Noise level controlled voice warning system for an automotive vehicle

• US 4,342,023 A
• Filed: 08/28/1980
• Issued: 07/27/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1979
• 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): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US06/182,238
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 340/692, 340/52 F, 340/521, 179/1 SM, 369/425, 369/424
• US Class Current: 340/460
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level

Abstract

A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle automatically adjusts the voice volume to an appropriate sound level in accordance with the noise level within the passenger compartment. The improved system incorporates a noise level sensor and an electronic volume control in a voice warning system which includes a plurality of information switches and a multiplexer for providing control signals for an LPC-type voice synthesizer cooperating with a voice memory under control of a microcomputer to provide appropriate warning announcements.

Claims

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

(a) a plurality of information switches;

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

(c) a voice output selector for outputting a voice output designation signal D_s in accordance with the signal from said multiplexer;

(d) a voice memory 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 voice output selector;

(e) an electronic volume control for controlling the level of voice signals V_s outputted from said voice memory; and

(f) a noise level sensor for detecting the noise level within the passenger compartment and for outputting a control signal C_n to said electronic volume control,

whereby the volume of warning information is automatically controlled according to the noise level within the passenger compartment.

3. A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said noise level sensor comprises:

(a) a microphone for detecting noise;

(b) an amplifier for amplifying the detected noise;

(c) a rectifier for rectifying the amplified noise; and

(d) a smoother for smoothing the rectified noise.

2. A voice warning system for an automotive vehicle, which comprises;

(a) a keyboard for previously selecting various signals indicating vehicle operating conditions;

(b) an interface for inputting and outputting the various signals selected by said keyboard;

(c) an LPC type voice synthesizer system comprising;

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

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

(3) a control unit comprising a microcomputer for controlling input/output of the various signals through said interface and for producing different items of voice information through said synthesizer;

(d) an electronic volume control for controlling the level of voice signal V_s output from said synthesizer;

(e) a noise level sensor for detecting the noise level within the passenger compartment and for outputting a control signal C_n to said electronic volume control,

whereby the volume of warning information is automatically adjusted to an appropriate voice level according to the noise level within the passenger compartment.