IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,367,029
Granted Patent B2
US 12,367,029 · App. 18/003,211 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system

Inventor: Ryuta Satoh (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
G06F8/65G06V20/56
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,367,029
App. No.
18/003,211
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing system, and a program that enable update of an SW to be quickly and safely implemented. The software program (SW) is updated from the vehicle group in which the safety is confirmed, the operation state of the SW after the update is confirmed, and if there is no abnormality, the SW of the vehicle groups other than the vehicle group in which the safety is confirmed is also updated. The present disclosure can be applied to an automated driving technology.

Claims (64)

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:

update a first software program (SW) to a second SW based on an update SW, wherein the first SW is based on machine learning;

execute an object recognition process based on an image;

compare an object recognition result of the second SW with surrounding information of an object in surroundings, wherein the surrounding information is based on a current position of the object; and

recognize an operation status of the second SW based on the comparison of the object recognition result of the second SW with the surrounding information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the second SW corresponds to the first SW relearned by the machine learning.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

back up the first SW;

update the first SW to the second SW after the back up of the first SW;

compare a first processing result of the second SW with a second processing result of the backed up first SW; and

recognize the operation status of the second SW based on the comparison of the first processing result with the second processing result.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to control an operation based on the object recognition result of the first SW.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the CPU is further configured to control the operation based on the object recognition result of the first SW before the update of the first SW.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

acquire the update SW to update the first SW, wherein the update SW is distributed from a server; and

transmit an operation status recognition result to the server, wherein the operation status recognition result is a result of the recognition of the operation status.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the server classifies a plurality of information processing apparatuses into groups based on a safety of an operation associated with the first SW,

based on the first SW is not appropriately updated by the update SW, the update SW is sequentially and stepwise distributed to a safest group of the groups,

the safest group comprises a set of information processing apparatuses of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and

the set of information apparatuses includes the information processing apparatus.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the server distributes the update SW based on a distribution plan at a specific timing.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the CPU is further configured to estimate the specific timing, at which a specific object is not recognized as the object recognition result of the first SW, as a timing at which control of the operation is unnecessary.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

control automated driving of a vehicle based on the object recognition result, and

the specific timing corresponds to a timing at which the vehicle travels on a route on which the specific object is not to be recognized as the object recognition result.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the server distributes the update SW based on a distribution plan at a specific timing at which control of the operation is unnecessary.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the server stops the distribution of the update SW to the information processing apparatus based on the operation status recognition result.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the server stops the distribution of the update SW to the information processing apparatus based on a first object recognition accuracy of the second SW is lower than a second object recognition accuracy of the first SW.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the CPU is further configured to transmit the image and the object recognition result to the server; and

the server relearns the first SW based on the image and the object recognition result and generates the update SW to update the first SW to a relearned state.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

the server distributes the update SW to update the first SW to the relearned state, and

the update SW is distributed based on a specific recognition accuracy of the first SW, and

the specific recognition accuracy is based on the image and the object recognition result.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

updating a first software program (SW) to a second SW based on an update SW, wherein the first SW is based on machine learning;

executing an object recognition process based on an image;

comparing an object recognition result of the second SW with surrounding information of an object in surroundings, wherein the surrounding information is based on a current position of the object; and

recognizing an operation status of the second SW based on the comparison of the object recognition result of the second SW with the surrounding information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

acquiring the update SW to update the first SW, wherein the update SW is distributed from a server; and

transmitting an operation status recognition result to the server, wherein the operation status recognition result is a result of the recognition of the operation status.

18. An information processing method, comprising: in an information processing apparatus:

updating a first software program (SW) to a second SW based on an update SW, wherein the first SW is based on machine learning;

executing an object recognition process based on an image;

comparing an object recognition result of the second SW with surrounding information of an object in surroundings, wherein the surrounding information is based on a current position of the object; and

recognizing an operation status of the second SW based on the comparison of the object recognition result of the second SW with the surrounding information.

19. The information processing method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

acquiring the update SW to update the first SW, wherein the update SW is distributed from a server; and

transmitting an operation status recognition result to the server, wherein the operation status recognition result is a result of the recognition of the operation status.

20. An information processing system, comprising:

an information processing apparatus that comprises a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:

update a first software program (SW) to a second SW based on an update SW, wherein the first SW is based on machine learning;

execute an object recognition process based on an image;

compare an object recognition result of the second SW with surrounding information of an object in surroundings, wherein the surrounding information is based on a current position of the object; and

recognize an operation status of the second SW based on the comparison of the object recognition result of the second SW with the surrounding information.

21. The information processing system according to claim 20 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

acquire the update SW to update the first SW, wherein the update SW is distributed from a server; and

transmitting an operation status recognition result to the server, wherein the operation status recognition result is a result of the recognition of the operation status.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2023
From: SATOH, RYUTA
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062937/0722 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-115427 · Jul 3, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230244471A1 · Aug 3, 2023
References Cited (19)
US 10193695B1 · Endress · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11681752B2 · Janakiraman · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20190164080A1 · Stefani · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190392254A1 · Oh · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200242511A1 · Kale · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210116930A1 · Ariki · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210390283A1 · Futatsugi · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230020965A1 · Yue · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230418586A1 · Tian · 2023 [cited by examiner]
JP 2011081604A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013148957A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014092878A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018005894A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019152948A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019175349A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020060987A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019167457A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020095545A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2021/023308, issued on Aug. 24, 2021, 09 pages of ISRWO. [cited by applicant]