Emotion inference device and emotion inference system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186290-B2
Application number	US-201716345018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

An emotion inference device and an emotion inference system that are capable of inferring a user's emotion with higher precision. A motorcycle includes an individual personality that is configured on the basis of information on a user from a plurality of products associated with the user, connected to a communication network, and including the motorcycle, an automobile, a rice cooker, a vacuum cleaner, a television receiver, and a refrigerator, the individual personality forms a base personality, and the motorcycle includes an emotion detecting section that detects an emotion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An emotion inference device that is connected, through a communication network, to a plurality of products associated with a user, and that comprises a processor and a memory, wherein
the memory stores:
information on the user received from the plurality of products through the communication network;
an individual personality that is an algorithm to imitate, by machine learning the information, an emotion or emotion change, of the user, that copes with an external factor; and
a base personality that is formed by the individual personality and that is the emotion of the user in a calm state,
the processor functions as an emotion detecting section that detects the emotion of the user by comparing the emotion or emotion change, of the user, that copes with the external factor and that is formed by executing the individual personality, and the base personality, and
the processor functions as an action control section that controls an action to direct the emotion, of the user, based on the emotion of the user in case deviation between the emotion estimated by the emotion detecting section and the base personality exceeds a predetermined range.

2. The emotion inference device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises:
an emotion accumulation unit that accumulates the emotion, of the user, detected by the emotion detecting section as an emotion detection history data, and
an activity schedule table that shows an activity schedule data concerning a future schedule of the user,
the processor functions as an emotion change cause inferring section that infers a cause of change in an emotion of the user from at least the emotion detection history data accumulated in the emotion accumulation unit or the future schedule shown in the activity schedule table of the user, when there is a large change in the emotion of the user.

3. The emotion inference device according to claim 2 , wherein the cause of change in the emotion of the user inferred by the emotion change cause inferring section is accumulated when accumulating the emotion, of the user, in the emotion accumulation unit.

4. The emotion inference device according to claim 2 , wherein the action control section copes with the cause of change in the emotion of the user inferred by the emotion change cause inferring section, and controls an action that directs the emotion of the user.

5. The emotion inference device according to claim 4 , wherein the emotion inference device is mounted on a vehicle,
the processor functions as a driving tendency judging section that judges a driving tendency of the vehicle,
the driving tendency judging section distinguishes at least between patient driving and impatient driving, and
judges whether or not a current emotion of the user influences the driving of the vehicle, from at least an immediately prior emotion of the user and the activity schedule shown in the activity schedule table of the user, when a detection value showing that the driving of the user is judged as the impatient driving is acquired from a sensor, and
when the driving tendency judging section judges that the driving is influenced, the processor, by the action control section, directs to the emotion of the user so as to eliminate the influence on the driving.

6. The emotion inference device according to claim 5 , wherein the emotion that influences the driving includes one of anger, anxiety, sorrow, and insecurity.

7. An emotion inference system comprising:
a vehicle connected to a communication network, and
a plurality of products associated with a user and connected to the communication network, wherein
the vehicle comprises a processor and a memory,
the memory stores:
information on the user received from the plurality of products through the communication network;
an individual personality that is an algorithm to imitate, by machine learning the information, an emotion or emotion change, of the user, that copes with an external factor; and
a base personality that is formed by the individual personality and that is the emotion of the user in a calm state,
the processor functions as an emotion detecting section that detects an emotion of the user by comparing the emotion or emotion change, of the user, that copes with the external factor and that is formed by executing the individual personality, and the base personality, and
the processor functions as an action control section that controls an action to direct the emotion, of the user, based on the emotion of the user in case deviation between the emotion estimated by the emotion detecting section and the base personality exceeds a predetermined range.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Atsushi
• Matsui Yasumasa
• Matsuura Kohei
• Sakai Akiko
• YONEKAWA Kimihiro

Classifications

• B60W40/09 Primary

  Driving style or behaviour · CPC title

• G06V40/174

  Facial expression recognition · CPC title

• B60W2556/45

  External transmission of data to or from the vehicle · CPC title

• G06V40/20

  Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition (recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16) · CPC title

• G08G1/16

  Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) · CPC title