Information presentation control apparatus, autonomous vehicle, and autonomous-vehicle driving support system

• US 10,496,889 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Yasunori, Kozuka, Kazuki, Fujimura, Ryota
• Primary Examiner(s): Ansari, Tahmina N
• Application Number:
  US15/482,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20170300762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• 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: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0215 Sensor drifts or sensor failures
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/53 Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0027 : using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0055 : only part of driving tasks shifted to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 : specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 : using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/82 : using neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 : structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/96 : Management of image or video recognition tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

An information presentation control apparatus includes a selection information obtainer and a presentation controller. The selection information obtainer obtains selection information representing a selection status of a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of an autonomous vehicle. The presentation controller causes a presentation device mounted in the autonomous vehicle to present driving information in accordance with the selection information, the driving information being based on at least one of control that is executable by the autonomous vehicle and control that is not executable by the autonomous vehicle and being information about at least one of driving by an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle and driving by a driver.

Claims

1. An information presentation control apparatus, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory that stores an instruction, the apparatus further comprising, as a configuration when the processor executes the instruction stored in the memory:

a selection information obtainer that obtains selection information representing a selection status of a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of an autonomous vehicle; and

a presentation controller that causes a presentation device mounted in the autonomous vehicle to one of visibly display, audibly emit or tangibly produce driving information in accordance with the selection information, the driving information being;

information about at least one of;

driving by an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle, and

driving by a driver, and

based on;

control that is executable by the autonomous vehicle, and

control that is not executable by the autonomous vehicle,

wherein the plurality of recognizers include first recognizers of the autonomous vehicle and a second recognizer external to the autonomous vehicle, and

wherein the apparatus further comprises, as a further configuration when the processor further executes the instruction stored in the memory;

a communicator that transmits detection information from a detector of the autonomous vehicle to the second recognizer, and

a monitor that determines whether the communication speed between the communicator and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein the selection information obtained by the selection information obtainer includes information identifying one or more recognizers, in the plurality of recognizers, which are used to recognize one or more targets in the different targets, and

wherein when it is determined that the communication speed between the communicator and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the second recognizer is one of the one or more recognizers identified by the information in the obtained the selection information.

2. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection status of the plurality of recognizers is a status of selection of a recognizer that performs recognition of a target or a recognizer that does not perform recognition of a target from among the plurality of recognizers.

3. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection information obtainer obtains, from the automated driving system, the selection information representing a result of selection of a recognizer from among the plurality of recognizers.

4. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection information obtainer obtains selection judgment criterion information that is to be used for judgment for selecting a recognizer from among the plurality of recognizers and obtains the selection information by estimating the selection status on the basis of the selection judgment criterion information.

5. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection information obtainer obtains information representing an operation status of a detector or a communicator included in the autonomous vehicle, the information being for obtaining information used for recognizing a target, and obtains the selection information by judging, on the basis of the information representing the operation status, a recognizer to be selected.

6. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the selection judgment criterion information includes running location information representing a characteristic of a location where the autonomous vehicle is running, the running location information being obtained on the basis of map information.

7. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the selection judgment criterion information includes driver condition information representing a physical condition of the driver.

8. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the selection judgment criterion information includes outside-vehicle-environment information representing an environment outside of the autonomous vehicle.

9. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the information representing the operation status includes information representing an abnormality of a sensor included in the detector, and

the recognizer that does not perform recognition of a target includes a recognizer that uses a detection result output from the sensor having the abnormality to recognize a target.

10. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the information representing the operation status includes information representing communication quality of the communicator or whether or not the communicator is performing communication, and

the recognizer that does not perform recognition of a target includes a recognizer configured to use information communicated by the communicator to recognize a target in a situation where the communication quality of the communicator is lower than predetermined quality or a situation where the communicator is not performing communication.

11. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information is information including details of driving that the automated driving system does not perform or is not performing.

12. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the selection information obtainer and the presentation controller is performed by the processor.

17. The information presentation control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises, as a further configuration when the processor further executes the instruction stored in the memory:

a selector

that controls the communicator to transmit the detection information from the detector of the autonomous vehicle to the second recognizer when it is determined that the communication speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, and

that controls the communicator to

(i) refrain from transmitting the detection information from the detector of the vehicle to the second recognizer, and

(ii) controls the one or more of the first recognizers to recognize one or more targets in the different targets in the surroundings of the vehicle,

when it is determined that the communication speed is below the predetermined threshold.

13. An autonomous-vehicle driving support system, the system comprising a processor and a memory that stores an instruction, the system further comprising, as a configuration when the processor executes the instruction stored in the memory:

an automated driving system that controls execution of driving of an autonomous vehicle based on a recognition result obtained from a recognizer selected from among a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of the autonomous vehicle; and

an information presentation control apparatus comprising;

a selection information obtainer that obtains selection information representing a selection status of a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of an autonomous vehicle; and

a presentation controller that causes a presentation device mounted in the autonomous vehicle to one of visibly display, audibly emit or tangibly produce driving information in accordance with the selection information, the driving information being;

information about at least one of;

driving by an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle, and

driving by a driver, and

based on;

control that is executable by the autonomous vehicle, and

control that is not executable by the autonomous vehicle,

wherein the plurality of recognizers include first recognizers of the autonomous vehicle and a second recognizer external to the autonomous vehicle, and

wherein the system further comprises, as a further configuration when the processor further executes the instruction stored in the memory;

a communicator that transmits detection information from a detector of the autonomous vehicle to the second recognizer, and

a monitor that determines whether the communication speed between the communicator and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein the selection information obtained by the selection information obtainer includes information identifying one or more recognizers, in the plurality of recognizers, which are used to recognize one or more targets in the different targets, and

wherein when it is determined that the communication speed between the communicator and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the second recognizer is one of the one or more recognizers identified by the information in the obtained the selection information.

14. An autonomous vehicle comprising:

the autonomous-vehicle driving support system according to claim 13.

15. An information presentation control method comprising:

obtaining selection information representing a selection status of a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of an autonomous vehicle; and

causing a presentation device mounted in the autonomous vehicle to one of visibly display, audibly emit or tangibly produce driving information in accordance with the selection information, the driving information being;

information about at least one of;

driving by an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle, and

driving by a driver, and

based on;

control that is executable by the autonomous vehicle, and

control that is not executable by the autonomous vehicle,

wherein the plurality of recognizers include first recognizers of the autonomous vehicle and a second recognizer external to the autonomous vehicle, and

wherein the method further comprises;

transmitting detection information from a detector of the autonomous vehicle to the second recognizer, and

determining whether the communication speed between the autonomous vehicle communicator and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein the selection information obtained by the selection information obtaining includes information identifying one or more recognizers, in the plurality of recognizers, which are used to recognize one or more targets in the different targets, and

wherein when it is determined that the communication speed between autonomous vehicle and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the second recognizer is one of the one or more recognizers identified by the information in the obtained the selection information.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

obtaining selection information representing a selection status of a plurality of recognizers that recognize different targets in surroundings of an autonomous vehicle; and

causing a presentation device mounted in the autonomous vehicle to one of visibly display, audibly emit or tangibly produce driving information in accordance with the selection information, the driving information being;

information about at least one of;

driving by an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle, and

driving by a driver, and

based on;

control that is executable by the autonomous vehicle, and

control that is not executable by the autonomous vehicle,

wherein the plurality of recognizers include first recognizers of the autonomous vehicle and a second recognizer external to the autonomous vehicle, and

wherein the program further causes a computer to execute a further process comprising;

transmitting detection information from a detector of the autonomous vehicle to the second recognizer, and

determining whether the communication speed between the autonomous vehicle and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein the selection information obtained by the selection information obtainer includes information identifying one or more recognizers, in the plurality of recognizers, which are used to recognize one or more targets in the different targets, and

wherein when it is determined that the communication speed between autonomous vehicle and the second recognizer is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the second recognizer is one of the one or more recognizers identified by the information in the obtained the selection information.