JP5853897B2 - Operation control device and operation control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation control device that permits operation of an in-vehicle device while a vehicle is traveling, and an operation control program.

  In recent years, various in-vehicle devices such as navigation devices are mounted on automobiles. Many of these on-vehicle devices are prohibited from being operated while the vehicle is running in order to ensure safety.

  However, if the operation of the in-vehicle device is prohibited simply because the vehicle is running, not only the driver's operation, but also the passenger's operation, the operation is uniformly prohibited while the vehicle is running. there were.

  For this reason, some in-vehicle devices detect the driver's side look and allow the operation if the total look-ahead time is less than the preset specified time, and prohibit the operation when the total look-ahead time exceeds the specified time. ing.

  In other words, in this in-vehicle device, even if the vehicle is running, if the total look-ahead time of the driver does not exceed the regulation time, safety can be ensured, and not only the operation by the passenger but also the operation by the driver is possible. (Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-69756 A

  However, when the driver is driving a vehicle, when turning right or left, when checking left and right to pass a crossroad or a pedestrian crossing, or when checking the rearview mirror or side mirror for backward confirmation In various scenes, etc., he faces his face in a direction other than the front front.

  For this reason, even if the above-mentioned judgment by the total look-ahead time is performed, the total look-aside time is often not less than the specified time, and as a result, not only the operation by the driver but also the operation by the passenger is uniformly prohibited. It has been done.

  In this way, if the passenger's operation is forbidden uniformly, the passenger's operation is not related to the safety of the vehicle, so both the driver and passenger feel inconvenience to the in-vehicle device. End up.

  On the other hand, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is said that it is safe for the driver to operate the in-vehicle device if it is within the total look-ahead time. It is dangerous regardless of the amount.

  On the other hand, by providing a special hardware configuration such as a detection device that detects the presence or absence of a passenger, if the passenger is present, the detection result may be used to allow the operation of the in-vehicle device, but the cost is reduced. There is a demerit that becomes higher.

  Therefore, the present invention does not have a special hardware configuration for detecting a passenger, and when there is a passenger, an operation control device that permits operation of the in-vehicle device even when the vehicle is traveling, and operation control The purpose is to provide a program.

  In order to achieve this object, in the operation control device of the present invention, the travel determination means (S10) determines whether or not a vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle device is traveling, and the travel determination means causes the vehicle to travel. In the case where it is determined that there is, the first operation prohibiting means (S40) prohibits the operation on the operation unit for operating the in-vehicle device.

  However, in the operation control device of the present invention, the mouth movement detection means (S16) detects whether there is a movement in the driver's mouth from the image of the driver's face captured by the imaging unit that images the driver's face. When the voice detection means (S11) detects the voice generated in the vehicle using the sound collecting unit when the mouth movement detection means does not detect the movement of the driver's mouth, the release means (S18) However, the prohibition of the operation with respect to the operation unit by the first operation prohibiting unit is canceled.

  In general, when there is a passenger, the driver often leaves the operation of the in-vehicle device to the passenger, and when there is no passenger, the driver himself has to do the operation of the in-vehicle device. Despite being in the middle, it is considered that the driver often operates the in-vehicle device. Therefore, in the present invention, it is determined whether or not the operation of the in-vehicle device is permitted by detecting the presence or absence of a passenger.

  In recent years, in-vehicle devices such as navigation devices are often equipped with a microphone (sound collecting unit) for voice operation, and the vehicle is driven to detect a driver's aside or doze. In many cases, a camera (imaging unit) that images a person's face is provided.

Therefore, by using these, the operation control apparatus of the present invention can be configured without providing a special hardware configuration for detecting a passenger.
Accordingly, when the operation control device of the present invention is used, when a passenger is present, the operation of the in-vehicle device is permitted even when the vehicle is traveling, and the passenger can operate the in-vehicle device at any time. Neither the passenger nor the passenger feel inconvenience to the in-vehicle device.

In addition, the operation control device of the present invention does not have to be provided with a special hardware configuration for detecting a passenger, and thus can be introduced at a reduced cost.
Furthermore, when the operation control device of the present invention is used, when there is no passenger, the operation of the in-vehicle device while the vehicle is traveling is prohibited, so that dangerous driving for operating the in-vehicle device while traveling the vehicle is surely prevented. be able to.

  If the operation control program described in claim 4 is used, if the vehicle has a sound collection unit and an imaging unit, the operation control program can be installed in an in-vehicle device or the like, thereby providing the operation having the above-described effects. A control device can be configured.

  Incidentally, the reference numerals in parentheses for each of the above means are examples showing the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described later, and the present invention is indicated by the reference numerals in the parentheses of the above respective means. It is not limited to specific means.

It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the navigation apparatus with which a vehicle is provided, and the monitoring apparatus. It is a flowchart of the operation control program performed with a navigation apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(overall structure)
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a navigation device 3 and a monitoring device 5.
(Navigation device 3)
The navigation device 3 includes a central control device 30, a vehicle speed detection unit 31, a microphone 32, a map information storage unit 33, a current position detection unit 34, an image display unit 35, an operation unit 36, and a remote operation unit 37.

  The central control device 30 is a computer device including a CPU (not shown) and a ROM 30a and a RAM 30b in which an operation control program is stored. The central controller 30 executes an operation control process described later by executing an operation control program stored in the ROM 30a. The RAM 30b stores information related to a passenger flag, which will be described later. When the passenger flag is set, “1” is stored as information relating to this passenger flag, and when the passenger flag is not set, “0” is stored.

  The vehicle speed detection unit 31 is a device that inputs a signal related to the speed of the vehicle 1 from a vehicle speed sensor provided in the vehicle 1, converts the signal into a signal that can be processed by the central control device 30 of the navigation device 3, and outputs the signal.

The microphone 32 is for picking up sound generated in the vehicle 1 in order to operate the navigation device 3 by voice, and is installed in a steering column, an instrument panel, or the like.
The map information storage unit 33 responds to a request from the central controller 30 such as a storage device such as an HDD or an IC memory storing map information, or a reading device that reads map information from a recording medium such as a DVD storing map information. It is composed of devices that can output map information.

  As this map information, in addition to map drawing information, various facilities such as roads, intersections, branch points, parking lots, commercial facilities, etc. displayed on the map are associated with position information indicating the positions of these various facilities. Facility location information and information necessary for route guidance processing and other processing.

  The current position detection unit 34 includes a GPS receiver, a gyroscope, a vehicle speed sensor, and the like, and detects the current position and traveling direction of the user's own vehicle on which the navigation device 3 is mounted using these.

  The image display unit 35 is composed of a liquid crystal display device or the like, and in accordance with an instruction from the central control unit 30, the current position on the map based on the map information obtained from the map information storage unit 33 and the current position information obtained from the current position detection unit 34. An image for route guidance in which etc. are written and an image according to various processes are displayed.

The operation unit 36 is a human interface device configured by a plurality of button-type switches and a transparent touch panel stacked on the screen of the image display unit 35.
The remote operation unit 37 is a remote control type operation device that is installed at a position away from the casing constituting the navigation device 3 and can remotely operate the navigation device 3 by radio or the like, and can be attached to and detached from a steering column, for example. Installed.
(Monitoring device 5)
Next, the monitoring device 5 is a device that monitors a driver's aside or falling asleep, and includes an image processing unit 50, a projector control unit 51, a projector 52, a camera control unit 53, and a camera 54.

  The image processing unit 50 is a computer device configured by a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like (not shown), inputs image information of an image captured by the camera 54, analyzes the image information, and displays the analysis result as a navigation device. 3 is a device that outputs to the central controller 30.

  In the monitoring device 5, the driver's face is captured by the camera 54, and the image processing unit 50 detects the driver's line of sight, face orientation, and mouth movement from the image information of the image captured by the camera 54. The analysis result is output in response to a request from the central controller 30.

  As an analysis method executed by the image processing unit 50, there are (image processing such as binarization processing and pattern matching based on grayscale information), and any analysis method may be used in this embodiment. Since this embodiment is not characterized in its analysis method, the description thereof is omitted.

The projector 52 is a projector that irradiates far infrared rays toward the driver's face, and is disposed on the steering column or the instrument panel together with the camera 54.
The projector control unit 51 is a device that controls lighting, brightness, and the like of the projector 52 and controls the projector 52 in response to an instruction from the image processing unit 50.

  The image processing unit 50 analyzes the image captured by the camera 54 and determines the brightness and lighting of the projector 52 based on whether the analysis result is good or bad. The projector control unit 51 determines the image processing unit 50. The projector 52 is controlled according to the result.

The camera 54 images the driver's face, and is disposed on the steering column or the instrument panel together with the projector 52 as described above.
The camera control unit 53 is a device that controls the diaphragm and the like of the camera 54, and controls the camera 54 in response to an instruction from the image processing unit 50.

The image processing unit 50 analyzes the image captured by the camera 54 and determines the aperture of the camera 54 based on whether the analysis result is good or bad. The camera control unit 53 determines the result of the determination by the image processing unit 50. Accordingly, the camera 54 is controlled.
(Operation control processing)
Next, an operation control process executed by the central control device 30 of the navigation device 3 will be described.

  In this operation control process, various information is input from the monitoring device 5 or the vehicle speed detection unit 31 provided in the navigation device 3, and the operation control program stored in the ROM 30a is stored in the central control device based on the input information. 30 is executed by processing.

When this operation control process is started, S10 is first executed as shown in FIG.
In S10, based on the signal regarding the speed of the vehicle 1 input from the vehicle speed detection unit 31, it is determined whether the vehicle 1 is traveling at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed (for example, 5 km / h).

The speed used as the criterion for the determination in S10 is not limited to the above-mentioned speed of 5 km / h, as long as the speed does not cause a safety problem even when the driver operates the navigation device 3.
In this determination (S10), when the speed of the vehicle 1 is less than the predetermined speed (S10: NO), the process of S30 is executed next, and the speed of the vehicle 1 is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed. If this is the case (S10: YES), then the process of S11 is executed.

  In S11, it is determined whether or not sound is picked up by the microphone 32. If it is determined by S11 that the voice has been picked up (S11: YES), then the process of S14 is executed, and if it is determined by S11 that the voice has not been picked up (S11: NO) Next, the process of S12 is executed.

  In S14, processing for instructing the image processing unit 50 of the monitoring device 5 to output information on the analysis result of the driver's mouth movement is executed. In S16, the processing of the monitoring device 5 is performed by the processing in S14. Whether or not the driver is speaking is determined based on the information regarding the analysis result of the movement of the driver's mouth input from the image processing unit 50.

  If it is determined that the driver is speaking by the process of S16 (S16: YES), then the process of S12 is executed, and if it is determined that the driver is not speaking (S16: NO) Next, the process of S17 is executed.

  In S16, since it is not executed unless it is determined in S14 that someone is speaking in the vehicle, if it is determined in S16 that the driver is not speaking (S16: NO), it is determined that there is a passenger. The

In S12, processing for determining whether it is already determined that there is a passenger is executed.
This operation control process is repeatedly executed while the navigation device 3 is operating. In S18, which will be described later, which is executed in this operation control process, it is determined that there is a passenger by the determination in S11 and S16 ( S11: YES, S16: NO), the passenger flag is set.

In S12, it is determined whether or not the passenger flag is set in S18 of the previous operation control process that has already been executed.
If it is determined in this determination (S12) that there is a passenger (S12: YES), then the process of S20 is performed to determine whether the driver is looking aside, and it is determined that there is no passenger. If this is the case (S12: NO), next, the process of S40 is executed.

Even in S17, by determining whether or not this fellow passenger flag is set, processing for determining whether or not there is a fellow passenger is executed.
In this determination (S17), it is already determined that there is a passenger, and when the passenger flag is already set (S17: YES), the process of S19 is then executed and the operation of the navigation device 3 is started. After that, it is determined for the first time that the vehicle speed has exceeded a certain speed (S10: YES), or when it is determined that the passenger flag has been defeated by the processing in S28 described later and the passenger flag is not set (S17). : NO) Next, the process of S18 is executed.

In S18, processing for setting a passenger flag is executed.
In S18, when it is determined in S11 and S16 that the driver is not speaking even though voice is input (S11: YES), that is, the passenger This process is executed when it is determined that there is a passenger, and the passenger flag information stored in the RAM 30b of the central control device 30 is changed from "0" to "1" so that the passenger flag is set. .

  In S19, a process for instructing the image processing unit 50 of the monitoring device 5 to output information on the analysis result of the driver's line of sight is executed. In S20, the image processing of the monitoring apparatus 5 is performed by the process in S19. Whether or not the driver's line-of-sight direction is directed toward the navigation device 3 is determined based on the information regarding the driver's line-of-sight analysis result input from the unit 50.

  If it is determined by the process of S20 that the driver is looking at the navigation device 3 (S20: YES), then the process of S26 is executed and it is determined that the driver is not looking at the line of sight. If so (S20: NO), then the process of S22 is executed.

  In S22, processing for instructing the image processing unit 50 of the monitoring device 5 to output information on the analysis result of the driver's face orientation is executed. In S24, the image of the monitoring device 5 is obtained by the processing in S22. Based on the information regarding the analysis result of the driver's face orientation input from the processing unit 50, it is determined whether or not the driver is looking at the navigation device 3.

  If it is determined by the process of S22 that the driver faces the navigation device 3 (S22: YES), then the process of S26 is executed and it is determined that the driver does not face the face. If so (S20: NO), next, the process of S30 is executed.

In S <b> 26, it is determined whether or not the driver has turned his or her gaze or face toward the navigation device 3 for a certain time or more.
As the determination method of S26, for example, information on the driver's line of sight or face orientation for a predetermined time or longer is recorded in the RAM 30b of the central control device 30, and all of the recorded information is stored in the navigation device 3 by the driver. The determination may be made based on whether or not the information is that the line of sight or the face is facing.

  If it is determined by this determination (S26) that the driver has turned his or her gaze or face to the navigation device 3 for a certain time or longer (S26: YES), then the process of S28 is executed, and the driver is fixed. When it is determined that the line of sight or the face is not directed to the navigation device 3 for more than the time (S26: NO), next, the process of S30 is executed.

  In S28, processing for defeating the passenger flag is executed. That is, since the driver may be operating the navigation device 3, a process of defeating the passenger flag is executed because it is dangerous.

  In S30, when the operation of the navigation device 3 is permitted and the operation by the operation unit 36 or the remote operation unit 37 is performed, a process for operating the navigation device 3 is executed according to the operation.

On the other hand, in S40, the operation of the navigation device 3 is prohibited, and the navigation device 3 does not operate even if the operation unit 36 or the remote operation unit 37 is operated.
Thereafter, the processes after S10 are repeatedly executed.

  When the operation control process described above is executed, if the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 is less than a predetermined speed (S10: NO), the operation of the navigation device 3 is always permitted (S30).

  Even if the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed (S10: YES), if there is a passenger (S11: YES, S16: NO, S11: NO or S16 YES, S12) : YES), the operation of the navigation device 3 is permitted.

  However, even if there is a passenger, if the driver has been watching the navigation device 3 for a certain time or longer (S20: YES, S24: YES), the operation of the navigation device 3 is prohibited.

In this case, if the speed of the vehicle 1 is reduced below a predetermined speed (S10: NO), or if the passenger speaks and the driver does not speak (S11: YES, S16: NO) The operation of the navigation device 3 is permitted, and the passenger can operate the navigation device 3 again.
[Characteristic effects of this embodiment]
When the operation control process of the present embodiment is executed, if there is a passenger, the operation of the navigation device 3 is permitted even when the vehicle is traveling, and the passenger can operate the navigation device 3 at any time. Neither the driver nor the passenger feel inconvenience to the navigation device 3.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the microphone 32 and the camera 54 that are already provided in the navigation device 3 and the monitoring device 5 are used, and the operation control process is merely executed by the central control device 30. Since it is not necessary to have a special hardware configuration, it can be introduced at a reduced cost.

  Further, when the operation control process of the present embodiment is executed, if there is no passenger, the operation of the navigation device 3 while the vehicle is traveling is prohibited (S11: YES to S16: NO), driving It is possible to reliably prevent a dangerous driving in which a person operates the navigation device 3 while the vehicle is traveling.

Further, in the present embodiment, even when there is a passenger, when the driver is looking in the direction in which the navigation device 3 is located, the operation of the navigation device 3 is prohibited. This can be prevented even if you are looking away to operate.
(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, an example in which the operation control program for executing the operation control process is executed on the ROM 30a has been described. However, the operation control program is installed in the existing navigation device 3 using a medium such as a CD or a DVD. May be.

Moreover, although the navigation apparatus 3 was demonstrated in the said embodiment, you may make it run an operation control program with respect to the vehicle-mounted apparatus by installing an operation control program in the vehicle-mounted apparatus other than this.
(Correspondence)
The operation control device of the present invention corresponds to the central control device 30 that executes the operation control process, the vehicle speed detection unit 31, the microphone 32, the operation unit 36, the remote operation unit 37, and the camera 54 in the present embodiment. The operation means of the present invention corresponds to the operation unit 36 and the remote operation unit 37 of the present embodiment, and the imaging unit corresponds to the camera 54.

The travel determination means and the travel determination step of the present invention correspond to the process of S10 of the present embodiment, and the first operation prohibition means and the first operation prohibition step correspond to the process of S40.
The voice detection means and the voice detection step of the present invention correspond to the processing of S11 of the present embodiment, the imaging unit corresponds to the processing of S54, the mouth movement detection means and the mouth movement detection step correspond to the processing of S16, the release means and the release step. Corresponds to the processing of S18.

  The line-of-sight detection means and the line-of-sight detection step of the present invention correspond to the processes of S20 and S24 of the present embodiment, and the armpit detection means and the armpit detection step correspond to the process of S26, and the second operation prohibition means and the second operation prohibition. The step corresponds to the process of S28.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as long as it meets the gist of the invention described in the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle 3 ... Navigation apparatus 5 ... Monitoring apparatus 30 ... Central control apparatus 31 ... Vehicle speed detection part 32 ... Microphone 33 ... Map information storage part 34 ... Current position detection part 35 ... Image display part 36 ... Operation part 37 ... Remote operation part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 ... Image processing part 51 ... Light projector control part 52 ... Light projector 53 ... Camera control part 54 ... Camera

Claims (6)

Operation units (36, 37) for operating the in-vehicle device;
Traveling determination means (S10) for determining whether a vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle device is traveling;
When the travel determination means determines that the vehicle is traveling, first operation prohibiting means (S40) for prohibiting operation on the operation unit;
A microphone (32) installed in the car,
Voice detection means (S11) for detecting voice generated in the vehicle using the microphone;
An imaging unit (54) for imaging the driver's face;
Mouth operation detecting means (S16) for detecting whether or not the driver's mouth is moving from the image of the driver's face imaged by the imaging unit;
If the voice detection means detects a voice generated in the vehicle when the mouth movement detection means does not detect the movement of the driver's mouth, the first operation prohibition means prohibits the operation of the operation means. An operation control device comprising: release means (S18) for releasing. The operation control device according to claim 1,
Gaze detection means (S20, S24) for detecting the gaze direction or face direction of the driver from the image of the driver's face imaged by the imaging unit;
Aside look detection means (S26) for detecting whether the driver is looking at the in-vehicle device for a certain time or more from the driver's gaze direction or face direction detected by the gaze detection means;
A second operation prohibiting unit that prohibits an operation on the operation unit when it is determined by the armpit detection unit that the driver is watching the vehicle-mounted device for a certain period of time (S28);
An operation control device comprising: In the operation control device according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The travel determination means includes
An operation control device that determines that the vehicle is traveling when the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or more. A traveling determination step (S10) for determining whether or not the vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle device is traveling;
A first operation prohibiting step (S40) for prohibiting an operation on an operation unit for operating the in-vehicle device when it is determined by the travel determination step that the vehicle is traveling;
A sound detection step (S11) for detecting sound generated in the vehicle using a microphone installed in the vehicle;
Mouth operation detection step (S16) for detecting whether there is a movement in the driver's mouth from the image of the driver's face captured by the imaging unit that images the driver's face;
When a voice generated in the vehicle is detected by the voice detection step when no movement of the driver's mouth is detected in the mouth movement detection step, an operation on the operation unit in the first operation prohibition step is performed. An operation control program comprising: a release step (S18) for canceling the prohibition. In the operation control program according to claim 4,
A line-of-sight detection step (S20, S24) for detecting a driver's line-of-sight direction or face direction from the image of the driver's face imaged by the imaging unit;
Aside detection step (S26) for detecting whether the driver is looking at the vehicle-mounted device for a certain time or more from the driver's line-of-sight direction or face direction detected in the line-of-sight detection step;
A second operation prohibiting step (S40) for prohibiting an operation on the operation unit when it is determined by the side look detection step that the driver is watching the in-vehicle device for a certain time or more;
An operation control program comprising: In the operation control program according to any one of claims 4 and 5,
The travel determination step includes
An operation control program for determining that the vehicle is traveling when the vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

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