Navigation system and intersection guidance method

• US 5,729,109 A
• Filed: 07/09/1996
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Aritaka, Akitoshi, Kaneko, Shigehiko, Hirai, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/679,399
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 318/580, 318/582, 318/587, 364/443, 364/444.1, 364/444.2, 364/449.1-449.7
• US Class Current: 318/587
• 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 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A navigation system and a voice guidance method for carrying out a voice guidance of an intersection on a drive route when the user demands the voice guidance while a motor vehicle is running according to a preset drive route. In response to the output demand of the guidance information through an inputting unit, a control unit obtains a distance to the intersection and an advancing direction in the intersection and further reads out the corresponding sound data from a sound storing unit. This sound data is outputted through a speech synthesizing unit and a voice outputting unit.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

sound storing means for storing guidance information on intersections as sound data;

speech synthesizing means for performing a speech synthesizing process for said sound data to output a sound signal;

voice outputting means for outputting as a voice said sound signal from said speech synthesizing means;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on a drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route to read out sound data corresponding to the retrieved result from said sound storing means and output the read sound data to said speech synthesizing means.

2. A navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising enlarged view drawing means for making an enlarged illustration of an intersection on the basis of said road map data, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further giving instructions to said enlarged view drawing means to produce enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection, and outputting the produced enlarged view illustration data from said enlarged view drawing means to said image display means.

3. A navigation system as defined in claim 2, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

4. A navigation system as defined in claim 2, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

5. A navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising enlarged view storing means for storing an enlarged illustration of an intersection, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further reading out enlarged illustration data of said first intersection from said enlarged view storing means and output the read enlarged illustration data to said image display means.

6. A navigation system as defined in claim 5, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

7. A navigation system as defined in claim 5, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

8. A navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said inputting means recognizes a voice of a user for inputting data.

9. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

sound storing means for storing guidance information on intersections as sound data;

speech synthesizing means for performing a speech synthesizing process for said sound data to output a sound signal;

voice outputting means for outputting as a voice said sound signal from said speech synthesizing means;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on the drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route, and obtaining a distance from said position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection on the basis of said road map data and further obtaining the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route to read out sound data corresponding to the obtained distance and advancing direction from said sound storing means and output the read sound data to said speech synthesizing means.

10. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, further comprising enlarged view drawing means for making an enlarged illustration of an intersection on the basis of said road map data, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further giving instructions to said enlarged view drawing means to produce enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection, and outputting the produced enlarged view illustration data from said enlarged view drawing means to said image display means.

11. A navigation system as defined in claim 10, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

12. A navigation system as defined in claim 10, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

13. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, further comprising enlarged view storing means for storing an enlarged illustration of an intersection, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further reading out enlarged illustration data of said first intersection from said enlarged view storing means and output the read enlarged illustration data to said image display means.

14. A navigation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

15. A navigation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

16. A navigation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said inputting means recognizes a voice of a user for inputting data.

17. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

sound storing means for storing guidance information on intersections as sound data;

speech synthesizing means for performing a speech synthesizing process for said sound data to output a sound signal;

voice outputting means for outputting as a voice said sound signal from said speech synthesizing means;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on the drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route, and obtaining a distance from said position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection on the basis of said road map data to read out sound data corresponding to the obtained distance from said sound storing means and output the read sound data to said speech synthesizing means.

18. A navigation system as defined in claim 17, further comprising enlarged view drawing means for making an enlarged illustration of an intersection on the basis of said road map data, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further giving instructions to said enlarged view drawing means to produce enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection, and outputting the produced enlarged view illustration data from said enlarged view drawing means to said image display means.

19. A navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

20. A navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

21. A navigation system as defined in claim 17, further comprising enlarged view storing means for storing an enlarged illustration of an intersection, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further reading out enlarged illustration data of said first intersection from said enlarged view storing means and output the read enlarged illustration data to said image display means.

22. A navigation system as defined in claim 21, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

23. A navigation system as defined in claim 21, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

24. A navigation system as defined in claim 17, wherein said inputting means recognizes a voice of a user for inputting data.

25. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

sound storing means for storing guidance information on intersections as sound data;

speech synthesizing means for performing a speech synthesizing process for said sound data to output a sound signal;

voice outputting means for outputting as a voice said sound signal from said speech synthesizing means;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on a drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route to obtain the advancing direction in said first intersection to read out sound data corresponding to the obtained advancing direction from said sound storing means to output the read sound data to said speech synthesizing means.

26. A navigation system as defined in claim 25, further comprising enlarged view drawing means for making an enlarged illustration of an intersection on the basis of said road map data, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further giving instructions to said enlarged view drawing means to produce enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection, and outputting the produced enlarged view illustration data from said enlarged view drawing means to said image display means.

27. A navigation system as defined in claim 26, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

28. A navigation system as defined in claim 26, wherein said enlarged view illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

29. A navigation system as defined in claim 25, further comprising enlarged view storing means for storing an enlarged illustration of an intersection, said control means outputting said sound data from said sound storing means to said speech synthesizing means and further reading out enlarged illustration data of said first intersection from said enlarged view storing means and output the read enlarged illustration data to said image display means.

30. A navigation system as defined in claim 29, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

31. A navigation system as defined in claim 29, wherein said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes an advancing direction in said first intersection.

32. A navigation system as defined in claim 25, wherein said inputting means recognizes a voice of a user for inputting data.

33. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

enlarged view drawing means for producing enlarged illustration data of an intersection on the basis of said road map data;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on the drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route and for giving instructions to said enlarged view drawing means to produce enlarged illustration data of said first intersection, and further for outputting the produced enlarged illustration data from said enlarged view drawing means to said image display means.

34. A navigation system as defined in claim 33, wherein said control means obtains a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection on the basis of said road map data, and said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes said distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

35. A navigation system as defined in claim 33, wherein said control means obtains the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route, and said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a course from said first intersection.

36. A navigation system as defined in claim 33, wherein said inputting means inputs data by recognizing a voice of the user.

37. A navigation system comprising:

position measuring means for measuring a position of a motor vehicle;

map storing means for storing road map data;

image display means for indicating an image signal including said road map data;

enlarged view storing means for storing enlarged illustration data of an intersection;

inputting means for inputting various kinds of data from a user;

route setting means for setting a drive route on said road map data on the basis of starting point information and destination information inputted through said inputting means;

route storing means for storing said drive route set by said route setting means; and

control means for, when from said inputting means demanding output of guidance information on a first intersection on a drive route for next change of its advancing direction while said motor vehicle is running according to said drive route stored in said route storing means, retrieving said first intersection on the basis of said drive route and for reading out enlarged illustration data of said first intersection from said enlarged view storing means to output the read enlarged illustration data to said image display means.

38. A navigation system as defined in claim 37, wherein said control means obtains a distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection on the basis of said road map data, and said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes said distance from the position of said motor vehicle to said first intersection.

39. A navigation system as defined in claim 37, wherein said control means obtains the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route, and said enlarged illustration data of said first intersection includes a course from said first intersection.

40. A navigation system as defined in claim 37, wherein said inputting means inputs data by recognizing a voice of the user.

41. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of calculating a distance from the position of said motor vehicle obtained in the second step from the position of said first intersection obtained in the third step;

a fifth step of obtaining the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route; and

a sixth step of outputting as a voice the distance from the position of said motor vehicle to the position of said first intersection obtained in the fourth step and the advancing direction in first intersection obtained in the fifth step.

42. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of calculating a distance from the position of said motor vehicle obtained in the second step from the position of said first intersection obtained in the third step; and

a fifth step of outputting as a voice the distance from the position of said motor vehicle to the position of said first intersection obtained in the fourth step.

43. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of obtaining the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route; and

a fifth step of outputting as a voice the advancing direction in said first intersection obtained in the fourth step.

44. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of calculating a distance from the position of said motor vehicle obtained in the second step to the position of said first intersection obtained in the third step;

a fifth step of obtaining the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route; and

a sixth step of outputting an enlarged illustration of said first intersection including the distance from the position of said motor vehicle to the position of said first intersection obtained in the fourth step and the advancing direction in said first intersection obtained in the fifth step.

45. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of calculating a distance from the position of said motor vehicle obtained in the second step to the position of said first intersection obtained in the third step; and

a fifth step of outputting an enlarged illustration of said first intersection including the distance from the position of said motor vehicle to the position of said first intersection obtained in the fourth step.

46. An intersection guidance method which displays a measured position of a motor vehicle on road map data and outputs guidance information on an intersection when said motor vehicle runs according to a set drive route, said method comprising:

a first step of checking whether or not there is a demand of output of guidance information on a first intersection on said drive route at which said motor vehicle next changes its advancing direction;

a second step of obtaining information on a position of said motor vehicle;

a third step of obtaining information on a position of said first intersection;

a fourth step of obtaining the advancing direction in said first intersection on the basis of said drive route; and

a fifth step of outputting an enlarged illustration of said first intersection including the advancing direction in said first intersection obtained in the fourth step.