JP2004217101A - Voice operated device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a voice operated device for a vehicle that can accurately control inputs of a voice operation. <P>SOLUTION: This voice operated device for the vehicle includes a controller 8 for recognizing voice that is input from voice input means and controlling an operation objective equipment 9, determines the degree of risk of a vehicle 1 from a driving status of the vehicle 1, controls voice inputs from the voice input means in accordance with the degree of the risk, which enabling inputs of the voice operation to be accurately controlled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dual-use voice operation device for operating various devices mounted on a vehicle by voice.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, vehicular voice operation devices for operating various devices mounted on a vehicle by voice have been developed. For example, in an in-vehicle navigation system, various proposals have been made to input a destination or the like by voice. (For example, Patent Document 1). In addition to the in-vehicle navigation system, a technology has been proposed in which a switch of a car air conditioner, a temperature setting operation, an operation of an audio switch, a volume, a tuning operation, and the like are performed by voice.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-16891
In a conventional vehicle voice operation device, in order to prevent a driver from being distracted by voice input during driving, a driving area is detected based on map information and position information of the vehicle, and a continuous curve is detected. While traveling in a caution area requiring attention such as a road, input of voice operation is restricted.
[0005]
In the vehicle voice operation device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the traveling state determination unit determines that the vehicle is traveling in a preset condition (attention area), the voice input unit and Operation input by manual input means is prohibited. Whether or not the vehicle is traveling in the caution area is determined based on the current position information and the caution area information stored in the CD-ROM (for example, a mountain road with a continuous curve, a rampway on an expressway, or the like). . Further, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in the caution area when the steering wheel is continuously turned left and right.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the degree of danger differs even in the same caution area depending on the vehicle speed, the inter-vehicle time, the traveling environment, and the traveling state during traveling. For this reason, when the input of the voice operation is restricted based on the current position information and the attention area information held on the CD-ROM as in the conventional voice operation device for a vehicle, the degree of danger is determined even in the same attention area. However, there was a problem that accurate restriction could not be made. For example, the degree of danger of curve running increases and decreases according to the vehicle speed, and increases when the inter-vehicle time is short or when another vehicle is present on the rear side.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular voice operation device capable of appropriately restricting a voice operation input according to a running condition of a running vehicle.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle voice operation device according to claim 1,
Voice input means for inputting various information by voice,
Control means for recognizing the voice input from the voice input means and controlling the in-vehicle operation device;
Traveling state determining means for determining a traveling state during traveling of the vehicle;
Danger degree determination means for determining the degree of danger that the vehicle is placed on the basis of the traveling state from the traveling state determination means,
Voice input limiting means for restricting voice input from the voice input means in accordance with the risk level determined by the risk level determining means.
[0009]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 2 is
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 1,
The voice input restriction unit receives a control of only an operation to complete an operation with a single command when the driving situation determination unit determines that the degree of danger is large.
[0010]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 3 is
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 2,
The determination that the degree of danger is large by the traveling state determination means is a case where the inter-vehicle time is shorter than a predetermined time.
[0011]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 4 is
The voice operating device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In a state in which voice input is restricted by the voice input means, a notification means for reporting that the voice input is in the restricted state is provided.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a vehicle provided with a vehicle voice operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a control block configuration of the vehicle voice operation device, and FIGS. Is shown.
[0013]
The outline of the vehicle will be described based on FIG.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle voice operation device recognizes a lane departure system, a system for adjusting an inter-vehicle distance (inter-vehicle time) with a preceding vehicle, and recognizes an approaching vehicle on the rear side. A system is provided.
[0015]
That is, the vehicle 1 is provided with radar means 2 (for example, a laser radar or a radio radar) for detecting a preceding vehicle so as to freely scan, and the vehicle 1 is provided with a lane recognition camera 3. The vehicle 1 is provided with a rear side camera 4 and a vehicle speed sensor 5, a steering wheel angle sensor 6, and a yaw rate sensor 7.
[0016]
The detection information of the radar means 2, the lane recognition camera 3, the rear side camera 4, the vehicle speed sensor 5, the steering wheel angle sensor 6, and the yaw rate sensor 7 as the traveling state judging means is inputted to the controller 8 as the control means. The inter-vehicle time with the preceding vehicle is recognized based on the detection information of the radar means 2 and the vehicle speed sensor 5, the lane departure is recognized based on the detection information of the lane recognition camera 3, and the detection information of the rear side camera 4 and the vehicle speed sensor 5 is used. The approaching vehicle on the rear side is recognized based on the information.
[0017]
The vehicle 1 is provided with operation target devices (car navigation, air conditioner, audio, meter, etc.) 9 as on-board operation devices. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 1 is provided with a voice recognition device 11 and a voice synthesis device 12. The voice recognition device 11 recognizes voice from the microphone 13 and outputs an operation command by voice input from the controller 8 to the operation target device 9 (voice input means). Thus, the driver can operate the operation target device 9 such as a car navigation system, an air conditioner, an audio device, and a meter by voice.
[0018]
The voice synthesizing device 12 notifies the driver of the control status of the operation target device 9 from the speaker 14 (notifying means). Even when the operation is restricted by the degree of danger described later, the effect is also notified. Be informed.
[0019]
In the controller 8 of the vehicle 1 described above, the situation of the degree of danger of the vehicle 1 being placed is determined based on the traveling state from the traveling state determination means (risk degree determination means), and the microphone 13 is controlled according to the determined degree of danger. The operation of the operation target device 9 by the voice is limited (voice input restriction means).
[0020]
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the control situation of the voice input restriction means in the above-described vehicle voice input device will be described.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, the determination of the degree of danger is performed in step S1, and a prior notice of the input restriction is issued in step S2. Prior notice in step S2 includes “screen display”, “speech synthesis that encourages concentration of driving: for example, voice of letting you concentrate on driving”, “melody / music that encourages concentration of driving,” “speedometer, etc.” according to the degree of danger. Changing the display color of an instrument that is always in the field of view for safe driving: for example, constantly changing from blue to red ”is performed alone or in combination.
[0022]
After the restriction mitigation processing due to the decrease in the degree of risk is performed in step S3, the driver input restriction processing is performed in step S4. Thus, the voice input is restricted according to the degree of danger, and the driver is notified that the vehicle is in the restricted state, and safe driving can be performed without being restricted to the voice input according to the degree of danger.
[0023]
The process of determining the degree of danger will be specifically described based on FIG.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4, it is determined in step S11 whether or not the inter-vehicle time with the preceding vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined time t based on the detection information of the radar means 2 (see FIG. 1) and the vehicle speed sensor 5 (see FIG. 1). If it is determined in step S11 that the inter-vehicle time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t, it is determined in step S12 that the vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle and has a high degree of danger. The inter-vehicle time means a time until the vehicle arrives at the preceding vehicle when traveling at the vehicle speed at which the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle is calculated. In addition, as the determination of the degree of danger, it is also possible to determine whether the headlight switch is on or off and to take into account the degree of danger at night.
[0025]
If it is determined in step S11 that the inter-vehicle time has exceeded the predetermined time t, it is determined that the vehicle is not approaching the preceding vehicle, so the process proceeds to step S13, and based on the detection information of the lane recognition camera 3 (see FIG. 1). It is determined whether the lane departure is large or the vehicle is traveling on a curve based on the detection information (calculated lateral acceleration) of the steering wheel angle sensor 6 and the yaw rate sensor 7. If it is determined in step S13 that the lane departure is large or that the vehicle is traveling on a curve, it is determined in step S14 that the degree of danger is medium.
[0026]
If it is determined in step S13 that the lane departure is not large or that the vehicle is not traveling on a curve, the process proceeds to step S15 to detect the rear side camera 4 (see FIG. 1) and the vehicle speed sensor 5 (see FIG. 1). Based on the information, it is determined whether there are many surrounding vehicles based on the situation of the approaching vehicle on the rear side. If it is determined in step S15 that there are many surrounding vehicles, it is determined in step S16 that the degree of danger is small. If it is determined in step S15 that there are not many surrounding vehicles, it is determined in step S17 that the degree of danger is zero.
[0027]
Based on the degree of danger determined by the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, the driver input restriction process of step S4 (see FIG. 3) is performed.
[0028]
The driver input restriction process will be specifically described based on FIG.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 5, it is determined in step S21 whether or not the degree of danger is large. If it is determined in step S21 that the degree of danger is large, the operation is completed with only one safety-related command in step S22. We accept only things.
[0030]
In other words, only predetermined safety-related commands (such as an emergency call) that can achieve the purpose with one command are accepted. When another command is uttered, the driver is informed to the driver that the reception of utterance is currently restricted by a synthesized voice such as "command is now being restricted". Commands with complicated operations (such as setting the destination of a car navigation system) are not accepted. In addition, the provision of information from outside is restricted. For example, display and reading of e-mail are prohibited, and provision of information such as long-distance traffic information is restricted.
[0031]
When it is determined in step S21 that the degree of danger is not large, it is determined in step S23 whether the degree of danger is medium. If it is determined in step S23 that the degree of danger is medium, in step S24, (1) one that achieves the purpose with one command is accepted, and (2) the hierarchical command is accepted after the first command is accepted. Restrict.
[0032]
That is, only a command that achieves the purpose is received. Further, in the command system having the hierarchical structure, after receiving the first command, the driver is notified by a synthesized voice that "acceptance of utterance is currently restricted" such as "command acceptance is being limited". Then, when the degree of danger is reduced, the driver is prompted to speak with a synthesized voice such as "please take the next command". Commands with complicated operations (such as setting the destination of a car navigation system) are not accepted.
[0033]
If it is determined in step S23 that the degree of danger is not medium, it is determined in step S25 whether the degree of danger is small. If it is determined in step S25 that the degree of danger is small, step S26 accepts (1) two commands that achieve the purpose, and (2) the hierarchical command accepts the second command. Restrict reception after.
[0034]
That is, only the command that achieves the purpose with one command and the command that achieves the purpose with up to two commands in a hierarchical command system are accepted. Furthermore, if three or more commands are required before the driver's purpose is achieved by a series of operations, after accepting the second command, the fact that the utterance acceptance is currently limited is described as "Now Command Notifying the driver with synthesized voice such as "Reception is being restricted". When the degree of danger is reduced, the driver is prompted to utter the synthesized voice, such as "please take the next command".
[0035]
If it is determined in step S25 that the degree of danger is not small, that is, the degree of danger does not correspond to any of large, medium, and small, it is determined that there is no limit in step S27.
[0036]
The above-described vehicle voice operation device restricts the operation of the operation target device 9 according to the traveling state of the vehicle 1 while traveling, and informs the driver that the operation is in the restricted state. It becomes a voice control device for vehicles that can restrict the input of the vehicle, and it is possible to drive safely.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 1 is
Voice input means for inputting various information by voice,
Control means for recognizing the voice input from the voice input means and controlling the in-vehicle operation device;
Traveling state determining means for determining a traveling state during traveling of the vehicle;
Danger degree determination means for determining the degree of danger that the vehicle is placed on the basis of the traveling state from the traveling state determination means,
And voice input restriction means for restricting voice input from the voice input means according to the risk degree determined by the risk degree determination means,
Since the operation of the on-board operating device is restricted according to the running conditions of the vehicle and the driver is notified that the vehicle is in the restricted state, the input of the voice operation can be accurately restricted. It becomes possible to be an operation device.
[0038]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 2 is
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 1,
The voice input restricting means accepts control of only an operation to complete the operation with a single command when the driving situation determining means determines that the degree of danger is large, so that the input of the voice operation is appropriately restricted. It is possible to do.
[0039]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 3 is
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 2,
The determination of the degree of risk by the traveling state determining means is large when the inter-vehicle time is shorter than the predetermined time, so that the degree of risk can be accurately determined.
[0040]
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 4 is
The voice operating device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In a state in which the voice input is restricted by the voice input unit, the notifying unit for notifying that the state is the restricted state is provided, so that the driver can recognize the restricted state.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle including a vehicle voice operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a control block configuration diagram of the vehicle voice operation device.
FIG. 3 is a control flowchart.
FIG. 4 is a control flowchart.
FIG. 5 is a control flowchart.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle 2 radar means 3 lane recognition camera 4 rear side camera 5 vehicle speed sensor 6 handle angle sensor 7 yaw rate sensor 8 controller 9 operation target device 11 voice recognition device 12 voice synthesis device 13 microphone 14 speaker

Claims (4)

Voice input means for inputting various information by voice,
Control means for recognizing the voice input from the voice input means and controlling the in-vehicle operation device;
Traveling state determining means for determining a traveling state during traveling of the vehicle;
Danger degree determination means for determining the degree of danger that the vehicle is placed on the basis of the traveling state from the traveling state determination means,
And a voice input restricting means for restricting a voice input from the voice input means in accordance with the degree of risk determined by the degree of risk determining means. The voice operation device for a vehicle according to claim 1,
The voice input device for a vehicle, wherein the voice input restriction unit receives control of only an operation to complete an operation with a single command when the driving situation determination unit determines that the degree of danger is large. The vehicle voice operation device according to claim 2,
The voice operation device for a vehicle according to the present invention, wherein the determination of the degree of danger by the traveling state determining means is large when the inter-vehicle time is shorter than a predetermined time. The voice operating device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
In a state where the voice input is restricted by the voice input means, a notification means for notifying that the voice input is in the restricted state is provided.

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