Method, program, storage medium and assistance system for assisting ego-agent and vehicle

A program comprising program-code means for executing a method for assisting an ego-agent, when the program is executed on a computer or digital signal processor, wherein the method comprises:

• estimating a visibility area of another agent being present in an environment of the ego-agent, wherein estimating the visibility area of the other agent comprises
• estimating a direction of visual perception of the other agent,
• tracking history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent, and
• generating the visibility area using the tracked history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent;
• computing a visibility state of the other agent with regard to the ego-agent using the estimated visibility area of the other agent;
• estimating a collision risk between the ego-agent and the other agent using the computed visibility state of the other agent;
• planning a behavior of the ego-agent by minimizing a total cost for the behavior, wherein the total cost comprises the estimated collision risk;
• and
• performing at least one of:
• informing the ego-agent on the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent,
• outputting, dependent on the estimated collision risk, a warning that the other agent is not aware of the ego-agent, and
• controlling the ego-agent using the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus, which cause the digital processing apparatus to perform:

• estimating a visibility area of another agent being present in an environment of an ego-agent, wherein estimating the visibility area of the other agent comprises
• estimating a direction of visual perception of the other agent,
• tracking history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent, and
• generating the visibility area using the tracked history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent;
• computing a visibility state of the other agent with regard to the ego-agent using the estimated visibility area of the other agent;
• estimating a collision risk between the ego-agent and the other agent using the computed visibility state of the other agent;
• planning a behavior of the ego-agent by minimizing a total cost for the behavior, wherein the total cost comprises the estimated collision risk;
• and
• performing at least one of:
• informing the ego-agent on the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent,
• outputting, dependent on the estimated collision risk, a warning that the other agent is not aware of the ego-agent, and
• controlling the ego-agent using the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent.

An assistance system for assisting an ego-agent, the system comprises a processor configured to:

• estimate a visibility area of another agent being present in an environment of the ego-agent, wherein estimating the visibility area of the other agent comprises
• estimating a direction of visual perception of the other agent,
• tracking history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent, and
• generating the visibility area using the tracked history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent;
• compute a visibility state of the other agent with regard to the ego-agent using the estimated visibility area of the other agent;
• estimate a collision risk between the ego-agent and the other agent using the computed visibility state of the other agent;
• plan a behavior of the ego-agent by minimizing a total cost for the behavior, wherein the total cost comprises the estimated collision risk;
• and
• perform at least one of:
• informing the ego-agent on the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent,
• outputting, dependent on the estimated collision risk, a warning that the other agent is not aware of the ego-agent, and
• controlling the ego-agent using the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent.

A vehicle including an assistance system for assisting an ego-agent, the system comprises a processor configured to:

• estimate a visibility area of another agent being present in an environment of the ego-agent, wherein estimating the visibility area of the other agent comprises
• estimating a direction of visual perception of the other agent,
• tracking history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent, and
• generating the visibility area using the tracked history of the direction of visual perception of the other agent;
• compute a visibility state of the other agent with regard to the ego-agent using the estimated visibility area of the other agent;
• estimate a collision risk between the ego-agent and the other agent using the computed visibility state of the other agent;
• plan a behavior of the ego-agent by minimizing a total cost for the behavior, wherein the total cost comprises the estimated collision risk;
• and
• perform at least one of:
• informing the ego-agent on the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent,
• outputting, dependent on the estimated collision risk, a warning that the other agent is not aware of the ego-agent, and
• controlling the ego-agent using the estimated collision risk and/or the planned behavior of the ego-agent.