Notification control apparatus and notification control method

• US 10,414,411 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kuroda, Masayuki, Shimotani, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US16/072,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20190023282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 3404255, 34099525, 34099519, 340438, 340463, 34053922, 340683, 3406916
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/26 using acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/00 Two-channel systems H04S5/00, H04S7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/11 Positioning of individual sound objects, e.g. moving airplane, within a sound field H04S2420/13 takes precedence

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a notification control apparatus and a notification control method capable of previously notifying a passenger of a change of a motion of a vehicle travelling automatically. A notification control apparatus according to the present invention includes: a processor to execute a program; and a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of, acquiring travel condition information which is information indicating a future travel condition of the vehicle, generating a sound image pattern based on the travel condition information, and generating a notification sound in accordance with the sound image pattern and, controlling the output of the notification sound, wherein the travel condition information includes information of a future course of the vehicle, and when the course is changed, the sound image pattern in accordance with the course being changed is generated.

Claims

1. A notification control apparatus performing a control of transmitting notification of a motion of a vehicle traveling automatically to an interior of the vehicle, comprising:

a processor to execute a program; and

a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor performs processes of,

acquiring travel condition information which is information indicating an intended future travel condition of the vehicle,

generating an original sound from a predetermined speech waveform,

generating a sound image pattern in which a sound image localization position changes along with an elapse of time based on the travel condition information which has been acquired, and

generating a notification sound in which the sound image localization position of the original sound changes along with an elapse of time in accordance with the sound image pattern which has been generated and, controlling the output of the notification sound, wherein

the travel condition information includes information of an intended future course of the vehicle, and

when the course is changed, the sound image pattern in accordance with the course being changed is generated.

2. The notification control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the travel condition information includes information of an intended future speed of the vehicle, and

when the course or the speed is changed, the original sound in accordance with the change of the course or the speed of the vehicle is generated.

3. The notification control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the vehicle travels on an upward slope or a downward slope in the course, the sound image pattern in accordance with the upward slope or the downward slope is generated.

4. The notification control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the vehicle travels on an upward slope or a downward slope in the course, the original sound in accordance with the upward slope or the downward slope is generated.

5. The notification control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when a degree of change of the course or a slope change of the course is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, the sound image pattern and the original sound are not generated.

6. The notification control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the travel condition information further includes information of an intended future speed of the vehicle, and

when a degree of change of the speed is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, the sound image pattern and the original sound are not generated.

7. A notification control apparatus performing a control of transmitting notification of a motion of a vehicle traveling automatically to an interior of the vehicle, comprising:

a processor to execute a program; and

a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of,

acquiring travel condition information which is information indicating an intended future travel condition of the vehicle,

generating an original sound from a predetermined speech waveform,

generating a sound image pattern in which a sound image localization position changes along with an elapse of time based on the travel condition information which has been acquired,

generating a notification sound in which the sound image localization position of the original sound changes along with an elapse of time in accordance with the sound image pattern which has been generated and, controlling the output of the notification sound,

generating the sound image pattern based on an automatic driving level indicating a degree of the automatic driving, and

generating the original sound based on the automatic driving level.

8. The notification control apparatus according to claim wherein

the travel condition information includes information of an intended future course or speed of the vehicle, and

when the course or the speed is changed, the sound image pattern in accordance with the course or the speed being changed is generated.

9. The notification control apparatus according to claim wherein

the travel condition information includes information of an intended future course or speed of the vehicle, and

when the course or the speed is changed, the original sound in accordance with the change of the course or the speed of the vehicle is generated.

10. A notification control method performing a control of transmitting notification of a motion of a vehicle traveling automatically to an interior of the vehicle, comprising:

acquiring travel condition information which is information indicating an intended future travel condition of the vehicle;

generating an original sound from a predetermined speech waveform;

generating a sound image pattern in which a sound image localization position changes along with an elapse of time based on the travel condition information; and

generating a notification sound in which the sound image localization position of the original sound changes along with an elapse of time in accordance with the sound image pattern, and controlling the output of the notification sound, wherein

the travel condition information includes information of an intended future course of the vehicle, and

when the course is changed, the sound image pattern in accordance with the course being changed is generated.