Vehicle information processing device, vehicle, and vehicle information processing method

• US 20030060937A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kazuya, Kizu, Masafumi, Asai, Goro, Kamada, Mikio, Shinada, Akira, Tambata, Ippei, Nunokawa, Katsuhiko, Okajima, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device, a vehicle, and a vehicle information processing method, which are used, for example, for assisting in driving an automobile and can properly communicate a vehicle situation to a driver. The invention expresses user'"'"'s handling of the vehicle by virtual feelings on the assumption that the vehicle has a personality, and displays the virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

Claims

1. A vehicle information processing device mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

operation information obtaining means for obtaining operation information of said vehicle obtained by detecting user'"'"'s operation of said vehicle;

behavior information obtaining means for obtaining behavior information obtained by detecting a behavior of said vehicle;

virtual feeling generating means for expressing handling of said vehicle by said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, by virtual feelings on the assumption that said vehicle has a personality; and

facial expression generating means for displaying said virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

2. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said physical fitness level.

3. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates a feeling level that is feeling of said user converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level.

4. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates at least a feeling level that indicates a degree of haste of said user and a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level and said physical fitness level on preset characteristic curves.

5. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means determines said operation information and said behavior information by a standard value recorded in predetermined recording means to generate said virtual feelings.

6. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 5, further comprising

data processing means for accumulating said operation information and said behavior information by past driving of said user to generate said standard value by accumulating said information.

7. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 6, wherein

said data processing means accumulates said operation information and said behavior information to generate said standard value for each user.

8. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said operation information obtaining means obtains said operation information by output of sensors placed in said vehicle.

9. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said facial expression generating means changes at least background color of said character together with said character'"'"'s facial expression.

10. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said device further comprises abnormal condition detecting means for detecting abnormal handling of said vehicle by said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, and

said device issues a warning to said user instead of the display of said character'"'"'s facial expression, or in addition to the display of said character'"'"'s facial expression, based on a detection result by said abnormal condition detecting means.

11. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said device further comprises abnormal condition detecting means for detecting abnormal handling of said vehicle by said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, and

said device provides said user with a stimulus to calm said user down, based on a detection result by said abnormal condition detecting means.

12. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said device further comprises skill determining means for determining a driving skill of said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, and

said facial expression generating means displays a determination result by said skill determining means by said character'"'"'s facial expression.

13. A vehicle comprising:

operation information obtaining means for detecting user'"'"'s operation of the vehicle to obtain operation information of the vehicle;

behavior information obtaining means for detecting at least entire behaviors to obtain behavior information of said vehicle;

virtual feeling generating means for expressing handling of said vehicle by said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, by virtual feelings on the assumption that said vehicle has a personality; and

facial expression generating means for displaying said virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said physical fitness level.

15. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates a feeling level that is feeling of said user converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level.

16. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said virtual feeling generating means generates at least a feeling level that indicates a degree of haste of said user and a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generates said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level and said physical fitness level on preset characteristic curves.

17. A vehicle information processing method comprising:

an operation information obtaining step of detecting user'"'"'s operation of a vehicle to obtain operation information of the vehicle;

a behavior information obtaining step of detecting a behavior of said vehicle to obtain behavior information of said vehicle;

a virtual feeling generating step of expressing handling of said vehicle by said user, based on said operation information and said behavior information, by virtual feelings on the assumption that said vehicle has a personality; and

a facial expression generating step of displaying said virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

18. The vehicle information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising

a step of generating a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generating said virtual feelings by changes in said physical fitness level.

19. The vehicle information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising

a step of generating a feeling level that is feeling of said user converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generating said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level.

20. The vehicle information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising

a step of generating at least a feeling level that indicates a degree of haste of said user and a physical fitness level that is physical fitness of said personified vehicle converted into numbers by said operation information and said behavior information, and generating said virtual feelings by changes in said feeling level and said physical fitness level on preset characteristic curves.