IP Library Granted Patent US 10,166,997
Granted Patent B2
US 10,166,997 · App. 15/520,495 · Granted Jan 1, 2019

Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Inventor: Eiji Oba (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
B60W50/14B60W50/08B60W50/082B60W2050/143B60W2300/10B60W2540/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,166,997
App. No.
15/520,495
Granted
Jan 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for decelerating a vehicle, a non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing the method, and reception apparatuses. The method includes monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle, and causing a notification to be output based on the monitored state of the driver. The method further includes determining, by circuitry of an information processing apparatus and when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate after the notification is output. The vehicle is caused by the circuitry to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate. A passenger of the vehicle may trigger an automatic emergency stop (unit 23 ), which in turn may be overridden by the driver (switch 24 ).

Claims (72)

1. A method for decelerating a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle;

causing a notification that indicates the state of the driver to be output based on the monitored state of the driver, the notification being presented to a person inside the vehicle that is not the driver;

determining, by circuitry of an information processing apparatus and when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate based on whether a first instruction to stop the vehicle is received in response to the notification that is output to the person inside the vehicle; and

causing, by the circuitry, the vehicle to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate, wherein

the notification is presented by a light that emits a predetermined color based on the monitored state of the driver.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the step of causing the vehicle to decelerate includes causing the vehicle to decelerate based on a determination that the first instruction is received after the notification is output.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

causing a warning to be provided inside the vehicle before causing the vehicle to decelerate.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

determining whether a second instruction to stop the vehicle is received after the first instruction is received; and

causing the vehicle to stop based on a determination that the second instruction is received.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

determining whether a third instruction to cancel the first instruction is received from the driver after the first instruction is received; and

canceling the deceleration of the vehicle based on a determination that the third instruction is received after the first instruction.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the notification includes feedback to the driver based on the monitored state of the driver, and

the method further comprises:

determining whether to cause the vehicle to perform an emergency stop,

automatically causing the vehicle to perform an immediate stop based on a determination to cause the vehicle to perform the emergency stop, and

causing the vehicle to perform a guided manual stop based on a determination that the emergency stop is not to be performed.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting a top speed of the vehicle based on the monitored state of the driver.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring comprises:

monitoring eye movement or a sight line of the driver.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

causing activation of at least one of hazard lights or a horn of the vehicle during the deceleration of the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the hazard lights are activated such that a short period of light is emitted twice and a long period of light is emitted once.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method for decelerating a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring a state of a driver of the vehicle;

causing a notification that indicates the state of the driver to be output based on the monitored state of the driver, the notification being presented to a person inside the vehicle that is not the driver;

determining, when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate based on whether a first instruction to stop the vehicle is received in response to the notification that is output to the person inside the vehicle; and

causing the vehicle to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate, wherein

the notification is presented by a light that emits a predetermined color based on the monitored state of the driver.

12. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to

monitor a state of a driver of a vehicle;

cause a notification that indicates the state of the driver to be output based on the monitored state of the driver, the notification being presented to a person inside the vehicle that is not the driver;

determine, when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate based on whether a first instruction to stop the vehicle is received in response to the notification that is output to the person inside the vehicle; and

cause the vehicle to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate, wherein

the notification is presented by a light that emits a predetermined color based on the monitored state of the driver.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

determine whether the first instruction to stop the vehicle is received after the notification is output; and

cause the vehicle to decelerate based on a determination that the first instruction is received after the notification is output.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

cause a warning to be provided inside the vehicle before causing the vehicle to decelerate.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

determine whether a second instruction to stop the vehicle is received after the first instruction is received; and

cause the vehicle to stop based on a determination that the second instruction is received.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

determine whether a third instruction to cancel the first instruction is received from the driver after the first instruction is received; and

cancel the deceleration of the vehicle based on a determination that the third instruction is received after the first instruction.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the notification includes feedback to the driver based on the monitored state of the driver, and

the circuitry is configured to

determine whether to cause the vehicle to perform an emergency stop,

automatically cause the vehicle to perform an immediate stop based on a determination to cause the vehicle to perform the emergency stop, and

cause the vehicle to perform a guided manual stop based on a determination that the emergency stop is not to be performed.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , where the circuitry is configured to:

limit a top speed of the vehicle based on the monitored state of the driver.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

monitor eye movement or a sight line of the driver.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

cause activation of at least one of hazard lights or a horn of the vehicle during the deceleration of the vehicle.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the hazard lights are activated such that a short period of light is emitted twice and a long period of light is emitted once.

22. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

means for monitoring a state of a driver of a vehicle;

means for causing a notification that indicates the state of the driver to be output based on the monitored state of the driver, the notification being presented to a person inside the vehicle that is not the driver;

means for determining, when operating in a manual operation mode, whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate based on whether a first instruction to stop the vehicle is received in response to the notification that is output to the person inside the vehicle; and

means for causing the vehicle to decelerate based on the determination of whether to cause the vehicle to decelerate, wherein

the notification is presented by a light that emits a predetermined color based on the monitored state of the driver.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2017
From: OBA, EIJI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042286/0853 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-251492 · Dec 12, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170305440A1 · Oct 26, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 50,714