JP2008058028A - Voice guide method and navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a voice guide method and a navigation apparatus for implementing a voice guidance of the relative direction and the relative distance of a vehicle to a point to be guided. <P>SOLUTION: A controller 2 of a navigation system 1 for implementing the voice guidance of the point to be guided is provided with: a navigation unit 10 for calculating a location of the vehicle, obtaining a location of the point to be guided, and also obtaining a speed of the vehicle; and a DSP 20 for converting a frequency of a sound signal based on a relative speed of the vehicle to the point to be guided, and outputting the sound signal from a speaker 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a voice guidance method and a navigation device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation system installed in an automobile is equipped with a voice guidance function for guiding a route to a destination. In this system, the route from the current position to the destination is guided by a map displayed on the screen, and guidance voice such as “turn left at the next intersection” is output from the speaker.

Among these systems, when the traveling direction at an intersection is the right, there is a system that outputs sound from the right speaker or changes the type of sound according to the traveling direction (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).
JP-A-9-72752

  The above system is suitable for guidance at intersections where it is clear that the direction of travel is diverging, but not in the direction of the road, in which direction the destination or facility is relative to the position of the vehicle I ca n’t tell you how far away. Further, for example, when the destination position passes without being known, the destination position moves from the front of the vehicle to the rear as the vehicle travels. In this case, since only the right and left can be guided in the above-described system, it is impossible to notify the driver that the vehicle has passed the destination.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a voice guidance method and a navigation device capable of guiding the relative direction and relative distance of the guidance target point with respect to the vehicle position by voice. There is to do.

  In order to solve the above problem, the invention according to claim 1 is provided in the vehicle based on the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point in the voice guidance method for performing voice guidance of the guidance target point. The gist is to convert the frequency of an audio signal to be output to a speaker and to output the converted audio signal to the speaker.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus that performs voice guidance of a guidance target point, a host vehicle position calculation unit that calculates a vehicle position, a target point setting unit that acquires a position of the guidance target point, Speed acquisition means for acquiring the speed of the vehicle, frequency conversion means for converting the frequency of the audio signal based on the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point, and output control means for outputting the audio signal from a speaker. This is the summary.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the second aspect, the calculating means for calculating a relative direction and a relative distance from the vehicle position to the guidance target point, the calculated relative direction and the The gist of the present invention is that the apparatus further includes acoustic adjustment means for adjusting the output timing and volume of the audio signal output to each of the plurality of speakers provided in the vehicle in accordance with the relative distance.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the second or third aspect, the frequency converting unit sets the guidance target point as a sound source position, and the sound signal is output from the sound source position. The gist is to estimate a virtual frequency of the guidance voice received by the traveling vehicle, and to convert the frequency of the voice signal into the virtual frequency.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the third or fourth aspect, the acoustic adjustment unit outputs the audio signal when a relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position is long. The gist is to reduce the volume and adjust the output volume to be large when the relative distance is short.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the navigation device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the acoustic adjustment means includes a relative direction between the guidance target point and the own vehicle position and a seating position of the driver. Accordingly, the gist is to delay the timing of outputting the audio signal to a predetermined speaker among the speakers, and to localize the sound image in the direction of the guidance target point.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the frequency of the sound changes according to the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point. For this reason, it is possible to determine whether the guidance target point is approaching or separated from the pitch of the guidance voice.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the frequency of the sound changes according to the relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point. For this reason, it is possible to determine whether the guidance target point is approaching or separated from the pitch of the guidance voice.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, since the output timing and volume are adjusted in accordance with the direction and distance of the guidance target point, a three-dimensional sound field in which the direction and distance to the guidance target point can be determined by voice. Can be made. Therefore, it is possible to provide guidance that is easy for the driver to understand intuitively.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the frequency of the audio signal is virtually set as the position of the sound source at the guidance target point, and is converted to the virtual frequency received when the audio signal is output from the sound source position. . For this reason, for example, when the vehicle approaches the guidance target point, it is possible to output a guidance voice imitating the so-called Doppler effect, in which the frequency gradually increases as the vehicle approaches. It can be determined whether the point and the vehicle are approaching or separating.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the distance to the guidance target point is long, a low volume sound is output, and when the distance to the guidance target point is short, a high volume sound is output. Therefore, the distance to the guidance target point can be grasped.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, since the delay time is provided for the output to each speaker, the sound image can be localized in the direction of the guidance target point.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a navigation system 1 mounted on a vehicle C (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system 1 includes a control device 2 as a navigation device. The control device 2 includes a navigation unit 10 and a GPS receiver 11 as own vehicle position calculation means, target point setting means, speed acquisition means, and calculation means.
The navigation unit 10 calculates absolute coordinates indicating the current vehicle position based on the position detection signal input from the GPS receiver 11.

  Further, the control device 2 includes a vehicle-side I / F unit 12 that inputs a vehicle speed pulse and a direction detection signal from a vehicle speed sensor 30 and a gyro sensor 31 provided in the vehicle C. The navigation unit 10 inputs a vehicle speed pulse and a direction detection signal via the vehicle-side I / F unit 12, and calculates a relative position from the reference position by autonomous navigation. Then, the vehicle position is sequentially specified together with the absolute coordinates based on the GPS receiver 11.

  In addition, the control device 2 includes a geographic data storage unit 14. The geographic data storage unit 14 is an external storage medium such as a built-in hard disk or optical disk. The geographic data storage unit 14 stores route data 15 for searching for a route to the destination, and map drawing data 16 for outputting the map screen 26a to the display 26 provided in the navigation system 1. Yes. The route data 15 is data for each region that divides the whole country into each area, and includes the numbers of nodes indicating road end points and intersections, links connecting the nodes, and coordinate data of the nodes and links. is doing.

  The map drawing data 16 is stored for each mesh obtained by dividing a map of the whole country, and has a mesh ID, background data, road data, and the like. The background data is data indicating roads and facilities in the mesh. The road data is data indicating the shape of the road, such as shape interpolation data and road width, displayed on the map.

  The navigation unit 10 reads out the map drawing data 16 around the vehicle position from the geographic data storage unit 14 among the map drawing data 16. In addition, the map 26 a is displayed on the display 26 by superimposing the index 26 b indicating the vehicle position on the map drawing data 16.

  In addition, the control device 2 includes a search data storage unit 17 that stores each search data 18. The search data 18 is data for searching a place such as a facility or a point from an address, a telephone number, a genre, 50 sounds, etc., and includes a search category for narrowing down a search target, a point name (facility name), It has point data such as business hours and special notes. For example, when the driver operates the display 26 with a touch panel or pushes an operation switch (not shown) to specify a facility search category and a search target region, the navigation unit 10 has the search category and region. The search data 18 is narrowed down and the search result is displayed on the display 26.

  When a destination is input or a specific facility or point is specified by narrowing down the search data 18, the navigation unit 10 recognizes the place as a guidance target point that is a target of voice guidance. And the coordinate of a guidance object point is acquired from the map drawing data 16 or the search data 18, and as shown in FIG. 3, the relative direction Vc which shows the relative direction of a guidance object point and the own vehicle position is calculated sequentially. Further, in order to perform voice guidance at a predetermined timing, the relative direction Vc is temporarily stored in a storage unit (not shown). Further, the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position is temporarily stored in the storage unit. The relative direction Vc and the relative distance are sequentially updated as the vehicle C moves.

  The navigation system 1 includes a speaker 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the speaker 25 is attached to the first speaker FL attached to the front left side of the passenger compartment, the second speaker FR attached to the vicinity of the driver's seat (right side in the present embodiment), and the rear left side. It consists of a third speaker RL and a fourth speaker RR attached to the rear right side. When the first to fourth speakers FL, FR, RL, and RR are described without being distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as speakers 25.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the control device 2 includes a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 20 as a frequency conversion means, an output control means, and an acoustic adjustment means, an audio data storage unit 21, and a D / A constituting an output control means. A conversion unit 23 and an output amplifier 24 are provided. The voice data storage unit 21 stores voice data 22 having different guidance contents. The DSP 20 includes a volume adjustment unit 20a, a delay adjustment unit 20b, and a frequency conversion unit 20c. The volume adjusting unit 20a adjusts the volume of the guidance sound for each speaker 25 in accordance with the relative direction Vc and the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position. For example, the volume adjusting unit 20a increases the volume if the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position is less than 100 m, and decreases the volume if the relative distance exceeds 1 km. The following is the volume of the initial state.

  The delay adjusting unit 20b adjusts the delay time for each speaker 25 in order to adjust the output timing of the audio signal in accordance with the relative direction Vc and the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position. That is, humans perceive that there is a sound source in the direction in which sound arrives first or in the direction of loud sound, so the delay adjustment unit 20b takes the seating position of the driver D into account in the direction in which the sound image is localized. The delay time is adjusted so that the sound reaches the driver D first. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the guidance voice is output from the first speaker FL and the second speaker FR at the same timing, the sound from the second speaker FR close to the seating position of the driver D arrives at the driver D first. Therefore, the driver D perceives that the sound source is on the right side. Therefore, for example, when the guidance target point is in front of the driver D (Y-axis direction in the figure), the audio signal output to the second speaker FR is the audio signal output to the first speaker FL. The sound image is localized on the Y axis with a delay.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when there is a guide target point in the relative direction Vc on the front right side with respect to the position of the driver D, the delay adjustment unit 20 b is more than the case where the sound image is localized on the Y axis. Also, the output timing of the second speaker FR is advanced.

  The frequency conversion unit 20c sets the guidance target point as a sound source position based on the relative direction Vc between the host vehicle position and the guidance target point, and sets a virtual frequency imitating the Doppler effect. Specifically, when the vehicle C is approaching the guidance target point at a speed of km per hour, the navigation unit 10 advances the vehicle C based on the relative direction Vc and the position of the driver D as shown in FIG. The relative angle θ with the direction (Y axis) is calculated. Further, the frequency conversion unit 20c calculates the relative speed of the vehicle C with respect to the guidance target point based on the relative angle θ. That is, when the vehicle C is traveling at a speed of km / h, the relative speed is ucos θ (km / h). The frequency conversion unit 20c calculates the frequency fa of the sound received when the vehicle C travels toward the sound source position (guidance target point) based on the following equation (1).

fa = (V + ucos θ / V) · fo (1)
Here, V is the speed of sound and fo is the initial value of the frequency of the audio data 22. On the other hand, when the sound source (guidance target point) moves to the rear right side from the seating position of the driver D as the vehicle C travels, that is, when the vehicle C moves away from the sound source (guidance target point), the frequency conversion unit 20c. Calculates the frequency based on the following equation (2).

fa = (V−ucos θ / V) · fo (2)
The audio signal digitally processed by the DSP 20 is D / A converted by the D / A converter 23, amplified by the output amplifier 24, and output to each speaker 25. As a result, the guidance voice such as “Here is the destination” and other guidance sounds are localized in the direction of the guidance target point, so that the driver D can grasp the direction of the guidance target point. Further, since the frequency fa is sequentially changed as the vehicle C moves, the output guidance voice becomes higher as the vehicle C approaches the guidance target point and becomes lower as the vehicle C moves away from the guidance target point. For this reason, the driver D can intuitively understand that the vehicle has passed the guidance target point.

  Next, the processing procedure of this embodiment is demonstrated according to FIG. First, the navigation unit 10 sets a guidance target point (step S1). For example, when a destination is input via a touch panel or one of facilities such as “gas station” is specified by a search using the search data 18, the navigation unit 10 determines that a guidance target point has been input. . And the coordinate of the guidance object point is acquired from the map drawing data 16 or the search data 18, and is temporarily memorize | stored in the memory | storage part which is not shown in figure.

  When the guidance target point is set, the navigation unit 10 acquires the position of the host vehicle (step S2). Since the navigation unit 10 sequentially calculates the own vehicle position based on the GPS receiver 11, the vehicle speed sensor 30, and the gyro sensor 31, the navigation unit 10 acquires the own vehicle position calculated at that time.

  Next, the navigation unit 10 acquires the vehicle speed based on the vehicle speed sensor 30 (step S3). For example, the number of pulses per unit time of the vehicle speed pulse input via the vehicle side I / F unit 12 is calculated, and the vehicle speed u (km / h) is calculated based on the number of pulses and the movement amount with respect to one pulse. To do. Further, as described above, the navigation unit 10 calculates the relative direction Vc and the relative distance with respect to the guidance target point (step S4).

  Then, the DSP 20 determines the output target speaker 25 based on the relative direction Vc between the current vehicle position and the guidance target point (S5). For example, the DSP 20 stores a map in which the relative direction Vc and the speaker 25 to be used are linked, and determines the speaker 25 to be output using this map. When the guidance target point is in front of the driver D, the front first and second speakers FL and FR are selected, and the changeover switch (not shown) of the first and second speakers FL and FR is turned off. Switch on. When the guidance target point is on the rear right side with respect to the driver D, the rear fourth speaker RR is selected. Further, when the guidance target point is on the right side with respect to the driver D, the second speaker FR and the fourth speaker RR on the right side are selected. When the guidance target point is on the left side with respect to the driver D, the left first speaker FL and the third speaker RL are selected.

  Further, the DSP 20 adjusts the volume of the guidance voice output from each speaker 25 (step S6). First, the DSP 20 reads out the voice data 22 having contents corresponding to the guidance target point from the voice data storage unit 21. Further, when the guidance target point is far from the read audio data 22 (for example, more than 1 km), the volume adjusting unit 20a decreases the volume output from each selected speaker 25. Further, when the guidance target point is close (for example, less than 100 m), the volume output from each speaker 25 is increased, and in the meantime, the volume is set to the initial state. Thereby, when the guidance target point is far away, the volume is low, so that the driver D can grasp that the guidance target point is far away. Further, when the guidance target point is close, the volume is high, so that the driver D can grasp that the guidance target point is close.

Further, the delay time is adjusted based on the relative direction Vc between the current vehicle position and the guidance target point (step S7). For example, when the guidance target point is in front of the driver D (Y-axis direction), the front first and second speakers FL and FR are output targets. In this case, the delay adjustment unit 20b delays the audio signal applied to the second speaker FR and outputs the audio signal in advance from the first speaker FL. When the guidance target point is on the right side of the driver D, the audio signal applied to the second speaker FR close to the driver D is delayed. If the guidance target point is on the right rear side, select only the rear right fourth speaker RR,
No delay time is set.

  Next, the frequency converter 20c of the DSP 20 performs frequency conversion as described above (step S8). When the vehicle C is approaching the guidance target point, the frequency is calculated using the above equation (1). When the vehicle C moves away from the guidance target point, the frequency is calculated using the above equation (2).

  When the frequency of the audio signal is converted, the DSP 20 performs D / A conversion on the audio signal by the D / A converter 23, and outputs the audio signal to the output target speaker 25 via the output amplifier 24 (step S9). ). Thereby, when the guidance target point is ahead, the sound image is localized forward, so that it sounds like a guidance voice such as “Destination is here” or a guidance sound is output from the front. Since the three-dimensional sound field is formed in this way, the driver D can grasp the destination and the direction and position of the searched facility by voice without gazing at the display 26. Further, when passing the guidance target point, the pitch of the guidance voice or the guidance sound gradually increases and the volume increases, and then the pitch suddenly decreases and the volume decreases. For this reason, it is possible to notify the driver D of the passage of the guidance target point at the moment of passing the guidance target point due to the change in the pitch of the guidance voice.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the above embodiment, the navigation unit 10 calculates the vehicle position and acquires the coordinates of the guidance target point based on the map drawing data 16 and the search data 18. Further, the DSP 20 converts the frequency of the audio signal based on the relative speed of the vehicle C with respect to the guidance target point, and outputs the audio signal from each speaker 25. For this reason, the driver D can grasp whether the guidance target point is approaching or separated from the pitch of the guidance voice output from the speaker 25. Further, when the pitch gradually increases after the pitch gradually increases, it can be intuitively understood that the vehicle has passed the guidance target point at that time. For this reason, since the position and direction of the guidance target point can be guided by the voice and the guidance sound, the driver D can be prevented from looking aside.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the DSP 20 adjusts the output timing of the audio signal output to each speaker 25 according to the relative direction Vc and relative distance from the vehicle position to the guidance target point. For this reason, it is possible to notify the driver D of the direction of the guidance target point by localizing the sound image of the guidance voice in the direction of the guidance target point. Further, when the vehicle C approaches and passes the guidance target point, it is possible to generate a more three-dimensional sound field by providing directionality to the guidance voice as well as a change in frequency. The driver D can provide guidance that is easy to understand intuitively.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the DSP 20 estimates the virtual frequency of the guidance voice received by the traveling vehicle C when the guidance target point is the position of the sound source and a sound signal is output from the sound source position. The frequency of the audio signal was converted to a virtual frequency and output. For this reason, for example, when the vehicle C approaches the guidance target point, it is possible to output a guidance voice imitating the so-called Doppler effect, in which the frequency gradually increases as the vehicle C approaches. It is possible to determine whether or not the guidance target point is approaching, away from, or passed through.

  (4) In the above embodiment, the DSP 20 decreases the output volume of the guidance voice when the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position is long, and increases the output volume when the relative distance is short. did. For this reason, even if it does not visually recognize the map screen 26a, the distance to a guidance object point can be grasped | ascertained with a sound volume.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, the timing of the audio signal output to each speaker 25 is adjusted so that the sound image is localized in the direction of the guidance target point. However, the balance of the volume is adjusted and the direction of the guidance target point is adjusted. The sound image may be localized.

  In the above embodiment, the relative angle θ with respect to the traveling direction of the relative direction Vc of the guidance target point is calculated, and the frequency is calculated according to the angle, but the predetermined range of the relative direction Vc or the relative angle θ, A map that associates the frequency may be generated in advance. Then, the frequency may be determined by referring to the map.

In the above embodiment, four speakers 25 are provided in the vehicle interior, but a plurality of speakers other than four may be provided.
In the above-described embodiment, a plurality of speakers 25 are used. However, when the purpose is to output only the guidance voice imitating the Doppler effect, one speaker 25 may be used.

The block diagram of the navigation system of this embodiment. Explanatory drawing explaining arrangement | positioning of a speaker. Explanatory drawing explaining the relative direction of the own vehicle position and a guidance object point. Explanatory drawing of the process sequence of this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation system, 2 ... Control apparatus as navigation apparatus, 10 ... Own vehicle position calculation means, object point setting means, speed acquisition means, navigation unit as calculation means, 20 ... frequency conversion means, output control means, and acoustic adjustment DSP as means, 23... D / A conversion section constituting output control means, 24... Output amplifier constituting output control means, 25... Speaker, C.

Claims (6)

In the voice guidance method for performing voice guidance of guidance target points,
A voice guidance method for converting a frequency of a voice signal output to a speaker provided in the vehicle based on a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point, and outputting the converted voice signal to the speaker. . In a navigation device that provides voice guidance of a guidance target point,
Own vehicle position calculating means for calculating the position of the vehicle;
Target point setting means for acquiring the position of the guidance target point;
Speed acquisition means for acquiring the speed of the vehicle;
A frequency converting means for converting a frequency of an audio signal based on a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the guidance target point;
A navigation device comprising output control means for outputting the audio signal from a speaker. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein
Calculation means for calculating a relative direction and a relative distance from the vehicle position to the guidance target point;
The apparatus further comprises acoustic adjustment means for adjusting an output timing and a volume of an audio signal output to each of the plurality of speakers provided in the vehicle in accordance with the calculated relative direction and the relative distance. A navigation device. The navigation device according to claim 2 or 3,
The frequency conversion means estimates the virtual frequency of the guidance voice received by the traveling vehicle when the guidance target point is the position of the sound source and the sound signal is output from the sound source position, and the sound signal A navigation apparatus characterized by converting the frequency of the above to the virtual frequency. The navigation device according to claim 3 or 4,
The acoustic adjustment means reduces the output volume of the audio signal when the relative distance between the guidance target point and the vehicle position is long, and increases the output volume when the relative distance is short. A navigation device. The navigation device according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The acoustic adjustment means delays the timing of outputting the audio signal to the predetermined speaker among the speakers according to the relative direction between the guidance target point and the vehicle position and the seating position of the driver, A navigation apparatus characterized in that a sound image is localized in the direction of the guidance target point.

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