JP2010281572A - On-vehicle device and method for controlling the on-vehicle device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an on-vehicle device and a method for controlling the on-vehicle device which can facilitate an intended operation, even if there is no checking of key disposition. <P>SOLUTION: The on-vehicle device includes a voice recognizing section which recognizes a voice inputted from a voice input section, arrangement of a touch panel is changed to that of coverages of touch panel keys K1 and K2 corresponding to the word, when a prescribed word is recognized by the voice recognizing section, and processing corresponding to the word is performed when the touch panel keys K1 and K2 are operated through the touch panel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device including a voice input unit and a control method for the in-vehicle device.

In-vehicle devices mounted on a moving body typified by an automobile include a navigation device and a car audio device. This type of in-vehicle device includes an operation unit such as an operation key configured with hardware keys and an operation unit such as a touch panel, and performs various processes when the operation unit is manually operated by a user.
Also, this type of in-vehicle device includes a talk switch (also referred to as a speech button), and when a pre-registered word is spoken toward a microphone installed in the vehicle after the talk switch is pressed, Some have a speech recognition processing function that automatically performs processing corresponding to the phrase (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-9-114490

However, in the conventional configuration, when operating the operation key or touch panel, the user needs to press the key (including not only the operation key but also the touch panel key assigned to the touch panel) after confirming the key arrangement of the in-vehicle device. If you don't look at the key layout, you will misoperate.
Further, when the same process is repeated a plurality of times in the voice recognition answer back method described in Patent Document 1, for example, when the volume is continuously increased or when the map is continuously scrolled, the talk switch is pressed and the utterance is called. The operation must be repeated, and the operation is complicated.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted device and a method for controlling the vehicle-mounted device that can solve the problems of the conventional techniques described above and can easily perform a desired operation without confirming the key arrangement. is there.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an in-vehicle device including a display unit having a touch panel and a voice input unit, a voice recognition unit that recognizes voice input from the voice input unit, and the voice recognition When a predetermined word is recognized by the unit, a key assignment conversion unit that assigns and converts the touch panel to an effective range of a touch panel key corresponding to the word, and when the touch panel key is operated via the touch panel And a key operation processing unit for performing processing corresponding to the word. According to this configuration, when a predetermined word is recognized by the voice recognition unit, the touch panel is assigned and converted to the effective range of the touch panel key corresponding to the word, so that the user does not visually confirm the word. Corresponding key operations can be easily performed.

In the above configuration, when the touch panel key corresponding to the word exists in a pair, the key assignment conversion unit assigns and converts each area obtained by dividing the touch panel vertically or horizontally to the effective range of the touch panel key. You may do it. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily perform an alternative operation of touch panel keys existing in pairs.
In this case, when the predetermined word is recognized by the voice recognition unit, the key assignment conversion unit assigns and converts the entire area of the touch panel to the effective range of the touch panel key corresponding to the word. Good. According to this configuration, the effective range of the touch panel key corresponding to the word can be widened, and the key operation can be easily performed without performing the display corresponding to the key.
The key assignment conversion unit assigns and converts the touch panel to an effective range of touch panel keys corresponding to the word for a predetermined time when the voice recognition unit recognizes a predetermined word, and performs the key operation. The processing unit may perform processing corresponding to the word every time the touch panel is operated during the predetermined time. According to this configuration, an operation when the processing corresponding to the word is repeatedly performed is easy.

  In addition, the present invention provides an in-vehicle apparatus including a plurality of operation keys to which different instructions are assigned and a voice input unit, a voice recognition unit that recognizes a voice input from the voice input unit, and the voice recognition unit When a predetermined word is recognized by the key, a key assignment conversion unit that assigns and converts at least two or more of the plurality of operation keys to an operation key that instructs the same processing corresponding to the word, and the operation key operates And a key operation processing unit for performing processing corresponding to the word. According to this configuration, when a predetermined word is recognized by the voice recognition unit, at least two or more of the plurality of operation keys are assigned and converted to operation keys that instruct the same processing corresponding to the word. The key operation corresponding to the word can be easily performed without visual confirmation.

Further, the present invention provides a control method for an in-vehicle device including a display unit having a touch panel and a voice input unit, and when a predetermined word is recognized from voice input from the voice input unit, the touch panel is When the touch panel key is operated through the touch panel, the process corresponding to the word is performed when the touch panel key is operated through the touch panel.
Further, the present invention provides a method for controlling an in-vehicle device including a plurality of operation keys and voice input units each assigned with a different instruction, when a predetermined word is recognized from the voice input from the voice input unit. , Assigning and converting at least two or more of the plurality of operation keys to operation keys for instructing the same processing corresponding to the word, and performing processing corresponding to the word when the operation key is operated. Features.

  In addition to applying the present invention to the above-described in-vehicle apparatus and its control method, the present invention distributes a control program for carrying out the present invention to general users via an electric communication line, and distributes such a program to a CD. -It can also be implemented in such a manner that it is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a ROM, floppy disk (registered trademark), or optical recording disk and distributed to general users.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform a target operation without confirming the key arrangement.

1 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the navigation apparatus from the front side. It is a flowchart which shows a key allocation conversion process. (A) is a front view of a navigation device for explaining key assignment conversion, and (B) is a front view in a navigation mode. It is a figure with which it uses for description of the key allocation conversion which concerns on a modification. It is a flowchart which shows the key allocation conversion process which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the other key allocation conversion process which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a navigation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The navigation device 10 is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, and includes a navigation function for performing route guidance of the vehicle, and an audio reproduction function for reproducing sound recorded on a recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc). Yes. The navigation device 10 is arranged in a console box located in the center of the front part of the vehicle, so that it can be easily reached by a driver or a passenger.

As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 10 performs a sound output and an image output with a position detection unit 20 for detecting the current position of the vehicle, a storage unit 30 for storing various information, an audio reproduction unit 40. An information output unit 50, an operation unit 60 that is manually operated by a user, a control unit 70 that controls each unit of the navigation device 10, and a voice recognition unit 82 that recognizes voice input from a microphone (microphone) 81. Yes.
The position detection unit 20 includes a GPS unit 21, a gyro unit 22, an acceleration sensor unit 23, and a vehicle data processing unit 24.

The GPS unit 21 receives a GPS radio wave from a GPS satellite via the GPS antenna 21a, and calculates a position coordinate indicating the current position of the vehicle (own vehicle position) and a moving direction from a GPS signal superimposed on the GPS radio wave. The information is acquired and output to the control unit 70.
The gyro unit 22 includes a gyro sensor (not shown), detects a relative direction of the vehicle (for example, a turning amount in the yaw axis direction) by the gyro sensor, and outputs the detected vehicle to the control unit 70.
The acceleration sensor unit 23 includes an acceleration sensor (not shown), detects the acceleration of the vehicle (for example, the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the traveling direction) by the acceleration sensor, and outputs the detected acceleration to the control unit 70. The vehicle data processing unit 24 functions as a vehicle speed detection unit that detects a vehicle speed by inputting a vehicle speed pulse of the vehicle, and outputs the vehicle speed to the control unit 70.

  That is, the navigation device 10 acquires positioning information (position and moving direction) of the vehicle at a predetermined time interval by the GPS unit 21 and moves the moving direction and vehicle speed of the own vehicle by the gyro unit 22 and the vehicle data processing unit 24. By determining the relative position from the absolute position measured by GPS, positioning information (position, moving direction, speed) corresponding to the current position can be acquired. According to this, even when the GPS radio wave cannot be received due to traveling in a tunnel or an underground passage, it is possible to perform independent positioning with information obtained by the gyro unit 22, the acceleration sensor unit 23, the vehicle data processing unit 24, etc. Positioning information having can be obtained.

  The storage unit 30 includes a hard disk drive device having a recording medium having a relatively large data storage area or a CD / DVD drive device. The storage unit 30 stores a route guidance database (also referred to as a map database) 30a storing various data such as map information and display image data used for route guidance, and audio data (hereinafter referred to as song data) of a plurality of songs. It has a stored audio database 30b.

Here, when the storage unit 30 has a hard disk drive device (so-called HDD navigation), the route guidance database 30a is data taken into the hard disk drive device, and the audio database 30b is a hard disk drive device from an audio CD or the like. Or a music CD loaded in the CD / DVD drive device.
Further, when the storage unit 30 does not include a hard disk drive device but only a CD / DVD drive device (so-called DVD navigation), the route guidance database 30a includes various data such as map information and display image data used for route guidance. And the audio database 30b is an audio CD.

The audio playback unit 40 generates digital audio signals by performing various processes necessary for music playback such as decoding processing on the music data of the audio database 30b under the control of the control unit 70. For example, for audio playback This is a chip in which various circuits are integrated.
The information output unit 50 includes a sound output control unit 52 that drives the speaker 51 to output various sounds, a display control unit 54 that displays various images on the display panel 53a of the display unit 53 formed of a liquid crystal display device or the like. It has.

The audio output control unit 52 includes a D / A converter, an amplifier, and the like (not shown). Under the control of the control unit 70, the audio output control unit 52 inputs a digital audio signal for route guidance or a digital audio signal of a music piece, and the input digital signal is digital Analog conversion is performed, and the sound is output from the speaker 51 after being amplified by an amplifier.
The display control unit 54 has a drawing processor (not shown), receives a drawing command including display instructions such as map information and button display from the control unit 70, and displays the display panel of the display unit 53 to perform display based on the drawing command. 53a is driven.
As the display panel 53a, for example, a thin panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an EL (Electro Luminescent) display panel is used.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the navigation device 10 as seen from the front side. FIG. 2 shows a state where the navigation screen is displayed.
As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 60 includes a plurality (four in this example) of operation keys 61a, 61b, 61c, and 61d as hardware keys, and any one of the operation keys is operated by the user. If it is detected, the key information specifying the operation key is output to the control unit 70.
In addition, the operation unit 60 includes a touch panel 62 arranged on the front side of the display panel 53a. When the user touches the touch panel 62 with a finger or the like, position information specifying the touched position is controlled by the control unit. Output to 70.

  The control unit 70 includes a CPU 71, a RAM 72 that functions as a work area for the CPU 71, temporarily stores various data, and a ROM 73 that stores various control programs and data executed by the CPU 71 in a nonvolatile state. Executes a control program stored in the ROM 73 to function as a computer that controls each part of the navigation device 10. In this case, the control unit 70 operates the navigation device 10 in the navigation mode or the audio mode.

In the navigation mode, the control unit 70 specifies the current location and traveling direction of the vehicle using the GPS unit 21 and the like, and displays a map around the current location (see FIG. 2). If the destination is set, the optimum route to the destination is calculated, displayed on the display map, and route guidance processing to the destination is executed. The route guidance process includes a process of emitting a route guidance voice that voice-guides a right turn or a left turn at an intersection. In FIG. 2, reference numeral M is a current location mark indicating the current position of the vehicle.
In the audio mode, various screens for audio operation are displayed, and reproduction of music data in the audio database 30b is executed in accordance with a user instruction.

  The voice recognition unit 82 inputs voice via the microphone (voice input unit) 81, recognizes the input voice word (utterance content), and outputs the recognition result to the control unit 70. In this configuration, one of the operation keys 61a to 61d is assigned to the utterance button (in this example, 61d), and when the utterance button 61d is operated, the voice recognition unit 82 is notified. Voice input is allowed.

In the navigation device 10, when a voice is input to the voice recognition unit 82, touch panel key assignment conversion processing is performed. That is, assuming that voice input to the voice recognition unit 82 is not permitted as the default key assignment state, the touch panel key assignment is changed from the default state when voice input is performed.
First, the default state will be described. The default state is the same key assignment state as a conventional navigation device. For example, generally, in the navigation mode (when a map screen is displayed), a process of displaying a screen scroll key is performed when the touch panel 62 is operated. In order to realize this, conventionally, a touch panel is used. 62 is assigned to the effective range of the display key for displaying the screen scroll key. In this case, when the touch panel 62 is operated, a screen scroll key is displayed on the display screen, and this display allows the user to operate the screen scroll key via the touch panel. That is, the touch panel key cannot be operated unless the user looks at the display.
In the audio mode, generally, an audio operation screen is displayed, and a touch panel key for audio operation is operated by this display. That is, the effective range of the touch panel key is set in accordance with the audio operation screen. In this case, the touch panel key cannot be operated unless the user views the display.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the key assignment conversion process. FIG. 3 shows processing when a sound volume adjustment word (“volume”) is input.
When the speech recognition unit 82 recognizes the word “volume” (step S1), the control unit 70 searches for the speech keyword “volume” corresponding to the word (step S2). In this case, the control unit 70 searches for a word “volume” in the voice keyword group stored in advance.
When the voice keyword “volume” is searched (when there is a candidate) (step S3: YES), the control unit 70 converts the key assignment associated with the voice keyword in advance.

  In this key assignment conversion, as shown in FIG. 4A, the control unit 70 assigns the left half area of the touch panel 62 to the volume down key K1 (step S4), and sets the right half area of the touch panel 62 to the volume up key K2. (Step S5). When a certain time (for example, about several tens of seconds) elapses, the key assignment is returned to the default state. When the key assignment is returned to the default state, a predetermined notification sound is notified to the outside by the audio output control unit 52 so that the switching timing can be understood.

As described above, the entire area of the touch panel 62 is divided into two parts on the right and left, and one entire area is set as the effective range of the volume down key K1, and the other entire area is subjected to a process that conflicts with the volume down key K1. When the effective range of the up key K2 is set, the user can lower the volume by touching the left half of the touch panel 62, and can increase the volume by touching the right half of the touch panel 62. That is, the control unit 70 functions as a key assignment conversion unit that performs the above-described key assignment conversion, and also functions as a key operation processing unit that executes a process corresponding to a key operation.
In the navigation mode, the volume of route guidance voice is adjusted, and in the audio mode, the volume of audio is adjusted.
Here, the operation of touching the left half of the touch panel 62 and the operation of touching the right half are operations that can be performed without looking at the touch panel 62 if the position of the touch panel 62 is roughly grasped. Therefore, the user can perform a volume adjustment operation without looking at the touch panel 62.

Further, when this key assignment conversion is performed, a display change such as displaying a key position on the screen is not performed in accordance with this processing. That is, in this navigation device 10, even when the touch panel 62 is assigned to software keys (hereinafter referred to as touch panel keys) of the volume down keys K1 and K2, screen display corresponding to these keys is not performed. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), in the navigation mode, the map display is continued and the key display is not obstructed by the map display.
That is, in this embodiment, since the entire area of the touch panel 62 is assigned to the effective range of the touch panel keys K1 and K2 corresponding to the word that is input by voice, the user can easily perform the touch panel keys K1 and K1, without performing key display. Since K2 can be operated and key display is not performed, the display area can be effectively used for displaying other information.

Further, in the navigation device 10, while the touch panel 62 is assigned to the touch panel keys K1 and K2 for decreasing the volume and increasing the volume for a certain period of time, the volume is decreased or the volume is increased each time the touch panel 62 is operated. For this reason, the user can repeatedly perform volume reduction and volume increase, and fine adjustment to the volume is easy.
In this embodiment, even when the volume is decreased or the volume is increased repeatedly, the speech button 61d may be operated once before inputting the word “volume”. For this reason, it is possible to repeatedly perform the same operation with simple and few operations, as compared with the answer-back method that requires the operation of the utterance button every time the volume is reduced or the volume is increased.

As described above, in the navigation device 10 of the present embodiment, when a predetermined word is recognized by voice, the touch panel 62 is assigned and converted to the effective range of the touch panel keys K1 and K2 corresponding to the word, so that the user can The desired operation can be easily repeated without visual confirmation.
In this case, since the entire area of the touch panel 62 is assigned and converted to the effective range of the touch panel keys K1 and K2 corresponding to the word, the effective range of the touch panel keys K1 and K2 can be set wide. Therefore, the target operation can be easily performed without performing the display corresponding to the key. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability of the in-vehicle device operated by a driver who sees the front situation of the vehicle and the like, and the display area of the in-vehicle device formed in a relatively small size due to restrictions on the vehicle space is displayed other than the key display Can be used effectively.

In addition, since the navigation device 10 assigns and converts each area obtained by dividing the touch panel 62 to the touch panel keys, the alternative operation of each key is easy to understand intuitively.
In this embodiment, when touch panel keys corresponding to words exist in pairs, the case where each area obtained by dividing the touch panel 62 to the left and right is set as the effective range of the touch panel keys K1 and K2 has been described. As described above, the respective regions obtained by dividing the touch panel 62 vertically may be touch panel keys K1 and K2. In FIG. 5, the lower half area of the touch panel 62 is assigned to the volume down key K1, and the upper half area of the touch panel 62 is assigned to the volume up key K2.

<Second Embodiment>
In the navigation device 10 according to the second embodiment, when a voice is input to the voice recognition unit 82, the hardware key (operation keys 61a to 61d) assignment conversion processing is performed. As a premise, similar to a conventional general navigation device, different instructions are assigned to the operation keys 61a to 61d, and a state in which different instructions are assigned to the operation keys 61a to 61d is the default. It is called the state.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the key assignment conversion process when “Volume Up” is input by voice, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the key assignment conversion process when “Volume Down” is input by voice.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the speech recognition unit 82 recognizes the word “volume up” (step S1A), the control unit 70 searches for the speech keyword “volume up” corresponding to the word, Based on this, key assignment conversion processing designated in advance is performed (step S2A).
In this case, the control unit 70 assigns and converts all the operation keys 61a to 61d to the volume up keys. When a certain time (for example, about several tens of seconds) elapses, the control unit 70 returns the key assignment to the default state (step S3A).
As described above, if all the operation keys 61a to 61d are used as volume increase keys, the volume increase processing is performed regardless of which operation key 61a to 61d is operated. For this reason, the user can easily increase the volume without visually recognizing the key arrangement. Further, during the above-described fixed time, every time the operation keys 61a to 61d are operated, a volume increase process is performed. For this reason, repeated operations for increasing the volume are also easy.

Also, as shown in FIG. 7, when the speech recognition unit 82 recognizes the word “volume down” (step S1B), the control unit 70 searches for the speech keyword “volume down” corresponding to the word, and the speech A key assignment conversion process associated with the keyword in advance is performed (step S2B).
In this case, the control unit 70 assigns and converts all the operation keys 61a to 61d to the volume down keys, and returns the key assignment to the default state after a certain time (for example, about several tens of seconds) (step S3B). ).
In both cases of FIGS. 6 and 7, when the key assignment is returned to the default state, as in the first embodiment, a notification sound indicating the fact is notified to the outside, and the user assigns the key assignment. It is configured to recognize switching.
In this way, if all the operation keys 61a to 61d are set to the volume down key, the volume down process is performed regardless of which operation key 61a to 61d is operated. Therefore, the user does not visually recognize the key arrangement. In addition, it is possible to easily reduce the volume, and it is also easy to repeat the volume reduction for the certain period.

  As described above, in the navigation device 10 according to the present embodiment, when a predetermined word is recognized by voice, all the hardware keys are assigned and converted to the operation keys instructing the same processing corresponding to the word. The target operation can be easily and repeatedly operated without visual confirmation. As a result, the operability of the in-vehicle device operated by the driver can be improved, and the hardware keys provided in the in-vehicle device can be used effectively as other operation keys. Can also be improved.

Each of the above-described embodiments is merely one aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the operability of volume adjustment is improved has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, map scrolling in the navigation mode, map scale adjustment, audio track search in the audio mode, etc. The present invention can be widely applied to improve operability.
Further, in the first embodiment described above, a case has been described in which a touch panel key exists in a pair recognized in the word recognized by the voice recognition unit 82. However, when the touch panel key corresponding to the word is one (for example, the word is “ In the case of “volume down”, when only one of the volume down keys is required), the entire area of the touch panel 62 may be an effective range of one touch panel key.
In the second embodiment described above, a case has been described in which all the hardware keys 61a to 61d are assigned to the operation keys corresponding to the word. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least two or more of the hardware keys 61a to 61d are used. May be assigned to an operation key corresponding to a word.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, when a word is recognized by the voice recognition unit 82, the touch panel 62 is assigned to the effective range of the touch panel key corresponding to the word, or a number of hardware keys 61a to 61d are assigned. In the above description, the operation keys corresponding to the word are assigned. However, both assignments may be performed simultaneously.
For example, in the above-described second embodiment, when a predetermined word is recognized by voice, all hardware keys are changed to operation keys instructing the same processing corresponding to the word, and all the areas of the touch panel are subjected to the same processing. You may make it change into the touchscreen key to instruct | indicate.
In this case, an operation corresponding to the voice input word can be performed by operating either the hardware key or the touch panel 62, and the user can easily perform the target operation more reliably.

Moreover, although each embodiment mentioned above demonstrated when this invention was applied to a navigation apparatus, it can apply widely also to other vehicle-mounted apparatuses, such as a car audio apparatus. The vehicle on which this in-vehicle device is mounted is not limited to an automobile, but means a broad vehicle including a motorcycle or a bicycle.
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, a case has been described in which a control program for performing key assignment conversion processing is recorded in the apparatus in advance. It may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as the computer, and the computer may read and execute the control program from the recording medium. Further, the control program may be downloaded from a distribution server or the like via a communication network (electric communication line).

10 Navigation device (on-vehicle device)
20 position detection unit 30 storage unit 40 audio reproduction unit 50 information output unit 60 operation unit 70 control unit (key assignment conversion unit, key operation processing unit)
81 Microphone (voice input unit)
82 Voice recognition unit

Claims (5)

In an in-vehicle device provided with a display unit with a touch panel and a voice input unit,
A speech recognition unit for recognizing speech input from the speech input unit;
A key assignment conversion unit that assigns and converts the touch panel to an effective range of a touch panel key corresponding to the word when a predetermined word is recognized by the voice recognition unit;
An in-vehicle device, comprising: a key operation processing unit that performs processing corresponding to the word when the touch panel key is operated through the touch panel.   The key assignment conversion unit, when there is a pair of touch panel keys corresponding to the word, divides the touch panel up and down, or assigns and converts each area divided left and right to the effective range of the touch panel key. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1. In an in-vehicle device provided with a plurality of operation keys and voice input units each assigned different instructions,
A speech recognition unit for recognizing speech input from the speech input unit;
A key assignment conversion unit that assigns and converts at least two or more of the plurality of operation keys to operation keys instructing the same processing corresponding to the word when a predetermined word is recognized by the voice recognition unit;
An in-vehicle device comprising: a key operation processing unit that performs the same processing corresponding to the word when the operation key is operated. In a control method of an in-vehicle device provided with a display unit on which a touch panel is arranged and a voice input unit,
When a predetermined word is recognized from the voice input from the voice input unit, the touch panel is assigned and converted into an effective range of the touch panel key corresponding to the word, and the touch panel key is operated via the touch panel. In addition, a method corresponding to the word is performed. In a control method of an in-vehicle device provided with a plurality of operation keys and voice input units each assigned different instructions,
When a predetermined word is recognized from the voice input from the voice input unit, at least two or more of the plurality of operation keys are assigned and converted to an operation key instructing the same processing corresponding to the word, and the operation is performed. A method for controlling an in-vehicle device, wherein a process corresponding to the word is performed when a key is operated.

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