JP7721985B2 - Support content providing device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an assistance content providing device that provides vehicle assistance content to a vehicle that is the target of driving assistance.

For example, one way of processing information related to vehicle travel is to collect location information where the vehicle exhibits unstable behavior. There are a variety of causes for this unstable vehicle behavior. For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 describes storing in a database unstable behavior information at the location where the vehicle exhibited unstable behavior in association with a determination result as to whether the unstable behavior was caused by the driver.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-052607

For example, as described in Patent Document 1, acquiring data from a large number of vehicles makes it possible to perform statistical analysis, etc. However, due to factors such as communication errors, it may not be possible to acquire the amount of data required for analysis from the vehicles. In such cases, it may be possible to use old data from the past, but such old data may have lost its freshness and may not be able to be analyzed appropriately.

For this reason, this disclosure describes an assistance content providing device that can generate and provide appropriate vehicle assistance content based on acquired vehicle data, even if there is insufficient vehicle data acquired from the vehicle.

An assistance content providing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle data from a vehicle, including information on the vehicle's driving status and its location on a map; an assistance content generation unit that generates vehicle assistance content based on the acquired vehicle data when the amount of acquired vehicle data exceeds a generation threshold; and a transmission unit that transmits the generated vehicle assistance content to a vehicle that is a target for driving assistance.When the acquisition of vehicle data by the acquisition unit fails and the amount of acquired vehicle data is less than the generation threshold, the assistance content generation unit generates duplicate vehicle data based on the vehicle data acquired immediately before the failure in vehicle data acquisition, and generates vehicle assistance content by using the duplicate vehicle data to make up for the shortfall in vehicle data.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, even if there is insufficient vehicle data acquired from the vehicle, appropriate vehicle assistance content can be generated and provided based on the acquired vehicle data.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an information processing server and a target vehicle according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of information processing. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a target vehicle. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing server. 1A is a diagram illustrating an example of a continuous occurrence state, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating an example of a discontinuous occurrence state. 1A is a table for explaining an example of scene classification of unstable behavior, and FIG. 1B is a diagram for explaining an example of scene classification of unstable behavior. 10 is a flowchart showing a process flow for generating vehicle assistance content.

An exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in each drawing, identical or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an information processing server 10 and a target vehicle 2 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the information processing server (assistance content providing device) 10 is communicably connected to target vehicles (vehicles) 2 (2A-2Z) via a network N. The network N is a wireless communication network. The target vehicle 2 refers to a vehicle from which information is collected by the information processing server 10. The target vehicle 2 includes vehicles that are the target of assistance for which various types of assistance are provided by the information processing server 10. When describing the target vehicles 2 individually, target vehicles 2A-2Z will be used.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of information processing. As shown in Figure 2, the behavior of the target vehicle 2A may become unstable, such as when the target vehicle 2A slips due to frozen road surfaces. The target vehicle 2A transmits target vehicle data including unstable behavior position D, which is the position where the slip occurred, to the information processing server 10. The information processing server 10 transmits vehicle assistance content (service content) to, for example, a target vehicle 2B traveling behind the target vehicle 2A, to prevent the target vehicle 2B from exhibiting unstable behavior. This makes it possible for the target vehicle 2B to prevent its behavior from becoming unstable at the unstable behavior position D.

[Configuration of target vehicle]
First, the configuration of the target vehicle 2 will be described. The target vehicle 2 is assigned an ID (vehicle identification number) for identifying the vehicle. The target vehicle 2 may be one, two or more, several tens or more, or several hundred or more. The target vehicles 2 do not need to be vehicles with the same configuration, and may be of different models, etc. The target vehicle 2 may be an autonomous vehicle with an autonomous driving function, or may be a vehicle without an autonomous driving function.

The target vehicle 2 will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the target vehicle 2. Here, the target vehicle 2 will be described as an autonomously driven vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the target vehicle 2 is equipped with an autonomous driving ECU 30. The autonomous driving ECU 30 is an electronic control unit having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The autonomous driving ECU 30, for example, loads programs stored in ROM into RAM and executes the programs loaded into RAM with the CPU to realize various functions. The autonomous driving ECU 30 may be composed of multiple electronic units.

The autonomous driving ECU 30 is connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 21, external sensors 22, internal sensors 23, a driving operation detector 24, a map database 25, a communication unit 26, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 27, and an actuator 28.

The GPS receiver unit 21 measures the position of the target vehicle 2 (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the target vehicle 2) by receiving signals from three or more GPS satellites. The GPS receiver unit 21 transmits the measured position information of the target vehicle 2 to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The external sensor 22 is a detection device that detects the external environment of the target vehicle 2. The external sensor 22 includes at least one of a camera and a radar sensor.

The camera is an imaging device that captures images of the external environment of the target vehicle 2. The camera is installed behind the windshield of the target vehicle 2 and captures images of the area in front of the vehicle. The camera transmits image information related to the external environment of the target vehicle 2 to the autonomous driving ECU 30. The camera may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

A radar sensor is a detection device that uses radio waves (e.g., millimeter waves) or light to detect objects around the target vehicle 2. Radar sensors include, for example, millimeter-wave radar or LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). A radar sensor detects objects by transmitting radio waves or light to the area around the target vehicle 2 and receiving the radio waves or light reflected by the objects. The radar sensor transmits information about the detected objects to the autonomous driving ECU 30. Objects include fixed objects such as guardrails and buildings, as well as moving objects such as pedestrians, bicycles, and other vehicles. The external sensor 22 may include an outside air temperature sensor that detects the outside air temperature of the target vehicle 2. The external sensor 22 may also include a light sensor that detects external brightness.

The internal sensor 23 is a detection device that detects the state of the target vehicle 2. The internal sensor 23 includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a yaw rate sensor as sensors that detect the driving state of the target vehicle 2. The vehicle speed sensor is a detector that detects the speed of the target vehicle 2. As the vehicle speed sensor, a wheel speed sensor that is attached to the wheels of the target vehicle 2 or to a drive shaft that rotates integrally with the wheels and detects the rotational speed of each wheel can be used. The vehicle speed sensor transmits the detected vehicle speed information (wheel speed information) to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The acceleration sensor is a detector that detects the acceleration of the target vehicle 2. The acceleration sensor includes, for example, a longitudinal acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the target vehicle 2. The acceleration sensor may also include a lateral acceleration sensor that detects the lateral acceleration of the target vehicle 2. The acceleration sensor transmits, for example, acceleration information of the target vehicle 2 to the autonomous driving ECU 30. The yaw rate sensor is a detector that detects the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity) around the vertical axis of the center of gravity of the target vehicle 2. A gyro sensor, for example, can be used as the yaw rate sensor. The yaw rate sensor transmits the detected yaw rate information of the target vehicle 2 to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The internal sensor 23 detects at least one of the following vehicle conditions of the target vehicle 2: tire pressure, wiper operation status, and lighting status. Tire pressure is the air pressure of the tires of the target vehicle 2. The wiper operation status may include not only whether the wipers are operating, but also the wiper operation speed. The lighting status includes whether the turn signals are on. The lighting status may also include whether the headlights are on and whether the fog lights are on.

Furthermore, the internal sensor 23 may detect the brake pressure of the hydraulic brake system from a brake pressure sensor as the vehicle state of the target vehicle 2, or may detect the on/off state of a driving assistance system (for example, the vehicle stability control system described below). The internal sensor 23 may also detect the load state of each wheel from a wheel load sensor as the vehicle state of the target vehicle 2. Additionally, the internal sensor 23 may have a fault detection unit that detects various faults in the target vehicle 2.

The driving operation detection unit 24 detects the operation of the operating units of the target vehicle 2 by the driver. The driving operation detection unit 24 includes, for example, a steering sensor, an accelerator sensor, and a brake sensor. The operating units of the target vehicle 2 are devices through which the driver inputs operations for driving the vehicle. The operating units of the target vehicle 2 include at least one of a steering unit, an accelerator operating unit, and a brake operating unit. The steering unit is, for example, a steering wheel. The steering unit does not have to be wheel-shaped, as long as it is configured to function as a handle. The accelerator operating unit is, for example, an accelerator pedal. The brake operating unit is, for example, a brake pedal. The accelerator operating unit and the brake operating unit do not necessarily have to be pedals, as long as they are configured to allow the driver to input acceleration or deceleration. The operating units may be on-board switches. The driver's information terminal, such as a smartphone, may also function as the operating unit.

The steering sensor detects the amount of operation of the steering unit by the driver. The amount of operation of the steering unit includes the steering angle. The amount of operation of the steering unit may also include the steering torque. The accelerator sensor detects the amount of operation of the accelerator operation unit by the driver. The amount of operation of the accelerator operation unit includes, for example, the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal. The brake sensor detects the amount of operation of the brake operation unit by the driver. The amount of operation of the brake operation unit includes, for example, the amount of depression of the brake pedal. The brake sensor may also be configured to detect the master cylinder pressure of the hydraulic brake system. The amount of operation of the accelerator operation unit and the brake operation unit may also include the depression speed. The driving operation detection unit 24 transmits operation amount information regarding the detected amount of operation by the driver to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The map database 25 is a database that stores map information. The map database 25 is formed, for example, in a storage device such as an HDD mounted on the target vehicle 2. The map information includes road position information, road shape information (e.g., curvature information), and intersection and branch point position information. The map information may also include traffic regulation information such as legal speed limits associated with the position information. The map information may also include landmark information used to recognize the position of the target vehicle 2 on the map. Landmarks may include lane markings, traffic lights, guardrails, road markings, etc. The map database 25 may be configured in a server (not limited to the information processing server 10) that can communicate with the target vehicle 2.

The communication unit 26 is a communication device that controls wireless communication with the outside of the target vehicle 2. It transmits and receives various information via the network N. The communication unit 26 transmits various information to the information processing server 10 in response to signals from the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The HMI 27 is an interface for inputting and outputting information between the autonomous driving ECU 30 and the driver or passengers. The HMI 27 includes, for example, a display and a speaker installed in the vehicle cabin. The HMI 27 outputs images from the display and sounds from the speaker in response to control signals from the autonomous driving ECU 30.

The actuators 28 are devices used to control the target vehicle 2. The actuators 28 include at least a drive actuator, a brake actuator, and a steering actuator. The drive actuator controls the amount of air supplied to the engine (throttle opening) in response to a control signal from the autonomous driving ECU 30, thereby controlling the driving force of the target vehicle 2. If the target vehicle 2 is a hybrid vehicle, in addition to the amount of air supplied to the engine, a control signal from the autonomous driving ECU 30 is input to the motor serving as a power source to control the driving force. If the target vehicle 2 is an electric vehicle, a control signal from the autonomous driving ECU 30 is input to the motor serving as a power source to control the driving force. In these cases, the motor serving as a power source constitutes the actuator 28.

The brake actuator controls the brake system in response to a control signal from the autonomous driving ECU 30, and controls the braking force applied to the wheels of the target vehicle 2. The brake system may be, for example, a hydraulic brake system. The steering actuator controls the drive of the assist motor, which controls the steering torque of the electric power steering system, in response to a control signal from the autonomous driving ECU 30. In this way, the steering actuator controls the steering torque of the target vehicle 2.

Next, the functional configuration of the autonomous driving ECU 30 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the autonomous driving ECU 30 has a vehicle data acquisition unit 31, a route generation unit 32, an autonomous driving control unit 33, and an assistance content notification unit 34. Note that some of the functions of the autonomous driving ECU 30 described below may be executed by a server (not limited to the information processing server 10) that can communicate with the target vehicle 2.

The vehicle data acquisition unit 31 acquires target vehicle data (vehicle data), which is data related to the target vehicle 2. The target vehicle data includes the position information of the target vehicle 2 on a map and the driving status of the target vehicle 2. The target vehicle data may include the external environment of the target vehicle 2, and the route traveled by the target vehicle 2. The target vehicle data may include driving operation information by the driver of the target vehicle 2 and the vehicle status of the target vehicle 2. The vehicle data acquisition unit 31 transmits the acquired target vehicle data to the information processing server 10.

The vehicle data acquisition unit 31 includes a vehicle position acquisition unit 31a, an external environment recognition unit 31b, a driving condition recognition unit 31c, a driving operation information acquisition unit 31d, and a vehicle condition recognition unit 31e.

The vehicle position acquisition unit 31a acquires the position information of the target vehicle 2 on the map based on the position information of the GPS receiver 21 and the map information in the map database 25. The vehicle position acquisition unit 31a may also acquire the position information of the target vehicle 2 using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology, utilizing target object information included in the map information in the map database 25 and the detection results of the external sensor 22. The vehicle position acquisition unit 31a may recognize the lateral position of the target vehicle 2 relative to the lane (the position of the target vehicle 2 in the lane width direction) based on the positional relationship between the lane markings and the target vehicle 2, and include this in the position information. The vehicle position acquisition unit 31a may also acquire the position information of the target vehicle 2 on the map using other well-known methods.

The external environment recognition unit 31b recognizes the external environment of the target vehicle 2 based on the detection results of the external sensor 22. The external environment includes the relative positions of surrounding objects with respect to the target vehicle 2. The external environment may also include the relative speed and direction of movement of surrounding objects with respect to the target vehicle 2. The external environment may also include types of objects such as other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles. The types of objects can be identified using well-known techniques such as pattern matching. The external environment may also include the results of lane marking recognition (white line recognition) around the target vehicle 2. The external environment may also include the outside temperature and weather.

The driving state recognition unit 31c recognizes the driving state of the target vehicle 2 based on the detection results of the internal sensor 23. The driving state includes the vehicle speed and yaw rate of the target vehicle 2. The driving state may also include the acceleration of the target vehicle 2. Specifically, the driving state recognition unit 31c recognizes the vehicle speed of the target vehicle 2 based on vehicle speed information from a vehicle speed sensor. The driving state recognition unit 31c recognizes the acceleration of the target vehicle 2 based on vehicle speed information from an acceleration sensor. The driving state recognition unit 31c recognizes the orientation of the target vehicle 2 based on yaw rate information from a yaw rate sensor.

The driving operation information acquisition unit 31d acquires driving operation information of the target vehicle 2 based on the detection results of the driving operation detection unit 24. The driving operation information includes, for example, at least one of the driver's accelerator operation amount, brake operation amount, and steering amount.

If the target vehicle 2 has a personal authentication function, the driving operation information acquisition unit 31d stores the driving operation history for each personally authenticated driver. The driving operation history may be associated with the external environment and driving status of the target vehicle 2. The autonomous driving ECU 30 does not necessarily need to have the driving operation information acquisition unit 31d. In this case, the driving operation detection unit 24 is also not required.

The vehicle state recognition unit 31e recognizes the vehicle state of the target vehicle 2 based on the detection results of the internal sensor 23. The vehicle state may include tire pressure. The vehicle state may also include the wiper operation state, the lighting state, and the failure state of the target vehicle 2. The autonomous driving ECU 30 does not necessarily have to have the vehicle state recognition unit 31e.

The trajectory generation unit 32 generates a trajectory to be used for autonomous driving of the target vehicle 2. The trajectory generation unit 32 generates a trajectory for autonomous driving based on a preset driving route, map information, the position of the target vehicle 2 on the map, the external environment of the target vehicle 2, and the driving state of the target vehicle 2.

The driving route is the route along which the target vehicle 2 will travel during autonomous driving. The path generation unit 32 calculates the autonomous driving route based on, for example, the destination, map information, and the position of the target vehicle 2 on the map. The driving route may be set by a well-known navigation system. The destination may be set by the occupants of the target vehicle 2, or may be automatically proposed by the autonomous driving ECU 30 or the navigation system.

The course includes the path along which the vehicle will travel under autonomous driving and the vehicle speed profile during autonomous driving. The path is the planned trajectory along which the vehicle will travel under autonomous driving on the driving route. The path can be, for example, data on the change in steering angle of the target vehicle 2 according to its position on the driving route (steering angle profile). The position on the driving route is, for example, a set longitudinal position set at predetermined intervals (for example, 1 m) in the direction of travel of the driving route. The steering angle profile is data in which a target steering angle is associated with each set longitudinal position.

The path generation unit 32 generates a path for the vehicle to travel based on, for example, the travel route, map information, the external environment of the target vehicle 2, and the travel state of the target vehicle 2. For example, the path generation unit 32 generates a path so that the target vehicle 2 passes through the center (center in the lane width direction) of the lane included in the travel route.

In place of the steering angle profile, a steering torque profile in which a target steering torque is associated with each set longitudinal position may be used. Also, in place of the steering angle profile, a lateral position profile in which a target lateral position is associated with each set longitudinal position may be used. The target lateral position is a target position in the width direction of the lane. In this case, the set longitudinal position and the target lateral position may be set together as a single position coordinate.

The vehicle speed profile is data in which a target vehicle speed is associated with each set longitudinal position, for example. The set longitudinal position may be set based on the vehicle's travel time rather than distance. The set longitudinal position may also be set as the position the vehicle will reach in one second, or the position the vehicle will reach in two seconds.

The route generation unit 32 generates a vehicle speed profile based on speed-related information, such as the legal speed limit included in the route and map information. A preset speed for a location or section on the map may be used instead of the legal speed limit. The route generation unit 32 generates a route for automated driving from the route and vehicle speed profile. Note that the route generation method used by the route generation unit 32 is not limited to the method described above, and other well-known methods may also be used.

The autonomous driving control unit 33 performs autonomous driving of the target vehicle 2. The autonomous driving control unit 33 performs autonomous driving of the target vehicle 2 based on, for example, the external environment of the target vehicle 2, the driving state of the target vehicle 2, and the route generated by the route generation unit 32. The autonomous driving control unit 33 performs autonomous driving of the target vehicle 2 by sending control signals to the actuator 28.

The assistance content notification unit 34 acquires the vehicle assistance content from the information processing server 10 via the communication unit 26. Based on the acquired vehicle assistance content, the assistance content notification unit 34 notifies the driver of the target vehicle 2, etc., of the assistance content. Here, the assistance content notification unit 34 can make the notification using the HMI 27. The vehicle assistance content will be described later.

[Configuration of information processing server]
The information processing server 10 is provided in a facility such as an information management center, and is configured to be able to communicate with the target vehicle 2. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing server 10. The information processing server 10 shown in Fig. 4 is configured as a general computer including a processor 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a user interface 14.

The processor 11 controls the information processing server 10, for example, by running an operating system. The processor 11 is an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that includes a control device, an arithmetic unit, a register, etc. The processor 11 controls the memory unit 12, the communication unit 13, and the user interface 14. The memory unit 12 is configured to include at least one of memory and storage. Memory is a recording medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). Storage is a recording medium such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

The communication unit 13 is a communication device for communicating via the network N. The communication unit 13 may be a network device, a network controller, a network card, or the like. The user interface 14 is a device that includes output devices such as a display and a speaker, and an input device such as a touch panel. Note that the information processing server 10 does not necessarily have to be installed in a facility, and may be mounted on a mobile object such as a vehicle or ship.

The information processing server 10 is also connected to a storage database 15. The storage database 15 is a database for storing unstable behavior location information and the like. The storage database 15 can be configured in the same way as a well-known database on a HDD. The storage database 15 may also be located in a facility away from the information processing server 10.

Next, the functional configuration of the processor 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the processor 11 has a target vehicle data acquisition unit (acquisition unit) 11a, an unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b, a judgment unit 11c, a storage processing unit 11d, an assistance content generation unit 11e, and an assistance content transmission unit (transmission unit) 11f.

The target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a acquires target vehicle data transmitted from the target vehicle 2 via the communication unit 13. The target vehicle data includes the position information of the target vehicle 2 on a map and the driving status of the target vehicle 2. The target vehicle data may also include the external environment of the target vehicle 2 and the route taken by the target vehicle 2.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b recognizes unstable behavior positions, which are positions on a map where the target vehicle 2 exhibits unstable behavior, based on the target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a. Unstable behavior is vehicle behavior that makes the vehicle's driving unstable. Unstable behavior includes, for example, slipping. Unstable behavior may also include sudden deceleration or a sudden change in steering angle. Unstable behavior may also include lane departure of the target vehicle 2, or excessive proximity of the target vehicle 2 to an object.

First, the determination of unstable behavior will be explained. The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b determines whether the target vehicle 2 is exhibiting unstable behavior based on the target vehicle data. The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b determines that the target vehicle 2 is exhibiting slippage, indicating unstable behavior, based on, for example, at least one of the acceleration (longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration) detected by the acceleration sensor, the wheel speed of each wheel detected by the wheel speed sensor, the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor, the steering angle of the driver detected by the steering sensor, the amount of braking operation by the driver detected by the brake sensor, and the brake pressure detected by the brake pressure sensor. The master cylinder pressure of the hydraulic brake system may be used instead of the amount of braking operation from the brake sensor.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may use the activation conditions of a well-known antilock brake system (ABS) to determine whether a slip has occurred. For example, an antilock brake system compares the wheel speed of each wheel with the estimated vehicle speed and activates when a wheel that is thought to be locked is identified. The estimated vehicle speed may be determined from the wheel speed of each wheel before slippage occurs, or from the change in acceleration before slippage occurs.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may also use the activation conditions of a well-known vehicle stability control system (VSC) or a well-known traction control system (TRC) to determine whether the vehicle is slipping. Traction control may also be activated by comparing the wheel speed of each wheel with the estimated vehicle speed and identifying a wheel that is spinning. The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may also determine whether the target vehicle 2 is slipping using other well-known methods.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine whether the target vehicle 2 has suddenly decelerated, resulting in unstable behavior, based on the deceleration detected by the acceleration sensor. In this case, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b determines that the target vehicle 2 has suddenly decelerated, for example, when the absolute value of the deceleration is equal to or greater than the sudden deceleration threshold. The sudden deceleration threshold is a threshold value that is set in advance. In the following explanation, the term "threshold" refers to a threshold value that is set in advance.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine whether a sudden change in steering angle has occurred in the target vehicle 2, indicating unstable behavior, based on the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor. In this case, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b determines that a sudden change in steering angle has occurred in the target vehicle 2, for example, when the yaw rate exceeds a steering angle change threshold. Note that tire turning angle may be used instead of yaw rate.

When the turn signal is not illuminated, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine whether the target vehicle 2 has deviated from its lane, which is an unstable behavior, based on the lateral position of the target vehicle 2 or the external environment of the target vehicle 2. In this case, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine lane departure from, for example, the lateral position of the target vehicle 2. Alternatively, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine lane departure when it recognizes from the external environment of the target vehicle 2 that the target vehicle 2 has crossed a lane marking.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b may determine whether the target vehicle 2 has come too close to an object, which is an indication of unstable behavior, based on the driving state of the target vehicle 2 and the external environment of the target vehicle 2. In this case, the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b determines that the target vehicle 2 has come too close to an object when the vehicle speed of the target vehicle 2 is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed threshold and the time to collision [TTC: Time To Collision] between the target vehicle 2 and the object is equal to or less than the TTC threshold, because if the target vehicle 2 is traveling at a low speed, a small distance from the object does not constitute unstable behavior. Instead of the time to collision, the time headway [THW: Time Headway] or distance may be used.

The determination of whether the target vehicle 2 has exhibited unstable behavior may be made each time target vehicle data is acquired, or may be made all at once at regular intervals or over a regular period of time. The determination of whether the target vehicle 2 has exhibited unstable behavior may also be made while the target vehicle 2 is stopped.

Next, we will explain how to recognize unstable behavior positions. An unstable behavior position is the position on the map of the target vehicle 2 when the target vehicle 2 exhibits unstable behavior. The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b recognizes the unstable behavior position when it determines that the target vehicle 2 has exhibited unstable behavior.

The unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b recognizes the unstable behavior position based on the position information on the map of the target vehicle 2 when it is determined that the target vehicle 2 is exhibiting unstable behavior. The unstable behavior position is recognized separately for each lane. If the unstable behavior is a lane departure, the unstable behavior position may be the position on the driving lane before the lane departure, or may be the position on a dividing line.

The unstable behavior location may be recognized as a section or area rather than a point on a map. In cases where the target vehicle 2 slides while slipping, the unstable behavior location recognition unit 11b may determine the start position of the slip as the unstable behavior location, or may recognize all sections through which the target vehicle 2 has moved while being determined to be slipping as unstable behavior locations. The area may be a range within a certain distance from the slipping target vehicle 2, or may be the region or area in which the target vehicle 2 is traveling. The same applies to other unstable behaviors.

The determination unit 11c determines whether the unstable behavior position is in a continuous or discontinuous state based on the presence or absence of unstable behavior of multiple target vehicles 2 at the unstable behavior position recognized by the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b.

The determination unit 11c determines whether the target vehicle 2 has passed an unstable behavior position, for example, based on the target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a and the unstable behavior position recognized by the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b. If the determination unit 11c determines that the target vehicle 2 has passed an unstable behavior position, it determines whether the unstable behavior position is in a continuous or discontinuous state based on the presence or absence of unstable behavior of the target vehicle 2. Note that the determination unit 11c may make the above determination by batch processing multiple target vehicle data for a certain period of time.

A continuous occurrence situation is a situation in which unstable behavior occurs continuously. In a continuous occurrence situation, it is considered that the possibility that unstable behavior has occurred due to individual vehicle factors of the target vehicle 2 is low, and the possibility that unstable behavior has occurred due to external factors such as the road environment is high. A discontinuous situation is a situation that is not a continuous occurrence situation. In a discontinuous situation, it is considered that the possibility that unstable behavior has occurred due to individual vehicle factors of the target vehicle 2 is high. If the determination unit 11c does not determine that the unstable behavior location is in a continuous occurrence situation, it determines that the unstable behavior location is in a discontinuous situation.

Figure 5(a) is a diagram illustrating an example of a consecutive occurrence situation. As shown in Figure 5(a), as an example, when two target vehicles 2A and 2B exhibit unstable behavior consecutively at unstable behavior position D, the determination unit 11c determines that the unstable behavior position is in a consecutive occurrence situation. Figure 5(b) is a diagram illustrating an example of a discontinuous situation. Even if the target vehicle 2A exhibits unstable behavior at unstable behavior position D, the determination unit 11c may determine that the unstable behavior position is in a discontinuous situation if the following target vehicle 2B passes by without exhibiting unstable behavior.

Note that situations that are determined to be consecutive occurrence situations are not limited to the situation in Figure 5(a). The determination unit 11c may determine that the unstable behavior position D is in a consecutive occurrence situation when three target vehicles 2A to 2C exhibit unstable behavior consecutively. The determination unit 11c may also determine that the unstable behavior position D is in a consecutive occurrence situation when four or more target vehicles 2 exhibit unstable behavior consecutively. The determination unit 11c may also determine that the unstable behavior position D is in a consecutive occurrence situation when all of multiple target vehicles 2 that pass the unstable behavior position D within a certain period of time exhibit unstable behavior.

The determination unit 11c may determine that unstable behavior position D is in a continuous occurrence state even if there is one target vehicle 2 that did not exhibit unstable behavior, if unstable behavior occurs in the target vehicles 2 before and after it. Specifically, the determination unit 11c may determine that unstable behavior position D is in a continuous occurrence state if target vehicle 2A and target vehicle 2C exhibit unstable behavior, even if the middle target vehicle 2B of three target vehicles 2A to 2C passes unstable behavior position D without exhibiting unstable behavior. Alternatively, the determination unit 11c may determine that unstable behavior position D is in a continuous occurrence state even if there are multiple target vehicles 2 that did not exhibit unstable behavior, if the number of target vehicles 2 that exhibited unstable behavior within a certain period of time is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

The determination unit 11c may determine whether a continuous or discontinuous situation occurs using more detailed classifications. Figure 6(a) is a table illustrating an example of a scene classification for unstable behavior. As shown in Figure 6(a), by focusing on two vehicles, the preceding target vehicle 2 and the following target vehicle 2, relative to the unstable behavior position, and dividing the scenes into four categories based on whether or not unstable behavior occurs.

In Figure 6(a), scene 1 is when both the leading target vehicle 2 and the trailing target vehicle 2 exhibit unstable behavior, scene 2 is when only the leading target vehicle 2 exhibits unstable behavior, scene 3 is when only the trailing target vehicle 2 exhibits unstable behavior, and scene 4 is when neither the leading target vehicle 2 nor the trailing target vehicle 2 exhibits unstable behavior. For example, scene 1 corresponds to a continuous occurrence situation, and scenes 2 to 4 correspond to discontinuous situations.

Figure 6(b) is a diagram illustrating an example of unstable behavior scene classification. Target vehicles 2A to 2F pass through the same unstable behavior position in this order. In Figure 6(b), of target vehicles 2A to 2E, only target vehicles 2B and 2C exhibit unstable behavior, while the rest pass through the unstable behavior position without exhibiting unstable behavior.

When focusing on two vehicles, target vehicle 2A and target vehicle 2B, in Figure 6(b), this corresponds to scene 3, in which only the following target vehicle 2B exhibited unstable behavior. When focusing on two vehicles, target vehicle 2B and target vehicle 2C, this corresponds to scene 1, in which both the preceding target vehicle 2B and the following target vehicle 2C exhibited unstable behavior. When focusing on two vehicles, target vehicle 2C and target vehicle 2D, this corresponds to scene 2, in which only the preceding target vehicle 2C exhibited unstable behavior. When focusing on two vehicles, target vehicle 2D and target vehicle 2E, this corresponds to scene 4, in which neither target vehicle 2 exhibited unstable behavior. In this way, the determination unit 11c may make a determination to classify scenes 1 to 4.

The memory processing unit 11d stores the target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a in the memory database 15. The memory processing unit 11d also stores unstable behavior position information related to the unstable behavior position recognized by the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b in the memory database 15. When a determination is made by the determination unit 11c, the memory processing unit 11d associates the unstable behavior position with the determination result of the determination unit 11c and stores them in the memory database 15.

In addition, the storage processing unit 11d stores the vehicle assistance content generated by the assistance content generation unit 11e based on the target vehicle data in the storage database 15, in association with the area for which the vehicle assistance content was generated.

The assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content to prevent the target vehicle 2, which is the target of driving assistance, from exhibiting unstable behavior. The assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content by, for example, performing statistical processing on multiple target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a. Here, the assistance content generation unit 11e uses the target vehicle data stored in the storage database 15 as the target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a.

The assistance content generator 11e generates vehicle assistance content for a specified area, for example, based on data on multiple target vehicles in the specified area. Here, the specified area may be an area of a specified size, or a specified location. Here, the assistance content generator 11e can generate vehicle assistance content that captures trends in unstable behavior in the specified area, based on the driving state of the target vehicle 2 included in the target vehicle data.

In this embodiment, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates, as vehicle assistance content, notifications regarding trends in unstable behavior in a specified area. For example, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates notifications such as, "Be careful of rear-end collisions in the Tokyo area," and "There have been many cases of vehicles changing lanes to the right on Sotobori-dori Street in front of Tokyo Station."

The assistance content generation unit 11e can generate notification content for vehicle assistance content based on the unstable behavior determined by the unstable behavior position recognition unit 11b. The assistance content generation unit 11e can generate notification content for vehicle assistance content by excluding unstable behavior determined by the determination unit 11c to be a discontinuous situation. In this case, the assistance content generation unit 11e can generate more appropriate notification content by excluding unstable behavior caused by individual factors of the target vehicle 2.

Furthermore, when generating vehicle assistance content for a specified area, if the number of target vehicle data for the specified area exceeds a predetermined generation threshold, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on this target vehicle data. This "target vehicle data for the specified area" refers to target vehicle data in which the position of the target vehicle 2 included in the target vehicle data is within the specified area. The assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on the driving state of target vehicle data in which the position of the target vehicle 2 included in the target vehicle data is within the specified area. Furthermore, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a within a predetermined time from the present.

Here, target vehicle data is being sent from multiple target vehicles 2 to the information processing server 10. However, due to a communication error or the like, transmission and reception of the target vehicle data may be disrupted, and the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a may be unable to acquire the target vehicle data. In this case, the assistance content generation unit 11e is unable to generate vehicle assistance content based on the number of target vehicle data required to generate vehicle assistance content (greater than or equal to the generation threshold).

Therefore, when the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a fails to acquire target vehicle data and the amount of acquired target vehicle data is less than the generation threshold, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on duplicate vehicle data. More specifically, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates duplicate vehicle data based on the target vehicle data acquired immediately before the failure to acquire target vehicle data. The assistance content generation unit 11e then generates vehicle assistance content by compensating for the shortage of target vehicle data using the generated duplicate vehicle data.

For example, suppose the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on 100 pieces of target vehicle data acquired by the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a. Then, suppose that transmission and reception of the target vehicle data fails, and the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a is only able to acquire 80 pieces of target vehicle data. In this case, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates 20 pieces of duplicate vehicle data based on the target vehicle data acquired immediately before the failure in acquiring the target vehicle data. Then, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on the 80 pieces of target vehicle data and the 20 duplicate vehicle data.

The assistance content generation unit 11e may generate duplicate vehicle data by duplicating one piece of target vehicle data acquired immediately before a malfunction occurs, as the "target vehicle data acquired immediately before a malfunction occurs in the acquisition of target vehicle data." The assistance content generation unit 11e may also generate duplicate vehicle data based on multiple pieces of target vehicle data acquired immediately before a malfunction occurs, as the "target vehicle data acquired immediately before a malfunction occurs in the acquisition of target vehicle data." The assistance content generation unit 11e may generate duplicate vehicle data for the number of pieces of target vehicle data that are insufficient to generate vehicle assistance content.

The assistance content generator 11e may also generate vehicle assistance content using only data on multiple target vehicles in which unstable behavior has been detected within a specified area.

The assistance content transmission unit 11f transmits the vehicle assistance content generated by the assistance content generation unit 11e to the target vehicle 2 that is the target of driving assistance. As described above, the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content for a specified area. The assistance content transmission unit 11f determines which target vehicle 2 is heading toward the specified area for which the vehicle assistance content was generated. If there is a target vehicle 2 heading toward the specified area, the assistance content transmission unit 11f can determine that this target vehicle 2 is the target vehicle 2 that is the target of driving assistance.

[Generation process of vehicle assistance content]
Next, the flow of the process for generating vehicle assistance content based on target vehicle data transmitted from the target vehicle 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 7. After the process shown in Fig. 7 reaches an end, the process is restarted from the start after a predetermined time has elapsed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the target vehicle data acquisition unit 11a performs a process of acquiring target vehicle data transmitted from the target vehicle 2 (S101). The assistance content generation unit 11e determines whether the amount of target vehicle data required to generate vehicle assistance content has been acquired when communication with the target vehicle 2 has failed and target vehicle data cannot be acquired (S102). If the communication has failed and there is insufficient target vehicle data (S102: YES), the assistance content generation unit 11e generates duplicate vehicle data based on the target vehicle data acquired immediately before the failure to acquire target vehicle data (S103). The assistance content generation unit 11e then generates vehicle assistance content by supplementing the missing target vehicle data with the duplicate vehicle data (S104).

On the other hand, if communication is not malfunctioning (S102: NO), the assistance content generation unit 11e generates vehicle assistance content based on the acquired target vehicle data (S105).

As described above, when the assistance content generation unit 11e is unable to acquire the required amount of target vehicle data to generate vehicle assistance content, it generates duplicate vehicle data based on the vehicle data acquired immediately before. The assistance content generation unit 11e then generates vehicle assistance content by compensating for the shortage of target vehicle data with the duplicate vehicle data. This allows the assistance content generation unit 11e to continue generating vehicle assistance content even if it is no longer able to acquire target vehicle data.

The assistance content generation unit 11e generates duplicate vehicle data based on the most recently acquired target vehicle data, so even if the environment around the target vehicle 2 is changing, it can generate vehicle assistance content that corresponds to the environmental change.

In this way, even if the information processing server 10 does not have enough target vehicle data acquired from the target vehicle 2, it can generate appropriate vehicle assistance content based on the acquired target vehicle data and provide the vehicle assistance content to the target vehicle 2 that is the driving assistance target.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the assistance content generation unit 11e has been described as generating an assistance content notification as the vehicle assistance content, that is, providing information to the driver. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the assistance content generation unit 11e may generate vehicle assistance content such as an instruction to the target vehicle 2 to cancel autonomous driving or vehicle driving control such as driving on a route that avoids specified areas. The target vehicle 2 may cancel autonomous driving, drive on a route that corresponds to the vehicle assistance content, etc., in accordance with the vehicle assistance content obtained from the information processing server 10.

10...information processing server (assistance content providing device), 2...target vehicle (vehicle), 11a...target vehicle data acquisition unit (acquisition unit), 11e...assistance content generation unit, 11f...assistance content transmission unit (transmission unit).

Claims (2)

an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle data from a vehicle, the vehicle data including a running state of the vehicle and position information of the vehicle on a map;
an unstable behavior location recognition unit that determines whether the vehicle has exhibited unstable behavior based on the acquired vehicle data and recognizes the location on a map where the unstable behavior has occurred;
an assistance content generation unit that generates vehicle assistance content based on the vehicle data when the number of the vehicle data determined to be the unstable behavior within a predetermined area becomes equal to or greater than a generation threshold;
a transmission unit that transmits the generated vehicle assistance content to the vehicle that is a driving assistance target;
Equipped with
When the acquisition of the vehicle data by the acquisition unit fails and the number of vehicle data determined to be the unstable behavior is less than the generation threshold, the assistance content generation unit generates duplicate vehicle data based on the vehicle data acquired just before the acquisition of the vehicle data failed and determined to be the unstable behavior , and generates the vehicle assistance content by using the duplicate vehicle data to make up for the shortfall in the vehicle data. a determination unit that determines, based on the presence or absence of unstable behavior of a plurality of vehicles at a position where the vehicle exhibited the unstable behavior recognized by the unstable behavior position recognition unit, whether the unstable behavior at the position is a continuous occurrence situation where the unstable behavior has continuously occurred or a discontinuous situation where the unstable behavior is not a continuous occurrence situation,
The assistance content providing device according to claim 1 , wherein the assistance content generating unit generates the vehicle assistance content by excluding the vehicle data of the unstable behavior determined to be the discontinuous situation.