Operation supporting apparatus

• US 20030105586A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Daisuke, Ieda, Masahiro, Yamagishi, Yutaka, Hayakawa, Fujio, Kotani, Yutaka, Kitano, Toyoaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,820,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00

Abstract

In response to a voice request from a facility judgment means which judges the location of such a facility from the current position selected in advance based on the current position and map data, the voice guidance generated by guidance synchronizing means is converted by stereophonic or three dimensional signal processing means into a stereophonic or three dimensional sound field signal, and outputted to at least two or more speakers which generate a stereophonic or three dimensional sound field reproducing space corresponding to the left and right external ears of a listener. The distance to, and the direction of, the facility that has been selected in advance are informed by the movement of an image of a stereophonic or three dimensional sound with rich presence.

Claims

1. A driving support apparatus comprising:

facility judging means for judging a location, from a current position, of a facility selected in advance based on the current position and map data;

guidance synchronizing means for giving voice guidance by generating voice data when a result of judgement by said facility judging means contains a voice request;

voice guidance means for calling stereophonic or three dimensional sound field generation based on the voice guidance generated by said guidance synchronizing means;

stereophonic or three dimensional signal processing means for outputting a volume signal based on a call of voice guidance from said voice guidance means after converting the volume signal to a stereophonic or three dimensional sound field signal; and

at least respectively two speakers for generating stereophonic or three dimensional sound field reproduction space corresponding to left and right outer ears of a listener upon receipt of said stereophonic or three dimensional sound field signal.

2. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said facility judging means comprises:

current position estimating means for estimating the current position;

facility information extracting means for reading facility information selected in advance from data base having stored therein facility information; and

leading means for searching a route from the current position to the facility by inputting the current position, the map data and the selected facility information.

3. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising painting means for painting on display means based on a paint request from said guidance synchronizing means.

4. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voice guidance means comprises a volume profile for outputting a volume corresponding to the voice data.