JPH06111191A - Automobile route guiding device with voice - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inhibit voide guide for a driver on a traveling route set up for an automobile at the time of estimating its unnecessariness in accordance with a driver's driving operation state or an automabile traveling state. CONSTITUTION:This route guiding device is provided with a traveling state detecting part (25 to 27) for detecting at least one of the driver's driving operation of the automobile and a road driving lane state relating to the automobile and a voice guide control part 21 for inibiting voice guide for guide operation set up by a guide executing part (29, 30) when automobile operation corresponding to the driver's driving operation detected by the detecting part (25 to 27) coincides with guiding operation set up by a guiding opereation setting Part 19 or when automobil road driving lane state detected by the detecting part (25 to 27) coincides with the set guiding operation result.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a voice route guide device for a vehicle, which guides a vehicle along a set traveling route to a passenger of the vehicle by voice guidance about the set traveling route. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automobile navigation system, which is one of road driving assistance systems for automobiles, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-209316, an image display device is used to A road map including the driving area is displayed, and various information such as the current position of the vehicle, the destination, the planned route from the current position to the destination, etc. is displayed on the displayed road map. The vehicle occupant is allowed to travel to the destination according to the display on the image display device. In addition, as such an automobile navigation system, there is also known an automobile navigation system which, in addition to displaying information by an image display device, provides voice guidance to an occupant of the automobile about a set traveling route.

In a system conventionally proposed as a travel route guiding device for guiding a vehicle along a set travel route by voice guidance, the voice guidance indicates a crossing point or the like previously specified on a road map. This is performed by sequentially and uniformly producing audio output of the guide texts prepared for each of the plurality of voice guidance target points. At that time,
There is no consideration as to whether or not the vehicle occupants need voice guidance. Therefore, the conventional voice guidance for guiding the traveling route is required by the occupant when the vehicle is traveling on a traveling route which is unknown to the occupant or a traveling route which is not unknown but is unfamiliar. When it is carried out under normal conditions, it works extremely effectively, but, for example, the vehicle is in a state of traveling on a traveling route that is known to the occupants and is familiar to them, and the occupants do not need it. In the case of (1), there is a risk of causing an inconvenience that the occupant will be annoyed or sparse.

Therefore, in order to eliminate such a fear, for example,
As shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-114117, it is possible to guide a vehicle to a destination by a road map displayed by an image display device and voice guidance from a voice output device. , The content is uniform for multiple voice guidance target points such as intersections, but in the section where the passenger wants voice guidance in the set traveling route to the destination. A system is also proposed that is meant to be done only. Under such a system, an occupant of the vehicle can make settings so that voice guidance is not provided in a travel route section that does not require voice guidance for guiding the travel route.

[0005]

In the case of an automobile which employs the system as described above, the voice guidance for guiding the traveling route can be selectively performed according to the traveling route section. However, once the voice guidance performed in the travel route section selected as the section where the voice guidance should be performed, the voice guidance target points in the section indicate whether the driving operation state by the occupant or the traveling of the car. Since it is performed uniformly regardless of the state, for example, before the voice guidance is performed, the occupant recognizes a proper route and turns left or right so that the vehicle can run along the proper route. For that reason, even though the driver is operating the turn signal, a voice guidance not actually required is given, telling that a left turn or a right turn should be made. State, or on a road with multiple lanes, the vehicle is already in the proper lane or in a state in which it is transitioning from another lane to drive in the proper lane. In spite of this, a situation may occur in which a voice guidance that does not actually need is given, which tells that the driver should switch to an appropriate driving lane. Therefore, even under the system in which the voice guidance for guiding the travel route can be selectively performed according to the travel route section, the occupants of the vehicle are not provided with the voice guidance. It cannot be said that the situation in which the user feels troublesome is reduced sufficiently.

In view of the above point, the present invention provides a vehicle occupant with a voice guidance about a predetermined point in the set traveling route for guiding the vehicle along the set traveling route. If it is inferred that the situation is not required based on the driving operation state or the running state of the car, the voice guidance for the occupant is prohibited, and the occupant is given the voice guidance. An object of the present invention is to provide a route guidance device by a voice of a vehicle capable of effectively suppressing a situation in which the user feels troublesome.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an audio route guidance system for an automobile according to the present invention comprises:
A route setting unit that sets a traveling route based on destination data and current position data about the automobile and map data indicating the automobile traveling route network, and sends route data regarding the set traveling route, current position data, and map Based on the data and the route data from the route setting unit, in order to drive the vehicle along the set traveling route, a guiding action for the vehicle at a predetermined point on the set traveling route is set, and the set guiding action is set. Guidance data for sending guidance data, and a guidance sentence data for the created guidance sentence based on the guidance movement data from the guidance movement setting unit. And a guidance for executing a voice guidance regarding a guidance operation set based on the guidance sentence data from the guidance sentence creating unit. And a driving state detection unit that detects at least one of a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle and a road surface traveling division state related to the vehicle, and a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle detected by the driving state detection unit. When the operation of the vehicle corresponding to the above is in agreement with the set guidance operation, or when the road surface traveling classification state relating to the vehicle detected by the traveling state detection unit matches the result of the set guidance operation. And a voice guidance control unit that prohibits voice guidance about the guidance operation set by the guidance execution unit.

[0008]

In the route guidance apparatus for voice of a vehicle according to the present invention having the above-described configuration, the guidance operation setting unit causes the vehicle to travel along the set traveling route so that the traveling route is set. A guidance operation for a car at a predetermined point on the route is set, and by the guidance sentence creation unit,
When the guidance sentence for the voice guidance to the occupant of the vehicle regarding the set guidance operation is created, the driving guidance by the occupant detected by the running state detection unit by the voice guidance control unit corresponds to the operation of the vehicle. Is detected to match the set guidance operation, or the road surface traveling classification state relating to the vehicle detected by the running state detection unit is to match the set guidance operation result. In this case, the voice guidance regarding the set guidance action by the guidance execution unit is prohibited based on the guidance sentence for the voice guidance for the occupant regarding the set guidance action. As a result, voice guidance based on the guidance sentence created by the guidance sentence creating unit regarding the guidance action set by the guidance action setting unit is necessary depending on the driving operation state by the occupant or the running state of the vehicle. If it is assumed that the situation does not occur, the situation will be prohibited, and the situation in which the occupant feels annoyed about the voice guidance is effectively suppressed.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an example of an audio route guidance system for a vehicle according to the present invention. This example is equipped with a current position detection unit 11 that detects the current position of the vehicle in which it is mounted. The current position detection unit 11 uses a G 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 that receives a PS signal, a geomagnetic sensor 13 that serves as a direction sensor that detects the direction of the vehicle, and a vehicle speed sensor 1 that detects the traveling speed of the vehicle.
4. A reference position data input unit 15 for inputting data on a reference position of an automobile, and a map data storage memory unit 16 for storing map data showing an automobile travel route network in a traveling area of the automobile are connected. . And
The current position detection unit 11 includes the map data DM and GPS signal reception unit 12 read from the map data storage memory unit 16.
GPS signal SG received by, the detection output Dx from the geomagnetic sensor 13, the detection output D from the vehicle speed sensor 14
s and the reference position data Di from the reference position data input unit 15 based on the map data D
It is detected as a position on the vehicle road network represented by M, and the 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 the route setting unit 17. The route setting unit 17 includes the map data DM read from the map data storage memory unit 16 and the destination data input unit 18
Destination data Dd representing the destination to be reached by the automobile is also supplied. The route setting unit 17 uses the current position data DP when the destination data Dd is supplied.
The position represented by the map data DM is set as a guidance travel start point on the vehicle road network, and the position on the vehicle road network represented by the map data DM corresponding to the destination represented by the destination data Dd is defined as the destination point. Then, the optimum traveling route from the guide traveling start point to the destination point on the vehicle traveling route network represented by the map data DM is set. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the route setting unit 17 guides the vehicle on the vehicle road network represented by the map data DM, which is the point represented by the current position data DP when the destination data Dd is supplied. Start point P
S and the destination point PF corresponding to the destination represented by the destination data Dd are set, and further, the optimum travel route AC from the guide travel start point PS to the destination point PF is represented by the broken line in FIG. Is set. The traveling route AC shown in FIG. 2 is a guidance traveling start point PS.
Through intersection points X1, X2, X3, X4 and X5,
It is supposed to reach the destination point PF.

The route setting unit 17 is configured to set the traveling route,
For example, the route data DC regarding the travel route AC is sent to the guidance operation setting unit 19 that sets the guidance action for the vehicle at the voice guidance target point that is a specific point on the set travel route. In addition to the route data DC from the route setting unit 17, the guidance operation setting unit 19 includes the current position data DP sent from the current position detection unit 11 and the map data DM read from the map data storage memory unit 16. The guide operation setting unit 19 is supplied and should cause the vehicle to perform the voice guidance target point on the travel route set by the route data DC, for example, turning right or turning left,
Or, the movement such as changing the driving lane can be used as a guidance movement,
Route data DC, current position data DP and map data D
Create using M. For example, when the traveling route AC shown in FIG. 2 is represented as the traveling route in which the route data DC from the route setting unit 17 is set, the guidance operation setting unit 1
9, the crossing point X, for example, on the travel route AC
The operation to be performed by the vehicle in each of 1, X2, X3, X4, and X5 is set as the guidance operation for the vehicle at each of the voice guidance target points on the travel route AC.

Then, when the guide operation is set, the guide operation setting section 19 supplies guide operation data DG representing the set guide operation to the guidance sentence creating section 20 and the voice guidance control section 21, respectively. The guidance sentence creating unit 20 creates a guidance sentence for voice guidance regarding the set guidance action represented by the guidance action data DG based on the guidance action data DG from the guidance action setting unit 19. And
When the guide text is created, the guide text creating unit 20 supplies the guide text data DS representing the created guide text to the guide text data memory unit 22 and sends the guide text creation notification signal CS to the memory control unit 23 and the voice. The information is sent to each of the guidance control units 21. The memory control unit 23 uses the guidance sentence creation unit 20.
In response to the guidance sentence creation notification signal CS from, the write signal Pw is supplied to the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 in response to the guidance signal, and the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 receives the guidance from the guidance sentence creation unit 20. The sentence data DS is written and stored according to the write signal Pw.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, in order to detect a driving operation state of an occupant of the vehicle, a left turn, a right turn or a change of running lane of the vehicle is made with respect to a turn signal (winker) provided in the vehicle. The winker operation detection unit 25 for detecting the operation state by the occupant for the vehicle is provided, and the winker operation data DW, which is obtained from the winker operation detection unit 25 and represents the operation state of the occupant with respect to the turn signal, is voice guidance control. It is supplied to the section 21. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, a road surface traveling division state regarding an automobile, that is, a state in which an automobile traveling on a road provided with a plurality of traveling lanes maintains one traveling lane, or one traveling lane is maintained. A road surface imaging unit 26 and a traveling lane detection unit 27 are provided in order to detect a state where the traveling lane is about to shift to another traveling lane.
The winker operation detection unit 25, the road surface imaging unit 26, and the traveling lane detection unit 27 form a traveling state detection unit for the automobile.

The road surface image pickup section 26 is composed of, for example, a small video camera, picks up an image of a road surface on which a car is traveling over a predetermined range, and outputs an image pickup output signal SI obtained by the image pickup output signal SI. Supply to 27. The traveling lane detection unit 27 performs image analysis based on the image pickup output signal SI from the road surface imaging unit 26, obtains the relationship between the position of the vehicle and the traveling lane on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and the traveling of one vehicle is performed. What is the state of maintaining the lane and the number of the driving lane at that time, the state of the car trying to shift from one driving lane to another driving lane and the change of the driving lane at that time Then, the voice guidance control unit 21 is supplied with the traveling lane data DL representing the road traveling division state of the detected automobile.

The voice guidance control unit 21 includes a guidance operation setting unit 1
Guidance operation data DG from 9 and turn signal operation detection unit 2
Based on the turn signal operation data DW from 5, the operation such as left turn, right turn or changing lane of the vehicle corresponding to the operation state of the turn signal by the occupant represented by the turn signal operation data DW is set by the guidance operation data DG. Whether or not it matches with the guided operation performed, and the guiding operation data D from the guiding operation setting unit 19
G and traveling lane data DL from the traveling lane detector 27
Based on the above, the road surface traveling classification state regarding the vehicle represented by the traveling lane data DL is the result of the set guide operation represented by the guide operation data DG, that is, the operation of the vehicle according to the set guide operation is performed. Then, it is determined whether or not it matches the road surface traveling division state regarding the vehicle such as the maintenance of the specific traveling lane or the transition to the specific traveling lane.

In the voice guidance control unit 21, the operation of the vehicle corresponding to the operation state of the turn signal by the occupant indicated by the turn signal operation data DW does not match the set guidance operation indicated by the guidance operation data DG. ,
Furthermore, when the road surface traveling classification state regarding the vehicle represented by the traveling lane data DL does not match the set guidance operation result represented by the guidance operation data DG,
The arrival of the guidance sentence creation notification signal CS from the guidance sentence creation unit 20 is confirmed, and the voice guidance permission signal CA is sent to the memory control unit 23.
Send to. The memory control unit 23 is a voice guidance control unit 21.
When receiving the voice guidance permission signal CA from, the read signal Pr is supplied to the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 in response to this, and the guidance sentence data DS stored from the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 is read. Then, it is supplied to the audio signal synthesizer 29.

The voice signal synthesizer 29 supplied with the guide sentence data DS from the guide sentence data memory 22 synthesizes the analog voice signal SA corresponding to the guide sentence represented by the guide sentence data DS. Then, the voice signal synthesizer 29
The analog voice signal SA synthesized in (3) is supplied to the speaker 30, and thereby the speaker 30 provides voice guidance to the occupant of the vehicle based on the guide sentence created by the guide sentence creating unit 20. Then, the vehicle performs an operation such as a left turn, a right turn, or a change of traveling lane according to the guidance operation set by the guidance operation setting unit 19 through a driving operation of an occupant who receives the voice guidance from the speaker 30, The vehicle will be guided along the set traveling route. Under such circumstances, the voice signal synthesizing unit 29 and the speaker 30 constitute a guidance executing unit. In addition, the guidance sentence data memory unit 2 by the speaker 30
When voice guidance based on the guidance text data DS from 2 is performed, the voice guidance control unit 21 sends to the memory control unit 23 a data erase command signal CE that specifies the guidance text data DS for which voice guidance based on the guidance text data DS has been performed. Supply. In response to the data deletion command signal CE, the memory control unit 23 supplies the write signal Pw to the guidance text data memory unit 22 as a deletion signal for the designated guidance text data DS, and thereby the guidance text data. In the memory unit 22, the guidance sentence data DS for which voice guidance is performed based on it is deleted.

In the voice guidance control section 21, the operation of the vehicle corresponding to the operation state of the turn signal by the occupant represented by the turn signal operation data DW matches the set guide operation represented by the guide operation data DG. In the case, or when the road surface traveling classification state regarding the vehicle represented by the traveling lane data DL matches the result of the set guidance operation represented by the guidance operation data DG, the memory control unit 23 of the voice guidance permission signal CA. To the memory control unit 23 without sending the data to the memory control unit 23. The memory control unit 23 uses the data erasing command signal C
In response to E, the write signal Pw is supplied to the guide sentence data memory unit 22 as an erase signal for the designated guide sentence data DS, whereby the guide sentence data memory unit 22 is supplied.
At, the designated guidance sentence data DS is deleted.
Therefore, in such a case, the voice guidance control unit 21 prohibits the voice guidance regarding the set guidance operation represented by the guidance operation data DG.

Further, when the voice guidance control section 21 prohibits the voice guidance relating to the guidance operation set by the guidance operation data DG, the voice guidance control section 21 displays the guidance operation data represented by the guidance operation data DG according to the contents of the guidance operation set. The simplified guidance sentence data DX is supplied to the guidance sentence creating unit 20. Voice guidance control unit 2
Guide sentence creating unit 2 which receives the simplified guide sentence data DX from 1
In the case of 0, based on the simplified guidance sentence data DX, a guidance sentence about a guidance action simplified from the set guidance action represented by the guidance action data DG is additionally created. Further, the guide text creating unit 20 supplies the guide text data DS representing the additionally created guide text to the guide text data memory unit 22 and sends the guide text creation notification signal CS to the memory control unit 23 and the voice guidance control unit 21. To each of the. When the memory control unit 23 receives the guidance sentence creation notification signal CS from the guidance sentence creation unit 20, the writing signal Pw is accordingly received.
Is supplied to the guide sentence data memory unit 22, and thereby, guide sentence data DS representing the guide sentence additionally created from the guide sentence creating unit 20 is written in the guide sentence data memory unit 22 in response to the write signal Pw. Stored.

In such a case, the voice guidance control unit 21 receives the guidance sentence creation notification signal CS from the guidance sentence creation unit 20 that additionally created the guidance sentence, and the voice guidance control unit 21 directly receives the voice guidance permission signal C.
A is sent to the memory control unit 23, and the memory control unit 23
When receiving the voice guidance permission signal CA from the voice guidance control unit 21, the read signal Pr is supplied to the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 in response to the voice guidance permission signal CA, whereby the additional creation stored in the guidance sentence data memory unit 22 is generated. The guidance text data DS representing the generated guidance text is read out and supplied to the voice signal synthesis unit 29. As a result, the speaker 30 provides voice guidance regarding the guidance operation that is simpler than the set guidance operation represented by the guidance operation data DG.

The voice guidance regarding the guidance action simplified from the set guidance action represented by the guidance action data DG is such that the voice guidance regarding the guidance action set by the guidance action data DG is prohibited. Is not always performed, but is selectively performed only when the simplified guidance action is effective for the vehicle, according to the specific content of the guidance action set by the guidance action data DG. .

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, in the vehicle voice route guidance apparatus according to the present invention, the vehicle is set by voice guidance to the occupants of the vehicle on the traveling route set for the vehicle. A guidance motion for a vehicle at a predetermined point on the set travel route for traveling along the set travel route is set, and a guidance sentence for voice guidance to the occupant of the car regarding the set guidance motion is created. At this time, the driving guidance operation by the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit by the voice guidance control unit matches the set guidance operation of the operation of the vehicle, or the driving state detection unit It is detected that the road surface classification status related to the vehicle detected by is in agreement with the result of the set guidance operation. In this case, since the voice guidance regarding the set guidance action by the guidance execution unit is prohibited based on the guidance sentence for the voice guidance for the occupant regarding the set guidance action, it is created regarding the set guidance action. The voice guidance based on the provided guidance will be prohibited when it is estimated that the situation is not required based on the driving operation state of the occupant or the running state of the vehicle, and therefore, The situation in which the occupant feels annoyed about the voice guidance is effectively suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an audio route guidance device for an automobile according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a travel route of an automobile, which is 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 operation setting unit 20 guidance sentence creation unit 21 voice guidance control unit 22 guidance sentence data memory unit 23 memory control unit 25 turn signal operation detection Section 26 road surface imaging section 27 traveling lane detection section 29 audio signal synthesis section 30 speaker

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A route setting unit for setting a traveling route based on destination data and current position data of an automobile and map data showing an automobile traveling route network, and transmitting route data concerning the set traveling route. On the basis of the current position data, the map data, and the route data from the route setting unit, the vehicle at a predetermined point on the set traveling route so that the vehicle travels along the set traveling route. A guiding action setting unit that sets a guiding action for the guiding action data and sends out guiding action data representing the set guiding action; and a guide text about the guiding action set based on the guiding action data from the guiding action setting unit. Based on the guidance text data from the guidance text creation unit that sends the guidance text data representing the created guidance text, and the guidance text data from the guidance text creation unit. A guidance execution unit that executes voice guidance related to the set guidance operation, a running state detection unit that detects at least one of a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle and a road surface traveling division state regarding the vehicle, and the running state detection. When the operation of the vehicle corresponding to the driving operation by the occupant of the vehicle detected by the section matches the set guiding operation, or the road surface traveling division state regarding the vehicle detected by the traveling state detection section Of a vehicle configured to include a voice guidance control unit that prohibits voice guidance regarding the set guidance action by the guidance execution unit when the result matches the set guidance action. Route guidance device by voice. 2. When the voice guidance control section prohibits voice guidance about the set guidance operation by the guidance execution section, in addition to this, the guidance sentence creation section is simpler than the set guidance operation. 2. The route guidance device by voice of an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising: creating a guide text for the converted guidance operation, and performing an operation of transmitting guidance text data representing the additionally created guidance text. . 3. The route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the traveling state detection unit detects an operation of operating a turn signal as a driving operation by an occupant of the vehicle. 4. A running condition detecting section detects a running condition of a road on which the vehicle is traveling or is about to travel so as to detect a condition of a road traveling on the vehicle. 1. A route guidance device according to 1.