Agent device, agent control method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11798552-B2
Application number	US-201817281275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2018
Priority date	Oct 5, 2018
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

An agent device includes a microphone configured to collect a speech sound inside a vehicle cabin, a speaker configured to output a speech sound inside the vehicle cabin, and a plurality of agent function elements having different functions. Each of the plurality of agent function elements generates a speech sound of an agent that speaks to an occupant of a vehicle on the basis of a meaning of the speech sound collected by the microphone, causes the speaker to output the generated speech sound of the agent. The agent function element serving as a main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched on the basis of content of the speech sound collected by the microphone.

First claim

What is claim is:

1. An agent device comprising:
a microphone configured to collect a speech sound inside a vehicle cabin;
a speaker configured to output a speech sound inside the vehicle cabin;
a plurality of agent function elements having different functions;
a master agent function element configured to switch a main agent that has a dialogue with an occupant of the vehicle on the basis of the meaning of the speech sound collected by the microphone; and
a storage configured to store function information related to a function capable of being executed by each of the plurality of agent function elements,
wherein the master agent function element switches the agent function element to an agent function element capable of executing a function corresponding to the meaning of the speech sound with reference to the function information on the basis of the meaning of the speech sound collected by the microphone,
wherein each of the plurality of agent function elements generates a speech sound of an agent that speaks to an occupant of a vehicle on the basis of the meaning of the speech sound collected by the microphone and causes the speaker to output the generated speech sound of the agent,
wherein the agent function element serving as the main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched through switching control of the master agent function element,
wherein a plurality of microphones are provided inside the vehicle cabin,
wherein one of inputs of the plurality of microphones is assigned to the master agent function element,
wherein a microphone assigned to the master agent function element has higher performance than other microphones, and
wherein the master agent function element inputs a speech sound from the assigned microphone all the time, and even when the occupant and the agent function element are in a dialogue, the switching control to switch the main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is continued.

2. The agent device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of agent function elements causes the speaker to output the speech sound of the agent so that a sound image of the generated speech sound of the agent is localized at a predetermined position.

3. The agent device according to claim 1 , wherein the master agent function element and one of the plurality of agent function elements operate integrally.

4. The agent device according to claim 1 , wherein equipment mounted in the vehicle is controlled by a specific agent function element among the plurality of agent function elements.

5. The agent device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display an image,
wherein the plurality of agent function elements generate images of anthropomorphic agents that communicate with the occupant, and
wherein the master agent function element causes the display to display the images of the agents generated by the plurality of agent function elements and causes a display form of the image of the agent to be changed when a main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched.

6. The agent device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of microphones are installed at positions within a predetermined distance inside the vehicle cabin.

7. The agent device according to claim 6 , wherein speech sounds collected by the plurality of microphones are able to be input to a speech sound input interface of the master agent function element.

8. An agent control method comprising:
causing, by a computer, each of a plurality of agent function elements having different functions to generate a speech sound of an agent that speaks to an occupant of a vehicle on the basis of a meaning of a speech sound collected by a microphone configured to collect the speech sound inside a vehicle cabin; and
causing, by the computer, a speaker configured to output a speech sound inside the vehicle cabin to output the generated speech sound of the agent,
wherein the agent function element serving as a main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched on the basis of content of the speech sound collected by the microphone,
wherein a plurality of microphones are provided inside the vehicle cabin,
wherein one of inputs of the plurality of microphones is assigned to a master agent function element of the plurality of agent function elements,
wherein a microphone assigned to the master agent function element has higher performance than other microphones, and
wherein the master agent function element inputs a speech sound from the assigned microphone all the time, and even when the occupant and the agent function element are in a dialogue, the switching control to switch the main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is continued.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program to be executed by a computer to perform at least:
cause each of a plurality of agent function elements having different functions to generate a speech sound of an agent that speaks to an occupant of a vehicle on the basis of a meaning of a speech sound collected by a microphone configured to collect the speech sound inside a vehicle cabin; and
cause a speaker configured to output a speech sound inside the vehicle cabin to output the generated speech sound of the agent,
wherein the agent function element serving as a main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is switched on the basis of content of the speech sound collected by the microphone,
wherein a plurality of microphones are provided inside the vehicle cabin,
wherein one of inputs of the plurality of microphones is assigned to a master agent function element of the plurality of agent function elements,
wherein a microphone assigned to the master agent function element has higher performance than other microphones, and
wherein the master agent function element inputs a speech sound from the assigned microphone all the time, and even when the occupant and the agent function element are in a dialogue, the switching control to switch the main agent that has a dialogue with the occupant is continued.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugihara Hiroshi
• Sekiguchi Atsushi
• Matsuura Yuki
• Soma Eisuke
• Endo Wataru
• Tanaka Ryosuke
• Kuramochi Toshikatsu

Classifications

• B60K35/29

  Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/265

  Voice · CPC title

• B60K35/85

  Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title