Vehicle expression operation control system, vehicle communication system, and vehicle which performs expression operation

• US 6,757,593 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inukai, Akihiro, Kitagawa, Naoto, Humphries, Simon, Mori, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/098,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/49, 315/291, 315/299, 700/31, 700/245, 700/1, 700/19, 700/259, 706/15, 706/62, 706/11, 706/46-48, 382/106, 341/20
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/549 for expressing greetings, gratitude or emotions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

A vehicle expression operation control system and vehicle communication system for performing an expression operation to generate an easily understood expression and a vehicle for performing an expression operation. Condition and other information about a vehicle is detected by an operation information collecting section (12) and detected data collection section (14), and supplied to a reaction formulating section (26). Based on current status information of the vehicle held in a state recognizing section (24), the reaction formulating section (26) formulates a reaction and controls performance of an expression operation corresponding to the formulated reaction. Further, based on the reaction formulated, an operation control section (28) controls operation of respective devices equipped to the vehicle, including lights, antennae, and the like, so that the vehicle performs such expression operation.

Claims

1. A vehicle expression operation control system for controlling an expression operation of a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle condition detecting device for detecting condition of the vehicle, including a state of operation of the vehicle or a state of operation of a device equipped to the vehicle; and

a reaction control device for determining a reaction of the vehicle based on the condition of the vehicle detected by the vehicle condition detecting device to control performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction determined, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

2. The vehicle communication system according to claim 1, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle expression operation control system for controlling an expression operation of a vehicle, comprising:

an occupant condition detecting device for detecting condition of an occupant of the vehicle, including condition of the occupant and a command input by the occupant; and

a reaction control device for determining a reaction of the vehicle based on the condition of the occupant of the vehicle detected by the occupant condition detecting device to control performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction determined, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

4. The vehicle communication system according to claim 3, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle expression operation control system for controlling an expression operation of a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic partner condition detecting device for detecting condition of an electronic partner or a command input given to the electronic partner by an occupant of the vehicle, the electronic partner being placed in the vehicle by the occupant and performing a predetermined motion based on its function for expressing a reaction according to detected external conditions or in response to a command input; and

a reaction control device for determining a reaction of the vehicle based on the condition of the electronic partner detected by the electronic partner condition detecting device to control performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction determined, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

6. The vehicle communication system according to claim 5, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle expression operation control system for formulating a reaction of a vehicle and controlling performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction formulated, comprising:

current status recognition means for recognizing current status of a state, including a reaction, of the vehicle;

vehicle condition detecting means for detecting condition of the vehicle, including a state of operation of the vehicle or a state of operation of a device equipped to the vehicle;

reaction formulating means for formulating a reaction based on the current status of the vehicle recognized by the current status recognition means and according to the condition of the vehicle detected by the vehicle condition detecting means; and

reaction control means for controlling performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction formulated by the reaction formulating means, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

8. A vehicle expression operation control system according to claim 7, further comprising:

occupant condition detecting means for detecting condition of an occupant of the vehicle, including condition of the occupant and a command input by the occupant;

wherein

the reaction formulating means formulates a reaction based on the current status of the vehicle recognized by the current status recognition means and according to the condition of the occupant detected by the occupant condition detecting means.

9. A vehicle communication system comprising the vehicle expression operation control system according to claim 7 and an electronic partner placed in the vehicle by an occupant of the vehicle, for performing a predetermined motion based on its function for expressing a reaction according to a state of outside situation or in response to a command input,

wherein

the vehicle expression operation control system and the electronic partner are able to transmit and receive data between each other.

10. The vehicle communication system according to claim 9, wherein the electronic partner obtains information on the reaction of the vehicle from the vehicle expression operation control system and performs a predetermined motion based on the information obtained.

11. The vehicle communication system according to claim 10, wherein the reaction of the electronic partner is identical to the reaction of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle communication system according to claim 9, wherein

the vehicle expression operation control system obtains a command input to the electronic partner or information concerning an outside situation;

and

the reaction formulating means of the vehicle expression operation control system formulates a reaction of the vehicle based on the command input to the electronic partner or the information concerning an outside situation.

13. The vehicle communication system according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle expression operation control system obtains information on the reaction of the electronic partner;

and

the reaction formulating means of the vehicle expression operation control system formulates the reaction of the vehicle based on the reaction of the electronic partner.

14. The vehicle communication system according to claim 9, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle communication system according to claim 7, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

16. A vehicle expression operation control system for formulating a reaction of a vehicle and controlling performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction formulated, comprising:

current status recognition means for recognizing current status of a state, including a reaction, of the vehicle;

occupant condition detecting means for detecting condition of an occupant of the vehicle, including condition of the occupant and a command input by the occupant;

reaction formulating means for formulating a reaction based on the current status of the vehicle recognized by the current status recognition means and according to the condition of the occupant detected by the occupant condition detecting means; and

reaction control means for controlling performance of an expression operation corresponding to the reaction formulated by the reaction formulating means, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

17. A vehicle communication system comprising the vehicle expression operation control system according to claim 16 and an electronic partner placed in the vehicle by an occupant of the vehicle, for performing a predetermined motion based on its function for expressing a reaction according to a state of outside situation or in response to a command input,

wherein

the vehicle expression operation control system and the electronic partner are able to transmit and receive data between each other.

18. The vehicle communication system according to claim 16, further comprising an output device installed in the vehicle, for outputting information on the reaction or expression operation of the vehicle.

19. A vehicle for performing an expression operation by changing an external appearance of devices equipped to the vehicle based on a condition detected by a condition detecting device, wherein the expression operation corresponds to an expression timing chart to produce a controlled expression state of a plurality of expression states for a controlled time interval.

20. The vehicle for performing an expression operation according to claim 19, further comprising an expression operation assisting member for assisting an expression operation of the devices equipped to the vehicle.