Information processing device

• US 9,881,500 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Satomura, Shota
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Hirdepal
• Application Number:
  US15/282,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20170103653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 340905
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

An information processing device has a display control section and a state detection section. The display control section instructs a display device to display road information regarding a roadway on which a vehicle runs. The display device is arranged inside of the vehicle. The state detection section detects at least one of cases A and B. In the case A, it is detected whether or not the vehicle is in a first state as a roundabout entry motion estimation in which the vehicle will enter a roundabout. In the case B, it is detected whether or not the own vehicle is in a second state in which the own vehicle is running on the roundabout. The display control section reduces information'"'"'s visibility to the driver displayed on the display device when the state detection section detects at least one of the first state and the second state.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising a computer system including a central processing unit configured to provide:

a display control section instructing a display device to display road information on a display window thereof, the road information being regarding a roadway on which an own vehicle is running, the display device being arranged inside of the own vehicle; and

a state detection section detecting occurrence of at least one of cases;

whether or not the own vehicle is in a first state as a roundabout entry motion estimation in which the own vehicle will enter a roundabout, and

whether or not the own vehicle is in a second state in which the own vehicle is running on the roundabout;

wherein the display control section reduce information'"'"'s visibility to the driver of the own vehicle, displayed on the display window of the display device when the state detection section detects occurrence of at least one of the first state and the second state, and

further comprising a behavior detection section detecting the roundabout entry motion estimation of the own vehicle in which the own vehicle approaches and is going to enter the roundabout,

wherein the display control section reduces the information'"'"'s visibility to the driver displayed on the display window of the display device when the state detection section has detected at least one of the first state and the second state, and the behavior detection section has detected the roundabout entry motion estimation of the own vehicle.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the behavior detection section detects occurrence of the roundabout entry motion estimation of the own vehicle when at least one of conditions (i), (ii) and (iii):

(i) a direction indicator of the own vehicle blinks to indicate a direction which coincides with a turn direction of the own vehicle when the own vehicle enters the roundabout;

(ii) a vehicle speed of the own vehicle is not more than a predetermined speed threshold value; and

(iii) a turn amount of the own vehicle is not less than a predetermine turn threshold value.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the display control section instructs the display device to delete the road information from the display window in order to reduce the information'"'"'s visibility to the driver.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising an external information acquiring section detecting a traffic sign representing the roundabout in image data acquired by an in-vehicle camera of the own vehicle, the in-vehicle camera acquiring an external view of the own vehicle,

wherein the state detection section detects occurrence of the first state when the external information acquiring section has detected the presence of the traffic sign representing the roundabout.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the state detection section detects occurrence of the first state of the own vehicle on the basis of:

a current location of the own vehicle obtained by a position detection device; and

a location of the roundabout obtained from an external memory device.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the state detection section detects occurrence of the second state of the own vehicle when a current location of the own vehicle obtained by a position detection device is present on a location of a roundabout obtained from an external memory device.