JP2006295443A - Voice output control device and voice output control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lower the degree of distortion of music audible to a crew in a voice control device which changes the lateral balance of a music output when oral guidance is given by a process of making an audio device speaker outputs an oral guidance. <P>SOLUTION: As shown in figure 1, a sound source switching unit 34 of the voice output control device carries out processes of making a driver's seat speaker 4 output the R channel voice of a stereo music regenerated by an audio device 2 when an oral guidance is not given, making a passenger's seat speaker 5 output the L channel voice signals at the same time by controlling switches 32 and 33, making the driver's seat speaker 4 output only the oral guidance regenerated by an in-vehicle navigation device 1 when the oral guidance is given, and allowing the passenger's seat speaker 5 to output a mixed voice of an R channel voice and an L channel voice at the same time by controlling the switches 32 and 33. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a voice output control device and a voice output control program for controlling the output of guidance voice and music to a speaker in a vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a navigation device for a vehicle, there is a case where a guidance voice is output to a speaker for an audio device in the vehicle. In such a configuration, there is a problem that it is difficult to hear the guidance voice if the music reproduced by the audio device and the guidance voice are simultaneously output from the speaker. As a method for coping with such problems, a method has been put into practical use that makes it easy to hear the guidance voice by muting the music output in the speaker near the driver's seat in the car and outputting the voice guidance to the speaker during voice guidance. ing.

  However, in such a technique, the music that can be heard by the occupant may become distorted when the left / right balance of the music output changes during stereo audio guidance. For example, if the guitar part is recorded only on the channel on the driver's seat side, the guitar part is missed during voice guidance, and the passenger feels uncomfortable.

  In view of the above, the present invention reduces the degree of music audible to an occupant in an audio control device that outputs a guidance voice to a speaker for an audio device and changes the left / right balance of the music output during voice guidance. For the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the right audio signal of stereo music reproduced by the stereo music reproducing device is transmitted to the first speaker based on the fact that the audio guidance device does not perform voice guidance. Simultaneously with the output, the left and right audio signals of the stereo music played back by the stereo music playback device are output to a second speaker, and the first and first timings are based on the timing at which the voice guidance device performs voice guidance. At the same time as outputting the guidance voice signal mainly for the voice guidance to the speaker closer to the driver seat among the two speakers, the speaker far from the driver seat among the first and second speakers, It is an audio output control device that outputs a music signal in which left audio and right audio of stereo music reproduced by a stereo music reproducing device are mixed.

  As described above, when the voice control device that outputs the right sound of stereo music to the first speaker at the same time that the voice guidance is not performed and simultaneously outputs the left sound to the second speaker, The left and right balance of the music output is changed by mainly outputting guidance voices to the speakers closer to the driver's seat, and at the same time, the left and right stereo music is mixed to the speakers far from the driver's seat. Audio is output.

  In many cases, stereo music cannot be ignored in cases such as AM radio broadcasts that are provided in monaural audio. Therefore, even if the right audio and the left audio are mixed into monaural audio, the playback audio will not be distorted. Has been created. Therefore, it is unlikely that the left / right mixed sound of stereo music as described above will cause an occupant to feel annoyance. In this way, it becomes possible to reduce the degree to which the music output becomes distorted during voice guidance.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the right sound of the stereo music reproduced by the stereo music reproducing device is output to the first speaker on the basis of the fact that the audio guidance device does not perform the voice guidance. First control means for outputting the left audio of the stereo music reproduced by the stereo music playback device to a second speaker, detection means for detecting when the voice guidance device performs voice guidance, and the detection means Of the first and second speakers, the guidance voice mainly for the voice guidance is output to the speaker closer to the driver seat among the first and second speakers, and at the same time, A speaker far from the driver's seat is made to output a sound in which the left and right sounds of stereo music played by the stereo music player are mixed. As second controller, an audio output control program for causing a computer to function.

  Thus, the invention described in claim 1 can also be understood as a program.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of an audio output system mounted in a vehicle in the present embodiment. The audio output system includes a vehicle navigation device 1, an audio device 2, an audio output control device 3, a driver seat side speaker 4, and a passenger seat side speaker 5. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that an audio output system is mounted on the right-hand drive vehicle. Accordingly, the driver's seat side speaker 4 is attached near the front seat right seat, and the passenger seat side speaker 5 is attached near the front seat left seat. In the present embodiment, as will be described in detail below, when the vehicle navigation device 1 provides voice guidance during stereo music playback by the audio device 2, only the guidance voice is output from the driver side speaker 4, and the passenger seat The side speaker 5 outputs only the sound obtained by mixing the right channel sound and the left channel sound of stereo music.

  The vehicle navigation device 1 includes a position detector 11, an operation switch group 12, an image display device 13, a navigation audio output unit 14, an external storage medium 15, a RAM 16, a ROM 17, and a control circuit 18.

  The position detector 11 has sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor and a GPS receiver, and outputs information for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle to the control circuit 18 based on the properties of each of these sensors. . The operation switch group 12 includes input devices such as a mechanical switch and a touch panel. The navigation voice output unit 14 converts the voice data received from the control circuit 18 into an analog voice signal (hereinafter referred to as a guidance voice signal) and outputs the analog voice signal to the voice output control device 3. The external storage unit 18 includes a nonvolatile storage medium such as a DVD, CD, and HDD, and a device that reads (and writes) data from and to the storage medium, and is read and executed by the control circuit 18 In addition, map data for route guidance is stored.

  The control circuit 18 executes a program for the operation of the vehicle navigation device 1 read from the ROM 17 and the external storage medium 15, and reads information from the RAM 16, the ROM 17, and the external storage medium 15 when executing the program. Operates by controlling writing / writing. Specifically, the control circuit 18 receives the input of the destination by the user from the operation switch group 12, and calculates the optimum guidance route from the current position specified based on the signal from the position detector 11 to the destination. Then, an image obtained by superimposing the guidance route, the destination, the current position, etc. on the map indicated by the map data is output to the image display device 13, and when the host vehicle arrives in front of the guidance intersection, the vehicle turns right. The guidance voice data for instructing a left turn or the like is output to the navigation voice output unit 14. The control circuit 18 outputs a predetermined voice guidance output start signal to the voice output control device 3 immediately before outputting the guidance voice data, and immediately after outputting the guidance voice data, the control circuit 18 outputs a predetermined voice guidance output end signal. Is output to the audio output control device 3.

  The audio device 2 includes an AM / FM receiver 21, a cassette player 22, a CD player 23, an MD player 24, an operation switch group 25, an image display device 26, an audio signal output unit 27, and a control circuit 28. The control circuit 28 controls the operation of the AM / FM receiver 21, the cassette player 22, the CD player 23, and the MD player 24 based on the user's operation contents on the operation switch group 25, and these AM / FM receiver 21, Digital or analog stereo music signals output from the cassette player 22, CD player 23, and MD player 24 are received, and the received signals are output to the audio signal output unit 27. The image display device 26 displays information such as the content of control by the control circuit 28 and the name of the playback music based on the signal from the control circuit 28. The audio signal output unit 27 sends the analog or digital audio signal received from the control circuit 28 to the audio output control device 3 as two analog signals of an R (right) channel audio signal and an L (left) channel audio signal. Output.

  The audio output control device 3 includes an audio mixing unit 31, a driver side speaker switch 32, a passenger side speaker switch 33, a sound source switching unit 34, an amplifier 35, and an amplifier 36.

  The audio mixing unit 31 mixes the R channel audio signal and the L channel audio signal output from the audio signal output unit 27 of the audio device 2 and outputs a monaural signal resulting from the mixing to the passenger seat side speaker switch 33. . The ratio of the mix may be 1: 1 or may be another ratio that does not greatly deviate from 1: 1. The monaural signal output from the audio mixing unit 31 is hereinafter referred to as a mixed music signal.

  The driver seat side speaker switch 32 includes an R channel terminal 32a, a navigation terminal 32b, and an output side terminal 32c. Based on a switching signal from the sound source switching unit 34, the output side terminal 32c is connected to the R channel terminal 32a or the navigation terminal. Connect to either one of 32b. When the R channel terminal 32 a and the output side terminal 32 c are connected, the R channel audio signal from the audio signal output unit 27 is input to the amplifier 35. In addition, when the navigation terminal 32 b and the output side terminal 32 c are connected, the guidance voice signal from the navigation voice output unit 14 is input to the amplifier 35.

  The passenger seat speaker switch 33 includes an L channel terminal 33a, a mix terminal 33b, and an output terminal 33c. Based on a switching signal from the sound source switching unit 34, the output terminal 33c is connected to the L channel terminal 33a or the mix terminal. 33b is connected to either one of them. When the L channel terminal 33 a and the output side terminal 33 c are connected, the L channel audio signal from the audio signal output unit 27 is input to the amplifier 36. When the mix terminal 33 b and the output side terminal 33 c are connected, the mix music signal from the audio mixing unit 31 is input to the amplifier 36.

  The amplifier 35 amplifies the signal received from the driver seat side speaker switch 32 and outputs the amplified signal to the driver seat side speaker 4. The amplifier 36 receives the signal received from the passenger seat side speaker switch 33 as much as the amplifier 35. And output to the passenger seat side speaker 5.

  The sound source switching unit 34 (corresponding to a computer) is a known microcomputer provided with a CPU, RAM, ROM, I / O, etc. (not shown). The CPU always executes the program stored in the ROM. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the audio output control program 100 executed by the CPU.

  In executing the audio output control program 100, the CPU of the sound source switching unit 34 first switches the switches 32 and 33 for stereo output in step 110. Specifically, the driver side speaker switch 32 is controlled so that the R channel terminal 32a and the output side terminal 32c are connected, and the passenger side speaker switch 33 is connected to the L channel terminal 33a and the output side terminal. 33c is controlled to be connected.

  Subsequently, in step 120, the process waits until it is detected that the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 starts voice guidance, that is, until a voice guidance output start signal is received from the control circuit 18, and when voice guidance start is detected, step 130 is continued. Execute.

  In step 130, the switches 32 and 33 are switched for guidance / monaural output. Specifically, the driver side speaker switch 32 is controlled so that the navigation terminal 32b and the output side terminal 32c are connected, and the passenger side speaker switch 33 is connected to the mix terminal 33b and the output side terminal 33c. To be connected.

  Subsequently, in step 140, the process waits until it is detected that the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 has finished the voice guidance, that is, until a voice guidance output end signal is received from the control circuit 18. Execute.

  When the CPU executes the voice output control program 100 as described above, the sound source switching unit 34 detects the end of the voice guidance by the vehicle navigation device 1 immediately after activation of the sound source switching unit 34 (step 140). Reference), that is, when it is not time to perform voice guidance, the R channel audio of stereo music reproduced by the audio device 2 is output to the driver side speaker 4 and at the same time the L channel audio signal is output to the passenger side speaker 5. Then, the driver side speaker switch 32 and the passenger side speaker switch 33 are controlled (see step 110). When the sound source switching unit 34 detects the start of voice guidance by the vehicle navigation device 1 (see step 120), only the guidance voice from the vehicle navigation device 1 is sent to the driver seat side speaker 4 based on the detection. At the same time, the driver side speaker switch 32 and the passenger side speaker switch 33 are controlled so that the monaural music in which the R channel sound and the L channel sound are mixed is output to the passenger side speaker 5 (step S31). 130).

  As a result of the operation of the voice output control device 3, while voice guidance is not performed by the vehicle navigation device 1, a stereo music R channel audio signal is output to the driver seat side speaker 4, and the passenger seat side speaker 5. The L channel audio signal is output to. In addition, while the voice guidance is performed by the vehicle navigation device 1, only the guidance voice signal is output to the driver side speaker 4, thereby changing the left / right balance of the music output, and the passenger side speaker 5. Only a monaural music signal in which an R channel audio signal and an L channel audio signal are mixed is output to.

  In many cases, stereo music cannot be ignored in cases such as AM radio broadcasts that are provided in monaural. Therefore, even if the right audio and left audio are mixed into monaural, it is created taking into account that the reproduced audio does not become distorted. Has been. Therefore, it is unlikely that the left / right mixed sound of stereo music as described above will cause an occupant to feel annoyance. In this way, it is possible to reduce the degree to which the music output reproduced by the audio device 2 is distorted during voice guidance. Moreover, since only the guidance voice is output from the speaker 4 closer to the driver's seat, the driver can easily hear the guidance voice.

  Note that the sound output control device 3 is configured such that no squeal (shock sound) is output to the speakers 4 and 5 when the sound source switching unit 34 switches the switches 32 and 33. In order to realize this configuration, for example, as the driver seat speaker switch 32 and the passenger seat speaker switch 33, a switch that suppresses the generation of a squeal noise may be used. Alternatively, the amplification factor of the amplifier 35 and the amplifier 36 may be reduced to near zero immediately before switching by the sound source switching unit 34, and the amplification factor may be restored immediately after switching.

  In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle navigation device 1 corresponds to a voice guidance device, the audio device 2 corresponds to a stereo music playback device, the driver seat side speaker 4 corresponds to a first speaker, and the passenger seat side. The speaker 5 corresponds to a second speaker. Further, the CPU of the sound source switching unit 34 functions as a first control unit by executing step 110 of the audio output control program 100, and functions as a detection unit by executing step 120, and executes step 130. Thus, it functions as a second control means.

(Other embodiments)
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the structure of this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment, The various form which can implement | achieve the function of each component of this invention is included. is there.

  For example, in the above embodiment, only monaural music in which the passenger side speaker 5 is mixed is output at the time of voice guidance, but guidance voice is output from the passenger seat side speaker 5 together with monaural music. It may be.

  Further, although the driver seat side speaker 4 outputs only the guidance voice, the driver seat side speaker 4 may output monaural music mixed together with the guidance voice. However, it is necessary that the guidance voice occupies the main part of the output voice (for example, 60% or more in average sound pressure).

  In the above embodiment, the driver's seat side speaker 4 mainly outputs the guidance voice and the passenger's seat side speaker 5 outputs monaural music during the voice guidance. However, this is not necessarily the case. It is not necessary. For example, if there are speakers on the left and right of the rear seat, during voice guidance, the guidance voice is output to the speaker on the right side of the rear seat (left side for left-hand drive cars), and monaural music is output to the speaker on the left side of the rear seat. The speaker may be muted. In other words, the relationship between a speaker that mainly outputs guidance voice during voice guidance (hereinafter referred to as guidance speaker) and a speaker that outputs monaural music mixed during voice guidance (hereinafter referred to as mixed speaker) provides voice guidance. When not, it is sufficient to output different sides of stereo music (ie right side or left side) and the guidance speaker is closer to the driver's seat than the mix speaker.

  The audio device 2 includes a DVD player and a TV receiver, and the control circuit 28 controls them and outputs a stereo audio signal received from them to the audio signal output unit 27. Also good.

  The control circuit 18 of the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 reproduces stereo music data recorded on the external storage medium 15, and an R channel audio signal and an L channel audio signal based on the music data are respectively transmitted by signal lines (not shown). It may be configured to output to the R channel terminal 32a and the L channel terminal 33a. In this case, the vehicle navigation device 1 also functions as a stereo music playback device.

  The audio output control program 100 may be executed by the control circuit 18. In this case, the determinations in steps 120 and 140 are executed based on the operation state of the voice guidance process of the own, and the control circuit 18 directly controls the driver seat side speaker switch 32 and the passenger seat side speaker switch 33. Good. In this case, the vehicle navigation device 1 also functions as an audio output control device.

  Further, the navigation voice output unit 18 may be connected to the driver seat side speaker 4 and the passenger seat side speaker 5 via the I / O (not shown) and not via the voice output control device 3. When stereo guidance is reproduced in the external storage medium 15, the control circuit 18 sends an R channel audio signal and an L channel audio signal based on the music data to the driver seat side speaker 4 and the passenger seat, respectively, when audio guidance is not performed. When the voice guidance is performed by outputting to the side speaker 5, the guidance voice signal is mainly output to the driver seat side speaker 4, and a signal obtained by mixing the L channel voice signal and the R channel voice signal is output to the passenger seat side speaker 5. You may come to do. In this case, the vehicle navigation device 1 also functions as an audio output control device and a stereo music playback device.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the navigation apparatus 1 for vehicles was shown as a specific example of an audio guidance apparatus, as an audio guidance apparatus, not only a navigation apparatus for vehicles but a collision warning device may be sufficient, and traffic congestion notification A device or a vehicle failure notification device may be used. That is, it is sufficient that the voice guidance device is a device for notifying some information by voice.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle navigation apparatus 1, the audio apparatus 2, the audio | voice control apparatus 3, the driver's seat side speaker 4, and the passenger seat side speaker 5 which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the audio | voice output control program 100 which CPU of the sound source switch part 34 performs.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle navigation apparatus, 2 ... Audio apparatus, 3 ... Audio | voice output control apparatus,
4 ... Driver seat side speaker, 5 ... Passenger seat side speaker, 11 ... Position detector,
12 ... Operation switch group, 13 ... Image display device, 14 ... Navigation voice output unit,
15 ... External storage medium, 16 ... RAM, 17 ... ROM, 18 ... Control circuit,
21 ... AM / FM receiver, 22 ... cassette player, 23 ... CD player,
24 ... MD player, 25 ... operation switch group, 26 ... image display device,
27 ... Audio signal output unit, 28 ... Control circuit, 31 ... Audio mixing unit,
32 ... Switch for driver's side speaker, 33 ... Switch for passenger's side speaker,
34 ... Sound source switching unit, 35, 36 ... amplifier, 100 ... audio output control program.

Claims (2)

Based on the timing at which the voice guidance device does not perform voice guidance, the right audio signal of the stereo music reproduced by the stereo music reproduction device is output to the first speaker, and at the same time, the stereo music reproduction device reproduces the stereo music. Output the left audio signal to the second speaker,
Based on the timing at which the voice guidance device performs voice guidance, a guidance voice signal mainly for voice guidance is output to the speaker closer to the driver's seat among the first and second speakers. At the same time, audio output control for outputting a music signal in which left audio and right audio of stereo music reproduced by the stereo music reproducing device are mixed to a speaker far from the driver's seat among the first and second speakers. apparatus. Based on the timing at which the voice guidance device does not perform voice guidance, the right audio of the stereo music played by the stereo music playback device is output to the first speaker, and at the same time, the stereo music played back by the stereo music playback device is output. First control means for outputting left audio to a second speaker;
Detecting means for detecting that the voice guidance device is at a timing for voice guidance; and
Based on the detection by the detecting means, the first and second speakers, which are closer to the driver's seat, output a guidance voice mainly for the voice guidance, and at the same time, the first and second speakers. Audio output control that causes the computer to function as second control means for outputting a sound in which the left and right sounds of stereo music reproduced by the stereo music reproducing device are output to a speaker far from the driver's seat among the speakers. program.

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