Voice warning device using entertainment speaker

• US 4,389,639 A
• Filed: 11/04/1980
• Issued: 06/21/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Hiroshi, Oota, Hisatoshi, Torii, Taketsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/204,059
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/521, 340/522, 340/533, 340/523, 340/511, 340/534, 340/573, 340/692, 340/52 F, 340/531, 340/52 R, 340/506, 340/526, 340/870.09, 340/384 E , 340/384 R, 340/326, 340/327, 340/328, 179/1 B, 179/1 GH, 179/1 GJ, 179/1 GA, 179/1 MN, 179/1 SM, 179/1 SW, 179/1 VC, 179/1 VE, 179/2 B, 179/5 R, 179/5 P, 455/227, 455/229, 455/137, 455/149, 455/152
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L

Abstract

A device for producing a voice warning over a speaker which is also used with an entertainment sound production system such as a radio or cassette recorder. The voice warning device incorporates a switching device in the circuit between the speaker and a source of entertainment sound-bearing electric signals, and also incorporates a mechanism for selectively generating electric signals representing human voice sounds for conveying warnings. When a warning signal is being generated, the switching device is switched over from its state where it connects the speaker to the entertainment sound-bearing electric signals to its state where it connects the speaker to the warning signals. Optionally, several different speakers of an entertainment system may be selectively connected to said warning signals by several switching devices.

Claims

1. A voice warning device for a driver'"'"'s compartment equipped with an entertainment sound production system comprising a plurality of speakers, an entertainment sound signal production device, and a plurality of electrical connections for conducting entertainment sound-bearing electric signals from the entertainment sound signal production device to said speakers;

said voice warning device, comprising;

a plurality of switching devices, each provided in one of said electrical connections between one of said speakers and said entertainment sound signal production device;

a warning voice sound signal production device, for selectively generating electric signals representing human voice sounds for conveying a warning; and

,

means for operating said switching devices such that all of said switching devices are automatically switched to transmit entertainment sound-bearing electric signals from said entertainment sound signal production device to their respective speakers when said warning voice sound signal production device is not generating electric signals, but, when said warning voice sound signal production device is generating electric signals, at least one of said switching devices is automatically switched from transmitting entertainment sound-bearing electric signals from said entertainment sound signal production device to its respective speaker to transmitting warning voice sound-bearing electric signals from said warning voice sound signal production device to said respective speaker;

said operating means automatically changing a number of said switching devices which transmit said warning voice sound-bearing electric signal to a respective speaker in accordance with a type of warning voice sound-bearing electric signal which is being produced so that said number is increased as the severity and urgency of the condition represented by the warning voice sound-bearing electric signal increases.

2. A voice warning device according to claim 1, wherein said operating means is part of said warning voice sound electric signal production device.

3. A voice warning device according to claim 2, wherein said warning voice sound electric signal production device comprises a memory for storing digital signals which represent warning voice sounds, a microcomputer for receiving digital signals from said memory and for outputting digital signals which directly represent warning voice sounds, and a D/A converter for receiving said output signals from said microcomputer and outputting analog electrical signals directly representing said warning voice sounds.