TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an image providing system for vehicles, a server system and an image providing method for vehicles.

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-118918, filed Jun. 16, 2017, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, automated driving in which at least one of speed control and steering control is performed automatically has been researched. With respect to this, a technology for displaying an image with depth such that a viewer can perceive depth has been developed (refer to Patent Literature 1, for example).

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[Patent Literature 1]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2017-30737

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

This conventional technology does not consider causing an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle to feel as if they are together.

An object of the present invention devised in view of the aforementioned circumstances is to provide an image providing system for vehicles, a server system and an image providing method for vehicles which can cause an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle to feel as if they are together.

Solution to Problem

(1): An image providing system for vehicles includes: an imaging unit; a display unit which generates a virtual image of a person; a communication unit which connects for communication to an apparatus outside a vehicle; and a seat occupancy detection unit which detects a seat occupancy state in the vehicle, wherein the display unit controls a display mode of the virtual image on the basis of the seat occupancy state in the vehicle detected by the seat occupancy detection unit in an operating state of the communication unit.

(2): In (1), the image providing system may include a connection state detection unit which detects a connection state between an apparatus outside the vehicle and the communication unit, and a transmission permission unit which permits transmission of an image captured by the imaging unit on the basis of the connection state detected by the connection state detection unit, wherein the communication unit transmits the image captured by the imaging unit to the apparatus outside the vehicle when the transmission permission unit permits transmission.

(3): In (1) or (2), the display unit may generate a virtual image on a mirror or a window of the vehicle.

(4): In any one of (1) to (3), the display unit may be made to correspond to a vacant seat in the vehicle and generate a virtual image on the basis of the seat occupancy state in the vehicle detected by the seat occupancy detection unit.

(5): In any one of (1) to (4), the virtual image displayed by the display unit may be a real-time image captured in a place other than the vehicle.

(6): In any one of (1) to (4), the virtual image displayed by the display unit is a model image.

(7): In any one of (1) to (4), the virtual image displayed by the display unit is an image captured and recorded in advance.

(8) In any one of (1) to (7), a streaming image is generated on the basis of at least some of data of an image captured by the imaging unit.

(9) In any one of (1) to (8), the image providing system further includes a control unit which remotely operates the imaging unit on the basis of a movement of a line of sight of a user of the apparatus outside the vehicle detected by a line-of-sight sensor of a head mount display device worn by the user.

(10): A server system configured to connect for communication to a communication unit of a vehicle including an imaging unit, a display unit which generates a virtual image of a person, and the communication unit which connects for communication to an apparatus outside the vehicle, the server system including: a first communication unit which connects for communication to the apparatus outside the vehicle; a second communication unit which connects to the communication unit of the vehicle; a first storage unit which stores information transmitted from the apparatus outside the vehicle; a second storage unit which stores ID information of the vehicle and an image acquired by the imaging unit; and a first conversion unit which selectively transmits the information held by the first storage unit to the second communication unit, wherein the first conversion unit includes a virtual image generation unit which generates a virtual image to be displayed on the display unit.

(11): In (10), the second storage unit is configured to further store information on a seat occupancy state in the vehicle acquired from the second communication unit, and the first conversion unit controls the virtual image generation unit on the basis of the information on the seat occupancy state.

(12): In (11), the server system includes a second conversion unit which selectively transmits the information on the seat occupancy state stored by the second storage unit to the first communication unit, wherein the second conversion unit includes a person image extraction unit which extracts image information corresponding to a specific occupant of the vehicle from the information on the seat occupancy state stored by the second storage unit.

(13): An image providing method for vehicles, using a computer, includes: performing processing of imaging an occupant of a vehicle; performing processing of generating a virtual image of a person in the vehicle; performing processing of connecting for communication to an apparatus outside the vehicle; performing processing of detecting a seat occupancy state in the vehicle; and performing processing of controlling a display mode of the virtual image on the basis of a seat occupancy state in the vehicle detected during connection for communication.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to (1), (10) or (13), an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle can feel as if they are together.

According to (2), it is possible to avoid a situation in which transmission of an image is attempted in spite of a poor communication connection state.

According to (3), it is possible to cause an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle to feel as if they are together by using a mirror or a window provided in the vehicle.

According to (4), it is possible to cause an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle to feel as if they are together by using a seat provided in the vehicle.

According to (5), it is possible to augment a feeling of an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle as if they are together by displaying, in the vehicle, a real-time image captured in a place other than the vehicle.

According to (6) or (7), it is possible to cause an occupant inside a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle to feel as if they are together even when a communication connection state between the vehicle and an apparatus outside the vehicle is poor.

According to (8), it is possible to generate a streaming image even when a communication connection state between the vehicle and an apparatus outside the vehicle is poor.

According to (9), it is possible to improve satisfaction of a user of an apparatus outside a vehicle because the user of the apparatus outside the vehicle can remotely operate an imaging unit of the vehicle.

According to (11), it is possible to generate, in a vehicle, a virtual image suitable for a seat occupancy state in the vehicle.

According to (12), it is possible to extract an appropriate image from images captured by an imaging unit and transmit the extracted image to an apparatus outside a vehicle.

