In-vehicle application selecting system and in-vehicle application selecting device

• US 7,312,724 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Hiroshi, Kozuru, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US11/035,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20050179524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/439, 340/575, 340/576, 180/272
• US Class Current: 340/937
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver

Abstract

Providing a technique in which a picked-up image is given to an appropriate in-vehicle device or application and this device or application is then operated so that a variety of in-vehicle applications can be most suitably operated. According to an output from a sensor for measuring a state of a vehicle, quality of a picked-up image, a state of an occupant or the like is estimated, and based on the estimation results, an in-vehicle application to be executed is selected and executed.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle application selecting system, comprising:

a pick-up device for picking up an image of a vehicle occupant;

a plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, each using an image picked up by the pick-up device to offer a service to the vehicle occupant;

a sensor for measuring a state of a whole or a part of the vehicle; and

a selection device for selecting an in-vehicle application executing device to be operated among the plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, according to an output from the sensor, to operate a selected in-vehicle application executing device.

2. The in-vehicle application selecting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a table storing device for storing a table comprising the sensor output and a corresponding in-vehicle application executing device properly operable using an image of image quality estimated based on the sensor output; and

a control device for selecting from the table the in-vehicle application executing device corresponding to the sensor output, to operate the selected in-vehicle application executing device.

3. The in-vehicle application selecting system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a table storing device for storing a table comprising the sensor output and a corresponding in-vehicle application executing device necessary for a driver'"'"'s state estimated based on the sensor output; and

a control device for selecting from the table an in-vehicle application executing device corresponding to the sensor output, to operate the selected in-vehicle application executing device.

4. The in-vehicle application selecting system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor includes a vibration sensor for measuring vibration of a vehicle, and the table comprises an output from the vibration sensor that indicates vibration equal to or above a prescribed level, and an in-vehicle application executing device properly operable using a blurred image of a face.

5. The in-vehicle application selecting system according to claim 4, wherein the in-vehicle application executing device properly operable using a blurred image of a face is operated by detecting a position of a person'"'"'s face from an inputted image.

6. An in-vehicle application selecting apparatus, comprising:

a device for receiving an image of a vehicle occupant picked up by a pick-up device;

a device for determining a state of the vehicle when the received image of the occupant was picked up, from an output of a sensor for measuring a whole or part of the vehicle; and

a device for selecting an in-vehicle application to be provided with the received image of the occupant, among a plurality of in-vehicle applications each using an image picked up by the pick-up device to offer a service to the occupant, based on the state.

7. A program for making an information processing apparatus execute:

a step of receiving an image of a vehicle occupant picked up by a pick-up device;

a step of determining a state of the vehicle when the received image of the occupant was picked up, from an output of a sensor for measuring a whole or part of the vehicle; and

a step of selecting an in-vehicle application to be provided with the received image of the occupant, among a plurality of in-vehicle applications each using an image picked up by the pick-up device to offer a service to the occupant, based on the state.

8. A program for making an information processing apparatus, installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a pick-up device for picking up an image of a vehicle occupant;

a sensor for measuring a state of a whole or part of the vehicle; and

a plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, each using an image picked up by the pick-up device to offer a service to the vehicle occupant, operable to execute a step of selecting an in-vehicle application executing device to be operated from the plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, according to an output of the sensor for measuring a state of the whole or part of the vehicle, and a a step of operating the selected in-vehicle application executing device.

9. A method for selecting an in-vehicle application, comprising:

a step in which an information processing apparatus receives an image of a vehicle occupant, picked up by a pick-up device;

a step in which the information processing apparatus determines a state of the vehicle when the received image of the occupant is picked up, from an output of a sensor for measuring the whole or part of the vehicle; and

a step in which the information processing apparatus selects an in-vehicle application provided with the received image of the occupant, among the plurality of in-vehicle applications each using an image picked up by the pick-up step to offer a service to the occupant, based on the state.

10. A method for selecting an in-vehicle application, comprising:

a step in which an information processing apparatus, installed in a vehicle, comprises a pick-up device for picking up an image of a vehicle occupant, a sensor for measuring a state of a whole or part of the vehicle, and a plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, each using an image picked up by the pick-up device to offer a service to the vehicle occupant, the information processing apparatus selecting an in-vehicle application executing device to be operated from the plurality of in-vehicle application executing devices, according to an output of the sensor for measuring a state of the whole or part of the vehicle; and

a step in which the information processing apparatus operates the selected in-vehicle application executing device.