JP2006220435A - Navigation system for car - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation system for cars for making speech guidances and alarm announcements in cabins easily understood by detecting the open and close states of windows, the approach of emergency vehicles, etc. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation system for cars is provided with: a speech announcement means for announcing various items of information for occupants by speech; an open ratio detection means for detecting the opening ratio of windows of a vehicle; and an announcement control means for raising the sound volume of the speech announcement means in the case where the open ratio exceeds a prescribed open ratio. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation apparatus that searches for an optimum route to a destination designated by a driver.

  As the vehicle travels, the current position is detected by GPS (Global Positioning System), etc., and the current position is displayed on the display device together with the road map, and an appropriate route from the current position to the destination is displayed. A vehicle navigation device that is set and guided by a display device, an audio output device, or the like contributes to efficient and safe driving for the driver.

  In recent years, on-board audio / video devices including vehicle navigation devices have tended to improve in performance, while the confidentiality and sound insulation of the vehicle itself have improved, so passengers in the vehicle can, for example, give a warning sound of a crossing or an emergency vehicle It has become difficult to accurately grasp ambient sounds such as sirens of (patrol cars, ambulances, etc.). For this reason, if the vehicle reaches the railroad crossing while reproducing music or the like from the vehicle-mounted audio / video device at a high volume, the passenger may hear the warning sound of the railroad crossing.

  In view of this, a vehicle volume control system has been devised in conjunction with the vehicle navigation device to reduce the volume of the audio device when approaching within a certain distance from the railroad crossing (see Patent Document 1).

  In addition, an in-vehicle acoustic device has been devised that includes an aperture ratio sensor that detects the degree of opening of an opening / closing section that partitions the vehicle interior and the exterior, and a volume control means that controls the volume according to a signal from the sensor. (See Patent Document 2).

  In addition, the navigation system detects places such as railroad crossings and sharp curves that are predicted to be dangerous when driving, and automatically reduces the volume of in-vehicle audio equipment when driving in such places. This makes it possible for the driver to recognize that he / she is driving in a dangerous place, and to make it easier to hear the sounds of other automobiles, such as driving sounds and warning sounds, so that the real danger can be predicted in advance. A volume control circuit for an on-vehicle acoustic device that contributes to the improvement of the above has been devised (see Patent Document 3).

  Also, a microphone provided outside the vehicle, a determination unit for determining the loudness of the specific sound from the microphone, and a volume for adjusting the volume of the car audio device installed in the vehicle based on the signal from the determination unit An in-vehicle sound field control device has been devised that includes an adjustment unit and that reduces the volume of the car audio device when the volume of the specific sound is equal to or greater than a required value (see Patent Document 4).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-305847 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-335083 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-142946 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-154841

  In the example of Patent Document 1, the volume of the audio device is reduced when approaching within a certain distance from the railroad crossing, but conversely, when applied to a vehicle navigation device, it is difficult to hear important voice guidance. There is.

  Next, the example of patent document 2 is the content which adjusts only an audio volume by the opening / closing state of the window of a vehicle, and does not mention the volume in the audio | voice of the navigation apparatus for vehicles.

  In addition, the example of Patent Document 3 is to reduce the audio volume in a dangerous place and make it easy to hear the surrounding warning sound. However, as in Patent Document 1, it is important when applied to a vehicle navigation device. There is a problem that it is difficult to hear voice guidance.

  Further, the example of Patent Document 4 is such that when an emergency vehicle is approaching, the warning sound is detected and the sound field level of the audio is lowered. When applied to a navigation device, there is a problem that it is difficult to hear important voice guidance.

  Against the background of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle navigation device that makes it easy to hear voice guidance / warning notification in a passenger compartment by detecting an open / closed state of a window, approach of an emergency vehicle, and the like. .

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  The present invention provides a vehicle navigation apparatus for solving the above-described problems. That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle navigation device that directs the current location of the vehicle on the electronic map and guides the vehicle to the destination, the voice notification means that notifies the occupant of various information by voice, A vehicular navigation device comprising: an aperture ratio detection unit that detects an aperture ratio of a window; and an alarm control unit that increases a volume of the audio alarm unit when the aperture ratio exceeds a predetermined aperture ratio. Is done.

  In the above configuration, it is possible to adjust the volume of the voice guidance of the vehicle navigation device according to the open / closed state of the vehicle window, and the user loses time without listening to important guidance and deviating from the route. Comfortable driving is possible.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular navigation apparatus for solving the above-mentioned problems. In the vehicular navigation apparatus for instructing the current location of the vehicle on the electronic map and guiding the vehicle to the destination, various kinds of information are provided to the occupant by voice. Voice notification means for notifying information, a microphone for detecting sounds around the vehicle, emergency vehicle determination means for determining whether the sound collected by the microphone is an emergency car siren, and the collected sound is In the case where it is determined to be a siren, it is also possible to configure as a vehicle navigation apparatus characterized by having a notification control means for increasing the volume of the voice notification means and notifying the approach of an emergency vehicle.

  With the above-described configuration, it is possible to quickly know the approach of an emergency vehicle and to perform avoidance behavior with a margin so as not to hinder the travel of the emergency vehicle.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular navigation apparatus for solving the above-described problems. In the vehicular navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map, the vehicle navigation apparatus can perform various operations by voice. Voice notification means for reporting information, level crossing detection means for detecting a level crossing within a predetermined range of the vehicle on an electronic map, a microphone for detecting sounds around the vehicle, and a sound collected by the microphone alerting the level crossing An alarm device determining means for determining whether the sound is a machine sound, and a notification for increasing the volume of the sound notification means and notifying the approach to the railroad crossing when it is determined that the collected sound is an alarm sound of a railroad crossing And a vehicle navigation device characterized by having a control means.

  In the above configuration, it is possible to quickly know that you are approaching a level crossing, and it is possible to predict the traffic jam that may occur before the level crossing and move to deceleration driving with a margin. Also contribute.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular navigation apparatus for solving the above-described problems. In the vehicular navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map, the vehicle navigation apparatus can perform various operations by voice. A driver's side speaker and a passenger's side speaker are provided to notify the information, and when the vehicle is steered to the opposite side of the driver's seat to determine the course of the vehicle, the driver's side speaker is closer to the passenger's side The sound volume is controlled so that the loudspeaker's sound gradually increases, and the voice notification means for suggesting the steering direction in the vehicle to the driver also by the sound volume control, and the opening ratio for detecting the opening ratio of the window on the passenger seat side of the vehicle When voice guidance is performed so that the detection means and the vehicle are steered to the side opposite to the driver's seat, if the aperture ratio exceeds a predetermined aperture ratio, a voice is output from the speaker on the passenger seat side and the volume is increased. The A notification control unit that can be configured as a vehicle navigation apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a.

  As a recent voice guidance method, for example, when a left turn instruction is given, there is also a vehicle navigation device in which guidance is performed so that voice flows from the center to the left side in order to suggest a left turn direction. In such a case, if the passenger side window is open, the guidance is very difficult to hear in the prior art. However, in the above configuration, the user does not hear important guidance and does not deviate from the route. Comfortable driving is possible without loss of time.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular navigation apparatus for solving the above-mentioned problems. In the vehicular navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map, the vehicle navigation apparatus can perform various operations by voice. A driver's side speaker and a passenger's side speaker are provided to notify the information, and when the vehicle is steered to the opposite side of the driver's seat to determine the course of the vehicle, the driver's side speaker is closer to the passenger's side The sound volume is controlled so that the loudspeaker's sound gradually increases, and the voice notification means for suggesting the steering direction in the vehicle to the driver also by the sound volume control, and the opening ratio for detecting the opening ratio of the window on the passenger seat side of the vehicle When performing voice guidance so that the vehicle is steered to the side opposite to the driver's seat, if the aperture ratio exceeds a predetermined aperture ratio, a voice is output from the speaker on the driver's seat and the volume is increased. The A notification control unit that can be configured as a vehicle navigation apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a.

  In the above configuration, since the guidance is very difficult to hear in the prior art when the passenger side window is open, voice guidance is played from the driver side speaker. With the above configuration, the user does not miss important guidance and deviate from the route, and comfortable driving can be performed without causing time loss.

  The purpose of providing a vehicle navigation device that makes it easy to hear the voice guidance / warning notification in the passenger compartment is that the voice volume of the audio guidance / warning notification from the navigation device can be reduced without changing the volume of the audio depending on the opening / closing state of the vehicle window. Realized by a vehicle navigation system that increases the volume only.

  Hereinafter, a vehicle navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus (hereinafter abbreviated as a navigation apparatus) 100. The navigation device 100 includes a position detector 1, a map data input device 6, an operation switch group 7, a remote control (hereinafter referred to as “remote control”) sensor 11, a voice synthesis circuit 24 for performing voice guidance, a speaker 15, a semiconductor memory device 9, A display device 10, a hard disk device (HDD) 21, a control circuit 8 connected thereto, and a remote control terminal 12 are provided.

  The position detector 1 has a known geomagnetic sensor 2, a gyroscope 3, a distance sensor 4, and a GPS receiver 5 for GPS that detects the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. Since these sensors 2, 3, 4, and 5 have errors of different properties, they are configured to be used while being complemented by a plurality of sensors. Depending on the accuracy, a part of the sensors described above may be used, and further, a steering rotation sensor, a wheel sensor of each rolling wheel, or the like may be used.

  The map data input device 6 is a device for inputting various data including so-called map matching data for improving the accuracy of position detection and road data representing road connections from the storage medium 20. As a storage medium, a CD-ROM or DVD is generally used because of the amount of data, but another medium such as a memory card may be used.

  The map data stores predetermined map image information for display and road network information including link information and node information. The link information is predetermined section information constituting each road, and includes position coordinates, distance, required time, road width, number of lanes, speed limit, and the like. The node information is information that defines an intersection (branch road) and the like, and includes position coordinates, the number of right / left turn lanes, a connection destination road link, and the like. In addition, data indicating whether or not traffic is possible is set in the inter-link connection information.

  As the operation switch group 7, for example, a touch switch or a mechanical switch integrated with the display device 10 is used. The touch switch includes an infrared sensor finely arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions on the screen of the display device 10, a panel portion that converts a finger contact detected by the infrared sensor into an electrical signal, and a signal processing circuit for sending the electrical signal to an external device. And a controller for controlling them. For example, when the infrared ray is blocked with a finger or a touch pen, the blocked position is detected as a two-dimensional coordinate value (X, Y). As a touch switch, an electrical circuit is wired in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction through a gap called a spacer on a glass substrate and a transparent film, and when the user touches the film, the wiring of the pressed part is short-circuited. Therefore, a so-called resistive film method may be used in which this is detected as a two-dimensional coordinate value (X, Y). Alternatively, a so-called capacitance method may be used in which a substance that receives an electrical signal is applied to a glass surface of a transparent conductive substrate, and a change in capacitance is detected by a sensor as an electrical signal when a finger is brought close to the glass surface. Good.

  In addition to the touch switch, a pointing device such as a mouse or a cursor may be used. It is also possible to input various instructions using the voice recognition unit 30. In this method, when a voice is input from a microphone 31 connected to the voice recognition unit 30, the voice signal is subjected to voice recognition processing by a known voice recognition technique, and converted into an operation command corresponding to the result. . The voice recognition unit 30 amplifies the voice signal input from the microphone 31 to an appropriate level, A / D-converts the amplified voice signal, and then uses a known voice recognition algorithm such as a hidden Markov model. An audio signal processing device (DSP: Digital Signal Processor) for identifying, a memory or the like in which reference data for identifying audio is stored, and the DSP converts the audio signal into numerical information corresponding to the audio. After being converted, it is sent to the control circuit 8. Various instructions can be input by the operation switch group 7, the remote control terminal 12, and the voice recognition unit 30.

  The transceiver 13 is a device for receiving road traffic information from, for example, a VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) center 14.

  Further, by connecting a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone 17 or a car phone to the communication unit 19, connection to an external network is possible and connection to the Internet or the like is possible. Furthermore, by communicating with an ETC (Automatic Toll Collection System, ETC: Electronic Toll Collection) vehicle-mounted device 16, fee information received by the ETC vehicle-mounted device 16 from the ETC road device can be taken into the navigation device 100. Moreover, it is also possible to connect with an external network by the ETC onboard equipment 16. A configuration for communicating with the VICS center 14 via the cellular phone 17 or the ETC vehicle-mounted device 16 may be adopted.

  The control circuit 8 which is the notification control means, emergency vehicle determination means, railroad crossing detection means, and alarm determination means of the present invention is configured as a normal computer, and is a well-known CPU 81, ROM 82, RAM 83, and I / O which is an input / output circuit. O84 and a bus line 85 connecting these components are provided. The CPU 81 controls the navigation program 21p and data stored in the HDD 21. The CPU 81 controls the reading / writing of data to / from the HDD 21.

  The A / D conversion unit 86 includes a well-known A / D (analog / digital) conversion circuit, and converts analog data input from the position detector 1 or the like to the control circuit 8 into digital data that can be calculated by the CPU 81, for example. It is.

  The HDD 21 may be configured to store map data. In addition, the user can independently write data to the HDD 21 in addition to auxiliary information for route guidance, entertainment information, and the like. The contents of these data can be rewritten by operating the operation switch group 7 and the remote control terminal 12 or by inputting voice from the microphone 31. It is also possible to read the map data from the storage medium 20 using the map data input device 6 and update the contents of the HDD 21. Moreover, the structure which records the data received via in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) 22 which exchanges data between the other control apparatuses in a vehicle may be taken.

  The semiconductor memory device 9 is constituted by a rewritable semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, and stores information and data necessary for the operation of the navigation device 100. The semiconductor storage device 9 is configured to retain the stored contents even when the accessory switch of the vehicle is in the off state, that is, the navigation device 100 is in the off state.

  Further, information and data necessary for the operation of the navigation device 100 may be stored in the HDD 21 instead of the semiconductor memory device 9. Further, information and data necessary for the operation of the navigation device 100 may be stored separately in the semiconductor storage device 9 and the HDD 21. In this case, since the access speed to the semiconductor storage device 9 is higher than that of the HDD 21, a relatively frequent read / write frequency is stored in the semiconductor storage device 9, and a relatively low read / write frequency is stored in the HDD 21. Good. The contents stored in the semiconductor memory device 9 may be backed up and saved in the HDD 21.

  The display device 10 is a known color liquid crystal display, and includes, for example, a dot matrix LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a driver circuit for performing LCD display control. The driver circuit uses, for example, an active matrix driving method in which a transistor is attached to each pixel so that the target pixel can be reliably turned on and off, and is based on display instructions and display screen data sent from the control circuit 8. To display. On the screen of the display device 10, the vehicle current position mark input from the position detector 1, the map data input from the storage medium 20, and additional data such as a guide route displayed on the map are displayed in a superimposed manner. At the same time, a menu button for setting route guidance, guidance during route guidance, and a screen switching operation is displayed on this screen.

  The speaker 15 is connected to a well-known voice synthesis circuit 24 connected to the I / O 34 of the control circuit 8, and the digital voice data stored in the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 is analogized in the voice synthesis circuit 24 according to a command from the navigation program 21 p. Send the sound converted. In addition, the speech synthesis method stores the speech waveform as it is or after encoding it, recording and editing methods that connect them as necessary, and analyzes the speech waveform and stores it in the form converted into parameters. There are a parameter editing system for generating speech by connecting speech synthesis circuits by connecting them, a rule synthesis system for generating speech from character strings or phoneme symbol strings based on phonetic and linguistic rules, and the like. The voice synthesis circuit 24 and the speaker 15 correspond to the voice notification means of the present invention.

  The vehicle speed sensor 23 includes a rotation detection unit such as a known rotary encoder. For example, the vehicle speed sensor 23 is installed in the vicinity of the wheel mounting unit to detect the rotation of the wheel and send it to the control circuit 8 as a pulse signal. The control circuit 8 converts the number of rotations of the wheel into the speed of the vehicle, calculates the current position of the vehicle and the expected arrival time to a predetermined location, and calculates the average vehicle speed for each travel section of the vehicle. A method of acquiring vehicle speed data from other in-vehicle devices via an in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) 22 may be used.

  With this configuration, when the navigation program 21 p is activated by the CPU 81 of the control circuit 8, the navigation device 100 is operated by the driver operating the operation switch group 7 or the remote control terminal 12 or inputting voice from the microphone 31. When the route guidance process for displaying the destination route on the display device 10 is selected from the menu displayed on the display device 10, the following processing is performed.

  That is, when the driver inputs the destination based on the map on the display device 10, the current position of the vehicle is obtained based on the satellite data obtained from the GPS receiver 5, and the optimum position from the current position to the destination is determined. Processing for obtaining a guidance route is performed. Then, the guide route is displayed on the road map on the display device 10 so as to guide the driver to the appropriate route. As a method for automatically setting an optimum guide route, a method such as the Dijkstra method is known. In addition, at least one of the display device 10 and the speaker 15 provides a notification according to the guidance during operation or the operation state.

  Next, a method for detecting the aperture ratio of the window will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 32 denotes a power window motor. 37 is a limit switch and 31 is a window glass. When the act of opening the window glass 31 by the operation of a switch (not shown) by the occupant is performed, a voltage is applied to the motor 32 and the wire 34 is drawn. Then, the window glass is lowered and the link 35 slides on the rail 36. When the window glass is lowered to the bottom, it can be seen that the limit switch 37 attached to the end of the rail 36 is turned on to open the window 100%. By providing this limit switch 37, the error of the aperture ratio due to the slip between the motor 32 and the wire 34 can be corrected every time the window is fully opened.

  In calculating the aperture ratio, when the motor 32 operates and the roller 33 rotates, the window aperture sensor 26 as the aperture ratio detection means of the present invention sends the opening and closing direction and distance to the control circuit 8. In this way, the control circuit 8 collects and calculates the aperture ratios of all the windows, and calculates the aperture ratios individually or in total.

  The ambient sound of the vehicle is sent to the control circuit 8 through the outside microphone 25 which is the microphone of the present invention, converted into digital data by the A / D converter 86 and used for various processes.

(Volume adjustment by opening ratio of driver's side window 1)
With reference to FIG. 2, an example of performing sound volume adjustment for voice guidance based on the opening ratio of the driver's seat side window in the sound volume adjustment processing of the present invention will be described. This process is included in the navigation program 21p executed by the CPU 81, and is repeatedly executed together with other processes of the navigation program 21p. First, the opening ratio of the driver's seat side window is acquired from the window opening sensor 26 (S11). When the acquired aperture ratio is 0%, that is, when the driver's seat side window is fully closed (S12: Yes), voice guidance is performed at the currently set volume (S17).

  On the other hand, when the acquired aperture ratio is not 0%, that is, when the driver's seat side window is open (S12: No), the currently set volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83 is stored in the semiconductor. The data is stored in a predetermined storage area of the storage device 9 or the HDD 21 (S13). When the acquired aperture ratio is, for example, 50% or less (S14: Yes), the volume is increased by, for example, one step from the current volume (S15), and when the acquired aperture ratio exceeds 50% (S14: No) Increases the volume by, for example, two steps from the current volume (S16).

  Then, the voice guidance is performed with the set volume (S18), and when the voice guidance is completed, the volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83. The volume is restored (S19).

(Volume adjustment by opening ratio of driver's side window 2)
With reference to FIG. 3, another example of the sound volume adjustment of the voice guidance according to the opening ratio of the driver's seat side window in the sound adjustment processing of the present invention will be described. This process is included in the navigation program 21p executed by the CPU 81, and is repeatedly executed together with other processes of the navigation program 21p. This process is used when it is not desired to change the sound volume by opening and closing the window for a short time, such as opening a window just for receiving a ticket, such as a toll gate entrance on an expressway.

  First, the opening ratio of the driver's seat side window is acquired from the window opening sensor 26 (S21). After the acquisition, it waits until a certain time such as 5 seconds elapses (S22). After a predetermined time has elapsed, the window opening ratio of the driver's seat side is acquired again from the window opening sensor 26 (S23). When the acquired aperture ratio does not change from the aperture ratio acquired in step S21 or the difference between the aperture ratio acquired in step S21 is within a predetermined range such as within ± 5% (S24: Yes), Voice guidance is performed at a volume corresponding to the acquired aperture ratio (S25 to S32). Since steps S25 to S32 are the same as steps S12 to S19 in FIG. 2, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

(Volume adjustment by approaching emergency vehicle)
With reference to FIG. 4, an example of volume adjustment for voice guidance when an approach of an emergency vehicle is detected in the volume adjustment processing of the present invention will be described. This process is included in the navigation program 21p executed by the CPU 81, and is repeatedly executed together with other processes of the navigation program 21p.

  It is checked whether or not the surrounding sound of the vehicle captured by the outside microphone 25 includes the siren sound of the emergency vehicle. Since the frequency and sound pattern of the siren sound of the emergency vehicle are almost determined for each emergency vehicle, the siren sound of the emergency vehicle is captured in advance by the outside microphone 25 at the time of factory shipment or the like, and the A / D converter 86 performs A / D The converted digital data is stored in the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 as siren sound reference data.

  If the sound around the vehicle captured by the outside microphone 25 is similar to the siren sound reference data, for example, if the sound volume is higher than a predetermined level and continues for a predetermined time, it is considered that the siren sound of the emergency vehicle has been detected ( S41). If the siren sound of the emergency vehicle is detected, the currently set volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 (S42). Then, the volume is increased by, for example, one step or two steps from the current volume (S43).

  Then, voice guidance indicating that the emergency vehicle is approaching at the set volume is performed (S44). When the voice guidance is completed, the volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or HDD 21 is stored. Then, it is stored in a predetermined storage area of the RAM 83, and the sound volume is restored (S45).

(Volume adjustment by level crossing warning sound)
With reference to FIG. 5, an example of sound volume adjustment for voice guidance when a crossing warning sound is detected in the sound volume adjustment processing of the present invention will be described. This process is included in the navigation program 21p executed by the CPU 81, and is repeatedly executed together with other processes of the navigation program 21p.

  It is checked whether or not a warning sound for a crossing is included in the ambient sound of the vehicle captured by the outside microphone 25. Since the frequency and sound pattern of the level crossing warning sound are almost fixed, the alarm data for the railroad crossing warning sound taken in by the outside microphone 25 at the time of shipment from the factory and A / D converted by the A / D conversion unit 86 is warned. It is stored in the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 as sound reference data.

  Based on the current position of the vehicle and the map data, it is checked whether there is a level crossing within a predetermined range in the traveling direction of the vehicle. When there is a level crossing within a predetermined range, if the sound around the vehicle captured by the microphone 25 outside the vehicle is similar to the alarm sound reference data, for example, if the volume is higher than a predetermined level and continues for a predetermined time, It is considered that a railroad crossing warning sound has been detected (S51). When a railroad crossing warning sound is detected, the currently set volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 (S52). Then, the volume is increased by, for example, one step from the current volume (S53).

  Then, voice guidance indicating that the railway is approaching the level crossing where the alarm is sounding is performed at the set volume (S54). When the voice guidance is finished, the voice guidance is stored in a predetermined storage area of the semiconductor memory device 9 or the HDD 21. The stored volume data is stored in a predetermined storage area of the RAM 83, and the volume is restored (S55).

(Volume adjustment by opening ratio of window when turning left or right)
With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, in the volume adjustment processing of the present invention, the volume adjustment of the voice guidance by the opening ratio of the window at the time of turning left and right is an example of the volume adjustment by the opening ratio of the passenger seat window at the time of turning left Will be described. This process is included in the navigation program 21p executed by the CPU 81, and is repeatedly executed together with other processes of the navigation program 21p.

  For example, there are the following detection methods for turning left and right. A steering angle sensor including a rotation detection unit such as a known resolver or rotary encoder is attached to the steering handle shaft of the vehicle, and the rotation angle information including the magnitude and direction of the rotation angle of the steering handle is directly detected by the steering angle sensor. Alternatively, it is taken in via the in-vehicle LAN 22. From the acquired rotation angle information, when the rotation angle exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that a right turn or a left turn is being performed in the rotation direction of the steering wheel. Moreover, you may use the inclination of the vehicle detected by the gyroscope 3 for the judgment of a right-left turn.

  First, the aperture ratio of the passenger seat side window is acquired from the window aperture sensor 26 (S61). When the acquired aperture ratio is 0%, that is, when the window on the passenger seat side is fully closed (S62: Yes), voice guidance is performed from the speaker on the passenger seat side at the currently set volume (S64). On the other hand, when the acquired aperture ratio is not 0%, that is, when the passenger side window is open (S62: No), voice guidance is performed at a volume corresponding to the aperture ratio of the passenger side window (S63). .

  Details of the processing performed in step S63 of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the currently set volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 (S71).

  When the obtained opening ratio of the passenger side window is, for example, 50% or less (S72: Yes), the volume is increased by, for example, one step from the current volume (S73) and installed on the passenger seat side of the vehicle. The voice guidance is performed from the speaker (S74). When the voice guidance is completed, the volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83, and the volume is restored. (S75).

  When the opening ratio of the passenger side window is 100%, that is, fully open (S76: Yes), the volume is increased by, for example, one step from the current volume (S77), and the speaker installed on the driver's side of the vehicle is used. The voice guidance is performed (S78), and when the voice guidance is completed, the volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83, and the volume is restored to the original ( S75).

  When the opening ratio of the passenger side window is higher than 50% but lower than 100% (S76: No), the volume is increased by, for example, two steps from the current volume (S79) and installed on the passenger seat side of the vehicle. The voice guidance is performed from the speaker (S80). When the voice guidance is completed, the volume data stored in the predetermined storage area of the semiconductor storage device 9 or the HDD 21 is stored in the predetermined storage area of the RAM 83, and the volume is restored. (S75).

  In the above embodiment, in addition to the method of increasing the volume of the speaker installed on the passenger seat side of the vehicle, a method of increasing the volume of the speaker installed on the driver seat side may be used.

  In all the embodiments described above, when the audio device is mounted on the vehicle and connected to the navigation device 100 via the in-vehicle LAN 22 or the like, the volume of the voice guidance is set higher than the normal setting. When increasing the volume, the navigation device 100 may send a command to decrease the volume of the audio device during the voice guidance.

  In all the embodiments described above, the volume is restored to the original level when the voice guidance is finished. However, if the condition for increasing the volume is established regardless of the presence or absence of the voice guidance, the condition is A state in which the volume is higher than the normal volume may be maintained until it is released.

  It is possible to set whether or not all the above-described audio adjustment functions are performed collectively or individually by the user. When the user operates the operation switch group 7 or the remote control terminal 12 or inputs a sound from the microphone 31, a function setting menu is displayed on the display device 10 from a menu displayed on the display device 10, and a setting related to the sound adjustment is selected from the function setting menu. It is possible to select and display a screen, select which sound adjustment function is used, and set a threshold value for an aperture ratio. The selected / set contents are stored in a predetermined area of the semiconductor memory device 9 or the HDD 21.

  In all the embodiments described above, as shown in FIG. 9, the volume correction amount may be changed as the aperture ratio increases using vehicle speed data sent from the vehicle speed sensor 23. By passing this characteristic, it is possible to obtain a corrected sound pressure amount, that is, a corrected sound volume corresponding to the vehicle speed and the aperture ratio.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the knowledge of those skilled in the art can be used without departing from the spirit of the claims. Various modifications based on this are possible.

The block diagram which shows the structure of a navigation apparatus. The flowchart for demonstrating the volume adjustment process 1 by the opening ratio of the window of a driver's seat side. The flowchart for demonstrating the volume adjustment process 2 by the opening ratio of the window by the side of a driver's seat. The flowchart for demonstrating the volume adjustment process by the approach of an emergency vehicle. The flowchart for demonstrating the volume adjustment process by the warning sound of a level crossing. The flowchart for demonstrating the volume adjustment process by the opening ratio of the window at the time of right-left turn. The flowchart for demonstrating the audio | voice generation process of FIG. The figure for demonstrating the window opening / closing apparatus inside a door. The figure which shows the relationship between a vehicle speed and correction | amendment sound pressure amount.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Position detector 7 Operation switch group 8 Control circuit (Notification control means, emergency vehicle determination means, level crossing detection means, alarm device determination means)
14 Voice synthesis circuit (voice notification means)
15 Speaker (voice notification means)
20 storage medium 21 hard disk drive (HDD)
25 Outside microphone (microphone)
26 Window opening sensor (opening ratio detection means)
100 Navigation device

Claims (5)

In a vehicle navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map,
Voice notification means for notifying a passenger of various information by voice;
An aperture ratio detecting means for detecting an aperture ratio of the window of the vehicle;
Notification control means for increasing the volume of the voice notification means when the opening ratio exceeds a predetermined opening ratio;
A vehicle navigation device comprising: In a vehicle navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map,
Voice notification means for notifying a passenger of various information by voice;
A microphone for detecting sounds around the vehicle;
Emergency vehicle determination means for determining whether the sound collected by the microphone is an emergency vehicle siren;
When it is determined that the collected sound is a siren of the emergency vehicle, notification control means for increasing the volume of the voice notification means and notifying the approach of the emergency vehicle;
A vehicle navigation device comprising: In a vehicle navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map,
Voice notification means for notifying a passenger of various information by voice;
A crossing detection means for detecting a crossing within a predetermined range of the vehicle on the electronic map;
A microphone for detecting sounds around the vehicle;
Alarm determination means for determining whether the sound collected by the microphone is the alarm sound of the crossing;
When it is determined that the collected sound is the alarm sound of the crossing, a notification control unit that increases the volume of the voice notification unit and notifies the approach to the crossing;
A vehicle navigation device comprising: In a vehicle navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map,
In order to inform the occupant of various information by voice, provided with a speaker on the driver's seat side and a speaker on the passenger's seat side, when steering the vehicle to the side opposite to the driver's seat to determine the course of the vehicle, Audio notification means for controlling the sound volume so that the sound of the speaker on the passenger seat side gradually becomes louder than the speaker on the driver seat side, and suggesting the driver the steering direction in the vehicle by the sound volume control;
An aperture ratio detecting means for detecting an aperture ratio of a window on the passenger seat side of the vehicle;
When voice guidance is performed so that the vehicle is steered to the side opposite to the driver's seat, if the aperture ratio exceeds a predetermined aperture ratio, a voice is output from the speaker on the passenger seat side and the volume is increased. Notification control means for causing
A vehicle navigation device comprising: In a vehicle navigation apparatus that directs to the destination by instructing the current location of the vehicle on an electronic map,
In order to inform the occupant of various information by voice, provided with a speaker on the driver's seat side and a speaker on the passenger's seat side, when steering the vehicle to the side opposite to the driver's seat to determine the course of the vehicle, Audio notification means for controlling the sound volume so that the sound of the speaker on the passenger seat side gradually becomes louder than the speaker on the driver seat side, and suggesting the driver the steering direction in the vehicle by the sound volume control;
An aperture ratio detecting means for detecting an aperture ratio of a window on the passenger seat side of the vehicle;
When the vehicle is voice-guided to be steered to the side opposite to the driver's seat, if the opening ratio exceeds a predetermined opening ratio, a sound is output from the driver-side speaker and the volume is increased. Notification control means for causing
A vehicle navigation device comprising:

Images