Biological state guidance device, biological state guidance method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246743-B2
Application number	US-202318119874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2022
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A biological state guidance device includes a biological state estimation unit configured to estimate a biological state of a driver, a target value decision unit configured to decide on a target value of the biological state, an audio stimulus generation unit configured to generate an audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state is close to a target value, a fellow passenger information acquisition unit configured to acquire fellow passenger information, a target state decision unit configured to decide on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger, and a vibration stimulus generation unit configured to control a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating the fellow passenger by vibrations. The vibration stimulus generation unit generates the vibrations for guiding the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biological state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A biological state guidance device comprising:
multiple sensors configured to acquire information regarding a biological state of a driver of a vehicle;
an audio sensor stimulus generation device for generating an audio stimulus to the driver;
a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating a fellow passenger by vibrations; and
a controller configured to
estimate the biological state of the driver based on the information from the multiple sensors;
decide on a target value that is an index for setting the biological state of the driver as a target state;
control the audio stimulus generation device for generating the audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state of the driver is close to a target value based on the estimated biological state and the target value;
acquire fellow passenger information about the fellow passenger of the vehicle other than the driver;
decide on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger based on the fellow passenger information; and
control the vibration stimulus generation device
wherein the controller generates the vibrations for guiding the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biological state, and
wherein the controller generates the vibrations in a case where the target value of the driver is different from the target state of the fellow passenger.

2. The biological state guidance device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the target state includes at least an alerted state and a relaxed state,
wherein the controller sets the vibration interval to the integer divisor of the interval decided on the basis of the BPM of the audio stimulus when the target state is the alerted state, and
wherein the controller sets the vibration interval to the integer multiple of the interval decided on the basis of the BPM of the audio stimulus when the target state is the relaxed state.

3. The biological state guidance device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller determines whether or not the fellow passenger's eyes are open from the fellow passenger information and decides on the target state as the relaxed state when the fellow passenger's eyes are closed.

4. The biological state guidance device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller determines whether or not the fellow passenger is active from the fellow passenger information and decides on the target state as the alerted state when the fellow passenger is active.

5. The biological state guidance device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller determines whether or not the fellow passenger is in conversation from the fellow passenger information and decides that the target state is a normal state when it is determined that the fellow passenger is in conversation, and
wherein the controller sets the vibration interval to the same extent as the interval decided on the basis of the BPM of the audio stimulus.

6. The biological state guidance device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller generates the vibrations by vibrating a vibrator provided on a seat where the fellow passenger sits.

7. The biological state guidance device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further decides on the target value on the basis of information selected by the driver, and wherein the controller further decides on the target state on the basis of information selected by the fellow passenger.

8. A biological state guidance method comprising:
estimating, by an in-vehicle computer, a biological state of a driver of a vehicle;
deciding, by the in-vehicle computer, on a target value that is an index for setting the biological state of the driver as a target state;
controlling, by the in-vehicle computer, an audio stimulus generation device for generating an audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state of the driver is close to a target value on the basis of the estimated biological state and the target value;
acquiring, by the in-vehicle computer, fellow passenger information about a fellow passenger of the vehicle other than the driver;
deciding, by the in-vehicle computer, on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger on the basis of the fellow passenger information; and
controlling, by the in-vehicle computer, a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating the fellow passenger by vibrations to guide the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biological state,
wherein the vibrations are generated in a case where the target value of the driver is different from the target state of the fellow passenger.

9. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing an in-vehicle computer to:
estimate a biological state of a driver of a vehicle;
decide on a target value that is an index for setting the biological state of the driver as a target state;
control an audio stimulus generation device for generating an audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state of the driver is close to a target value on the basis of the estimated biological state and the target value;
acquire fellow passenger information about a fellow passenger of the vehicle other than the driver;
decide on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger on the basis of the fellow passenger information; and
control a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating the fellow passenger by vibrations to guide the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biological state,
wherein the vibrations are generated in a case where the target value of the driver is different from the target state of the fellow passenger.

10. A biological state guidance method comprising:
estimating, by an in-vehicle computer, a biological state of a driver of a vehicle;
deciding, by the in-vehicle computer, on a target value that is an index for setting the biological state of the driver as a target state;
controlling, by the in-vehicle computer, an audio stimulus generation device for generating an audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state of the driver is close to a target value on the basis of the estimated biological state and the target value;
acquiring, by the in-vehicle computer, fellow passenger information about a fellow passenger of the vehicle other than the driver;
deciding, by the in-vehicle computer, on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger on the basis of the fellow passenger information; and
controlling, by the in-vehicle computer, a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating the fellow passenger by vibrations to guide the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biological state,
wherein the in-vehicle computer changes a vibration interval of the vibrations on the basis of beats per minute (BPM) of the audio stimulus.

11. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing an in-vehicle computer to:
estimate a biological state of a driver of a vehicle;
decide on a target value that is an index for setting the biological state of the driver as a target state;
control an audio stimulus generation device for generating an audio stimulus for guidance so that the biological state of the driver is close to a target value on the basis of the estimated biological state and the target value;
acquire fellow passenger information about a fellow passenger of the vehicle other than the driver;
decide on a target state of a biological state of the fellow passenger on the basis of the fellow passenger information; and
control a vibration stimulus generation device for stimulating the fellow passenger by vibrations to guide the fellow passenger to have the target state as the biol

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kimura Ryo
• Nojiri Tsuyoshi
• Adachi Hiroko

Classifications

• B60W2040/0818

  Inactivity or incapacity of driver · CPC title

• B60W2540/225

  Direction of gaze · CPC title

• B60W2540/221

  Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs · CPC title

• B60W2540/01

  Occupants other than the driver · CPC title

• B60W2540/229

  Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping · CPC title