JPS5953244A - Voice information device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a substantial blank from being brought about in acoustic generation, by providing such an arrangement that, after a voice information is issued by interrupting the continuous accoustic generation such as, for example, music for a while, the acoustic generation is restarted from the interrupted position. CONSTITUTION:When an output is issued from any one of various status detectors 25, 26 for detecting conditions of various sections of a vehicle, an electrical control unit 24 issues a momentary stop control signal ST1 and as well a switching control signal ST2. Then, momentary stop mechanism (pause mechanism) 17 in a tape reproducing device 10 is actuated by the momentary stop control signal ST1 so that the generation of an electrical signal MU of sound such as, for example, music is stpped. Thereafter, a voice synthesizer circuit 19 creats a voice electrical signal ME in accordance with a voice information selecting signal MCS issued from the control unit 24 in accociation with the outputs of the status detectors 25, 26, and delivers the voice electrical signal ME to an acoustic device 21. After completion of the issue of a predetermined voice information, the tape reproducing device 10 restarts its reproduction in association with disappearance of the signal ST1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a first information generating device that continuously reproduces acoustic information to generate an acoustic electrical signal, and a first information generating device that generates a plurality of audio information prepared in advance in response to a request signal (1). a second information generating device that selectively reproduces predetermined audio information from among them to generate audio electrical signals; The present invention relates to a vehicle audio information device including a common audio device that converts the audio information into a common audio device. □Here, a so-called car stereo is known as the first information generating device, which uses a magnetic tape and reproduces magnetically recorded music signals and language signals.

On the other hand, as the second information generating device, JP-A-55-1
As shown in the '10636 publication, a vehicle is known that includes a digital sound generation circuit and selectively generates audio electrical signals in response to request signals related to the status of various parts of the vehicle.

In this way, when a plurality of types of information generating devices are installed in one vehicle, necessary information from the second information generating device may not be provided to the occupant.

For this reason, it is possible to use a common electric-acoustic converter for both audio information generating devices, and to weaken the acousto-electrical signal generated by the first information generating device when the second information generating device performs the reproduction operation (2). Alternatively, it is known to be configured to temporarily stop being transmitted to the electro-acoustic converter. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 102739,
It is disclosed that a changeover switch is used to cut off the transmission of the audio-electrical signal and switch to transmit the audio-electrical signal instead.

However, according to the above-mentioned known configuration, the music or language that was being played continuously becomes temporarily unlistenable, or becomes blank, resulting in skipping playback. This will cause dissatisfaction to the passengers who were listening.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention recognizes that when audio information is generated during audio reproduction, the audio reproduction is temporarily rendered virtually unlistenable, and the audio reproduction is blank (listening is not possible). The purpose of the present invention is to provide a voice information device for a vehicle that enables the following.

Therefore, the present invention applies the idea of interrupt processing used in data processing based on the computer program (3), and when the first information generating device is playing,
When the second audio information is to be generated, the reproduction operation itself of the first information generating device is substantially temporarily interrupted, and the second audio information is generated.
After the generation of audio information, the reproduction operation of the first information generating device is resumed from the interrupted point.

To explain the present invention with reference to an illustrated example, a magnetic tape reproducing device 10 is used as a first information generating device, and this tape reproducing device drives a recording medium stored in a cassette 12 by an electric motor 11 and drives a reading element 13. A type that generates more acoustic electrical signals MU is used. However, the present invention provides a magnetic disk playback device, an optical tape playback device,
In addition, it does not prevent the use of semiconductor memory reproducing devices.

The tape playback device 10 includes a drive circuit 14 for an electric motor 11.
In response to a detection signal from a mounting detector 15 of the cassette 12 and an operation signal 16 from various manual operating devices,
Determine the speed and rotation direction of the electric motor 11 (4).

According to the present invention, the tape playback device W10 includes a playback operation pause mechanism 17. The temporary stop mechanism 17 is a so-called pause mechanism, and is a rotation transmission mechanism between the electric motor 11 and the drive shaft of the cassette 12.
It is arranged as an electromagnetic clutch.

This electromagnetic clutch is connected in a de-energized state, transmits the rotational force of the electric motor 11 to the cassette 12, and when the pause control signal STI reaches the energized level, cuts off the transmission of the rotational force and moves the cassette tape. By stopping the reading element 13, the generation of an acoustoelectric signal is stopped.

Note that the acoustoelectric signal MU from the reading element 13 is amplified by a suitable preamplifier 18 and output.

If the first information generating device is not a mechanical drive type like the tape playback device described above (or a static playback device like a semiconductor memory playback device), the playback starts by simply stopping updating of successive addresses, etc. can be temporarily suspended.

(5) As the second information generating device, a known digital voice synthesis circuit 19 is used, but the above-mentioned tape playback device or the like can also be used instead.

The speech synthesis circuit 19 has a semiconductor memory that stores a plurality of pieces of speech information as digital signals, and receives a speech information selection signal M.
When the address of audio information to be generated is given by C3, the digital signals stored in the memory are sequentially reproduced into analog signals to create an audible audio electrical signal ME, and when the audio information ends, an audio information end signal MES is generated.

The audio-electrical signal MU from the tape playback device 10 and the audio-electrical signal ME from the audio synthesis circuit 19 are connected to a switching connector 20.
is selectively provided to the common audio device 21 via.

The switching connector 20 can also be an analog switch or an electromagnetic relay configured to be able to switch between two paths. The switching connector 20 is adapted to transmit the acoustic electrical signal MU in the de-energized state, and transmits the audio-type (6) electrical signal ME when the switching control signal ST2 reaches the energized level.

The acoustic device 21 includes one or more electro-acoustic transducers (
(speaker) 22 and a power amplification circuit 23. However, although it is structurally advantageous to use the amplifying circuit 23 in combination, the present invention does not prevent the provision of separate amplifying circuits for the acoustic electrical signal transmission line and the audio electrical signal transmission line, respectively, if necessary. do not have.

An electrical control unit 24 is provided, which electrical control unit 24 is connected to external devices, such as several status detectors 25.
The electrical signal from 26 is monitored, and when this electrical signal is in a predetermined state, an audio information selection signal MC3 is generated to cause the audio synthesis circuit 19 to selectively generate audio information corresponding to the detected state.

The electric control unit 24 is constructed using conventional electronic circuit technology.
It can be configured as a digital or mixed analog-digital logic circuit.

Note that this electric control unit 24 can also be configured as an integrated system (7) with the digital voice synthesis circuit 19, if necessary. Such an example is shown in US Pat. No. 4,060,848.

In this embodiment, the electric control unit 24 is a digital data processing device called a microcomputer. A control program representing this data processing procedure will be explained later.

The state detectors 25 and 26 are those that can be used as various alarm devices in automobiles.

This device can be used, for example, to notify when the speed of a car exceeds a preset speed. In that case, a vehicle speed sensor or a vehicle speed determination device that is a combination of a vehicle speed sensor and a comparison circuit is used as the state detector.

In addition, this device can be used to warn of seatbelts not being fastened, doors ajar, etc., and to notify the operating status of air conditioners, automatic speed adjustment devices, etc., and sends detection signals as necessary to the electric control unit 24. All you have to do is enter it.

According to the present invention, the electric control unit 24, upon generation of the audio information selection signal MC3, outputs the tape playback (8) pause control signal STI of the device 10 and the switching connector 20.
The switching control signal ST2 is configured to generate the switching control signal ST2.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of output signals generated from the electric control unit 24, and FIG.
．． 26 represents the pause control signal STI converted to an energized level in response to a detection signal from 26. Almost at the same time as the temporary stop control signal STI changes to the activation level, the switching control signal ST2 shown in FIG. 2(2) is also changed to the activation level.

When the pause control signal STI reaches the activation level, the tape reproducing device 10 stops generating the acoustoelectric signal MU. At this time, since the magnetic tape does not receive the winding force from the electric motor 11, the reproducing operation is interrupted at that point.

Furthermore, by switching the switching control signal ST2 to the activation level,
Harsh fluctuations in the audio reproduction signal MU due to the stoppage of the tape reproduction device IO are not transmitted to the audio device 21.

In this way, when a state is created in which the audio electrical signal M(9)E of the audio synthesis circuit 19 is transmitted to the audio device 21,
Thereafter, the audio information selection signal MC5 shown in FIG. 2(3) is applied to the audio synthesis circuit 19, and the audio synthesis circuit 19 reproduces the audio information specified by the audio information selection signal MC3 to generate the audio electrical signal ME. , is sent to the audio device 21.

When the voice synthesis circuit 19 finishes the reproduction operation of the voice information,
The audio information end signal MES shown in FIG. 2(4) is generated.

In response, the electrical control unit 24 returns the pause control signal STI to the deactivated level. As a result, the tape reproducing device 1o resumes reproducing the magnetic tape and generates the acoustoelectric signal MU.

The electric control unit 24 returns the switching control signal ST2 to the deactivated level after a certain delay time DT has elapsed since returning the temporary stop control signal STl to the deactivated level.

This causes the device to operate as a sound reproduction device again.

Here, the delay time DT functions as a masking device (10) until the acousto-electrical signal MU from the tape reproducing device 10 rises to a normal speed.

Thus, after the device emits the audio information, it returns to the state of playing music and language information after a short period of time. The tape reproducing device 10 resumes the reproducing operation with almost no deviation from the point where the reproducing operation was interrupted.

If a semiconductor memory playback device were used in place of the tape playback device 10, the playback operation could be resumed without any deviation from the interrupted point.

A control program for carrying out the control operations shown in FIG. 2 using the electric control unit 24 can be, for example, as follows.

(1) Determine whether the state of the detection signal of the monitoring step state detector 25, 26 is a state that should be notified to the occupant. When notification should be made, execute the following steps.

(2) Output step of the temporary stop control signal STI Convert the temporary stop control signal STI to the energizing level (11).

(3) Output step of switching control signal ST2 Converting switching control signal ST2 to the energizing level.

(4) Output step of audio information selection signal MC3 Output audio information selection signal MC3 corresponding to the state of the detection signal of the state detectors 25 and 26.

(5) Waiting step It is determined whether the audio information end signal MES has been generated. If no occurrence has occurred, the determination is repeated, and if occurrence is detected, the following steps are executed.

(6) Restoration step of the temporary stop control signal STI Converting the temporary stop control signal STI to the deactivation level.

(7) Restoration step of switching control signal ST2 Converting switching control signal ST2 to the deactivation level.

(8) Re-execution of the monitoring step (12) When the tape playback device IO is not performing a playback operation, this device functions without any problem as a device that activates the speech synthesis circuit 19 when necessary.

When the electric control unit 24 is constituted by a microcomputer as in this embodiment, the microcomputer not only executes the above-described program procedures, but can also share the control operations of other control systems if necessary. This is because, in the above program procedure, if there are few cases in which audio information should be broadcast, the play time is substantially longer. For this reason, the above-mentioned monitoring step is processed as an interrupt process, and processes such as air conditioners, instrumentation devices, broadcast receiving devices, tape playback devices, or voice synthesis circuits are executed at other times. I can do it.

Incidentally, the present invention can also be implemented by the following modified embodiments.

+11 When the tape playback device 10 is used as the first information generating device, the playback operation may be interrupted or restarted by stopping or (13) driving the motor 11, in addition to turning on and off the electromagnetic clutch 17.

(2) In addition, when a tape playback device IO is used, in order to prevent a slight gap from occurring in the sound that should continue when the playback operation is restarted, between the time when the playback operation is interrupted and the time when the playback operation is restarted, For example, by reversing the electric motor 11, the tape may be rewound by an amount corresponding to the blank space.

(3) In the first information generating device, in order to deal with fluctuations in the acoustic and electrical signals or the occurrence of noise when the reproduction operation is restarted after being interrupted, the above embodiment uses the pause control signal STI and the switching control. Although a delay time DT is provided between the signal ST'2 and the signal ST'2, in addition to this method, there is also a delay time until the acousto-electrical signal MU or the audio-electrical signal ME to be applied to the acoustic device, especially the electro-acoustic converter 22, rises. The electric control unit 24 may be configured to generate a control signal so as to suppress the amplification degree of the preamplifier 18 or the power amplifier circuit 23 during this period.

(4) If sound generation and voice generation can be reliably stopped and started in the first information generation device and the second information generation device, respectively (14), the two-path selection type switching connector 20 is not required. Often, the branch point of the switching connector 20 can also be a simple coupling circuit.

(5) For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, a resistive coupling circuit is provided instead of the switching connector 200, and the preamplifier 18
A control signal that minimizes the amplification degree of the switching control signal ST2 may be generated at the same timing as the switching control signal ST2.

(6) When the time length of the audio electrical signal ME generated in the second information generating device, for example, the audio synthesis circuit 19, is known in advance, the electrical control unit 24 can perform the predetermined signal ME without waiting for the audio information end signals MF, S. spontaneously after an hour of
The reproduction operation of the information generating device can be restarted.

As described above, according to the present invention, after the continuous sound generation is temporarily interrupted and audio information is generated, the sound generation is restarted from the interrupted point, so that there is a substantial gap in the sound generation. It has the excellent effect of eliminating the occurrence of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an electrical wiring diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operation time chart of the device shown in FIG. 1. 10...Tape playback device (first information generation device), 1
9... Speech synthesis circuit (second information generating device), 21.
...Sound device, 24...Electrical control unit, 25.2
6...Status detector. Representative Patent Attorney Takashi Okabe

Claims (1)

[Claims] a first information generating device that continuously reproduces acoustic information to generate an acoustic electrical signal; and a first information generating device that selectively reproduces predetermined audio information from among a plurality of audio information prepared in advance in response to a request signal. a second information generating device that generates an audio electrical signal;
An audio information device for a vehicle, comprising an audio-electrical signal from the first and second information generating devices and a common acoustic device that converts the audio-electrical signal into air vibration, The reproduction operation of the first information generating device is performed by the second information generating device.
A voice information device for a vehicle, comprising an electric control means for temporarily interrupting the reproduction operation for a time corresponding to the end of the reproduction operation of the information generating device, and then restarting the reproduction operation from the interrupted point.