Abstract: A gaze estimation apparatus according to one or more embodiments may estimate the gaze direction of a target person using calibration information including feature information about the gaze of the eyes of the target person looking in a predetermined direction and true value information indicating the true value for the predetermined direction, in addition to a target image including the eye(s) of the target person. The gaze estimation apparatus may thus estimate the gaze direction of the target person reflecting individual differences, and may allow estimation of the gaze direction of the target person with higher accuracy.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first learner trained to detect an orientation of a face in an image including a human face for receiving an input of a target image including a human face and outputting first information associated with an orientation of a face included in the target image, at least one second learner trained, for the first information, to detect a position of a facial component in an image including a human face for receiving an input of the target image and outputting second information associated with a position of a facial component included in the target image, and a control unit that controls the first learner and the second learner. The control unit uses the first learner to obtain the first information from the target image, and uses the second learner corresponding to the first information to obtain the second information from the target image.

Abstract: An image analyzer repeatedly obtains a captured image including a subject to be detected, and detects, in the captured image, a first area likely to include the subject without a cover, detects, in the captured image, a second area likely to include the subject with a cover, and determines whether the subject is covered by the cover based on a detection result of the first area and a detection result of the second area and a determination result for the captured image obtained previously.

Abstract: A driver state determination unit of a drive mode switching control device regularly or irregularly determines whether a driver's state is a state of being able to perform a driving operation in a manual drive mode. The drive mode switching control device determines whether an operation performed by the driver is an emergency override operation or a non-emergency override operation. The drive mode switching control device outputs a switching signal for switching an automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode when a determination result by the driver state determination unit immediately before detection of the emergency override operation is that a driver's state is a state of being able to perform a driving operation in the manual drive mode.

Abstract: A state estimation apparatus includes an image obtaining unit that obtains a captured image from an imaging device placed to capture an image of a target person to be at a predetermined position, a first analysis unit that analyzes a facial behavior of the target person based on the captured image and obtains first information about the facial behavior of the target person, a second analysis unit that analyzes body movement of the target person based on the captured image and obtains second information about the body movement of the target person, and an estimation unit that estimates a state of the target person based on the first information and the second information.

Abstract: An operation switching support device whereby some of the labor of safety checking motion is taken off a driver at the time of switching from automatic operation to manual operation, and the switching to the manual operation can be conducted just with required safety checking motions, is provided, the operation switching support device, including an area checking urging processing part for conducting processing of urging checking of areas visually unconfirmed when the driver is decided to be in a state of being able to perform the manual operation by a driver state deciding part and the areas visually unconfirmed are decided to be present by a visual confirmation area deciding part, and a signal output part for outputting a signal for permitting switching from the automatic operation to the manual operation to an automatic operation control device after the urging processing.

Abstract: A drive mode switch controller receives a switch request for switching from a manual drive mode to an automatic drive mode when switching the drive mode of a vehicle between the manual drive mode and the automatic drive mode. In response to the received switch request, the drive mode switch controller outputs a first switch signal for switching from the manual drive mode to the automatic drive mode, and a steering wheel operation command for disconnecting a steering wheel from wheels of the vehicle to allow the steering wheel to operate independently of the orientation of the wheels.

Abstract: In an occupant assisting apparatus, a destination arrival determination unit determines whether a vehicle has arrived at a destination of an occupant, a situation determination unit determines whether a surrounding situation is safe for the occupant to exit the vehicle based on a sensing result obtained from a surrounding situation detection sensor for detecting the surrounding situation of the vehicle when the destination arrival determination unit determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination, and a door lock controller unlocks a door at a doorway of the vehicle when the surrounding situation is determined to be safe for the occupant to exit the vehicle.

Abstract: In a passenger assisting apparatus, a passenger information obtaining unit obtains a destination and a contact of a passenger, a state determination unit determines, at the destination for example, whether the passenger is able to exit the vehicle based on a sensing result from a passenger state detection sensor for detecting a state of the passenger. An awakening assistance unit performs an awakening operation for the passenger when the state determination unit determines that the passenger is unable to exit the vehicle, and a contact notification unit provides a notification to the contact obtained by the passenger information obtaining unit when the state determination unit determines that the passenger is unable to exit the vehicle after the awakening operation.

Abstract: A driver state determination unit of a drive mode switching control device regularly or irregularly determines whether a driver's state is a state of being able to perform a driving operation in a manual drive mode. The drive mode switching control device determines whether an operation performed by the driver is an emergency override operation or a non-emergency override operation. The drive mode switching control device outputs a switching signal for switching an automatic drive mode to the manual drive mode when a determination result by the driver state determination unit immediately before detection of the emergency override operation is that a driver's state is a state of being able to perform a driving operation in the manual drive mode.

Abstract: An image analyzer repeatedly obtains a captured image including a subject to be detected, and detects, in the captured image, a first area likely to include the subject without a cover, detects, in the captured image, a second area likely to include the subject with a cover, and determines whether the subject is covered by the cover based on a detection result of the first area and a detection result of the second area and a determination result for the captured image obtained previously.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first learner trained to detect an orientation of a face in an image including a human face for receiving an input of a target image including a human face and outputting first information associated with an orientation of a face included in the target image, at least one second learner trained, for the first information, to detect a position of a facial component in an image including a human face for receiving an input of the target image and outputting second information associated with a position of a facial component included in the target image, and a control unit that controls the first learner and the second learner. The control unit uses the first learner to obtain the first information from the target image, and uses the second learner corresponding to the first information to obtain the second information from the target image.

Abstract: A driver monitoring apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an image obtaining unit that obtains a captured image from an imaging apparatus arranged so as to capture an image of a driver seated in a driver seat of a vehicle; an observation information obtaining unit that obtains observation information regarding the driver, the observation information including facial behavior information regarding behavior of a face of the driver; and a driver state estimating unit that inputs the captured image and the observation information to a trained learner that has been trained to estimate a degree of concentration of the driver on driving, and obtains, from the learner, driving concentration information regarding the degree of concentration of the driver on driving.

Abstract: In a state where a tracking flag is on, a search controller determines, with respect to a previous frame, whether an amount of change in positional coordinates of a feature point of a face in the current frame is within a predetermined range, whether an amount of change in face orientation is within a predetermined angle range, and whether an amount of change in sight line direction is within a predetermined range. When the conditions are satisfied in all these determinations, the change in the detection result in the current frame with respect to the previous frame is considered as being within an allowable range, and continuously in a subsequent frame, detection processing for a face image is performed in accordance with a face image area saved in a tracking information storage unit.

Abstract: During tracking, a rough search is performed on a face image area detected in a current frame, and when the reliability of the result of the rough search is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, a value obtained by multiplying a reliability of a rough search result detected in one previous frame by a predetermined coefficient is set as a new threshold value, and it is determined whether or not the reliability of the rough search result detected in the current frame exceeds the newly set threshold value. Then, when the reliability of the rough search result exceeds the new threshold value, the decrease in reliability of the rough search result is considered as temporary, and a tracking flag is kept on while tracking information is also held.

Abstract: In a reference position determination unit, for example, a plurality of feature points of eyes and a nose of a face are detected by rough search from an image area including a driver's face extracted by a face area extractor with a rectangular frame. Based on the feature points of the respective organs, a position between eyebrows of the driver's face is detected, and this is determined as a reference position of the face. Then, a face area re-extractor corrects the position of the rectangular frame with respect to image data so that the determined reference position of the face is the center of the rectangular frame, and an image area including the face is re-extracted from the image data by using the rectangular frame in the corrected position.

Abstract: A mode switch controller controls mode switching for switching a drive mode of a vehicle between a manual drive mode and an automatic drive mode. The mode switch controller includes an obtaining unit and a calculation unit. The obtaining unit obtains sensing data representing a surrounding situation in a switching section defined for the mode switching from a sensor for monitoring surroundings of the vehicle. The calculation unit calculates a recommended mode switching position at which the mode switching is recommended in the switching section based on the sensing data.

Abstract: An assisting apparatus assists in mode switching for switching a drive mode of a vehicle between a manual drive mode and an automatic drive mode. The assisting apparatus includes an obtaining unit and a calculation unit. The obtaining unit obtains surrounding data representing a surrounding situation of the vehicle. The calculation unit calculates a recommended mode switching position at which the mode switching is recommended based on the obtained surrounding data.

Abstract: A drive mode switch controller receives a switch request for switching from a manual drive mode to an automatic drive mode when switching the drive mode of a vehicle between the manual drive mode and the automatic drive mode. The drive mode switch controller outputs, in response to the received switch request, a first switch signal for switching from the manual drive mode to the automatic drive mode, and a disconnecting command for disconnecting the steering wheel from the wheels of the vehicle.

Abstract: The accuracy is improved for distracted driving determination performed when the vehicle changes the traveling direction. A distracted driving determination apparatus includes a first obtaining unit that obtains first information indicating a gaze or a face orientation of a driver, a second obtaining unit that obtains second information indicating an operational state of a direction indicator, and a determiner that determines distracted driving by comparing the gaze or the face orientation indicated by the first information with a predetermined criterion indicating a direction or a duration that varies depending on the operational state indicated by the second information.