Apparatus for automatically synchronizing the operation of a device, for presenting audio information to occupants of a vehicle, to correspond with its movement along a predetermined route

• US 4,159,490 A
• Filed: 11/10/1977
• Issued: 06/26/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Wood
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Wood
• Inventors: Wood, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canney, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US05/850,411
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 179/100.1 C, 360/12, 360/23, 360/6, 346/8, 340/23
• US Class Current: 360/12
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

This invention discloses a system whereby a recorded magnetic tape is played on a tape recorder presenting information in audio format to the driver and passengers of vehicles. The tape recorder may be automatically controlled so that particular descriptive, informative, or instructional passages are played at appropriate locations along a determined route. The recording is correlated to distance traveled by a device which senses the operation of the cable which drives the vehicle odometer, and by corrective information regarding tire diameter and cable to wheel rotation ratio. The correlation is correctable to correspond to an external reference system, specifically mileage markers along interstate or other highways which have standard mileage markers, thus insuring a high degree of continuous synchronization between the location of the vehicle and the particular passage played.

Claims

1. A method for correlating the playing of recorded audio informative passages in a vehicle with the actual location of said vehicle comprising the steps of:

selecting, with respect to a standard external reference system, an initial reference point on a determined route;

Recording the informative audio passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

recording on the medium, using the standard external reference system, visible indicies, audio prompts, and electronically readable indicies;

obtaining a distance traveled signal from distance measuring equipment in the vehicle to indicate the distance traveled from the initial reference point;

correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular tire wheel and distance measuring equipment characteristics of said vehicle;

obtaining a proper recorded medium location signal by means of a player;

comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal;

applying the control signal to said player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route,

generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock;

comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal, to obtain a signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium;

selecting a current observed external reference point from said external reference system and generating a current location signal to correspond to said external point;

comparing the time of play signal to the current location signal and generating a second control signal;

applying the second control signal to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that the play of the medium will commence again at a location thereon which generally corresponds to said observed external point; and

obtaining a distance adjustment signal from the player as set by the vehicle driver to adjust for random observed errors by applying the distance adjustment signal to the corrected distance traveled signal.

2. A system for playing informative audio passages recorded on a suitable magnetic recording medium in a vehicle equipped with a power source and distance measuring equipment for obtaining distance traveled and for controlling the playing of the recorded passages so as to be synchronized with the actual location of the vehicle along a determined route, said system comprising:

a means for obtaining distance traveled data from the distance measuring equipment and converting said data to a distance traveled signal, said distance traveled being measured from an initial starting point within a standard external reference system on said route;

a means for correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular distance measuring equipment, tires and wheel characteristics of said vehicle;

pre-recorded audio informative passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle;

proper location signals recorded on said medium in binary code digital language, visible location digital language, visible location indicies, electronically readable indicies, and audio prompts, all of which are pre-recorded with respect to said standard external reference system;

a player-controller for playing the recording medium and for independently reading the recorded passages and the coded proper location signal, having a two speed winding capability, and having means for comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal which the player-controller applies to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium, so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route,

and the player-controller having means for generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock,

and the player-controller having means for comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal in order to obtain another signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium,

and the player-controller having means for accepting a current vehicle location setting which corresponds to an external reference point actually observed with respect to said standard external reference system, for generating a current location signal corresponding thereto, for comparing said current location signal to the time of play signal and for generating a second control signal which is applied to stop the player or fast wind the medium, allowing the vehicle location and position of the medium to generally correspond,

and the player-controller having means for adjusting the corrected vehicle distance traveled signal for errors in said distance traveled measuring equipment which may result in a discrepancy between actual observed and instrument indicated distance traveled, caused by variations in temperature, tire pressure, road conditions, and random errors.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for obtaining vehicle distance traveled data and converting said data to a distance traveled signal comprises:

a reader connected between an odometer and an odometer drive cable, the reader having a wafer ring connected to the odometer cable at one end of the odometer, said wafer ring being of electrically conductive material except for a small non-conductive section thereof, said reader having two wipers which slidably contact the wafer ring, so that when electrical power is applied to the two wipers and when both wipers are in contact with the conductive portion of the wafer ring, electrical current flows, while when either or both wipers are in contact with the non-conducting portion of the wafer ring, no current flows; and

a flip flop switch which is set by current and reset by a lack of current and which receives interrupted current generated by the reader, the flip flop switch generating a pulse for each revolution of the wafer ring which is then sent to the player-controller.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for correcting the vehicle distance traveled signal for the particular distance measuring equipment, tire and wheel characteristics of said vehicle comprises:

a series of four calibration dials on which are set the ratio of the number of odometer turns per mile of distance traveled by the vehicle wherein the first two dials are digitally set to the next largest number of complete revolutions which exceeds the actual number of revolutions of said odometer cable, the third and fourth dials are digitally set to the decimal fraction, to the nearest hundredth of a revolution, by which the next largest number of whole revolutions, exceeds the actual number of revolutions, and wherein said dials are connected to the player-controller in such a manner that the player-controller reads the ratio.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for setting an initial reference point and for setting a current observed reference point using the standard external reference system comprises:

a ten-mile position adjustment dial and a one mile position adjustment dial, and wherein the external reference system is the federal highway mileage marker system, wherein the ten-mile position adjustment dial is set to correspond to a passed mileage marker to denote tens of miles, the one-mile position adjustment dial is set to correspond to the passed mileage marker to denote the miles less than ten and the distance adjustment dials are electronically connected to the player-controller in a manner that the player-controller reads the settings.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for adjusting the corrected distance traveled signal for errors in said distance measuring equipment comprises:

a distance adjustment dial on which a user sets the number of miles, to the nearest half mile, said number being either positive or negative, which must be added to the odometer indication of distance traveled when the vehicle has traveled fifty miles as indicated by the external reference system.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the suitable recording medium comprises:

magnetic tape having segments of leader uniformly spaced on intervals of tape to be played which each correspond to one mile of distance traveled, the segments of leader having magnetically recorded thereon two digits corresponding to the location at which the tape should be playing as defined by the standard external reference system, said segments of leader also having imprinted thereon visible indicies corresponding to the same location.