Volume control of aural guidance of vehicle route guidance apparatus

• US 5,635,925 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Aisin AW Corporation Limited (Aisin Corp.), Ibaraki Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Morimoto, Kyomi, Kishi, Hiroshi, Ito, Toru, Nimura, Mitsuhiro, Yokoyama, Shoji, Ohara, Shigekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/598,959
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 340/996, 340/940, 340/995, 340/692, 340/460, 340/902, 340/870.28, 364/449, 381/85, 381/86, 381/123, 381/10, 381/110, 455/194.1, 455/200.1, 455/186.1, 455/212, 455/218, 455/219, 455/220, 455/221, 455/222, 455/225
• US Class Current: 340/996
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• 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: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

An apparatus to facilitate volume control for route aural guidance. When supplying a guidance voice to a loudspeaker 34a, a voice control section 30 disconnects the loudspeaker 34a from audio and outputs the guidance voice through the loudspeaker. A volume control screen is displayed on a display section 28 where the user adjusts the volume by touching the screen. When the voice control section 30 switches a signal to the loudspeaker 34a, a mute circuit 40a is operated to mute the voice output before the voice is output through the loudspeaker 34a. When the user terminates volume adjustment, the voice control section 30 outputs a voice for volume confirmation or check at the adjusted volume through the loudspeaker 34a. The user can check the adjusted volume at this time.

Claims

1. A vehicle route guidance apparatus which outputs route guidance aurally through a loudspeaker which also outputs an output signal from an audio apparatus, comprising:

a voice generation section which generates a guidance voice signal for route guidance through said loudspeaker;

volume setting means being responsive to external operation, for setting a level of said guidance voice signal without changing a level of said output signal from said audio apparatus;

a circuit change switch for switching an input to said loudspeaker between said output signal from an audio apparatus and said guidance voice signal;

muting means for muting said output signal from said audio apparatus;

a control section which activates said muting means then switches said circuit change switch to said guidance voice signal when said guidance voice signal is to be output through said loudspeaker, so as to mute said output signal from said audio apparatus before said switching of said circuit change switch.

2. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

external operation detection means for determining an external operation of said volume setting means; and

test voice means for outputting a predetermined test voice at said guidance voice signal level when said external operation of said volume setting means is detected by said external operation detection means,

whereby said guidance voice signal level can be checked after said volume setting means is externally operated.

3. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said audio apparatus comprises a plurality of loudspeakers and said guidance voice signal is provided to only one loudspeaker.

4. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said muting means mutes said output signal from said audio apparatus to said only one speaker which outputs said guidance voice.

5. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a display section formed with a touch panel on a surface thereof;

wherein said volume setting means comprises volume control indicators displayed on said display section and guidance voice signal level is set by a touch of said volume control indicators.

6. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said volume control indicators comprise a guidance voice volume increase key for increasing said guidance voice signal level and a guidance voice volume decrease key for decreasing said guidance voice signal level.

7. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said volume setting means further comprises an indicator indicating a current volume level of said guidance voice signal level.

8. A route guidance apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

external operation time lapse detection means for detecting a lapse of a predetermined amount of time after at least one of said external operation of said volume setting means.

9. A vehicle route guidance apparatus which outputs route guidance aurally through only one of a plurality of loudspeakers which also outputs an output signal from an audio apparatus, comprising:

a voice generation section which generates a guidance voice signal for route guidance through said only one of a plurality of loudspeakers;

volume setting means being responsive to external operation, for setting a level of said guidance voice signal without changing a level of said output signal from said audio apparatus;

a circuit change switch for switching an input to said only one loudspeaker between said output signal from said audio apparatus and said guidance voice signal;

muting means for muting said output signal from said audio apparatus;

a control section which activates said muting means then switches said circuit change switch to said guidance voice signal when said guidance voice signal is to be output through said only one loudspeaker, so as to mute said output signal from said audio apparatus to said only one loudspeaker before said switching of said circuit change switch without muting said output from said audio apparatus to said plurality of speakers except said only one loudspeaker.