Vehicle rest evaluation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12508986-B2
Application number	US-202418415768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Feb 13, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle rest evaluation device for a vehicle includes a computer. The computer includes a biological information acquirer, an evaluation value calculator, and a notification controller. The biological information acquirer is configured to acquire biological information of a user who rests in the vehicle. The evaluation value calculator is configured to calculate, based on the biological information, an evaluation value for evaluating a balance of an autonomic nervous system of the user. The notification controller is configured to make a comparison between a first evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator and a second evaluation value calculated at a different timing from the first evaluation value and notify the user of a result of the comparison.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A vehicle rest evaluation device for a vehicle, the vehicle rest evaluation device comprising a computer, the computer comprising:
a biological information acquirer configured to acquire biological information of a user who rests in the vehicle during a rest period comprising either a battery charging period or a break period during long-term driving; an evaluation value calculator configured to calculate, based on the biological information, a first evaluation value for multiple evaluation items and a second evaluation value for the multiple evaluation items for evaluating a balance of an autonomic nervous system of the user; and a notification controller configured to make a comparison between the first evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator at a first timing and the second evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator at a second timing different from the first timing, and to notify the user of a result of the comparison, wherein the result of the comparison enables the user to evaluate rest quality and improve future rest periods.

2 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification controller is configured to
make the comparison between the first evaluation value over a predetermined start period after a start of a single rest and the second evaluation value over a predetermined end period before an end of the single rest to notify the user of the result of the comparison.

3 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification controller is configured to
make the comparison between the first evaluation value for a current rest and the second evaluation value for a previous rest to notify the user of the result of the comparison.

4 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification controller is configured to
make the comparison between the first evaluation value for a current rest and the second evaluation value including a top evaluation value for a previous rest to notify the user of the result of the comparison.

5 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 4 , wherein the notification controller is configured to
notify the user of advice based on the result of the comparison.

6 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 5 , wherein the notification controller is configured to display advice to improve an evaluation item for which an evaluation value of the evaluation item is equal to or less than a certain percentage of an average evaluation value for previous rests.

7 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the rest period comprises a battery charging period of 30 to 60 minutes.

8 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification controller is configured to display a radar chart for comparing rest quality metrics.

9 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to perform relaxation settings during the rest period, the relaxation settings including reclining a driver's seat, displaying a preset image, outputting a preset sound, or controlling a temperature to make the user feel comfortable based on the biological information.

10 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 1 , wherein the biological information acquirer is configured to perform image processing on an image captured by an in-vehicle camera to detect face color for measuring vascular relaxation.

11 . A vehicle rest evaluation device for a vehicle, the vehicle rest evaluation device comprising:
circuitry configured to acquire biological information of a user who rests in the vehicle during a rest period comprising either a battery charging period or a break period during long-term driving, calculate, based on the biological information, an evaluation value and another evaluation value, a first evaluation value for multiple evaluation items and a second evaluation value for the multiple evaluation items for evaluating a balance of an autonomic nervous system of the user, make a comparison between the first evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator at a first timing and the second evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator at a second timing different from the first timing, and notify the user of a result of the comparison, wherein the result of the comparison enables the user to evaluate rest quality and improve future rest periods.

12 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 11 , wherein the rest period comprises a battery charging period of 30 to 60 minutes.

13 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display a radar chart for comparing rest quality metrics.

14 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to perform relaxation settings during the rest period, the relaxation settings comprising reclining a driver's seat, displaying a preset image, outputting a preset sound, or controlling a temperature to make the user feel comfortable based on the biological information.

15 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to perform image processing on an image captured by an in-vehicle camera to detect face color for measuring vascular relaxation.

16 . The vehicle rest evaluation device according to claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to (i) notify the user of advice based on the result of the comparison and (ii) display advice to improve an evaluation item for which an evaluation value of the evaluation item is equal to or less than a certain percentage of an average evaluation value for previous rests.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Iwata Satoru
• Nishio Shohei

Classifications

• A61B5/4035

  Evaluating the autonomic nervous system · CPC title

• A61B5/165

  Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety · CPC title

• A61B5/6893

  Cars · CPC title

• A61B5/16

  Devices for psychotechnics (using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00); Testing reaction times {; Devices for evaluating the psychological state} · CPC title

• A61B5/18

  for vehicle drivers {or machine operators} · CPC title