JPH07129894A - Information device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display guide information to a service center, etc., as an image and perform a travel guide with a voice message when the vehicle becomes abnormal. CONSTITUTION:A fault diagnostic device 2 monitors the outputs of various sensors Sa-Sn and outputs a fault code 2a including the extent classification of abnormality if there is abnormality. A voice guide device 3 generates the voice message corresponding to fault contents on the basis of the fault code 2a to inform a vehicle of repairing method, etc. When the vehicle needs to be repaired at the service center, etc., the place of the service center and the travel course are displayed on an image display device on condition that the service center is registered in a map data base 52. Consequently, voice guidance such as #'Go straight$', 'Turn to the right', and 'Turn to the left' is given. When the service center is not registered, a data communication with a control center is made by using a communication control unit 6 and an automobile telephone device 7 to receive position information on the service center or guide map data, thereby making an image guidance by a navigation device 5 and a voice guidance by a voice guide device 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle information device capable of displaying guidance information to a service center or the like on a display screen of a navigation device when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle diagnostic system in which a vehicle and a center facility are connected to each other by a communication line to exchange information relating to vehicle malfunctions and their treatment is disclosed in JP-A-62-94.
No. 443 is proposed. This vehicle diagnostic system has a self-diagnostic device built into the vehicle, sends the diagnostic result to the center equipment, receives the treatment method from the center equipment, for example "please replenish the cooling water" or "repair It is necessary to display "on the display device.

[0003]

However, in an urgent case, even if a message simply indicating that repair is necessary is displayed, it is impossible to do anything in a geographically unguided place.
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle information device capable of providing guidance information to a service center or the like when an urgent need occurs.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle information device according to the present invention includes a failure diagnosis device for detecting a condition of a vehicle and diagnosing a failure, and a service center for a service center or the like when the failure occurs. And a vehicle guidance device that displays guidance information.

[0005]

When a failure of the vehicle is detected by the failure diagnosing device, the vehicle guiding device guides the location of the service center or the route. Therefore, even if the user is traveling in a geographically unguided place, it is possible to take immediate action.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a vehicle information device according to the present invention. Vehicle information device 1 according to the present invention
Is a fault diagnosis device 2 and a vehicle guidance device (hereinafter referred to as a voice guidance device) that guides the vehicle by a voice message.
3, a voice recognition device 4, a vehicle guidance device (hereinafter referred to as a navigation device) 5 that guides the vehicle by image display, a communication control device 6, and a car telephone device 7.

The fault diagnosis device 2 monitors the outputs of various sensors Sa to Sn provided on the vehicle, and when those outputs deviate from a preset allowable range, a fault code 2a corresponding to the fault content is generated. Configured to do so. Further, the failure diagnosis device 2 is configured to output the status information 2c about the item designated by the diagnosis request information 2b when the diagnosis request information 2b is given. For example, when the battery voltage diagnosis request information 2b is given, the failure diagnosis device 2 outputs data relating to the battery voltage value as the state information 2c.

The failure diagnosis device 2 includes various sensors Sa to.
The degree of abnormality is configured to be ranked in advance according to the content of abnormality detected by Sn. And fault code 2
a is composed of a plurality of bits, and the degree of failure is classified into ranks by a combination of a certain number of bits. The degree of breakdown includes at least items such as whether or not it is possible to continue traveling and whether or not immediate repair is required. The other bits of the failure code 2a are used to specify the type of voice message prepared in advance according to the detected abnormality content.

The voice guidance device 3 includes a voice guidance controller 31.
A failure message storage unit 32 and a speech synthesizer 33.
, An amplifier 34, and an electroacoustic transducer such as a speaker (hereinafter referred to as a speaker) 35. The fault message storage unit 32 stores voice synthesis data regarding a message prepared in advance corresponding to the fault code 2a. When the failure code 2a is supplied from the failure diagnosis device 2, the voice guidance control unit 31 outputs an amplifier operation command 31a to forcibly control the amplifier 34 forming a part of the vehicle-mounted audio device to the operating state. , The amplifier input source is switched so that the audio signal 33a output from the audio synthesizer 33 is connected to the amplifier input.

Then, the voice guidance control unit 31 reads the voice synthesis data 32a corresponding to the fault code 2a from the message data storage unit 32. The read voice synthesis data 32a is converted into a voice signal 33 by the voice synthesizer 33.
is converted to a, supplied to the amplifier 34 and amplified in power,
It is supplied to the speaker 35. As a result, a message corresponding to the failure content, for example, a voice message such as "insufficient cooling water. Please replenish" is reproduced from the speaker 35.

When the voice guidance control unit 31 identifies that the repair is necessary based on the specific bit of the failure code 2a, the message "Repair is required." Which is registered in the message data storage unit 32 in advance. Data need to be guided up to? ”And the like is read out from the speaker 35.

[0012] The driver or the like makes an input indicating that it is necessary to guide using a response switch (not shown), or a voice response (for example, yes or yes) is issued and the utterance is given by, for example, a steering wheel (not shown). When it is detected by the microphone 41 installed in the vehicle and recognized by the voice recognition device 4, the voice guidance control unit 31 determines that the navigation device 5
A search request 31b for a service center or the like is generated.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the voice recognition device. The voice recognition device 4 is a microphone 4
AG for adjusting the output signal 41a of 1 to a predetermined signal level
A level adjusting circuit 42 having a C function, a noise removing circuit 43 for removing a noise component, a voice analysis circuit 44 for analyzing and encoding the characteristics of the voice signal 43a from which the noise component is removed, and an analysis for collation. An analysis data storage circuit 45 that stores the data 44a is compared with the analysis data 45a stored in the analysis data storage circuit 45 and the analysis data 44a output from the voice analysis circuit 44, and a positive output 46 is obtained.
It includes a collation circuit 46 that outputs Y and a negative output 46N, a registration control circuit 47, and the like.

The voice recognition device 4 is of a specific vocabulary recognition type of a specific speaker, and positive voice and negative voice are registered in advance. When the voice used for an affirmative response, for example, "Yes" or "Yes" is uttered while pressing the positive voice registration key 48Y, the registration control circuit 47 causes the voice analysis data 44a.
Is stored in the positive voice data storage area of the analysis data storage circuit 45. Similarly, when the voice used for the negative response, for example, "No" or "No" is uttered while pressing the negative voice registration key 48N, the voice analysis data 44a is stored in the negative voice data storage area of the analysis data storage circuit 45. It When uttering in a state where the registration keys 48Y and 48N are not operated, the voice analysis data 44a of the utterance and the data 45a stored in the analysis data storage circuit 45 are compared and collated, and when an affirmative response is uttered. Positive output 4Y is negative output 4 when a negative response is uttered.
N is output from the matching circuit 46.

In response to the inquiry "Is it necessary to guide the customer to the service center?", The driver etc. speaks that the location value of the service center etc. is known and there is no need for it, and the voice recognition device 4 When the negative output 4N is supplied from the voice guidance control unit 3 in the voice guidance device 3 shown in FIG.
In No. 1, the voice synthesis data 32a such as "Do not guide. Please drive at low speed." Registered in advance in the failure message storage unit 32 is read and reproduced.

When a response output 4Y or 4N is not obtained from the voice recognition device 4 even after a predetermined time elapses in response to the inquiry "Is it necessary to guide to the service center?", The voice guidance control unit 31 determines , The same voice message is played again, and it is registered in advance. For example, "If you have not registered voice, please operate the response switch."
Etc. to play the message. When an affirmative output 4Y (or an input from the response switch) indicating that the guidance is required is obtained, the voice guidance control unit 31 reproduces a message such as "The search for the service center will be started. Please wait for a while." After that, a search request 31b for a service center or the like is issued to the navigation device 5.

Upon receiving the search request 31b, the navigation control unit 51 in the navigation device 5 causes the reproduction command 51 to be reproduced.
When a is generated, the map currently being displayed is first accessed from the map database 52, and the reproduced map data 5
Based on 2a, it is searched whether a service center or the like is registered in the map currently displayed on the image display device 53, and if it is not registered in the map currently displayed, each adjacent map is searched. The same search is performed for.

When a service center or the like is registered,
The navigation control unit 51 sets a guide route from the current traveling position detected by the own vehicle position detection unit 54 to the service center and supplies the guide route data 51b to the guide image generation unit 55. The guide route image data 55a generated by the guide image generating unit 55 is supplied to the image combining unit 56. The image synthesizing unit 56 preferentially synthesizes the guide image data 55a with the map image data 57a supplied from the map image generating unit 57, and A / D-converts the synthesized image data to obtain an analog video signal. 56a is supplied to the image display device 53. As a result, the map and the guide route are displayed on the screen of the image display device 53 having a CRT display or the like.

Then, the navigation control unit 51 calculates the distance to the next course change point based on the set guide route, the map data 52a, and the traveling position data 54a, and the guide message storage unit based on the calculation result. 5
The optimum voice message is selected from a plurality of guide message data registered in advance in 8, and combined, and a message read command 51c for sequentially reading them is supplied to the guide message storage unit 58, whereby the specified voice synthesis data is obtained. 58a is supplied to the voice synthesizer 33 to reproduce a voice guidance message such as "go straight for about 200 meters" or "turn right at the next intersection".

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the vehicle position detecting device. The own vehicle position detection device 54 is a dead reckoning device 54b that sequentially calculates the vehicle position based on the azimuth signal from the gyro or geomagnetic sensor and the travel distance measurement result using the travel distance signal from the wheel rotation sensor or the like. , A position measuring device 54c using GPS is used together so that the current position can be estimated even when reception of radio waves from GPS satellites is impossible, and
Running locus data 54e obtained by the running locus calculation means 54d
And the road data 52a read from the map database are compared, and output from the GPS position measuring device 54c and the map matching means 54f for correcting the current position on the road by paying attention to the characteristic portion of the traveling locus such as intersections and inflection points. The determined position information 54g is supplied to the dead reckoning device 54b as initial position data 54h, and the corrected position data 54i supplied from the map matching means 54f is supplied to the dead reckoning device 54b, which is sequentially output from the dead reckoning device 54b. The vehicle position detection control means 54l supplies the latest vehicle position data 54j to the navigation controller 51 as traveling position data 54a.

When a service center or the like is not registered in the map database 52 composed of the CD-ROM (compact disc ROM) 52b and its reproducing device 52c shown in FIG. 1, the navigation control unit 51 stores the guidance message. After reproducing a message such as "I will perform automatic communication with the management center. Please wait for a while" which is registered in advance in the section 58, a start request 51d is issued to the communication control device 6.

In the automatic transmission control section 61 in the communication control device 6, the telephone number of the management center, the registration number of this vehicle, the data relating to the vehicle type, the model, etc. are registered in advance. Upon receiving the activation request 51d, the communication control device 6 controls the control signal line 6a.
A call request is first given to the car telephone device 7 via the, and then telephone number data of the management center is supplied to the car telephone device 7.

The car telephone system 7 uses a digital car telephone system capable of data communication other than voice communication using a handset provided in the telephone section 71. The transmission / reception control unit 72 in the car telephone device 7 automatically dials the management center based on the call request and the telephone number data supplied from the communication control device 6, and when detecting that the management center side responds, the control signal line 6b. This is instructed to the communication control device 6 via the transmission data signal line 6c and the reception data signal line 6d, and the data communication state between the communication control device 6 and the management center is entered. When the management center cannot be connected, the car telephone device 7
Will redial after a predetermined time has elapsed. Reference numeral 73 is an antenna for a car telephone.

When the management center is connected, the communication controller 6
Performs data communication based on a preset communication protocol. For example, the registration number data is transmitted in response to the registration number confirmation request from the management center side, and the data is transmitted in response to the vehicle type and model confirmation request. And
In response to a service request inquiry, a guidance request to a service center or the like is sent, and in response to an inquiry request regarding the vehicle position from the management center, the communication control device 6 requests the vehicle position data to the navigation device 5 via the data signal line 6e. Then, the traveling position data 54a such as latitude and longitude data is received from the navigation device 5 through the data signal line 6f and transmitted to the management center side. Instead of sending the latitude and longitude data, the data specifying the type of map database and the map number data currently displayed may be sent.

Upon receiving the data on the traveling position, the management center searches for the nearest service center or the like from the service center provided in the management center or the database on the place where repair is possible, and sends the location information. After sending the declaration information, the latitude of the service center,
The longitude data or the map number in the designated map database and the display position data on the map, and the character display data such as the name of the service center and the telephone number are transmitted.

The communication control device 6, which has received the declaration information indicating that the location information is to be transmitted, transfers data relating to the location following the declaration information to the navigation control unit 51 via the data signal line 6e. The navigation controller 51
A map including the location designated by the management center side is read from the map database 52 and supplied to the map image generation unit 57. The map image generation unit 57 generates map image data based on the map data and causes the image display device 53 to reproduce the map image data via the image synthesis unit 56.

Further, the navigation control section 51 supplies display position data and character display data such as names of service centers and telephone numbers to the guide image generation section 55. The guide image generation unit 55 generates mark image data to be combined and displayed at the location position designated by the display position data, and also through a character code generator (character generator) (not shown) provided in the navigation device 5. The display data corresponding to the character display data is obtained, the display data is arranged in the vicinity of the location mark display position to generate image data to be combined, and the generated image combination data is supplied to the image combining unit 56. The image synthesizing unit 56 performs image synthesizing using the guide image data generated by the guide image generating unit 55 as priority data, and the analog image signal 56a obtained by A / D converting the synthesized image data is sent to the image display device 53. Supply. As a result, the location of the service center and the name thereof are displayed on the display screen of the image display device 53.

The navigation controller 51 sets a route to the service center or the like based on the location data of the service center or the like designated by the management center and the map data, and sets the set route data 51e in the guide image generator 55. It is supplied to generate the guide route image data 55a. As a result, the composite display of the guide path is performed. The navigation controller 51 also provides voice guidance by voice message based on the traveling position data 54a of the vehicle and the set route data 51e.

If the management center determines that it is inappropriate to display the guide map using the designated vehicle-mounted map database, it sends information to the effect that guide map data will be transmitted. , Send the guide map data.
The data communication control unit 62 in the communication control device 6 transfers the received guide map data to the navigation device 5 via the data signal line 6e. The navigation control unit 51 uses the transferred guide map data for this navigation control unit 5.
In addition to storing it in a temporary storage means (not shown) provided in 1, the map image generating unit 57 or the guide image generating unit 5
5 is caused to generate map image data based on the map data stored in the temporary storage means. As a result, the guide map supplied from the management center side is displayed.

In the data communication state, a request for shifting to the failure remote diagnosis mode is sent from the management center side, and when the data communication control unit 62 detects this, the data communication control unit 6
2 is a state in which the data received via the reception data signal line 6c is relayed to the failure diagnosis device 2 as a diagnosis request 2b and is output from the failure diagnosis device 2 until a command to release the failure remote diagnosis mode is received. The information 2c is relayed to the transmission / reception control unit 72 via the transmission data signal line 6d. This enables communication between the management center and the failure diagnosis device 2.

Based on the previously received data regarding the vehicle registration number, vehicle type, model, etc., the management center uses the past repair history of the vehicle as reference data, if any, and also uses the vehicle type, If there are items to be checked with particular emphasis according to the model, including those items, send the sensor designation code or diagnostic item code preset according to the applicable vehicle type and model, and display the status information. Remote diagnosis is performed by receiving the information. Then, the failure diagnosis device 2
The fault code 2a output by the
The diagnostic result (fault code) 2a of the fault diagnostic device 2 is compared with the result of remote diagnosis, and if there is content to be transmitted to the driver or the like, the content is sent out.

When the voice message is sent to the driver or the like, the management center transmits the voice synthesis data transmission request and then transmits the voice synthesis data. The data communication control unit 62 that has received the voice synthesis data transmission request receives the reception data signal line 6d until it receives the voice synthesis data completion command.
The data output from the device is relayed to the voice synthesizer 33 via the data signal line 6g. As a result, the voice message from the management center side is reproduced from the speaker 35.
When the service person or the like directly transmits the message on the management center side, the management center sends a command to activate the speaker receiving function of the telephone unit 71 to remotely control the car telephone device 7 to the speaker receiving state, and then the voice is received. Convey a message by. Further, in this state, if the driver or the like picks up the handset of the car telephone device 7 and the driver or the like picks up the handset, the conversation by the car telephone device 7 becomes possible.

When the message to the driver or the like is displayed in characters or images, the management center transmits the characters or image data in the same procedure as the above-described guide map transmission. As a result, a message such as a treatment method or a caution regarding the failure is displayed on the screen of the image display device 53 of the navigation device 5.

Note that remote diagnosis may be performed prior to location guidance of a service center or the like, so that a service center or the like suitable for the details of the vehicle failure may be designated and guided.

The navigation control unit 51 is configured to return an acceptance confirmation signal 51f to the voice guidance control unit 31 when receiving the search request 31b from the voice guidance control unit 31 in the voice guidance device 3. When the reception confirmation signal 51f is not returned within the predetermined time, the voice guidance control unit 31 determines that the navigation device 5 is out of order or that the navigation device 5 is not installed, and issues a voice guidance request 31c. It is supplied to the communication control unit 6.

The communication control unit 6 having received the voice guidance request 31c makes a call to the management center, and after the management center responds and the data communication regarding the vehicle registration number, vehicle type, model, etc. is completed, the service is given by voice. Communicate the request to the center etc. Upon receiving the voice guidance request, the management center sounds a buzzer or the like for calling a service person. The serviceman sends a command to activate the speaker receiving function of the telephone unit 71 to remotely control the car telephone device 7 to the speaker receiving state, and then responds by voice. When the driver or the like picks up the handset, the service person inquires about the current position and explains the route to the service center or the like. The service person can also input the position of the vehicle to the device on the management center side and provide guidance using voice synthesis data.

When it is determined that the vehicle is difficult to drive based on the fault code 2a, the voice guidance control unit 31 in the voice guidance device 3 outputs a voice message such as "Is it necessary to contact the management center?" Then, when an input indicating that it is necessary is made, the transmission request 31d is supplied to the communication control device 6. After calling the management center, the communication control device 6 sends information about the vehicle registration number, vehicle type, model, etc. and the position of the vehicle. The management center performs remote diagnosis as needed and calls a service person. As a result, it is possible to use the car telephone device 7 to discuss about dispatch of service cars.

With the above configuration, the vehicle information device 1 displays the route from the current traveling position to the nearest service center or the like on the screen of the image display device 53 of the navigation device 5 when any failure occurs. Along with
The route can be guided by voice information. Further, the in-vehicle navigation device 5 is provided with the communication control device 6 and the car telephone device 7 and the communication function with the management center.
Even if a service center or the like is not registered in the internal map database 52, the management center can ask the nearest service center to send the map information and guide the user based on the map information.

In the communication control device 6, the telephone number of the management center and various data to be provided to the management center (registration number, vehicle type, model data, etc.) are registered and stored in advance. Can be automatically called, and the own vehicle data can be automatically sent.
Further, the communication control device 6 takes in position data 54a detected by the own vehicle position detection device 54 in the navigation device 5 based on various control information received by data communication, and automatically sends out the position data 54a, or manages it with the failure diagnosis device 2. Since the data communication mode with the center side can be set and remote diagnosis can be performed, it is possible to obtain an instruction from the management center side according to the failure situation.

Further, since the failure status and the coping method therefor are audibly displayed by a voice message, for example, various indicators for indicating the failure status provided on an instrument panel (device panel) arranged in front of the driver's seat are displayed. It is possible to prevent forgetting to visually recognize it and to explain in a voice what the display state is, so it is easy to understand.
It is possible to fully understand the contents of the display without the need of the items. Further, it is possible to reduce or completely eliminate the display items provided on the instrument panel (device panel), and it is possible to configure a panel that is easy to identify.

[0041]

As described above, the vehicle information apparatus according to the present invention is a vehicle guidance system for guiding a route to a service center by a voice message and an image display when a failure of the vehicle is detected by the failure diagnosis apparatus. Since the device is provided, it is possible to promptly deal with a failure or the like occurring in a geographically unguided place.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a vehicle information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a specific example of a voice recognition device.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram showing a specific example of a vehicle position detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vehicle Information Device 2 Failure Diagnosis Device 3 Voice Guidance Device (Voice Guidance Device) 4 Voice Recognition Device 5 Navigation Device (Vehicle Guidance Device with Image) 6 Communication Control Device 7 Car Phone Device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Vehicle information, comprising: a failure diagnosis device that detects a condition of a vehicle to diagnose a failure; and a vehicle guidance device that displays guidance information to a service center or the like when the failure occurs. apparatus.