Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Abstract

An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a determination unit and an output control unit. The determination unit determines whether a particular part related to a type of an object is included in a blind spot of an object of interest. The output control unit outputs output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a memory: and   processing circuitry configured to operate as:   a determination unit that determines whether a particular part related to a type of an object is included in a blind spot of an object of interest; and   an output control unit that outputs output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines whether the part related to the type of the object included in the blind spot is included in the blind spot. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines whether the part related to the type of the object is included in the blind spot when receiving request information from the object of interest. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines whether the part is included in the blind spot on the basis of a visible region of the object outside the blind spot. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate as:
 an acquisition unit that acquires surroundings information of the object of interest and position information of the object of interest;   a blind spot identification unit that identifies the blind spot in an environment where the object of interest moves on the basis of the surroundings information and the position information;   an object identification unit that identifies the object included in the blind spot; and   a type identification unit that identifies the type of the object, wherein   the determination unit determines that the part is included in the blind spot when the part related to the type is included in the blind spot of the object of interest in the surroundings information.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the output control unit outputs the output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot and state transition of the part is sensed. 
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the output control unit comprises:
 a first prediction unit that predicts a first moving direction of the object on the basis of the part in the blind spot in the object; and   a second prediction unit that predicts a second moving direction of the object on the basis of the visible region of the object outside the blind spot, and   the output control unit outputs the output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot and the first moving direction and the second moving direction are inconsistent with each other.   
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the output information includes at least one of information regarding the blind spot, information regarding the part included in the blind spot, and information regarding the object included in the blind spot. 
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the part indicates motion of the object or motion plan of the object, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information processing apparatus is mounted on the object of interest, the object, or an external apparatus other than the object of interest and the object. 
     
     
         11 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination unit acquires surroundings information of at least the object of interest observed by a sensor, and determines whether the particular part related to the type of the object is included on the basis of the acquired surroundings information. 
     
     
         12 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the sensor consists of a distance sensor or an image capturing apparatus, or both. 
     
     
         13 . An information processing method comprising:
 determining whether a particular part related to a type of an object is included in a blind spot of an object of interest; and   outputting output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot.   
     
     
         14 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining determines whether the part related to the type of the object included in the blind spot is included in the blind spot. 
     
     
         15 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining determines whether the part related to the type of the object is included in the blind spot when receiving request information from the object of interest. 
     
     
         16 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining determines whether the part is included in the blind spot on the basis of a visible region of the object outside the blind spot. 
     
     
         17 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 acquiring surroundings information of the object of interest and position information of the object of interest;   identifying the blind spot in an environment where the object of interest moves on the basis of the surroundings information and the position information;   identifying the object included in the blind spot; and   identifying the type of the object, wherein   the determining determines that the part is included in the blind spot when the part related to the type is included in the blind spot of the object of interest in the surroundings information.   
     
     
         18 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the outputting outputs the output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot and state transition of the part is sensed. 
     
     
         19 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the outputting comprises:
 predicting a first moving direction of the object on the basis of the part in the blind spot in the object; and   predicting a second moving direction of the object on the basis of the visible region of the object outside the blind spot; wherein   the outputting outputs the output information when it is determined that the part is included in the blind spot and the first moving direction and the second moving direction are inconsistent with each other.   
     
     
         20 . The information processing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the output information includes at least one of information regarding the blind spot, information regarding the part included in the blind spot, and information regarding the object included in the blind spot.