JP3817612B2 - Virtual driving system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a virtual driving system that performs a driving operation of a vehicle in a pseudo manner and performs evaluation research such as a device around a driver's seat and a driver's cognitive experiment and an ergonomic experiment.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional driving simulator, for example, “driving simulator” disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be cited. This is a state that is close to the actual vehicle running state by causing the body to simulate yawing, rolling, and pitching by the hydraulic cylinder attached to the turntable on which the simulated body is placed and the hydraulic cylinder attached to the wheel of the simulated body When the subject operates the accelerator, brake, shift lever for shifting, etc., the sensor detects this and outputs it to the control unit. The control signal from the control unit activates the hydraulic control valve. By controlling, it realizes the movement close to the actual driving operation. At the same time, on the monitor in front of the subject, scenes and the like by CG (computer graphics) composition that changes as the vehicle travels are projected to enhance the sense of reality.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-269721 (paragraph numbers [0016] to [0030])
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of the conventional technology, a state close to the actual driving operation is created on the simulated vehicle body, and the simulated traveling state is experienced while viewing the scenery displayed on the monitor. As a merit of using such a driving simulator, Because it is possible to prepare controlled driving conditions for multiple drivers without actually causing dangerous situations such as accidents, it is possible to experience driving under the same conditions and facilitate driver aptitude tests, Recently, the “drive-by-wire” method that is being installed in actual vehicles: electronically, rather than mechanically, steering, braking, and other vehicle functions The method of cooperative control by means of: The driving simulation given in the previous example for the evaluation of the near future vehicle steering system It is difficult to correspond to the data as a valid experimental tool. Even if a full-scale simulator for such an evaluation study is produced, the scale of the system, development costs, etc. will be enormous, and further development will take a considerable amount of time. There is a problem that it is inappropriate for evaluating a system with an early development cycle or for evaluating a prototype at the prototype stage. Moreover, in the image by the conventional CG synthesis | combination used for most simulators, the surface of the tool which performs the experiment of HMI (Human Machine Interface) in the in-vehicle information terminal accompanied by the driver's recognition experiment and the ergonomic experiment from the lack of reality It was inappropriate.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention collects data necessary for evaluation research on devices and drivers around the driver's seat without actually causing dangerous situations such as accidents, and provides controlled driving conditions for a plurality of drivers. In addition to the advantages of the conventional driving simulator that can be prepared, the use of a commercially available general-purpose computer can also reduce the scale and development cost of the system, and the use of live-action video as a driver necessary for evaluating the near future vehicle control system The purpose is to provide a virtual driving system that enables cognitive experiments and ergonomic experiments.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a driving system for performing research on evaluation of a device and a driver around a driver's seat by a pseudo driving driving of a subject using a driving image of a vehicle projected on a screen, A live-action video presentation that projects a live-action running image that has been captured and edited in advance on each of the left and right and rear screens and that is added with an arrow to guide the subject on the live-action running video on the front screen Means, rear mirrors and left and right side mirrors for reflecting and confirming the rear screen, left and right turn signals arranged at positions assuming the actual front left and right of the vehicle body, the handle and the subject in front of the seating position of the subject Input means comprising an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal located under the foot of the vehicle, and a switch for blinking the blinker; Pseudo driving running by processing the input operated by the subject according to the route guidance presented by the arrow through the force means and changing the presented images projected on the front, left, right and rear screens of the real image presenting means Recording and storing operation input information by the subject of the input means and processing information for the operation input of the control means, and each of the above based on the stored operation input information of the subject and the processing information An operation recording / reproducing unit that reproduces a simulated driving run performed by a subject by reproducing a presentation image projected on a screen, and the control unit performs pseudo driving according to an operation input by the subject of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal. Display means for displaying by characters or meters indicating the speed and acceleration of the vehicle in running, Serial operation recording and reproducing means is characterized Rukoto to have a means for displaying overlapping the indicator by bars and point in the horizontal direction which changes according to the vehicle speed and the acceleration in the pseudo driver running on presentation image on the front screen It is said.
[0007]
In addition, the images projected on the front, left, and right screens of the present invention are obtained by photographing the camera position with the driver's line of sight.
Further, the live-action image presenting means of the present invention has respective control computers that are assigned and controlled for each screen provided in the front, left and right, and rear, and each control computer connected by a LAN is controlled as a main control. The present invention is characterized in that the presentation video on each screen is projected in synchronization through a computer.
Further, the live-action video presenting means of the present invention is characterized by comprising means for synthesizing and presenting an image taken separately from the live-action running video on the screen on the screen using a chroma key.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a virtual driving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the live-action video presenting means of the system shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a vehicle that records a running image projected on the screen shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a running image projected on the screen shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement for projecting the presented video shown in FIG.
[0009]
In FIG. 1, a virtual driving system 1 synchronizes and projects a pre-edited live-action traveling image as a presentation image on each of four screens including a front screen 2, a left screen 3a, a right screen 3b, and a rear screen 5.
When the driver (driver: or subject) 10 operates the steering wheel (steering) in front of the seating position, the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal (not shown), etc., the operation input by these input means by the presenting software. The information is processed, and the images on the front, left, right, and rear screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5 are changed in accordance with the operation of the driver 10 to perform pseudo driving (virtual driving simulation). Reference numerals 4a and 4b denote speakers, which add sounds recorded at the same time during live-action shooting in conjunction with video changes.
[0010]
In addition, in order to maintain consistency with the actual vehicle, the positional relationship and dimensions of the actual vehicle and vehicle device are measured in advance in front of the front screen 2 and the rearview mirror (room) is placed at the assumed position based on this evaluation vehicle. Mirror) 7 is installed, and side mirrors 8a and 8b are also arranged on the left and right sides, and the image on the rear screen 5 is reflected and confirmed. Similarly, the left and right turn signals 6a and 6b are arranged on both the left and right sides according to the vehicle body size to be actually evaluated, and the turn signals 6a and 6b can be blinked by a switch (not shown) installed on the upper part of the handle. I am doing so. Reference numeral 9 is an instrument such as a speedometer that changes in accordance with the operation input of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal and is linked to acceleration / deceleration of the pseudo driving traveling, and is also one of evaluation devices around the driver's seat. An arrow in the front screen 2 guides the route to the driver 10, and the driver 10 performs a driving operation with support such as turning right or left by the arrow.
Control information and the like associated with pseudo-driving such as the operation input by the driver (subject), processing according to the operation input, and changing the presented video are stored in a storage device such as a memory or a hard disk in the PC (see FIG. It is possible to reproduce the simulated driving run by changing the presented video without involving the subject, and by analyzing these reproduced data, Can conduct device evaluation research.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the live-action video presenting means of the system shown in FIG. 1, and projects the pre-edited real-time video on the front, left, right, and rear screens 2, 3a, 3b, 5 in synchronization. An example of the case is shown. A PC (personal computer) is assigned to each of the screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5, and each PC projects a live-action image on the corresponding screen on the front, left and right, or rear. Each PC is connected to the router via a LAN (Local Area Network). Further, a server PC is connected to the router, and the images of the corresponding screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5 are distributed from the server PC. Each PC stores an image of a necessary section as appropriate in a storage device (not shown) such as a buffer memory or a hard disk in the PC, and projects it on the screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5. The server PC may be used exclusively for the live-action image presentation means, or may be configured to incorporate presentation software that processes the operation input of the driver 10 and changes the projection image according to the operation of the driver. It is. In addition, if the processing speed of the computer is sufficiently high, a configuration in which only the minimum video engine portion necessary for projection onto the screens 2, 3a, 3b, 5 is assigned to the respective screens 2, 3a, 3b, 5 is also conceivable. In FIG. 2, driver software for driving the speedometer 9 is incorporated in the PC assigned to the front video screen 2.
[0012]
Next, the operation will be described.
In the virtual driving system according to the present embodiment, as preparation steps for performing simulation for a subject, work such as recording of video content and audio content, production of presentation software (simulation program), and the like is performed.
[0013]
Video content is recorded with a video camera in each direction so that four directions of travel images can be acquired for the front, left, right, and rear screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5 as shown in FIG. Using a recording vehicle, actually take a picture on a general road and record it on a digital video recorder or the like. Real shot images are superior to CG images in terms of spatial realism and sense of reality, and by placing emphasis on the sense of realism of driving feeling, it becomes possible to reflect test results from subjects more accurately in evaluation. . The captured live-action video is edited on the screens 2, 3 a, 3 b, and 5 so as to become the driver's line of sight when creating the simulation program.
[0014]
Regarding the recording of the sound content, a stereo microphone (not shown) is used when shooting the driving image shown in FIG. 3 and is recorded on a DAT (Digital Audio Tape) or the like simultaneously with the shooting of the driving image. In addition, information necessary for evaluating brake sound, collision sound, car navigation, etc., should be recorded separately, and recorded as travel sound etc. Synthesize.
[0015]
The simulation program for simulated driving travel takes the video content and audio content recorded in this way into a PC, and produces them according to a scenario (simulator experiment chart) tailored to the test purpose. At that time, the video content is subjected to image compression processing in the MPEG layer 1 format or the like.
The simulation program imposes work on the subject in accordance with actual driving such as operation of the steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal, and lighting operation of the blinkers 6a and 6b at the time of turning left and right by a switch installed on the upper part of the steering wheel.
[0016]
These presentation software uses, for example, Director (product name: 3D authoring software) of Macromedia, and uses a backdrop and other functions (layer, mask processing), and crosswalks on the background image of urban roads by chroma key. Create a composite image by overlaying people and use it for a driver's reaction test, detect operation inputs such as steering wheel, accelerator petal, brake pedal, etc., perform vector calculations such as acceleration, deceleration, stop, etc. The traveling image of each of the screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5 is changed in an actual interlocking manner by the adjustment function.
[0017]
FIG. 6 shows how the image is changed and projected by the subject's steering (steering) operation when projecting the captured real image onto the screen. It shows how the range is projected on the screen.
[0018]
Each model (traveling vehicle, oncoming vehicle, wall, etc.) in the image is set as a rigid body with mass, and the Director's Havok Xtra function (product name) is used to set the friction coefficient, elasticity, etc. It is also possible to detect a collision at the time of putting back operation, etc., and to show an actual shock and a crash feeling at the time of the collision.
[0019]
The simulation program created in this way is installed on a PC to configure a virtual driving system, and the live-action running video and running sound that are simultaneously edited and recorded on a digital video recorder, etc. are controlled, and the front, left and right sides of the projector are controlled. , And the rear large screens 2, 3a, 3b, 5 are projected.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 5, a simulator image (presentation software image) projected on the front screen 2 shown in FIG. 4 is a front-facing live-action image (not shown), left, right, and rear screens 3a and 3b. The left and right and rear real shot images synchronized with the front image of the front screen 2 are projected on 5, and changes due to acceleration / deceleration are also reflected in synchronization with these images. A handle (not shown) is installed at a position where the subject's seating position is directly in front of the front screen 2, an accelerator pedal and a brake are installed under the subject's feet, and a room mirror 7 is provided at the center in front of the front screen 2, Side mirrors 8a and 8b are arranged on the left and right sides, and the image projected on the rear screen 5 is projected on the mirrors 7, 8a and 8b, and the driving operation is performed while being confirmed by the subject. In addition, blinking operation of the blinkers 6a and 6b arranged at the front left and right positions of the vehicle body is performed by operating a switch installed on the upper part of the handle.
In addition, in order to match the vehicle sensation such as the vehicle width to the actual evaluation vehicle, the frame is manufactured in advance according to the body size of the vehicle body, and the view from the driver's seat is reproduced by covering the manufactured frame with cloth. .
[0021]
A live-action running image is projected onto a large front screen 2 (for example, 100 inches large) using a projector. The projector is composed of, for example, a DLP (Digital Light Processing) using a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) element. Yes. As a projection method of the projector, a rear projection method may be used as in the right screen 3b shown in FIG.
[0022]
When the subject is seated and a live-action running image is projected on each of the screens 2, 3a, 3b, and 5, a simulator experiment using the presentation software is started.
Although the experiment and the evaluation method vary depending on the purpose, for example, when driving an automobile using an in-vehicle information system (navigation), information with high presentation priority (hereinafter referred to as high priority information) is information with low presentation priority. (Hereinafter referred to as “low priority information”) A simulator experiment is performed assuming a scene where audiovisual presentation is performed.
The high priority information presented in the experiment is danger warning information such as obstacle information, and the low priority information sets navigation information such as route guidance. For example, high priority information assuming warning information on the screen images between the front and rear, left and right vehicles and roads between the screens 2, 3a, 3b, 5 and roads, voice warning information, etc., and the display of the navigation monitor 23 And low-priority information assuming voice information and the like.
[0023]
For example, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) car computer is used for the car navigation. By the way, the DVD car computer is a voice recognition type car navigation system that performs operations related to navigation to the destination by voice and responds with voice from the system side, enabling interactive operation. It is a multimedia communication type tool.
[0024]
The experiment as low priority information is based on the navigation information from the in-vehicle information terminal by operating the steering wheel, accelerator, and brake as the driving simulation work. The selected route is selected as an evaluation operation. When selecting a route, based on the navigation information, an arrow is combined with the image on the front screen 2 as shown in FIG. And display.
[0025]
As a high-priority information recognition test, for example, an experimental task that requires judgment of urgency and seriousness in the information acceptance process is set and performed under driving simulation work. For this, the response of the steering wheel, accelerator, and brake operation in the scene where the presented information is assumed to be danger warning information including urgency and seriousness is checked. This test may include a visual emergency reflex test by inserting a crosswalk person with a composite image using chroma key. The presentation of the high priority information is performed three times during the experiment, for example. Further, the contents of presentation of the high priority information are stored. This also serves as data for safety awareness diagnosis.
[0026]
FIG. 7 shows a state in which, after the simulated driving test is completed, the simulated driving is reproduced, and the operation state of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal can be confirmed on the front screen 2 as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle in the simulated driving. A horizontal bar that moves upward from the center according to the speed of the vehicle, and a vertical bar that moves according to the acceleration (positive acceleration: accelerator operation) and a downward movement from the center (negative acceleration: brake operation). A point indicator is provided. These indicators can be displayed in video playback after the simulated driving test, or can be shown to the subject during the simulated driving test to see the reaction, depending on the target device and evaluation item. You can choose.
[0027]
The subjects for the above test are, for example, those who have a driver's license from the age of 20 to 63, and such a presentation method is individually applied to individuals of 20 to 63 years or for each group. By implementing repeated evaluations from a large number of evaluation data applied and applied, it is possible to evaluate a safe driving support system such as a collision prevention system.
[0028]
As a specific evaluation method, other than evaluation of information obtained from a simulator such as statistical processing of the response of the steering wheel, accelerator, brake operation, turn-on operation of the blinkers 6a and 6b, and the movement range of the projected image accompanying these operations In addition, a method for evaluating the body reaction of the subject is conceivable. For example, the eye movement measuring instrument and the reflection image by the cornea reflection method are captured by a CCD camera and recorded on a video recorder, and the body reaction is evaluated from the recorded data. Is mentioned.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, using the synchronized vehicle traveling images projected on the screens provided on the front, left, right, and rear sides of the edited live-action traveling image, the presented image is changed by the operation input of the subject. In addition to the advantages of the conventional driving simulator, it is possible to perform realistic driving operations without causing dangerous situations such as accidents by actually performing simulated driving. It is possible to construct a virtual driving system effective for evaluation of a vehicle control system at a low cost, in which it is possible to collect more accurate data for conducting research and evaluation of devices around the driver's seat and the driver depending on the sense of reality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a virtual driving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram of a live-action video presenting means of the system shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a vehicle that records a running image projected on the screen shown in FIG. 1;
4 is a diagram showing a presentation image projected on the screen shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement for projecting the presented video shown in FIG. 4;
6 is an explanatory diagram showing a steering operation of the system shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
7 is an explanatory diagram of a projected image corresponding to a pedal operation of the system shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Virtual driving system 2 Front screen 3a Left screen 3b Right screen 4a Left speaker 4b Right speaker 5 Rear screen 6a Left turn signal 6b Right turn signal 7 Rearview mirror 8a Left side mirror 8b Right side mirror 9 Speedometer 10 Driver (driver: or subject) )

Claims (4)

A driving system that conducts evaluation research of devices and drivers around a driver's seat by subject's simulated driving using a driving image of a vehicle projected on a screen,
A live-action image that is projected in synchronization with a live-action traveling image that has been captured and edited in advance on each screen provided in front, left, right, and rear, and that is presented with an arrow for guiding the subject on the actual-image traveling image on the front screen Video presentation means;
A rearview mirror and left and right side mirrors for reflecting and confirming the rear screen;
The left and right turn signals placed at the position assuming the actual left and right front of the vehicle body,
Input means comprising a handle in front of the subject's seating position, an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal located under the subject's feet, and a switch for blinking the blinker,
Simulate driving by processing the input operated by the subject according to the route guidance presented by the arrow through the input means, and changing the presented images projected on the front, left and right, and rear screens of the real image presenting means Control means for carrying out traveling;
The operation input information by the subject of the input means and the processing information for the operation input of the control means are recorded and stored, and the presented video projected on each screen based on the stored operation input information of the subject and the processing information the playing an operation recording and reproducing means for reproducing a pseudo operation traveling subjects went,
The control means has a display means for displaying by characters or meters indicating the speed and acceleration of the vehicle in the pseudo driving according to the operation input by the subject of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal,
The live-action video presenting means or the operation recording / reproducing means includes means for displaying an indicator by a horizontal bar and a point that change in accordance with the speed and acceleration of the vehicle in pseudo driving on the presented video on the front screen. Virtual driving system according to claim Rukoto that Yusuke.   The virtual driving system according to claim 1, wherein the images projected on the front, left, and right screens are images of the camera position taken by the driver's line of sight.   The live-action video presenting means has respective control computers that are assigned and controlled for each screen provided forward, left, right, and rear, and the respective control computers connected by a LAN are connected via the main control computer. The virtual driving system according to claim 1, wherein the presentation video on each screen is projected in synchronization.   2. The virtual driving system according to claim 1, wherein the live-action video presenting means includes means for synthesizing and presenting an image taken separately from the live-action running video on the screen by using a chroma key on the screen. .

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