Voice warning system for an automotive vehicle

• US 4,310,825 A
• Filed: 10/23/1980
• Issued: 01/12/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Teruo, Tsunoda, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US06/199,708
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 R, 340/52 F, 340/27 R, 179/1 SM, 179/1 SA
• US Class Current: 340/460
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle wherein a repeat switch is provided so that voice warning information is indicated to the driver repeatedly whenever the repeat switch is depressed. Accordingly, even if the driver fails to notice the information, it is possible to hear the information again. The system thus improved comprises a repeat switch, a memory, and a gate circuit, in addition to a voice warning system for an automotive vehicle.

Claims

1. A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises:

(a) a voice warning apparatus comprising;

(1) a plurality of sensors for detecting various vehicle operating conditions;

(2) a plurality of information switches for obtaining signals from said sensors;

(3) a multiplexer for selectively outputting one of various signals indicating vehicle operating conditions when one of said switches is depressed;

(4) a voice selector for outputting a voice output designation signal D_s and a gate control signal S_g in accordance with the signal from said multiplexer;

(5) a voice output unit for storing a number of voice outputs and for outputting a series of voice signals V_s in response to the voice output designation signal D_s from said output selector.

(b) a memory for storing temporarily the voice output designation signals D_s, being disposed after said voice selector 10,

(c) a repeat switch for outputting a repeat signal S_r to said voice selector; and

(d) a gate circuit for outputting the designation signal D_s stored in said memory to said voice output unit in response to the signal S_g from said voice selector or the signal S_r from said repeat switch,

whereby voice warning information is indicated to the driver repeatedly, whenever said repeat switch is depressed.

2. A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said voice output unit is an LPC voice synthesizer comprising:

(1) a voice synthesizer unit having a first sound source oscillator for generating pseudo-random noise signals N, a second sound source oscillator for generating periodic impulse signals P, a grid-type filter of vocal tract model, and a D-A converter for converting the digital voice signal to an analog voice signal,

(2) a memory unit (ROM) for storing voices synthesized by said voice synthesizer;

(3) a control unit formed by a microcomputer having a CPU, a read only memory for storing programs and fixed data, a random access memory, and a clock oscillator, for controlling input/output of the various signals and for producing different items of voice information through said synthesizer unit.