JP2000213951A - Car navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an introducing route guide easy to understand a direction to which an automobile is guided. SOLUTION: This car navigation system travel-guides an automobile by sounds emitted from plural speakers RLSP, FLSP, FRSP, RRSP, when the automobile travels on an introduction route upto a destination. In this case, a sound field forming means for forming a sound field corresponding to a direction to which the automobile is guided is provided utilizing the sounds emitted from the plural speakers RLSP, FLSP, FRSP, RRSP.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car navigation system for providing guidance for driving an automobile by voice or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional car navigation system, there is a car navigation system having a voice guidance function for guiding a vehicle by a voice emitted from a speaker when the vehicle travels on a taxiway to a destination.

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, such a conventional car navigation system includes a navigation body N, a speaker ASP connected to the navigation body N, a monitor & television M connected to the navigation body N, a monitor & Speaker SP connected to television M, head unit (including cassette deck, CD player, etc.) H connected to navigation body N
U and speakers RSP and LSP connected to the head unit HU. Speaker RSP, LSP
Serve as stereo right and left channel speakers, respectively.

[0004] The navigation body N incorporates various components for a navigation function (not shown here but includes, for example, a display device and a speaker), and can execute the navigation function independently. it can. Further, as the navigation body N, a speaker ASP optionally connected to the navigation body N can be used instead of the built-in speaker. Further, the navigation body N can use a monitor & television M and a speaker SP instead of or in addition to the built-in display device and speaker ASP. Further, the navigation body N can use a head unit HU and speakers RSP and LSP instead of or in addition to the above-mentioned speakers ASP and SP.

Therefore, as a voice guidance speaker for a car navigation system, a speaker built into the navigation body N, a speaker ASP, and a speaker S
P, or any of the speakers RSP and LSP or a combination thereof can be used. When audio guidance is provided using these speakers, a monaural audio signal is supplied.

That is, as a voice guidance speaker,
Even when a plurality of speakers for stereo or 3D surround are used, the same sound, that is, the same volume and sound quality is emitted from all speakers for voice guidance. Also, when using a voice guidance function or a voice recognition function, a function that automatically lowers the volume of a speaker that is not used for these functions, that is, a function that executes a mute function is also known. .

During the operation of the voice guidance function, while the vehicle is traveling on the taxiway to the destination, as the vehicle approaches the guidance point where the direction to be guided changes, for example, "right",
Voice guidance messages such as "left" and "return direction" are periodically emitted from the voice guidance speaker to provide travel guidance. These voice guidance messages are stored in a voice guidance table in a built-in memory (not shown) of the navigation body N, and are read out by a built-in main controller (microcomputer or the like) as needed at the time of guiding on a taxiway and used for voice guidance. Supplied to the speaker.

[0008]

However, in the above-described voice guidance, even if the voice guidance is provided as "right", "left", "return direction", etc., the same sound from all or a specific voice guidance speaker, that is, Since the sound is emitted at the volume and the sound quality, it is difficult to intuitively understand which direction the direction is. Also,
Since the voice guidance message is emitted at a constant volume every time until reaching the guidance point, the voice guidance message feels noisy when unnecessary, and is difficult to hear when necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a car navigation system capable of providing guidance on a guideway in which the direction in which an automobile should be guided is easy to understand.

[0010]

In view of the above-mentioned object,
The car navigation system of the present invention is a car navigation system that guides a vehicle by voices emitted from a plurality of speakers when the vehicle travels on a taxiway to a destination, using sounds emitted from a plurality of speakers. There is provided sound field forming means for forming a sound field corresponding to the direction in which the vehicle is to be guided. Thereby, the direction to which the vehicle should be guided can be easily understood.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in addition to the car navigation system of the above-described aspect, the sound emitted from the speaker is a voice for guiding a direction.

In another aspect of the invention, in addition to the car navigation system of the above-described inventions, the sound field forming means gradually increases the volume emitted from the speaker as the vehicle approaches the guide point. This allows
The recognition of the direction to which the car should be guided is gradually strengthened.

In another aspect of the invention, in addition to the car navigation system of each of the above-mentioned inventions, the sound field forming means generates a sound field corresponding to a direction corresponding to a content of a voice inquiry from a user via a voice recognition device. Is formed. As a result, the inquired direction can be intuitively understood.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a car navigation system according to the present invention. The car navigation system includes a navigation body N, speakers LASP and RASP connected to the navigation body N, a monitor (television) M connected to the navigation body N, speakers LSP and RSP connected to the monitor M, and the navigation body N. It consists of a connected head unit HU.

[0015] The car navigation system further comprises:
Speaker RLSP connected to head unit HU,
Includes FLSP, FRSP, RRSP. Speaker RL
SP, FLSP, FRSP, and RRSP serve as a rear left speaker, a front left speaker, a front right speaker, and a rear right speaker, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of these speakers in an automobile. Speaker FLSP, FR
SP is a driver seat S1 and a passenger seat S of the automobile C, respectively.
2 are located at the front left and right corners. Also, the speakers RLSP and RRSP are respectively provided in the rear seat S
3 at the left and right corners behind.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the navigation body N of FIG. In FIG. 3, a navigation main unit N includes a main controller 1 composed of a microcomputer or the like, a vehicle position processing device 2, a map database 3, a storage medium reading device 4, a main storage memory 5, an input device 6, a video processing device 7, a voice. It comprises an output device 8 and a speech recognition device 9.

The own-vehicle position processing device 2 comprises an autonomous navigation sensor 2a, a GPS receiver 2b, and an own-vehicle position calculation device 2c. The own vehicle-related sensor information from the autonomous navigation sensor 2a and the GPS from the GPS receiver 2b are used. Own-vehicle position calculating device 2 based on the current position information of the own vehicle by satellite radio wave reception
The vehicle position is calculated by c.

The storage medium reading device 4 is a CD-ROM
The map data is read from the map database 3 and supplied to the main controller 1.

The main controller 1 includes the unit data of the road network in the map data from the storage medium reading device 4, the current position data of the own vehicle from the own vehicle position processing device 2, and the own vehicle input from the input device 6. Based on the position data relating to the departure point and the destination, the optimum guidance route is calculated, and the obtained guidance route data is stored in the main storage memory 5.

Further, the main controller 1 supplies the map data from the storage medium reading device 4 and the guideway data read from the main storage memory 5 to the video processing device 7. Further, the main controller 1 stores in its internal memory (not shown) a voice guidance table including a plurality of voice guidance messages for a voice guidance function of a guideway to be described later. When the voice guidance function is operated, the main controller 1 reads an appropriate voice guidance message from a voice guidance table in a built-in memory, and outputs a voice output device 8.
Alternatively, it is supplied to external audio output means.

The video processing device 7 comprises a graphic controller 7a, a video RAM 7b and a display device 7c as display means.
Map data and taxiway data in the video RAM 7b
The map data and the guideway data read from the video RAM 7b are supplied to the display device 7c as image display data, and are displayed on the display screen. Further, the image display data can be supplied from the graphic controller 7a to the external display means.

The voice recognition device 9 is a microphone (not shown)
And recognizes and stores the user's voice from the user, and enables operation instructions of various navigation functions based on the recognized voice.

Next, the operation of the car navigation system of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

During the operation of the voice guidance function, when the vehicle C approaches a point at a predetermined distance from a guidance point at which the direction to be guided changes while the vehicle C is traveling on the taxiway to the destination, the main controller 1 controls the voice in its internal memory. A voice guidance message having contents corresponding to the direction to be guided is read from the guidance table. The read voice guidance message is output as a stereo voice output with FR (front and rear) control through the speaker R via the head unit HU.
Emitted from LSP, FLSP, FRSP, RRSP,
Driving guidance by voice is performed. Further, as the vehicle C approaches the guide point further than the above-mentioned predetermined distance point, the main controller 1 emits sound from each speaker at a fixed time interval (for example, an interval of several seconds) and gradually decreases the volume. Is controlled to be larger.

At this time, when, for example, the voice guidance message "soon to the right" is read, the main controller 1 controls the voice guidance message to be transmitted to the speakers FRSP and RRSP at the same volume. Accordingly, a sound field obtained by synthesizing the sounds emitted from the two speakers FRSP and RRSP is formed at a substantially intermediate position (FIG. 2) between the speakers FRSP and RRSP so that the voice guidance can be heard from the right side of the driver's seat S1. Become.

When the voice guidance message "soon left" is read, the main controller 1 controls the voice guidance message to be transmitted to the speaker FLSP and the speaker RLSP at the same volume. Therefore, these two speakers FLSP,
A sound field obtained by synthesizing the sound emitted from the RLSP is formed at a substantially intermediate position (FIG. 2) between the speakers FLSP and RLSP, and the voice guidance can be heard from the left side of the driver's seat S1.

Also, when the voice guidance message "soon to return" is read out, the main controller 1 controls the speaker RLSP and the speaker RRSP to emit the same sound (same volume and sound quality) to the speaker RLSP. . Therefore, this 2
A sound field obtained by synthesizing sounds emitted from the two speakers RLSP, RRSP is formed at a substantially intermediate position (FIG. 2) between the speakers RLSP, RRSP. I can hear you.

When the voice guidance message "soon to the right" is read out, the main controller 1 controls this message to be emitted from the speaker FRSP and to be emitted from the speaker RRSP at a volume higher than the speaker FRSP. Therefore, the sound field obtained by synthesizing the sounds emitted from the two speakers FLSP and RLSP is the speaker FRSP and RR.
It is formed between the SPs and at a position near the speaker RRSP (FIG. 2), so that voice guidance can be heard from the rear right of the driver's seat S1.

Further, when the voice guidance message "soon to the left" is read, the main controller 1 controls this message to be emitted from the speaker FLSP and to be emitted from the speaker RLSP at a volume higher than the speaker FLSP. Therefore, the sound field obtained by synthesizing the sounds emitted from these two speakers FLSP, RLSP is the speaker FLSP, RL
It is formed between the SPs and at a position near the speaker RLSP (FIG. 2), so that voice guidance can be heard from the rear left of the driver's seat S1.

In the same manner, the main controller 1 reads out the voice guidance message "diagonally right direction", "diagonally left direction", and "during a while,"
As shown in Fig. 2,
Controls the volume supplied to each speaker. Note that FIG.
When a sound field is formed, the sound is emitted not from a plurality of speakers but from only one of the speakers FRSP and the speakers FLSP.

As described above, when the vehicle C approaches the guidance point at which the direction to be guided changes, a sound field is formed in a direction from the driver's seat S1 corresponding to the direction, and a voice guidance message is heard. You can intuitively know where to turn. Further, as the vehicle C approaches the guidance point further than the predetermined distance point, the sound of the voice guidance message that is heard gradually increases, so that the recognition of the direction in which the vehicle C should be guided is gradually enhanced.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, four speakers are used, but any number of two or more speakers may be used. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the sound field is formed at eight points has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an arbitrary number of sound fields of eight or less or eight or more may be formed. May be.

The sound guide message is used for guidance, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sound field corresponding to the direction in which music should be turned by adjusting the volume of music emitted from each speaker using the sound of music currently being listened to. Is formed, the guidance can be guided.

Further, as another embodiment, the main controller 1 controls the sound field to be formed so as to move from the front to the rear of the driver's seat S1 when passing through a building which is a guide point or a target. May be.

As another embodiment, the present invention can be implemented in combination with a speech recognition device. For example, when the user issues an inquiry by voice saying “Destination direction?”, The main controller 1
Depending on the content of the inquiry via the voice recognition device 9,
For example, control may be performed so that the sound field of the reply message "Here" is formed in accordance with the direction of the destination from the current position of the car C.

Further, when the vehicle approaches a target such as a building near the taxiway during traveling, the main controller 1 recognizes the position of the target on the map and the current position of the vehicle, The volume of the voice guidance message issued from each speaker can be adjusted to control the sound field corresponding to the direction of the target. In this case, the contents of the voice guidance message can be applied to sightseeing guidance by including, for example, the name of a building or sightseeing information.

[0038]

According to the present invention, the turning direction can be intuitively recognized. Also, if the sound field is properly set, all directions can be accurately represented. In addition, even a person who does not understand the message content such as “right” and “left” (for example, a foreigner) can understand the direction to turn according to the direction of formation of the sound field, so that the guidance is easy to understand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a car navigation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an arrangement of speakers RLSP, FLSP, FRSP, and RRSP in the car navigation system of FIG. 1 in an automobile.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a navigation body N in the car navigation system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional car navigation system.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 Main controller (part of sound field forming means) 2 Own vehicle position processing device 3 Map database 4 Storage medium reading device 5 Main storage memory 6 Input device 7 Video processing device 8 Audio output device 9 Voice recognition device N Navigation body HU head Unit RLSP Rear left speaker (part of sound field forming means) FLSP Front left speaker (part of sound field forming means) FRSP Front right speaker (part of sound field forming means) RRSP Rear right speaker (part of sound field forming means) part)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A car navigation system that guides a vehicle by voices emitted from a plurality of speakers when the vehicle travels on a taxiway to a destination, wherein the vehicle uses sounds emitted from the plurality of speakers. A car navigation system comprising sound field forming means for forming a sound field corresponding to the direction in which the vehicle is to be guided. 2. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the sound emitted from the speaker is sound for guiding a direction. 3. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said sound field forming means gradually increases the volume emitted from said speaker as the vehicle approaches a guide point. 4. The sound field forming means according to claim 1, wherein said sound field forming means forms a sound field corresponding to a direction corresponding to a content of an inquiry by voice from a user via a voice recognition device. Car navigation system.