Voice trip information system for an automotive vehicle
First Claim
1. A voice trip information system for an automotive vehicle provided with an engine, which comprises:
- (a) an ignition switch for outputting an ignition-on signal Sig when turned on and an ignition off-signal when turned off;
(b) a speed sensor for detecting vehicle speed and for outputting a vehicle speed signal SV ;
(c) a fuel sensor for detecting an amount of fuel and for outputting a fuel amount signal Sf ;
(d) a clock oscillator for outputting a clock signal Si ;
(e) an interface including interconnected waveform shapers, dividers, A-D converters, a multiplexer and latch circuits, said interface being connected to said ignition switch, said speed sensor, said fuel sensor, and said clock oscillator for waveform shaping the vehicle speed signal SV to a rectangular pulse signal, dividing the shaped vehicle speed signal SV into one pulse per predetermined distance to obtain a distance signal, converting the fuel amount signal Sf into a frequency signal corresponding thereto, and sequentially transferring the signals input thereto in a time-shared sequence;
(f) a voice synthesizing system including;
(1) a voice synthesizer;
(2) a memory unit connected to said voice synthesizer for temporarily storing voices synthesized thereby; and
(3) a control unit connected to said interface, said voice synthesizer and said memory unit, said control unit formed by a microcomputer having a central processing unit, a read only memory for storing programs and fixed data, and a random access memory;
(g) said control unit including means for outputtingfirst command signals, in response to the ignition-on signal Sig, to said interface to read the vehicle speed signal SV, the fuel amount signal Sf and the clock signal Si, for storing of these signals as initial basic data,second command signals, in response to the ignition-off signal, to said interface to read the current vehicle speed signal SV, the current fuel amount signal Sf and the current clock signal Si, for calculating travel time based on the initial and current clock signals Si ;
travel distance based on the distance signal obtained from the vehicle speed signals SV ;
fuel consumed based on the initial and current fuel amount signals Sf ; and
fuel consumption rate based on the calculated travel distance and fuel consumed; and
third command signals to said voice synthesizer to determine a plurality of voice messages in accordance with the obtained travel time, travel distance, fuel consumed and fuel consumption rate and to output each of determined voice form messages after having temporarily stored each in said memory unit,whereby travel time, travel distance, fuel consumed and fuel consumption rate are indicated, in voice form, when said ignition switch is turned off.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voice trip information system for an automotive vehicle, by which the driver is informed of trip information such as trip time interval, trip distance, amount of fuel consumed, fuel consumption rate and so on, whenever the ignition switch is turned off. The voice trip information system comprises a vehicle speed sensor, a fuel amount sensor, a clock device, and a voice synthesizer. Further, a timer function is provided so that the initial trip data are not reset if the ignition switch is turned off and on again within a predetermined period of time. The driver can hear the voice information at an appropriate sound level as adjusted by driver perference.
28 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A voice trip information system for an automotive vehicle provided with an engine, which comprises:
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(a) an ignition switch for outputting an ignition-on signal Sig when turned on and an ignition off-signal when turned off; (b) a speed sensor for detecting vehicle speed and for outputting a vehicle speed signal SV ; (c) a fuel sensor for detecting an amount of fuel and for outputting a fuel amount signal Sf ; (d) a clock oscillator for outputting a clock signal Si ; (e) an interface including interconnected waveform shapers, dividers, A-D converters, a multiplexer and latch circuits, said interface being connected to said ignition switch, said speed sensor, said fuel sensor, and said clock oscillator for waveform shaping the vehicle speed signal SV to a rectangular pulse signal, dividing the shaped vehicle speed signal SV into one pulse per predetermined distance to obtain a distance signal, converting the fuel amount signal Sf into a frequency signal corresponding thereto, and sequentially transferring the signals input thereto in a time-shared sequence; (f) a voice synthesizing system including; (1) a voice synthesizer; (2) a memory unit connected to said voice synthesizer for temporarily storing voices synthesized thereby; and (3) a control unit connected to said interface, said voice synthesizer and said memory unit, said control unit formed by a microcomputer having a central processing unit, a read only memory for storing programs and fixed data, and a random access memory; (g) said control unit including means for outputting first command signals, in response to the ignition-on signal Sig, to said interface to read the vehicle speed signal SV, the fuel amount signal Sf and the clock signal Si, for storing of these signals as initial basic data, second command signals, in response to the ignition-off signal, to said interface to read the current vehicle speed signal SV, the current fuel amount signal Sf and the current clock signal Si, for calculating travel time based on the initial and current clock signals Si ;
travel distance based on the distance signal obtained from the vehicle speed signals SV ;
fuel consumed based on the initial and current fuel amount signals Sf ; and
fuel consumption rate based on the calculated travel distance and fuel consumed; andthird command signals to said voice synthesizer to determine a plurality of voice messages in accordance with the obtained travel time, travel distance, fuel consumed and fuel consumption rate and to output each of determined voice form messages after having temporarily stored each in said memory unit, whereby travel time, travel distance, fuel consumed and fuel consumption rate are indicated, in voice form, when said ignition switch is turned off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of indicating to a vehicle driver trip information for an automotive vehicle in voice form, which comprises the steps of:
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(a) detecting whether or not an ignition-on signal Sig is being output by an ignition switch; (b) upon detecting the ignition-on signal, reading a clock signal Si output by a clock oscillator to obtain initial travel time data; (c) storing the read clock signal Si in a memory unit; (d) reading a fuel amount signal Sf output by a fuel sensor to obtain initial fuel amount data; (e) storing the read fuel amount data in the memory unit; (f) resetting a trip distance register by a vehicle speed signal SV output by a speed sensor; (g) detecting whether or not an ignition-off signal is being output by the ignition switch; (h) upon detecting that an ignition-off signal is not being output by the ignition switch, repeating step (g), above; (i) upon detecting the ignition-off signal, reading the current clock signal Si output by the clock oscillator to obtain current travel time data; (j) calculating travel time on the basis of the initial and current travel time data; (k) determining a voice form message corresponding to the calculated travel time data; (l) temporarily storing the determined voice form message in a voice memory unit; (m) reading the current trip distance data registered in the trip distance register; (n) determining a voice form message corresponding to the registered trip distance; (o) temporarily storing the determined voice form message in the voice memory unit; (p) reading the current fuel amount signal Sf output by the fuel amount sensor to obtain current fuel amount data; (q) calculating a fuel consumption quantity on the basis of the initial and current fuel amount data; (r) determining a voice form message corresponding to the calculated quantity of consumed fuel; (s) temporarily storing the determined voice form message in the voice memory unit; (t) calculating the current fuel consumption rate on the basis of the trip distance data and the calculated quantity of consumed fuel; (u) determining a voice form message corresponding to the calculated current fuel consumption rate; (v) temporarily storing the determined voice form message in the voice memory unit; (w) reading a sound volume signal SVR from a volume control provided in a car-radio; (x) setting a voice volume control signal to an electronic volume control in accordance with the sound volume signal; and (y) outputting the current stored voice form messages in sequence. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification