JP3214917B2 - Route guidance device by voice of car - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle for providing voice guidance to an occupant of a vehicle at a specific position such as an intersection on the set traveling route in order to guide the vehicle along the set traveling route. And a route guidance device using voice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a car navigation system, which is one of the road driving assistance systems for a car, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-209316, an image display device is provided with an image display device. A road map including the driving area is displayed, and various information such as a current position of the vehicle, a destination, and a planned route from the current position to the destination are displayed on the displayed road map. And the vehicle occupant can run the vehicle to the destination according to the display on the image display device. Further, as such an automobile navigation system, there is also known an automobile navigation system in which an occupant of an automobile is provided with voice guidance about a set traveling route in addition to information display by an image display device.

[0003] In a system that has been conventionally proposed to provide guidance along a set traveling route to a car by voice guidance, the content of the voice guidance is determined for each of a plurality of points previously specified on a road map. The guidance sentence prepared corresponding to the above is converted into a speech output, so that it is uniform for each point. Therefore, voice guidance for route guidance is extremely effective when the vehicle is traveling on a route unknown to the occupant or a route that is not unknown but is not familiar. However, when the vehicle is driven on a traveling route that is known and sufficiently familiar to the occupant, there is a disadvantage that the occupant is inconvenienced.

In order to reduce such inconveniences, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-114117, a road map displayed on an image display device and voice guidance from a voice output device are used to control the vehicle. There has also been proposed a system in which guidance to a destination can be performed, and voice guidance is performed only in a section on which a passenger desires voice guidance in a set traveling route to the destination.
Under such a system, the occupant of the vehicle can make settings so that voice guidance is not provided in a traveling route section that does not require any voice guidance for traveling route guidance.

[0005]

However, even in the case of a vehicle employing a system capable of selectively providing voice guidance for guiding a traveling route as described above, even if the system employs the system, it is not possible to use the system. The selection between the section in which voice guidance should be performed and the section in which voice guidance should not be performed in the set traveling route must be performed by the occupant of the car, and is selected as the section where voice guidance is to be performed. The voice guidance provided in the given traveling route section is performed uniformly at each point in the section regardless of the degree of familiarity of the occupant, so that the situation in which the occupant feels troublesome is sufficiently reduced. I can't say that.

[0006] In view of the above, the present invention provides a method for guiding a vehicle occupant along a set traveling route by providing voice guidance to an occupant of the vehicle regarding a specific position on the set traveling route. It is an object of the present invention to provide a route guidance apparatus using a voice of a vehicle, which can effectively suppress a situation in which an occupant receiving the voice guidance becomes troublesome.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a route guidance apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises:
A route setting unit configured to set a traveling route based on destination data and current position data of the vehicle and map data indicating a vehicle traveling route network, and to transmit route data related to the set traveling route; History data memory section for sequentially taking the travel data formed by the vehicle and storing the travel data as travel history data, and voice guidance relating to a predetermined position on the set travel route specified based on the route data from the route setting section. A guide detail level setting unit for setting the detail level according to the travel history represented by the travel history data relating to the predetermined position read from the history data memory unit, and transmitting the detail level data representing the set content detail level; Provides guidance text about a predetermined position on the set travel route based on map data and route data from the route setting unit The guide text data representing the created guide text is created as having the content detail level represented by the detail data from the fineness setting unit, and at a predetermined timing set based on the current position data and the route data. Based on a voice signal obtained from the voice sentence generating unit, a voice signal synthesizing unit that synthesizes a voice signal corresponding to the voice sentence data from the voice sentence generating unit from the voice sentence generating unit,
A sound emitting unit that performs voice guidance for a predetermined position on the set traveling route to guide the route of the vehicle, and the guide detail level setting unit performs driving history data for the predetermined position on the set traveling route. , The more detailed the history of travel , the lower the level of detail of the voice guidance for the given position
Let those, for a given position on the travel route set
The elapsed time since the last driving history represented by the driving history data
The shorter the content, the more the voice guidance related to the given position
A device that reduces the level of detail, that sets at least one of three levels of content detail according to the travel history represented by travel history data relating to a set position on the travel route, or a travel route that is set depending also on the marrow the supplied guidance words instruction input when not only the travel history indicated by the travel history data relating to a predetermined position of the upper, which set the contents level of detail, and is configured.

[0008]

In the thus constructed route guidance apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention, voice guidance for a predetermined position on the traveling route set for the vehicle is provided to the predetermined position. Instead of being uniform, the operation is performed in which the degree of detail of the content is changed according to the running history for the predetermined position, and the operation is automatically performed. The voice guidance for a predetermined position with a small history has a large content detail level and gives detailed information, and the voice guidance for a predetermined position with a large travel history has a small content detail level and is simplified. Information. Therefore, a situation in which the occupant of the car receives voice guidance that gives detailed information even on a known and sufficiently familiar traveling route is avoided, and as a result, the occupant of the car may feel troublesome. Is effectively reduced.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a route guidance apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention. In this example, a current position detecting unit 11 for detecting a current position of a vehicle on which the vehicle is mounted is provided. The current position detection unit 11 includes a GP from an artificial satellite in a global positioning system (GPS), which is a radio navigation system using an artificial satellite.
A GPS signal receiving unit 12 for receiving the S signal, a geomagnetic sensor 13 serving as a direction sensor for detecting the direction of the vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor 14 for detecting the traveling speed of the vehicle,
A reference position data input unit 15 for inputting data on a reference position position of the vehicle, and a map data storage memory unit 16 storing map data indicating a vehicle traveling road network in a traveling area of the vehicle are connected. And
The current position detecting unit 11 includes a map data DM and a GPS signal receiving unit 12 read from the map data storage memory unit 16.
Signal SG received from the vehicle, detection output Dx from the geomagnetic sensor 13, detection output D from the vehicle speed sensor 14
s, reference position data D from reference position data input unit 15
Based on i, the current position of the vehicle is detected as a position on the vehicle road network represented by the map data DM, and current position data DP representing the detected current position is transmitted.

The current position data DP sent from the current position detecting unit 11 is supplied to a route setting unit 17. The route setting unit 17 includes the map data DM read from the map data storage memory unit 16 and a destination data input unit 18
, Destination data Dd representing a destination to be reached by the vehicle. The route setting unit 17 calculates the current position data DP when the destination data Dd is supplied.
The position represented by the map data DM is defined as a traveling start point position on the automobile traveling network, and the position indicated by the map data DM corresponding to the destination represented by the destination data Dd is defined as the destination position. An optimal travel route from the travel start point position to the destination position on the vehicle travel route network represented by the map data DM is set. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the traveling start point which is the position indicated by the current position data DP when the destination data Dd is supplied by the route setting unit 17 when the map data DM is indicated. A position PS and a destination position PF corresponding to the destination represented by the destination data Dd are set, and an optimum traveling route AC from the traveling start position PS to the destination position PF as indicated by a broken line in FIG. Is set. The traveling route AC shown in FIG. 2 is from the traveling start position PS to the intersection CS.
The target position PF is reached via 1, CS2, CS3, CS4 and CS5. Then, the route setting unit 17 sends the set traveling route, for example, the route data DC related to the traveling route AC to the guidance sentence creating unit 19 that creates a guidance message for voice guidance related to the set traveling route. (Hereinafter, a case will be described where the route data DC sent from the route setting unit 17 represents the traveling route AC as the set traveling route.)

The current position data DP sent from the current position detector 11 is also supplied to the traveling data generator 20. Based on the current position data DP from the current position detection unit 11, the traveling data forming unit 20, for example, the entry direction, the frequency, and the passing direction of the vehicle at each intersection in the vehicle travel network represented by the map data DM. And a plurality of types of traveling data DR indicating the number of times the frequency and the passing direction are incorrect, the passing direction of the vehicle and the frequency of the traveling route between the intersections, and the like, and stores them in the history data memory unit 21.
To supply. The travel data forming unit 20 supplies a control signal Sw to the memory control unit 22 along with the supply of the travel data DR to the history data memory unit 21. The memory control unit 22 supplies the write signal Pw to the history data memory unit 21 according to the control signal Sw, so that the travel data DR from the travel data forming unit 20 is written in the history data memory unit 21 by the write signal. It is written according to Pw and stored as travel history data.

Each of the history data memory unit 21 and the memory control unit 22 has a detail level instruction data indicating an instruction regarding the content detail level of the guide text created by the guide text creation unit 19 from the guide text instruction input unit 23. Du is also supplied.
When the detail level instruction data Du is supplied from the guidance sentence instruction input section 23, the memory control section 22 supplies the write signal Pw to the history data memory section 21 in accordance with the detail level instruction data Du, thereby , History data memory unit 21
, The detail instruction data Du from the guidance sentence instruction input unit 23 is written in response to the write signal Pw, and stored as a part of the travel history data.

The history data memory unit 21 is, for example, a magneto-optical disk capable of writing and reading data arbitrarily using a light beam as a memory medium. It is desirable that each occupant of the car has his own personal equipment.

The travel history data stored in the history data memory unit 21 represents the travel history of the vehicle at each intersection and each travel path between the intersections in the automobile travel route network represented by the map data DM. For example, with respect to a part of the automobile traveling road network shown in FIG. 2, a part represented by a thick solid line is in a state in which the traveling history is large, and the degree of familiarity of the occupant of the automobile is relatively large, Also,
The portion represented by the thin solid line has no or little running history, indicating that the degree of familiarity of the occupant of the vehicle is small, and therefore the running represented by the route data DC indicated by the broken line in FIG. Regarding the route AC, a section from the traveling start point PS to the intersection CS2 via the intersection CS1 and the intersection CS
The section from No. 4 to the destination position PF via the crossing point CS5 is a part where the traveling history is large and the degree of familiarity of the occupant of the car is relatively large, and the section from the crossing point CS2 to the crossing point CS3 is The section up to the crossing point CS4 via
This indicates that the vehicle has no or little running history and the degree of familiarity of the occupants of the vehicle is small.

The memory controller 22 includes a current position detector 11
The current position data DP and the route data DC from the route setting unit 17 are also supplied, and the memory control unit 22 stores the travel data stored therein in the history data memory unit 21 according to the current position data DP and the route data DC. A read signal Pr for reading each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 in the traveling route AC represented by the route data DC of the history data is supplied. Thereby, the travel route AC read from the history data memory unit 21 in response to the read signal Pr
The travel history data DX relating to each of the intersections CS <b> 1 to CS <b> 5 is supplied to the guide detail level setting unit 24.
The guide detail level setting unit 24 is also supplied with the route data DC from the route setting unit 17 and the detail level instruction data Du from the guide sentence instruction input unit 23, and the guide detail level setting unit 24 changes the route data DC according to the change. The detail level of the guidance text for voice guidance regarding each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 in the travel route AC is set according to the travel history data DX and the detail level instruction data Du.

The content level of the guidance sentence set by the guidance detail level setting unit 24 is, for example, three levels of small, medium, and large. The guidance text with the small content detail level corresponds to the corresponding intersection point. Will be a very brief explanation of, and the guide text with a medium detail level will be a relatively detailed description of the corresponding intersection, and the guide text with a high content detail level will be , To provide a more detailed description of the corresponding intersection points. Regarding the relationship between the travel history data DX and the degree of detail of the guidance text, for each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 in the travel route AC, the travel history of the vehicle represented by the travel history data DX has a large travel history, and the occupant of the vehicle The degree of familiarity of the guide text is set to be greater, and the detail level of the guide text is set to be lower. Further, the degree of detail of the guidance text is set to be lower as the travel history of the vehicle represented by the travel history data DX is shorter as the elapsed time from the last travel history is shorter. For example, if the traveling history of the vehicle represented by the traveling history data DX indicates that the traveling history is large and the degree of familiarity of the occupant of the automobile is sufficiently large, there is a traveling history, but the familiarity of the occupant of the automobile. If there is no sufficient driving history or if the driving history is very small and the degree of familiarity of the occupants of the car is extremely low, the detail level of the guidance text is small. , Medium and large. Further, regarding the relationship between the detail level instruction data Du and the content detail level of the guide text, the content detail level of the guide text is set to small, medium or large as instructed by the detail level command data Du. The instruction based on the detailedness instruction data Du is given priority over the traveling history of the vehicle represented by the traveling history data DX. As a result, for example, for the intersections CS1 and CS4, the detail level of the guidance text is set to small, and for the intersections CS2 and CS5, the detail level of the guidance text is set to medium, and for the intersection CS3. For, the detail level of the guide text is set to a large value.

The guide detail setting unit 24 sends to the guide sentence creating unit 19 detailed level data DT indicating the content detail of the guide text for voice guidance regarding each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 in the travel route AC. Supply. In addition to the route data DC from the route setting unit 17 and the detail level data DT from the guide detail level setting unit 24, the guide sentence creating unit 19 includes the map data DM from the map data storage memory unit 16.
The current position data DP from the current position detection unit 11 is also supplied. Then, the guidance sentence creating unit 19 outputs the route data D
Intersection points CS1 to CS in the traveling route AC represented by C
5 is created as having a content based on the map data DM and a content detail level represented by the detail level data DT at each of the intersections CS1 to C2.
The guide text data DS representing the guide text formed for each of S5 is transferred to the route data DC and the current position data DP.
Are sequentially transmitted at a predetermined timing set based on the. The transmission timing of such guidance text data DS is
It is assumed that the vehicle arrives at a position in front of each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 on the traveling route AC and separated by a predetermined distance from the intersection.

The guidance sentence data DS sent from the guidance sentence creating unit 19 is supplied to the audio signal synthesizing unit 25. The audio signal synthesizing unit 25 synthesizes an analog audio signal SA corresponding to the guidance sentence represented by the guidance sentence data DS based on the guidance sentence data DS, and supplies the synthesized analog audio signal SA to a speaker 26 constituting a sound emitting unit. As a result, voice guidance regarding each of the intersections CS <b> 1 to CS <b> 5 in the travel route AC to the occupant of the vehicle is sequentially performed from the speaker 26 with the guidance text created by the guidance text creation unit 19. As a result, the vehicle that has emitted the traveling start position PS is guided along the traveling route AC by voice guidance from the speaker 26 through the driving operation of the occupant receiving the vehicle, and is made to reach the destination position PF. Become.

In this way, in order to guide the vehicle along the set traveling route AC, voice guidance to the occupants of the vehicle at each of the intersections CS1 to CS5 in the traveling route AC is performed by a history data memory. Intersecting points CS1 to CS5 represented by the history data DX stored in the section 21
Since the detail level of the content is changed according to the traveling history of each of the above, the situation in which the occupant of the automobile feels troublesome to receive it is significantly reduced.

In the above-described example, the voice guidance for the travel route set for the vehicle is performed with three levels of content detail at each intersection on the travel route. However, in the route guidance apparatus based on the voice of an automobile according to the present invention, the voice guidance about the travel route set for the automobile is not limited to this example, and is added to each intersection on the travel route. Or
Instead of each crossing point, it may be performed for another position, and the content detail level of the voice guidance may be two or four or more levels.

[0021]

As is clear from the above description, according to the route guidance apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention, for example, with respect to a predetermined position at an intersection on a traveling route set for the vehicle. The voice guidance provided to the occupant of the car is not uniform for the predetermined position, but the degree of detail is changed according to the running history at the predetermined position. The voice guidance for a predetermined position with no running history or a predetermined position with a small running history is automatically given, and the detailed level of content is given to give detailed information. Since the voice guidance for a large number of predetermined positions has a reduced content detail level and gives simplified information,
It is possible to avoid a situation in which an occupant of a car receives a voice guidance that gives detailed information even on a known and sufficiently familiar traveling route, thereby effectively reducing a situation in which the occupant of the car will feel troublesome. Can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a route guidance apparatus using a voice of an automobile according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a traveling route of an automobile used for explaining the operation of the example shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Current position detection unit 16 Map data storage memory unit 17 Route setting unit 18 Destination data input unit 19 Guidance sentence creation unit 20 Travel data formation unit 21 History data memory unit 22 Memory control unit 23 Guidance sentence instruction input unit 24 Guidance detail level Setting unit 25 Audio signal synthesis unit 26 Speaker

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08G 1/0969 G01C 21/00 G10L 13/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] A route setting unit for setting a travel route based on destination data and current position data of a vehicle and map data indicating a vehicle travel route network, and transmitting route data relating to the set travel route; A history data memory unit for sequentially fetching travel data formed based on the current position data and storing the travel data as travel history data; and voice guidance relating to a predetermined position on the set travel route specified based on the route data. the contents verbosity of the travel history of the travel historical data on the predetermined position read from the history data memory unit is indicated by the multi
And configure shall be reduced as have a guide detailed degree setting unit for sending the detail of data representing the set content level of detail, based on the map data and the route data, guidance statements relating to the predetermined position above detailed Guide text creation that is created as having the content detail level represented by the degree data and that sends guide text data representing the created guide text at a predetermined timing set based on the current position data and the route data. A voice signal synthesizing unit for synthesizing a voice signal corresponding to the guidance sentence data; a voice signal obtained from the voice signal synthesizing unit being supplied, and performing voice guidance for the predetermined position based on the voice signal. a sound emitting portion for performing route guidance of the vehicle navigation system according to the automotive audio that is configured with a. 2. Destination data and current position of an automobile
Location data and map data indicating the road network
To set the travel route, and the route related to the set travel route
A route setting unit for transmitting data, and traveling data formed based on the current position data.
History data that is sequentially captured and stored as travel history data
Data memory section and the set run specified based on the route data.
Details about voice guidance for a given position on the line route
The fineness is read from the history data memory unit.
Final driving history indicated by driving history data for a given position
Is set to decrease as the elapsed time from
Sends out detail level data indicating the specified content detail level
The predetermined level is set based on the guide detail level setting unit and the map data and the route data.
The content of the guidance text about the position indicated by the above detailed level data
Created as having a degree of detail, and created the guide text
The guidance text data that represents
Predetermined timing set based on route data
And a voice signal for synthesizing a voice signal corresponding to the guide text data.
A signal synthesizing unit, and an audio signal obtained from the audio signal synthesizing unit.
Executes voice guidance for the predetermined position based on a voice signal
Navigation system by voice of constructed automobile and a sound emitting unit performs route guidance of the car with. 3. Destination data and current position of a car
Location data and map data indicating the road network
To set the travel route, and the route related to the set travel route
A route setting unit for transmitting data, and traveling data formed based on the current position data.
History data that is sequentially captured and stored as travel history data
Data memory section and the set run specified based on the route data.
Details about voice guidance for a given position on the line route
The fineness is read from the history data memory unit.
According to the driving history indicated by the driving history data for the predetermined position
One of at least three levels of content detailing
And sends the detail level data indicating the set content detail level.
Based on the guide detail level setting unit to be issued and the map data and the route data, the predetermined
The content of the guidance text about the position indicated by the above detailed level data
Created as having a degree of detail, and created the guide text
The guidance text data that represents
Predetermined timing set based on route data
And a voice signal for synthesizing a voice signal corresponding to the guide text data.
A signal synthesizing unit, and an audio signal obtained from the audio signal synthesizing unit.
Executes voice guidance for the predetermined position based on a voice signal
Navigation system by voice of constructed automobile and a sound emitting unit performs route guidance of the car with. 4. A travel route set by a guide detail level setting unit.
Driving history represented by traveling history data for the specified position above
The more the number, the more
Contracts characterized by a reduction in the level of detail
The route guidance device according to claim 3, wherein the route guidance is based on the voice of the vehicle. 5. A final run in which travel history data relating to a predetermined position on a set travel route is represented by a guide detail level setting unit.
4. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the shorter the elapsed time from the history , the lower the level of detail of the voice guidance related to the predetermined position. 6. Destination data and current position of an automobile
Location data and map data indicating the road network
To set the travel route, and the route related to the set travel route
A route setting unit for transmitting data, and traveling data formed based on the current position data.
History data that is sequentially captured and stored as travel history data
Data memory section and the set run specified based on the route data.
Details about voice guidance for a given position on the line route
The fineness is read from the history data memory unit.
The travel history indicated by the travel history data for the predetermined position, and
And set according to the guidance text input supplied as needed.
Sends out detail level data indicating the specified content detail level
The predetermined level is set based on the guide detail level setting unit and the map data and the route data.
The content of the guidance text about the position indicated by the above detailed level data
Created as having a degree of detail, and created the guide text
The guidance text data that represents
Predetermined timing set based on route data
And a voice signal for synthesizing a voice signal corresponding to the guide text data.
A signal synthesizing unit, and an audio signal obtained from the audio signal synthesizing unit.
Executes voice guidance for the predetermined position based on a voice signal
Navigation system by voice of constructed automobile and a sound emitting unit performs route guidance of the car with.