between a selected behavior and a driving environment, that is similar to the personal driving environment history of the target driver that is the target for estimation; and

estimate, in the relationship between the selected behavior and the driving environment of the model driver selected, the estimated behavior of the target driver, the estimated behavior being associated with the driving environment obtained by the environment obtainer.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein

each of the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers

indicates, on a per driving environment basis, a frequency of selection of each of predetermined one or more behaviors in the driving environment, and

the modeler,

on a per driving environment basis, for each of the predetermined one or more behaviors, averages the frequency of selection of each of the predetermined one or more behaviors indicated in the similar personal driving environment histories, to model the similar personal driving environment histories.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the modeler

models, from the driving environment history, a plurality of personal driving environment histories that are similar to the personal driving environment history of the target driver that is the target for estimation, to build the driver model corresponding to the target driver that is the target for estimation.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the behavior estimation unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, preferentially estimate a behavior associated with the first parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained by the environment obtainer, as the estimated behavior of the target driver that is the target for estimation.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the personal driving environment history

indicates driving at one or more types of speeds as the one or more behaviors,

the environment obtainer

obtains, as a parameter set, the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation, at a time the vehicle is driving at an acceleration rate in a predetermined range including zero, continuously for a first period of time,

the behavior estimation unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, estimate driving at a speed associated with the first parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained by the environment obtainer, as the estimated behavior of the target driver that is the target for estimation, and

the information processing system further comprises:

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle to cause the vehicle to drive at the speed estimated by the behavior estimation unit.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the personal driving environment history

indicates driving at one or more types of inter-vehicle distances as the one or more behaviors,

the environment obtainer

obtains, as a parameter set, the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation, at a time an amount of change per unit time in inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and another vehicle is within a predetermined range including zero, continuously for a second period of time,

the behavior estimation unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, estimate driving at an inter-vehicle distance associated with the first parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained by the environment obtainer, as the estimated behavior of the target driver that is the target for estimation, and

the information processing system further comprises:

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle to cause the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation to drive at the inter-vehicle distance estimated by the behavior estimation unit.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the personal driving environment history

indicates driving at one or more types of acceleration rate patterns as the one or more behaviors,

the environment obtainer

obtains, as a parameter set, the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is a target for estimation, at a point in time corresponding to a period from when an absolute value of an acceleration rate of the vehicle exceeds a first threshold until the acceleration rate reaches or drops below a second threshold lower than the first threshold,

the behavior estimation unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, estimate driving in accordance with an acceleration rate pattern associated with the first parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained by the environment obtainer, as the estimated behavior of the target driver that is the target for estimation, and

the information processing system further comprises:

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle to cause the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation to drive in accordance with the acceleration rate pattern estimated by the behavior estimation unit.

9. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a characteristics obtainer that obtains a personal driving characteristic of each of a plurality of drivers, each of the personal driving characteristics indicating one or more behaviors, of a vehicle, implemented by driving by the driver, and a feature amount associated with each of the one or more behaviors, the feature amount being a feature amount of the driving of the vehicle performed to implement the behavior it is associated with; and

a vehicle controller that controls the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation,

wherein the modeler further

models, from driving characteristics including the personal driving characteristics of the plurality of drivers, the personal driving characteristic of at least one of the plurality of drivers, to build a driving characteristics model indicating a relationship between a behavior and a feature amount for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers, and

the vehicle controller,

when any behavior among the one or more behaviors is selected by the driver as a target for implementation or estimated by the behavior estimation unit as a target for implementation,

controls driving of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation in accordance with a feature amount associated with the behavior that is the target for implementation in the driving characteristics model built.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a danger determination unit configured to, for each of the plurality of drivers, obtain a behavior, of the vehicle, selected by the driver and a driving environment of the vehicle at a time of selection of the behavior, and determine, based on a predetermined determination criterion, whether that behavior is dangerous or not.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a dangerous history obtainer that obtains a personal dangerous driving environment history of each of the plurality of drivers; and

a warning processing unit configured to perform a process for warning a driver,

wherein the danger determination unit

is configured to, when a behavior of the vehicle is (a) determined to be not dangerous, output information including the behavior and the driving environment as personal driving information, and when (b) determined to be dangerous, output information including the behavior and the driving environment, as personal dangerous driving information,

the history obtainer

obtains, for each of the plurality of drivers, an information group including a plurality of units of the personal driving information output from the danger determination unit, as the personal driving environment history of the driver,

the dangerous history obtainer

obtains, for each of the plurality of drivers, an information group including a plurality of units of the personal dangerous driving information output from the danger determination unit as the personal dangerous driving environment history of the driver,

the modeler further

models, from a dangerous driving environment history including the personal dangerous driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers, the personal dangerous driving environment history of at least one of the plurality of drivers, to build a dangerous driver model indicating a relationship between a dangerous behavior and a driving environment for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers, and

the warning processing unit

is configured to, in the driver model built, estimate a dangerous behavior associated with the driving environment obtained by the environment obtainer, as a behavior of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation, and execute processing for warning the target driver that is the target for estimation of the estimated dangerous behavior.

14. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notifier that notifies the target driver that is the target for estimation of the behavior estimated by the behavior estimation unit, before the behavior is implemented.

12. An information processing method, comprising:

obtaining a driving environment history including a personal driving environment history of each of a plurality of drivers, each of personal driving environment histories indicating one or more behaviors, of a vehicle, selected by a driver, and a driving environment associated with each of the one or more behaviors, the driving environment being a driving environment of the vehicle at a point in time of a selection of a behavior it is associated with;

building a driver model by modeling the personal driving environment history of at least one of the plurality of drivers included in the driving environment history including the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers, the driver model indicating a relationship between the driving environment and a selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers;

obtaining a driving environment of a vehicle of a target driver that is a target for estimation;

estimating, in the driver model built, an estimated behavior of the target driver, the estimated behavior being associated with the driving environment obtained; and

displaying a behavior candidate,

wherein each of the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers

indicates, for each of the one or more behaviors, of the vehicle, selected by the driver, a first parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment of the vehicle at the point in time of selection of the behavior, and a second parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment at a time a corresponding behavior was displayed as the behavior candidate,

in the building of the driver model

the value of each environment parameter included in the first parameter set and the value of each environment parameter included in the second parameter set indicated in the personal driving environment history of the at least one of the plurality of drivers is modeled to build the driver model indicating a relationship between the first parameter set, the second parameter set, and the selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers,

in the obtaining of the driving environment,

the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation is obtained as a parameter set, and

in the estimating of the estimated behavior of the target driver,

in the driver model built, the estimated behavior of the target driver is associated with the first parameter set or the second parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a computer, the recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for causing the computer to execute:

obtaining a personal driving environment history of each of a plurality of drivers, each of personal driving environment histories indicating one or more behaviors, of a vehicle, selected by a driver, and a driving environment associated with each of the one or more behaviors, the driving environment being a driving environment of the vehicle at a point in time of a selection of a behavior it is associated with;

building a driver model by modeling the personal driving environment history of at least one of the plurality of drivers included in the driving environment history including the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers, the driver model indicating a relationship between the driving environment and a selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers

obtaining a driving environment of a vehicle of a target driver that is a target for estimation;

estimating, in the driver model built, an estimated behavior of the target driver, the estimated behavior being associated with the driving environment obtained; and

displaying a behavior candidate

wherein each of the personal driving environment histories of the plurality of drivers

indicates, for each of the one or more behaviors, of the vehicle, selected by the driver, a first parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment of the vehicle at the point in time of selection of the behavior, and a second parameter set which is a parameter set including each value of at least one environment parameter, as the driving environment at a time a corresponding behavior was displayed as the behavior candidate,

in the building of the driver model

the value of each environment parameter included in the first parameter set and the value of each environment parameter included in the second parameter set indicated in the personal driving environment history of the at least one of the plurality of drivers is modeled to build the driver model indicating a relationship between the first parameter set, the second parameter set, and the selected behavior for the vehicle of the at least one of the plurality of drivers,

in the obtaining of the driving environment,

the driving environment of the vehicle of the target driver that is the target for estimation is obtained as a parameter set, and

in the estimating of the behavior,

in the driver model built, the estimated behavior of the target driver is associated with the first parameter set or the second parameter set that is similar to the parameter set obtained.