Vehicular information-processing device and vehicular information-processing method

• US 9,087,445 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Uno, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/007,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/576, 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A vehicular information-processing device and a vehicular information-processing method with which driver operation information can be smoothly linked to learning results are provided. The information-processing ECU learns pieces of operation information, which are obtained in correspondence with various vehicle operations by a driver, in association with the respective spots where the vehicle operations occurred, and, on the basis of the result of learning, provides operation information specific to each spot as driving assistance information. The information-processing ECU determines whether or not the specific operation information provided at the same spot conforms to the driver'"'"'s vehicle operation at the spot, and learns the repeatability of the specific operation information provided at the spot on the basis of the number of times that it is determined that there is conformity or the number of times that it is determined there is no conformity.

Claims

1. A vehicular information-processing device comprising:

an operation information learning section circuit that is configured to learn operation information, which is obtained according to various driver'"'"'s vehicle operations, to correlate the operation information with spots at which the corresponding vehicle operations have been performed, and

an assistance information output section circuit that is configured to provide, as driving assistance information, the operation information specific to the spot based on a result of the learning,

the operation information learning section circuit being configured to perform;

determining whether the operation information specific to the spot provided at a single spot conforms to the driver'"'"'s vehicle operation at the spot or not, and

learning repeatability of the operation information specific to the spot provided at the spot based on the number of times that a determination is made that there is conformity or the number of times that a determination is made that there is no conformity, wherein

the operation information learning section circuit is configured to learn the number of times that the same type of determination is made consecutively, as the number of times that a determination is made that there is conformity or the number of times that a determination is made that there is no conformity is, and wherein

the operation information learning section circuit is configured to change the number of times that the same t s e of determination is made if the spot is a location where the particular vehicle operation is requested, consecutively.

2. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the operation information learning section circuit is configured to make the determination whether or not there is conformity based on whether a difference between the operation information specific to the spot provided in the driving assisting information and the result of the driver'"'"'s vehicle operation falls within an acceptable error range or not.

3. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 2, wherein the operation information learning section circuit is configured to obtain the result of the vehicle operation as a movement result of the vehicle.

4. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 2 wherein the operation information learning section circuit is configured to set the acceptable error for each driver.

5. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the operation information learning section circuit is configured to set the spot as a spot defined by a predetermined range that includes the spot when the operation information was obtained at the spot for the first time.

6. A vehicular information-processing method performed by a vehicular information-processing device including an operation information learning section circuit and an assistance information output section circuit, comprising:

learning operation information by the operation information learning section circuit, which information is obtained according to various driver'"'"'s vehicle operations, to correlate the operation information with spots at which the corresponding vehicle operations have been performed;

providing by the assistance information output section circuit, as driving assistance information, the operation information specific to the spot based on a result of the learning;

determining by the operation information learning section circuit whether the operation information specific to the spot provided at a single spot conforms to the driver'"'"'s vehicle operation at the spot or not;

learning by the operation information learning section circuit repeatability of the operation information specific to the spot provided at the spot based on the number of times that a determination is made that there is conformity or the number of times that a determination is made that there is no conformity;

using by the operation information learning section circuit the number of times that the same type of determination is made consecutively, as the number of times that a determination is made that there is conformity or the number of times that a determination is made that there is no conformity; and

changing by the operation information learning section circuit the number of times that the same type of determination is made consecutively when the spot is a location where the particular vehicle operation is requested.

7. The vehicular information-processing method according to claim 6, wherein the determining includes determining by the operation information learning section circuit whether or not there is conformity based on whether a difference between the operation information specific to the spot provided in the driving assisting information and the result of the driver'"'"' vehicle operation falls within an acceptable error range or not.

8. The vehicular information-processing method according to claim 7, further comprising using by the operation information learning section circuit a movement result of the vehicle as the result of the vehicle operation.

9. The vehicular information-processing method according to claim 7, further comprising setting by the operation information learning section circuit the acceptable error for each driver.

10. The vehicular information-processing method according to claim 6, further comprising setting by the operation information learning section circuit, prior to the determining, the spot as a spot defined by a predetermined range that includes the spot when the operation information was obtained at this spot for the first time.