JP2003099080A - Device, system and method for vocal reading-aloud - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device, a system and a method for vocal reading-aloud, which can read text data aloud in a hearing style that a driver desires. SOLUTION: The system is equipped with a receiving means 1-6 which receives text data, a text data management part 1-1 which manages the received text data, a state judgment part 1-5 which finds an operation load, a voice read-aloud processing part 1-2, and a speaker 1-3. Then the voice read-aloud processing part 1-2 sets the time of each read of text data shorter as the operation load increases. Consequently, when the operation load becomes heavy and other's attention needs to be attracted, the amount of text data read aloud at each time decreases, so the driver can easily grasp the read-aloud contents.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is mounted on a vehicle,
A voice reading device that reads aloud text data received by a mobile phone, a voice reading system,
And a method of reading aloud.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The following is known as a conventional example of a device for reading text data as voice. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-23273 describes a technique for reading a text data of an electronic mail received by a mobile phone or the like by voice.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-82025, a vehicle is equipped with a device for transmitting and receiving electronic mail, and when the text data of the received electronic mail is read out as voice, the text data is garbled. A technique for eliminating and appropriately reading aloud is disclosed. Further, in this publication, an email that is not suitable for reading aloud can be corrected and read aloud without user intervention. Describes the effect of being particularly preferable.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-33256, in order to easily understand the information according to the traveling environment, the information is read aloud at a high speed while the vehicle is stopped, and the vehicle travels at a medium speed. While reading, the information is read slowly, and if the vehicle speed is high, the information is not read.

[0005]

However, in a situation where the voice reading device having the configuration described in the above-mentioned conventional example is mounted on a vehicle and the driver uses it during a driving operation, the driver is required to drive the vehicle. Often it is necessary to pay attention to the surrounding traffic and it may not always be possible to concentrate on listening to the reading. Alternatively,
When the alarms of other systems mounted on the vehicle are issued at the same time, or when running noise interferes, the read voice may be difficult to hear.

The present invention has been made to solve such conventional problems, and the purpose thereof is to:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a voice reading device, a voice reading system, and a voice reading method that make it easy for a driver driving a vehicle to read text data read aloud.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is mounted in a vehicle,
A voice reading device for reading aloud text data to an occupant of the vehicle, the receiving means receiving the text data, the text data storing means for storing the text data received by the receiving means, and the surroundings of the vehicle. Driving load determination means for determining the driving load on the occupant based on the situation, and converting the text data stored in the text data storage means into voice data, and the driving load determined by the driving load determination means. Is set so that the reading time of one continuous reading of text data is shortened as the reading becomes higher, and a voice reading processing unit that controls to read the text data at a substantially constant speed within the set time; A voice output means for outputting the voice read by the reading processing unit. Which is a feature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice reading device which is mounted inside a vehicle and reads aloud text data to an occupant of the vehicle, the receiving means receiving the text data, and the receiving means. The text data storage means for storing the text data received by, the driving load determination means for determining the driving load on the occupant based on the situation around the vehicle, and the text data stored in the text data storage means. It is set so as to be converted into voice data, and as the driving load determined by the driving load determination means becomes higher, the reading time for one continuous reading of the text data becomes shorter, and
A reading speed of the text data, a voice reading processing unit for controlling to speed up according to an increase in the traveling speed of the vehicle obtained from a speed detector mounted on the vehicle, and a voice read by the voice reading processing unit. And an audio output means for outputting.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit stores the text data stored in the text data storage unit so that one continuous reading processing ends within a set time. It is characterized in that the text data is divided at any of a group break, a sentence break, and a word break.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit is arranged to increase the volume at the time of reading the text data as the driving load increases in accordance with the driving load judged by the driving load judging means. It is characterized by controlling.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation section for operating reproduction, stop, and repeat of reading the text data, wherein the voice reading processing section responds to an operation by the operation section. Reading aloud,
It is characterized by controlling to stop and repeat.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit, when the repeat operation is input from the operation unit, increases the number of times of the repeat, so that one continuous reading time of the text data is read. It is characterized by controlling to shorten.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit controls the reading speed to be slower as the number of repeats increases when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit. Characterize.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit is arranged to increase the volume of reading the text data as the number of repeats increases when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit. It is characterized by controlling.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation section for operating reproduction, stop, and repeat of reading the text data, wherein the voice reading processing section responds to an operation by the operation section. Reading aloud,
It is characterized by controlling to stop and repeat.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit, when the repeat operation is input from the operation unit, increases the number of consecutive 1s as the number of repeats increases.
The feature is that control is performed so as to shorten the reading time of the text data once.

In the eleventh aspect of the present invention, when the voice reading processing unit inputs a repeat operation from the operation unit, the voice reading processing unit controls the reading speed to be slower as the number of repeats increases. Characterize.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit is arranged to increase the volume when reading the text data as the number of repeats increases when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit. It is characterized by controlling.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit reads the continuous text data for one time, and then reads the next one time after a lapse of a predetermined blank time. To do.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit lengthens the blank time after reading one continuous text data as the driving load determined by the driving load determining means increases. It is characterized by setting.

[0021] According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit selects the volume or sound quality of the read voice when reading the text data in accordance with at least one of the age and sex of the driver of the vehicle. It is characterized in that at least one of the above is changed.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the voice reading processing unit changes either the volume or the sound quality of the voice at the time of reading the text data according to the magnitude of noise generated while the vehicle is traveling. It is characterized by

The invention according to a seventeenth aspect is a voice reading system in which data transmitted from a base station is received by a vehicle side and the data is read aloud, which is a voice reading target. Text data storage means for storing text data, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on an occupant based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, and text data stored in the text data storage means are converted into voice data. At the same time, the higher the operating load determined by the operating load determining means is, the shorter the reading time for one continuous reading of the text data is set to be shorter. Within the set time, the text data is read at a substantially constant speed. And a voice reading processing unit that controls to read aloud by the text data storage unit, The reversing unit and the voice reading processing unit are mounted on either the base station or the vehicle, and the base station has a communication device for transmitting the text data or the voice data to the vehicle, and the vehicle is A receiving means for receiving the text data or the voice data transmitted from the communication device, and a voice output means for outputting the voice data are provided.

The invention according to claim 18 is a voice reading system in which data transmitted from a base station is received on the vehicle side and the data is read aloud, which is an object to be read out by voice. Text data storage means for storing text data, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on an occupant based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, and text data stored in the text data storage means are converted into voice data. At the same time, the higher the operating load determined by the operating load determining means is, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set, and the reading speed of the text data is mounted on the vehicle. Reading to control the vehicle speed to increase according to the increase in vehicle speed obtained from the speed detector A text data storage unit, a driving load reversing unit, and a voice reading processing unit, which is mounted on one of the base station and the vehicle, and the base station stores the text data or voice. The vehicle has a communication device for transmitting data to the vehicle, and the vehicle includes receiving means for receiving text data or voice data transmitted from the communication device, and voice output means for outputting the voice data. It is characterized by

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice reading method for reading text data by voice to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising receiving text data.
Storing the received text data,
Determining the driving load on the occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, and converting the stored text data into voice data, the higher the determined driving load, the more continuous the reading of text data. A step of setting the reading time for one reading to be short, and reading the text data at a substantially constant speed within the set time.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice reading method for reading aloud text data to an occupant of a vehicle, the step of receiving the text data,
Storing the received text data,
The step of determining the driving load on the occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, the step of detecting the traveling speed of the vehicle, the stored text data is converted into voice data, and the determined driving load is The higher the
A step of setting so that one continuous reading time at the time of reading the text data is shortened, and increasing the reading speed of the text data according to the increase in the detected traveling speed, and reading the text data. ,
Is provided.

[0027]

According to the inventions of claims 1, 17 and 19,
The text data received by the receiving means is divided into a predetermined number of characters, and voice is output for each divided text data. Therefore, the driver easily recognizes the content of the read text data. be able to. Also, as the operating load increases, the reading time for one reading becomes shorter, so the reading amount for one reading decreases when the surroundings need attention.
It is possible to read aloud in a way that is suitable for the driving situation and easy for the driver to understand.

According to the inventions of claims 2, 18 and 20, in addition to the effect of claim 1 described above, as the traveling speed of the vehicle is set, the voice reading speed is set to be faster. Can recognize text data read aloud in a short time.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the text data is divided by group delimiters, sentence delimiters, or word delimiters so that one continuous reading process is completed within the set time. You will be able to hear the read text data without any discomfort.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the sound volume is set to be higher when the voice is read as the driving load increases, so that the understanding of the content of the read text data can be promoted.

According to the inventions of claims 5 and 9,
It is configured to have an operation unit having functions of play, stop, and repeat, and by operating the operation unit, desired contents can be repeatedly heard, so even if it is not possible to hear at once, it is possible to reliably You will be able to recognize this content.

According to the sixth and tenth aspects of the invention, when the repeat operation is performed by the operation unit, the read time of the text data read at one time becomes shorter as the number of repeat operations increases. Is set so that the driver can surely recognize the necessary portion.

According to the seventh and eleventh aspects of the present invention, when the repeat operation is performed by the operation unit, the reading speed at the time of reading the voice becomes slower as the number of repeat operations increases. Since it is set, the driver can be sure to recognize the necessary part.

According to the eighth and twelfth aspects of the present invention, when the repeat operation is performed by the operation unit, the higher the number of times of the repeat operation, the higher the reading volume at the time of reading the voice. Since it is set, the driver can be sure to recognize the necessary part.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the invention, the reading of the next text data for one time is started after the blank time has elapsed after the text data for one time has been read.
The driver can easily hear the contents of the text data that is output once for each time, and can promote understanding.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, the larger the operating load, the longer the blank time is set. Therefore, when it is necessary to pay a lot of attention to the surroundings, the blank time is set. The longer length makes it easier to understand what is read.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, since the volume and sound quality at the time of reading can be switched according to the age and sex of the driver, it is possible to read the voice in a form suitable for the attributes of the driver.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the invention, the sound quality of the sound output according to the magnitude of the noise generated while the vehicle is traveling,
Alternatively, since the volume is changed, it is possible to read aloud the voice in accordance with the surrounding environment.

[0039]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a voice reading device according to the present invention, FIG.
(B) is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a voice reading system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the voice reading device 1 includes a text data management unit (text data storage unit) 1-1, a voice reading processing unit 1-2, a speaker (voice output unit) 1-3, and an operation. Part 1
-4, a status determination unit (driving load determination means) 1-5, and a reception means 1 such as a car phone, a mobile phone, or a mobile device
-6 is provided.

The text data management section 1-1 is the receiving means 1
-Manage e-mails and other text data received at -6.

The voice reading processing unit 1-2 includes a reading amount database 1-2-1, a reading speed database 1-2-2,
Speech volume database 1-2-3, voice quality database 1
-2-4 and the space length database 1-2-5, and the text data managed by the text data management section 1-1 based on the data stored in each of these databases. Is converted into desired voice data. That is, the voice reading processing unit 1-2 is provided with data regarding the amount of text to be read at one time, the reading speed, the voice quality, etc. when reading aloud by voice. Accordingly, processing corresponding to these data is performed.

The speaker 1-3 is the voice reading processing unit 1-2.
At, the voice obtained by converting the text data is output.

The operation section 1-4 is provided with operation switches for reproducing a text data, a repeat function, and a stop function (reproduction switch 1-4-1, repeat switch 1-4-2, stop switch 1-4-3). ) Has. The driver can arbitrarily operate the reading of the text data by operating each of these switches as necessary. The reading reproduction function, the repeat function, and the stop function will be described later (FIG. 2).

The situation determining section 1-5 is based on information such as the road environment or the surrounding environment while the vehicle is traveling, the attribute and state of the driver, the traveling speed of the vehicle, etc. A process of calculating (described later) is performed.

Further, the control of the voice reading processing unit 1-2 is such that the higher the operating load judged by the situation judging unit 1-5, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data. The reading time is set to and the voice data is processed so that the text data is read at a substantially constant speed within this setting time. That is,
The voice reading processing unit 1-2 performs processing for dividing and reading the text data so that the reading is performed once for the set time. Alternatively, when the text data is read aloud within a shorter time set as the driving load increases, the voice data is processed so that the reading speed is increased according to the traveling speed of the vehicle obtained by the speed detector.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, a voice reading system 11 according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle C, and the voice reading device 1 shown in FIG. The communication device 12 installed in the base station B provided at a different position. That is, the communication device 12
And the receiving means 1-6 included in the voice reading device 1 are configured to perform data communication.

Further, in the voice reading system 11 shown in FIG. 1B, the text data management section 1-1 and the voice reading processing section, which are the constituent requirements of the voice reading apparatus 1 shown in FIG. It is not necessary to include 1-2, and it may be configured to be mounted on the communication device 12 side.

Next, operations of the voice reading device 1 and the voice reading system 11 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

The voice reading device 1 and the system 11 according to the present embodiment appropriately change the output form when reading the text data by voice according to the magnitude of the driving load calculated by the situation judging unit 1-5. This makes it easier for the driver to recognize the voice output. Here, the “driving load” is an index indicating the degree of attention that the driver feels while the vehicle is traveling, and for example, when traveling on a narrow road or a curved road, the driving load is high,
The driving load is low while driving on a straight road with good visibility.

The main processing operation of this embodiment will be described below. FIG. 2 shows text data divided by the voice reading processing unit 1-2, that is, the amount of text data read one time (reading time for one time) and the operation unit 1-4.
Playback switch 1-4-1, voice repeater switch 1-4-2, stop switch 1-4-3 for reading aloud
It is explanatory drawing which shows the read-aloud processing by voice when is operated.

As shown in FIG. 7A, in the present embodiment, the entire text data to be read is divided into a specific amount according to the set time, and for a while after the reading of one text data is completed. The reading is interrupted, and then the text data for the next one time is read out. Here, the text data for one time is divided by a group break, a sentence break, or a word break. Also, regardless of these breaks,
The text data may be divided by a predetermined number of characters.

To start reading the text data, the driver presses the reproduction switch 1-4-1 as shown in FIG. With this, a predetermined amount (for one time)
The text data is read aloud, and when the reading amount for one time is finished, the reading is stopped.

Subsequently, to start reading aloud the text data, the driver may press the reproduction switch 1-4-1 again. By repeating the above operation, it becomes possible to confirm the entire contents of the text data by reading aloud. That is, since the content of the mail received by the receiving means such as the mobile phone can be heard as voice data, it is not necessary to read characters during driving, and the content of the mail can be easily confirmed.

If it is difficult to hear the read voice or the contents of the text data are complicated and it is desired to check the contents again, as shown in FIG.
When the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed, the text data for one time read just before is read again.

The repeat function is the same whether the voice is being read out or after the voice is being read out. Further, when it is desired to stop reading aloud on the way, reading of text data can be stopped by pressing a stop switch 1-4-3 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the voice reading apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. The main operation procedure of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow chart.

In step S301 shown in FIG. 3, the text data transmitted by the receiving means 1-6 is received. The received text data is the text data management section 1-1.
Will be stored in. When text data is received, for example, by lighting a lamp installed on the instrument (installation panel) or sounding a chime, the driver can display a new text in the text data management section 1-1. It may be possible to inform that the data has been received.

When it is desired to read aloud the text data stored in the text data management section 1-1, in step S302 the driver starts the reproduction switch 1-4 in order to start reading aloud. Press 1. Next, in step S303, the text data management unit 1
The text data stored in -1 is converted into voice data, and the speaker 1-3 outputs voice based on the converted voice data.

As a result, the driver receives the receiving means 1-6.
You can check the contents of the email received at as voice data. When all the text data has been converted into voice, the process ends. Details of the voice reading process will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 below.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing in detail the procedure of the voice reading process in step S303 shown in FIG. In step S401 shown in the figure, a predetermined amount of text data (of the reading amount for one reading) defined in the reading amount database 1-2-1 is converted into voice data and read aloud. When all the text data for one time is read aloud, the reading is temporarily stopped in step S402.

In step S403, if the driver presses the reproduction switch 1-4-1, the voice reading of the next text data (text data of the reading amount for one reading) is started in step S404. hand,
It returns to step S401.

If the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is not pressed in step S403, the process proceeds to step S405. In step S405, it is determined whether or not the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed by the driver, and if it is pressed, in step S406, the voice reading of the text data read immediately before is restarted, and the step S406 is performed.
Return to 401.

If the repeat switch 1-4-2 is not pressed in step S405, step S40
Proceed to 7. In step S407, it is determined whether or not the stop switch 1-4-3 is pressed by the driver. If the switch is pressed, the process returns to step S402 to temporarily stop the reading by voice.

In step S407, the stop switch 1-4-3
If is not pressed, the process proceeds to step S408.
In step S408, when the reading of all the text data is completed, the flow is ended. If the reading of all the text data is not completed in step S408, the process returns to step S402, and the reading by voice is temporarily stopped.

Through such processing, the driver can operate the switches (1-4-1, 1-4-) included in the operation unit 1-4.
2, 1-4-3) to play, repeat,
Alternatively, the stop operation can be appropriately performed. As a result, the text data received by the receiving means 1-6 can be output as voice in a form that the driver can easily hear, so that the driver can instantly and easily recognize the text data such as the received mail. become.

Next, a description will be given of an embodiment in which various audio outputs according to the driving situation are provided in association with the processing operations shown in FIGS.

In the first embodiment, the larger the operating load is, the shorter the continuous reading time is set, and the text data is read at a constant speed within the set time. Process to change.

Further, in the second embodiment, the processing for changing the speech speed at the time of reading aloud is performed according to the magnitude of the driving load, and in the third embodiment, the volume at the time of reading aloud is performed according to the magnitude of the driving load. Perform processing to change (volume).
In the fourth embodiment, a process of changing the character amount of the text data read out once according to the number of repeat operations by the driver is performed.

In the fifth embodiment, the process of changing the speech rate according to the number of repeat operations is performed, and in the sixth embodiment, the process of changing the volume according to the number of repeat operations is performed. In the seventh embodiment, a process of changing the utterance speed according to the traveling speed of the vehicle is performed, and in the eighth embodiment, a process of changing the voice and the frequency band of the voice according to the attributes such as age and sex of the driver. I do. Further, in the ninth embodiment, a process of changing the time of the space between the text data read at once is performed according to the magnitude of the driving load.

Each embodiment will be specifically described below.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing operation according to the first embodiment. The voice reading process is performed so that the reading time for one continuous reading is set shorter as the operating load increases. Change as appropriate. As shown in the figure, in step S501 of the flowchart, the text data transmitted from the communication device 12 (see FIG. 1A) is received. Next, in the processing of step S502, the current driving load of the driver is determined.

Many methods are known for determining the driving load. For example, when it is determined that the vehicle is stopped based on the map data, vehicle speed data, and steering angle data of the navigation system, If the driving load is "very low" and it is judged that there is a traffic jam on a straight road or an expressway, it is judged that the driving load is "low" and the car is traveling on a curve or in a city. In this case, the driving load is "slightly high", and the driving load can be "very high" when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on a mountain road or is making a right turn or a left turn at an intersection. .

Further, the operating load can be estimated depending on whether the weather or day and night, and the value of the operating load can be determined in multiple stages by other indexes.

In step S503, the reading amount database provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2 is referred to, and the text amount (time) to be read continuously once is determined from the determined operation load value. Details will be described later (FIG. 6).

In step S504, it is confirmed that the driver has pressed the reproduction switch 1-4-1 to start reading aloud. In step S505, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3.

Then, when the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended. Note that step S50
The details of the voice reading process of No. 5 are the same as those of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the operating load, the number of characters of text data read at one time, and the approximate reading time, which are stored in the reading amount database 1-2-1 of the voice reading processing unit 1-2. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example.
In step S503 shown in FIG. 5, the amount of text read aloud at one time according to the level of the operating load is determined based on this relationship.

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, when text data is read aloud when the vehicle is stopped,
Each reading time is set to 2000 characters, and in a situation where the driving load is slightly high such as when traveling straight ahead or when traffic is congested on a highway, each reading time is set to 1000 characters. In addition, if the driving load is relatively high, such as a curve, traffic congestion in the city area, light rain, or driving at night, use 800 characters. If it is judged to be very high, the number of characters in one reading is 400
Each reading time is set to be a character.

Generally, it is said that the number of characters per minute is 300 to 350 characters in the broadcasting world as a standard of reading speed when reading a document in front of people. That is, it is about one document sheet (400 characters) per minute.
Based on this guideline, when reading the above 2000 characters, the voice reading is continuously performed for about 5 to 6 minutes. Also, when the operating load is high, 40
In the case of reading 0 characters, it will be read out by voice for about 1 minute.

In this way, in the first embodiment, the amount of text data in one reading can be changed according to the magnitude of the driving load. That is, as the load on the driver increases, the reading time for one reading is set shorter, and the text data is read at a constant speed within the set time.
When the driving load increases, the driver only needs to concentrate on the reading voice for a shorter time. As a result, the driver can easily recognize the contents of the read text data.

Further, when the driving load becomes large and the driver needs to be alerted to the surroundings, the reading amount for one time is reduced, and the reading is made in a form that is suitable for the driving situation and is easy for the driver to understand. Operation becomes possible. Furthermore, the driver can understand the divided contents and then read the next contents aloud, or repeat and listen to the parts that he / she could not hear, so even if the driving load suddenly increases, he / she will not miss it. You can concentrate on driving without worrying.

In FIG. 6, the unit for defining the amount of text on the vertical axis is indicated by the amount of characters, but in addition to this, the reading time, the number of sentences, the number of e-mails, etc. may be set. You can also

In the first embodiment, the step of receiving the text data and the step of storing the received text data correspond to step S303 in FIG. 3, and the driving load on the occupant is determined based on the situation around the vehicle. The step to be performed corresponds to step S502 in FIG. Also,
The stored text data is converted into voice data, and the higher the determined driving load is, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set. The step of reading out at a substantially constant speed is step S5 in FIG.
It corresponds to a series of steps from 03 to S505.

By the way, in the case where the amount of one reading is defined by the number of characters, if the number of characters of one topic (mail, etc.) exceeds the specified number of characters, it is naturally divided during the reading. However, in some cases, the text may be divided and read aloud even if it exceeds just a few characters, and as a result, it may be very difficult to hear (hearing load is heavy).

Therefore, such a problem is dealt with by the following method. For example, the amount of characters (number of characters) of one topic (e-mail, etc.) that exceeds the specified amount read out at one time
It is conceivable that a method can be realized in which whether or not is greater than or equal to a predetermined value α is determined, and if it is less than that, the entire one topic is divided into two and read aloud in advance to realize division without any discomfort. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the process of dividing the text data.

As shown in the figure, when the prescribed amount read at one time is 400 characters and the predetermined value α is 30 characters,
If the number of characters in one email is 420, the specified amount (4
The number of characters exceeding 00 characters is 20 characters, which is less than the predetermined value α.
Read 10 characters at a time. That is, if 400 characters are divided, the remaining 20 characters are read aloud in an unnatural manner, so this problem is avoided by dividing the entire mail into two.

On the other hand, when the number of characters of one mail is 500, the amount exceeding the specified amount (400 characters) is 100, and since this 100 is more than the predetermined value α, 4
It is divided into 00 characters and 100 characters and read aloud.

In the above example, it is possible to perform more comfortable division by a method such as division at a punctuation mark near the division position defined by the number of characters.

25 and 26 are flowcharts showing the processing when setting the division of the number of characters, and the processing procedure based on these flowcharts will be described below.

First, in step S2501, the text data transmitted from the communication device 12 is received. Next, in step S2502, the current driving load of the driver is determined. In step S2503, the reading amount database 1-2 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2.
Refer to -1 to determine the amount of text data to be read at once from the determined operating load value. In this step, the amount of text data to be read at once is determined in accordance with the set reading time. Then, step S2
At 504, a method for dividing one text is determined.
Details will be described later (FIG. 26).

In step S2505, it is confirmed that the driver has pressed the reproduction switch to start reading aloud. In step S2506, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3. When all the text data has been converted into voice, the flow ends. For details of the voice reading process of step S2506,
It is the same as the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 26 shows the step S25 shown in FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the text division process of 04.

In step S2601 shown in the figure, it is determined whether or not the reading amount for one case exceeds the text amount to be read at one time. If not, in step S2605, it is read as it is (that is, it is not divided). Then, the flow ends.

If the predetermined amount is exceeded in step S2601, the exceeded amount is exceeded by the predetermined value α in step S2602.
It is determined whether the number is less than (for example, 30 characters). If it is smaller than the predetermined value α, step S
In 2603, it is determined that one text amount is divided into about two equal parts and read out, and the flow is ended.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2602 that the value is larger than the predetermined value α, it is determined in step S2604 that the reading-specified amount and the remaining amount (exceeded amount) are divided into two, and the flow is ended.

By performing such processing, the text data to be read is not divided at an unnatural place, and it is possible to read the voice according to the length of the text data, which is easy for the driver to hear. Become.

<Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, a process of appropriately changing the reading speed of text data is performed according to the magnitude of the operating load. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing this processing procedure.

First, in step S701, the communication device 1
The text data transmitted from 2 is received. Then
In step S702, the current driving load of the driver is determined. Here, regarding the determination of the operating load, in step S703 which is similar to the above, the magnitude of the determined operating load is referred to with reference to the reading speed database 1-2-2 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2. From, the reading speed at the time of reading the text data is determined. Details will be described later.

In step S704, it is confirmed that the driver has pressed the reproduction switch 1-4-1 to start reading aloud. In step S705, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3. Then, when the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended. Since the details of the voice reading process of step S705 are the same as those of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the operating load and the reading speed at the time of reading text data, which is stored in the reading speed database of the voice reading processing unit 1-2. In step S703 shown in FIG. 7, the reading speed according to the level of the operating load is determined based on this relationship.

In FIG. 8, the reading speed when the vehicle with a low driving load level is stopped is 430 characters read in one minute, and in a situation where the driving load is rather high, such as when there is a traffic jam on a straight road or an expressway, The number of characters read a minute is 350.

Further, when the driving load is relatively high, such as a curve, traffic congestion in a city area, light rain, or night driving, the number of characters read a minute is set to 330, and a right turn, a left turn, a heavy rain at a mountain road or an intersection is heavy. When it is determined that the driving load is very high, such as when traveling, the number of characters read a minute is 300. Here, as a general reading speed, the number of characters read per minute is set to 300 to 350 characters. It is also possible to change the way of taking punctuation marks as an index of reading speed other than the above.

In the second embodiment having such a configuration, as the driving load increases, the number of characters of the text data read out in one minute decreases, that is, the reading speed decreases. Also in, it becomes possible to easily understand the contents of the read text data.

<Third Embodiment> In the third embodiment, a process of changing the volume when reading the text data is performed according to the magnitude of the driving load. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing this processing procedure.

First, in step S901, the communication device 1
The text data transmitted from 2 is received. Then
In step S902, the current driving load of the driver is determined.

In step S903, the volume (dB) at the time of text reading is determined from the determined driving load by referring to the reading volume database 1-2-3 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2. decide. The details will be described later. In step S904, in order for the driver to start reading the text data by voice,
Make sure that you press play switch 1-4-1.

In step S905, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3. Then, when the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended. The details of the voice reading process in step S905 is the same as the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, and thus its description is omitted.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the operating load and the reading volume when reading the text data, which is stored in the reading volume database 1-2-3 of the voice reading processing section 1-2. . Step S9 shown in FIG.
In 03, the volume at the time of reading the text data according to the level of the driving load is determined based on this relationship.

In FIG. 10, the reading volume of the text data is 60 when the vehicle with a low driving load level is stopped.
Set to dB, and read aloud the volume in a situation where the driving load is rather high, such as during a traffic jam on a straight road or an expressway, and in a situation where the driving load is relatively high, such as a curve or traffic jam in a city area, light rain, or running at night. 70 dB. If it is determined that the driving load is very high, such as when making a right turn, a left turn at a mountain road or an intersection, or when driving during heavy rain, the reading volume is set to
Set to B.

In the third embodiment configured as described above, the volume of the text data read aloud changes according to the driving load, so that the driver can hear the text data read out at a high volume under a high driving load. it can. Therefore, the driver can hear complex contents that need to be repeatedly heard at a clear and easy-to-hear volume, and can easily recognize the contents of the text data.

<Embodiment 4> In the embodiment 4, when the repeat switch 1-4-2 included in the operation unit 1-4 is operated, one continuous reading time, that is, according to the number of operations, that is, This is a process for appropriately changing the length of text data read out once. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure.

First, in step S1101, a predetermined amount (one time) of text data set in the reading amount database 1-2-1 is converted into a voice and read aloud. Then, when all the predetermined amount of text data is read aloud, the reading is temporarily stopped in step S1102.

Next, in step S1103, when the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is pressed by the driver, in step S1104, the voice reading of the next text data (one time) is started, and the process returns to step S1101.

If the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is not pressed in step S1103, step S110
Go to 5. Then, in step S1105, when the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed by the driver, it is determined in step S1106 whether or not the number of times the repeat switch 1-4-2 has been operated exceeds a predetermined value, and the result is exceeded. If not, in step S1107, voice reading of the text data read immediately before is started again, and the process returns to step S1101.

If it is determined in step S1106 that the number of times the repeat switch 1-4-2 has been operated exceeds the predetermined value, the amount of text read aloud is changed in step S1108 to start reading by voice, and in step S1101. Return to. The number of times the repeat switch 1-4-2 is operated and a method for setting the read text amount will be described later.

On the other hand, if the repeat switch 1-4-2 is not pressed in step S1105, step S1
Go to 109. Then, in step S1109, when the stop switch 1-4-3 is pressed by the driver, the process returns to step S1102, and the reading is temporarily stopped. If the stop switch 1-4-3 is not pressed in step S1109, the process proceeds to 1110.

In step S1110, if the reading of all text data is completed, the flow is ended.
If the reading of all text data is not completed in step S1110, step S1102.
Return to and pause reading aloud.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the cumulative number of times the repeat switch 1-4-2 operated by the driver and the character amount of text data read out at one time. As shown in the figure, for example, in the situation where voice reading is performed up to 2000 characters at a time, the driver requests the read repeat of the same text data three or more times in the division unit of the first voice reading. In this case (that is, when the voice cannot be heard and the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed three times), the number of characters read at one time is reduced to 1000.

Further, when the cumulative number of reading repeat operations for the same text data exceeds 5, the text data amount read at one time is changed to 500 characters. After that, the cumulative number of repeat operations is 400 characters for 6 times, 300 characters for 7 times, and 200 characters for 8 times, so that the number of characters of the text data by one reading is decreased each time the repeat number is accumulated.

Further, since the text data read aloud is a sentence having some meaning, the minimum amount of text for one reading is set. That is, even if the cumulative number of repeat operations becomes large, the number of read characters is set so as not to be less than the minimum number of characters. This prevents sentences and words from being cut off and rather read in an unintelligible way.

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, as the number of times the driver operates the repeat switch 1-4-2 increases, the amount of characters in one voice reading is decreased, so that the switching can be performed repeatedly. For the reading of complicated contents that are necessary, it is possible to make the driver understand little by little by reading a little at a time. Therefore, the driver can easily hear what is read aloud, and can promote understanding of the content of the text data.

In FIG. 12, the vertical axis indicates the character amount of text data, but it is also possible to set a unit such as the number of sentences instead. With this configuration, the number of sentences is reduced according to the cumulative number of repeats, and the same effect as the above can be obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, when the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 becomes large (5 in this example).
It is also possible to reduce the number of characters so as to include important interests included in the text data or difficult-to-hear places in each time. In this case, when the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 is 5 times or more, a predetermined number of characters (500 characters in this case) are traced back from the time when the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed. ). With such a configuration, the driver can listen to the part that he or she needs, so that the concern can be surely recognized.

<Fifth Embodiment> In the fifth embodiment, when the repeat switch 1-4-2 included in the operation unit 1-4 is operated, the reading speed at the time of reading text data by voice is read according to the number of operations. Is appropriately changed. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the procedure.

First, in step S1401, a predetermined amount (one time) of text data defined in the reading amount database 1-2-1 of the voice reading processing unit 1-2 is converted into voice data and read out by voice. I do.

After all the predetermined amount of text is read aloud, in step S1402, the reading is temporarily stopped. Next, in step S1403, when the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is pressed by the driver, in step S1404, the voice reading of the next text (one time) is started, and the process returns to step S1401.

If the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is not pressed in step S1403, step S140
Go to 5. If the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed by the driver in step S1405, step S1
In 1406, it is determined whether or not the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 exceeds a predetermined value, and if not, in step S1407, the voice reading of the text read immediately before is restarted and the process returns to step S1401. .

On the other hand, if the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 exceeds the predetermined value in step S1406, the reading speed is changed in step S1408,
Voice reading is started, and the process returns to step S1401. The relationship between the number of times the repeat switch 1-4-2 is operated and the reading speech rate will be described later.

If the repeat switch 1-4-2 is not pressed in step S1405, step S1
Proceed to 409. In step S1409, if the driver presses the stop switch 1-4-3, step S
Returning to 1402, the reading is temporarily stopped. Step S
If the stop switch 1-4-3 is not pressed in 1409, the process proceeds to step S1410.

In step S1410, if the reading of all text data is completed, the flow is ended.
If it is determined in step S1410 that the reading of all text data has not been completed, step S1402.
Return to and pause reading aloud.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the cumulative number of times the driver operates the repeat switch 1-4-2 and the reading speed. As shown in the figure, for example, when the driver requests the same text data three times or more in the situation of reading aloud by voice at a speed of 400 characters per minute,
Slow down the reading speed and change to 350 characters per minute. Further, when the cumulative number of reading repeat operations for the same text data exceeds 5, the reading speed is changed to 300 characters per minute.

Similarly, each time the cumulative number of repeat operations increases, the number of characters read per minute is reduced. However, the minimum number of characters read per minute is set so that the number does not become less than this minimum number. In other words, by slowing the reading speed, it is possible to prevent the reading from becoming difficult to understand.

As described above, in the fifth embodiment, as the number of times the driver operates the repeat switch 1-4-2 increases, the utterance speed at the time of reading aloud is switched so that the driver listens repeatedly. You can listen to complicated contents that you need at a slow speed.
Therefore, the driver can easily hear what is read aloud, and can promote understanding of the content of the text data.

As an index of the reading speed, it is possible to change the way of taking punctuation marks other than the above.

<Embodiment 6> In the embodiment 6, when the repeat switch 1-4-2 provided in the operation unit 1-4 is operated, the volume at the time of reading the text data by voice is changed according to the number of operations. This is a process of appropriately changing. Figure 1
6 is a flowchart showing the procedure.

First, in step S1601, the reading amount database 1-2-1 in the voice reading processing unit 1-2.
The predetermined amount of text data (for one time) defined in 1. is converted into voice and read aloud. After all the predetermined amount of text is read aloud, in step S1602, the reading is paused.

If the driver presses the reproduction switch 1-4-1 in step S1603, the reading of the next text (one time) by voice is started in step S1604, and the process returns to step S1601. Also,
If the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is not pressed in step S1603, the process advances to step S1605.

If the driver presses the repeat switch 1-4-2 in step S1605, it is determined in step S1606 whether or not the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 exceeds a predetermined value. If not exceeded, in step S1607, the voice reading of the text read immediately before is restarted, and the process returns to step S1601.

On the other hand, if the number of operations of the repeat switch 1-4-2 exceeds the predetermined value in step S1606, the reading volume is changed to start reading the voice in step S1608, and the process returns to step S1601. The relationship between the number of repeat switch operations and the volume at the time of reading will be described later.

If the repeat switch 1-4-2 is not pressed in step S1605, step S1609 is executed.
Proceed to. If the driver presses the stop switch 1-4-3 in step S1609, step S160
Return to 2 and pause reading aloud.

If it is determined in step S1609 that the stop switch has not been pressed, the flow advances to step S1610. In step S1610, if the reading of all text data is completed, the flow ends. In step S1610, if the reading of all the text data has not been completed, the process returns to step S1602 to pause the reading.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the cumulative number of times the driver operates the repeat switch 1-4-2 and the read volume.

As shown in the figure, in the situation where the text data is read out at a volume of 60 dB, for example, when the driver requests the text data to be read out three times or more, the volume of the read out data is read. Is changed to 65 dB (that is, the volume is increased). Further, when the cumulative number of reading repeat operations for the same text data exceeds 5, the reading volume is changed to 70 dB. Similarly, the read-aloud volume is gradually increased each time the cumulative number of repeat operations is increased.

However, the sound volume of the normal alarm buzzer is set to 80 dB, and the sound volume is set not to exceed the limit. As a result, the alarm signal can be heard and the sound outside the vehicle can be heard.

As described above, in the sixth embodiment, as the number of times the driver operates the repeat switch 1-4-2 increases, the volume at the time of reading aloud is changed so that the driver needs to listen repeatedly. It is possible to listen to complex complicated contents with a clear and easy-to-hear volume, make it easier to hear what is read, and facilitate understanding of the contents of the text data.

<Embodiment 7> In the embodiment 7, the reading speed at the time of reading the text data is appropriately changed according to the traveling speed of the vehicle. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the procedure.

First, in step S1801, the text data transmitted from the communication device 12 is received. In step S1802, the vehicle speed detector installed in the vehicle detects the traveling speed of the vehicle.

Next, in step S1803, the reading speed at the time of reading the text is read based on the detected vehicle speed by referring to the data stored in the reading speed database 1-2-2 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2. To decide. Details will be described later.

In step S1804, it is confirmed that the driver has pressed the reproduction switch 1-4-1 to start reading aloud. In step S1805, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3. Then, when the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended.

FIG. 19 is a reading speed database 1-2 which is referred to in order to determine the speed of text reading based on the vehicle speed detected in step S1803 of FIG.
3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of data stored in -2. FIG.

In the figure, the reading speed when the vehicle travels at a relatively slow speed of 30 km / h or less is set to 320 characters per minute. When the vehicle speed is between 30 km / h and 90 km / h, it is set to 350 characters per minute, and when traveling at a vehicle speed of 90 km / h or more, it is set to 380 characters per minute. That is, the higher the vehicle speed, the faster the voice reading speed is set.

It is highly possible that the driver will not be able to directly recognize the difference in reading speed when the number of characters increases or decreases by about 30 characters per minute, but with this slight adjustment, the driver can read aloud according to the feeling of driving. Can be heard.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 19, an example in which the number of characters read per minute is increased stepwise with an increase in vehicle speed has been described. The relationship between vehicle speed and reading speed is shown in FIG. As described above, it can be set so as to be continuously changed.

As described above, when the speed is changed by a slight change in the vehicle speed, the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 21 may be used.

FIG. 21 shows step S18 shown in FIG.
The detailed processing procedure of 05 is shown. Then, by using this processing procedure, step S180 in FIG.
2. The process of detecting the vehicle speed and the process of determining the reading speech speed in S1803 are performed at any time during the voice reading process, and the voice reading speed can be adjusted at a suitable timing. Hereinafter, the flowchart shown in FIG. 21 will be described.

First, in step S2101, the vehicle speed is detected. Then, in step S2102, the reading speed at the time of reading the text is determined from the detected vehicle speed. In step S2103, a predetermined amount (one time) of text is converted into voice and read aloud.

After all the predetermined amount of text is read aloud, in step S2104, the reading is paused. Next, in step S2105, when the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is pressed by the driver, the vehicle speed is detected again in step S2106, and step S21
At 07, the reading speed at the time of reading the text is determined.
Then, in step S2108, the voice reading of the next text (one time) is started, and the process returns to step S2103.

If the reproduction switch 1-4-1 is not pressed in step S2105, step S210
Proceed to 9. If the repeat switch 1-4-2 is pressed by the driver in step S2109, step S2109
The vehicle speed is detected in 2110, and the reading speed at the time of reading the text is determined in step S2111. Then, in step S2112, the voice reading of the text read immediately before is restarted, and the process returns to step S2103.

On the other hand, if the repeat switch 1-4-2 is not pressed in step S2109, step S2
Proceed to 113. If the driver presses the stop switch 1-4-3 in step S2113, step S2113
Returning to 2104, the reading is temporarily stopped.

If it is determined in step S2113 that the stop switch 1-4-3 has not been pressed, step S211 is performed.
Go to 4. In step S2114, if the reading of all text data is completed, the flow is ended.
On the other hand, if the reading of all text data is not completed in step S2114, step S2104.
Return to and pause reading aloud.

As described above, in the seventh embodiment, the higher the traveling speed of the vehicle is, the faster the utterance speed at the time of reading aloud is set. Therefore, the driver can hear what is read aloud in a short time. It is possible to facilitate understanding of the contents of text data.

The structure in which the speech speed is set higher as the traveling speed of the vehicle is increased as in the seventh embodiment may be combined with the structure in which the reading time is shortened once as the driving load is increased as in the first embodiment. It is possible. In this case, the stored text data is converted into voice data, and as the determined operating load increases, the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set shorter, and the reading of the text data is performed. The step of reading out the text data by speeding up the speed in response to the increase in the detected traveling speed is step S180 in FIG.
3 to S1805 corresponds to a series of processes in which a step of setting one reading time to be shorter as the operating load increases is incorporated.

<Embodiment 8> In the embodiment 8, processing for appropriately changing the voice quality at the time of reading the text data according to the attribute of the driver is performed. FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure.

First, in step S2201, the text data transmitted from the communication device 12 is received. Then, in the processing of step S2202, the attribute of the driver is confirmed by downloading the data using an ID card or a mobile phone (reception means 1-6). Here, the driver attribute is information unique to the driver such as age and sex.

In step S2203, the voice quality database 1-2-4 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2 is referred to, and the quality of the reading suitable for the driver's attribute is determined. Details will be described later.

Next, in step S2204, the reproduction switch 1-4 is used by the driver to start reading aloud.
Make sure you press -1. In step S2205,
The text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3. Then, when the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended.

FIG. 23 shows the above-mentioned step S2303.
It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the voice quality database referred in order to determine the voice quality of text reading. As shown in the figure, this voice quality database stores data indicating the correspondence between driver attribute items and items defining voice quality. For example, if the driver is a woman under the age of 60, it is possible to determine the quality of the reading, such as reading the voice of the woman with a volume of 60 dB.

As described above, in the eighth embodiment, the volume of the text data read out according to the driver attribute,
Alternatively, since the voice quality is appropriately changed, it becomes possible to listen to the voice suitable for the driver, and the easiness of listening to the read voice is improved especially for an elderly driver.

Although not shown, it is possible to change the output form at the time of reading aloud according to the noise generated when the vehicle is running. For example, when the noise is large, it is difficult to hear the text data read aloud, so it is possible to increase the volume or change the sound quality or the frequency. As a result, it is possible to read aloud the voice that matches the surrounding environment.

<Embodiment 9> In Embodiment 9, the standby state is not maintained until the reproduction switch is pressed for each reading, and the next reading operation is automatically started after a blank time. Is set. Then, a process of appropriately changing the blank time between the divided text data when reading the text data according to the magnitude of the driving load is performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 27, the length of the blank time (space) between the text data read out at once is changed according to the magnitude of the operating load.

In this way, according to the configuration in which the voice reading is automatically performed after the blank time, the driver does not have to instruct the reading of the next text data at the end of one reading. The text data can be automatically heard in sequence and the operability of the voice reading device is improved.

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure. First, in step S2801, the text data transmitted from the communication device 12 is received. Then, in step S2802, the current driving load of the driver is determined.

Further, in step S2803, the space length is determined from the determined operation load value by referring to the space length database 1-2-5 provided in the voice reading processing unit 1-2. Details will be described later (FIG. 29).

[0174] In step S2804, it is confirmed that the driver has pressed the reproduction switch to start reading aloud. In step S2805, the text data is converted into voice and output from the speaker 1-3.

When the conversion of all the text data into voice is completed, the flow is ended. The details of the voice reading process in step S2805 are the same as those in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

The data stored in the space length database 1-2-5 includes, for example, data representing the correspondence between the magnitude of the operating load and the space length as shown in FIG. . As shown in the figure, for example, when the vehicle with a low driving load level is stopped, the length of the space is 1 second, and when the driving load is rather high, such as when the road is straight or a highway is congested, the space length is long. It ’s 2 seconds,
3 seconds when the driving load is relatively high, such as traffic congestion in a curve or urban area, light rain, and driving at night, and the driving load is extremely high, such as when turning right or left at a mountain road or intersection, when turning left, or during heavy rain. If it is determined that the reading time is divided into 5 seconds, the length of the space is set.

In this way, in the ninth embodiment, the space time is set longer as the driving load increases, so that the influence on the driving operation is minimized and the text data is read to the driver. I can go. Therefore, the driver can easily hear what is read aloud, and can promote understanding of the content of the text data.

Each of the embodiments described above naturally functions independently, but it can be easily inferred that the quality of the voice reading can be determined in such a manner that a plurality of embodiments are simultaneously satisfied.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a configuration of a voice reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a voice reading system according to an embodiment of the present invention. is there.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the timing of each switch operation by the operation unit and the reading of text data by voice.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a main operation of the voice reading device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of step S303 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between an operating load level and a character amount of text data read out at one time according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a driving load level and a voice reading speed according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a driving load level and a sound volume when reading aloud according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the number of repeats and the amount of characters read at one time according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of repeatedly outputting a voice of a portion of important interest or a difficult-to-hear portion when the number of repeats increases.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between the number of repeats and a reading speed at the time of reading a voice according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between the number of repeats and a reading speed when reading a voice according to the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the traveling speed of the vehicle and the reading speed when reading aloud according to the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a manner of continuously changing the reading speed at the time of reading aloud with respect to changes in the traveling speed of the vehicle according to the seventh embodiment.

21 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of step S1805 of FIG.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a driver attribute, a volume of a read voice, and a voice quality according to the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing how text data is divided according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for setting a text amount to be read at one time according to the entire length of text data according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for determining whether to divide a text according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing a space between text data read out at one time according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the magnitude of the operating load and the space time according to the ninth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Voice reading device 1-1 Text data management unit (text data storage means) 1-2 Voice reading processing unit 1-2-1 Reading amount database 1-2-2 Reading speed database 1-2-3 Reading volume database 1- 2-4 Voice quality database 1-2-5 Space length database 1-3 Speaker (voice output means) 1-4 Operation part 1-4-1 Play switch 1-4-2 Repeat switch 1-4-3 Stop switch 1 -5 Situation judging unit 1-6 Receiving means 11 Voice reading system 12 Communication device C Vehicle B Base station

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Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A voice reading device, which is mounted in a vehicle and reads aloud text data to an occupant of the vehicle, comprising: receiving means for receiving the text data; and text data received by the receiving means. Text data storage means to store, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on the occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, and converting the text data stored in the text data storage means into voice data, The higher the operating load determined by the operating load determining means, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set, and the text data is read at a substantially constant speed within the set time. To output the voice read out by the voice reading processing unit that is controlled accordingly. Speech reading apparatus, wherein a sound output unit, by comprising the that. 2. A voice reading device mounted in a vehicle for reading aloud text data to an occupant of the vehicle, the receiving means receiving text data, and the text data received by the receiving means. Text data storage means to store, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on the occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, and converting the text data stored in the text data storage means into voice data, The higher the operating load determined by the operating load determining means is, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set, and the reading speed of the text data is installed in the vehicle. A voice reading process that controls to increase according to the increase of the traveling speed of the vehicle obtained from the speed detector Parts and speech read-aloud device to the audio output unit, characterized by comprising an outputting audio that has been read by the voicing processing section. 3. The voice read-aloud processing unit is a continuous one.
The text data stored in the text data storage unit is divided into groups of text data, sentences, or words so that the reading process is completed within a set time. The voice reading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the voice reading device is divided. 4. The voice reading processing unit controls according to the driving load determined by the driving load determining means to increase the volume of reading the text data as the driving load increases. The voice reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. An operation unit for operating reproduction, stop, and repeat of reading of text data, wherein the voice reading processing unit reproduces, stops, and stops reading of text data in response to an operation by the operation unit. 2. The voice reading device according to claim 1, wherein the voice reading device is controlled to perform repeat. 6. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls to shorten the reading time of one continuous text data as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device according to claim 5. 7. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls the reading speed to be slower as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device described. 8. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls to increase the volume when reading text data as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device according to claim 5. 9. An operation unit for operating reproduction, stop, and repeat of reading of text data, wherein the voice reading processing unit reproduces, stops, and stops reading of text data in response to an operation by the operation unit. And the voice reading device according to claim 2, wherein the voice reading device is controlled to perform repeat. 10. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls to shorten the reading time of one continuous text data as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device according to claim 9. 11. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls the reading speed to decrease as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device described. 12. The voice reading processing unit, when a repeat operation is input from the operation unit, controls to increase the volume when reading the text data as the number of repeats increases. The voice reading device according to claim 9. 13. The voice reading processing unit reads one continuous text data and then reads the next one time after a predetermined blank time has elapsed. 2. The voice reading device according to any one of 2. 14. The voice reading processing unit sets a blank time after reading one continuous text data.
The voice reading device according to claim 13, wherein the higher the operating load determined by the operating load determination means, the longer the operating load is set. 15. The read-aloud processing unit changes at least one of the volume and the sound quality of the read-aloud when reading the text data according to at least one of the age and the gender of the driver of the vehicle. The voice reading device according to any one of claims 1 and 2. 16. The read-aloud processing unit changes either the sound volume or the sound quality of the read-out text data according to the magnitude of noise generated while the vehicle is traveling. Item 1 or claim 2
The voice reading device according to any one of 1. 17. A text-to-speech system in which data transmitted from a base station is received on a vehicle side and read aloud, the text data storing text data to be read aloud. Storage means, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on an occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, and text data stored in the text data storage means converted into voice data, and the driving load determination means The higher the operating load determined by, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set, and the voice reading is controlled so that the text data is read at a substantially constant speed within the set time. A text data storage means, a driving load reversing means, and a voice. The look-up processing unit is mounted on either the base station or the vehicle, the base station includes a communication device that transmits the text data or voice data to the vehicle, the vehicle is the communication device A voice reading system comprising: a receiving unit that receives the text data or the voice data transmitted by the voice data; and a voice output unit that outputs the voice data. 18. A text-to-speech system in which data transmitted from a base station is received on the vehicle side and read aloud, the text data storing text data to be read aloud. Storage means, driving load determination means for determining a driving load on an occupant based on the surroundings of the vehicle, and text data stored in the text data storage means converted into voice data, and the driving load determination means The higher the driving load determined by, the shorter the continuous reading time for reading the text data is set, and the reading speed of the text data is obtained from the speed detector installed in the vehicle. A read-aloud processing unit for controlling the speed to increase as the traveling speed of the vehicle increases. The text data storage unit, the driving load reversing unit, and the voice reading processing unit are mounted on either the base station or the vehicle, and the base station communicates by transmitting the text data or the voice data to the vehicle. A voice reading system comprising a device, and the vehicle includes: a receiving unit that receives text data or voice data transmitted from the communication device; and a voice output unit that outputs the voice data. . 19. A voice reading method for reading aloud text data to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving the text data; storing the received text data; A step of determining a driving load on the occupant based on the above, and converting the stored text data into voice data, and the higher the determined driving load is, the continuous one reading time at the time of reading the text data. A voice reading method comprising a step of setting to shorten and reading the text data at a substantially constant speed within the set time. 20. A voice reading method for reading out text data by voice to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving the text data; storing the received text data; A step of determining a driving load on the occupant based on the above; a step of detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle; a step of converting the stored text data into voice data; The reading speed of the text data is set to be short, and the reading speed of the text data is increased according to the increase in the detected traveling speed, and the text data is read. A method for reading aloud characterized by what has been done.