Navigation system

• US 5,950,161 A
• Filed: 06/04/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kozuma, Makoto, Zenmyo, Keiich, Mitsunaga, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Application Number:
  US08/658,134
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.69, 704/260, 704/270, 704/275, 704/272, 704/258, 704/278
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information

Abstract

A multiplexed-information receiving apparatus and a navigation system for converting character information as received into speech information for presentation of the information in a voice. The multiplexed-information receiving apparatus includes a receiver-unit for receiving character-multiplexed information, a demultiplexing unit for demultiplexing the character-multiplexed information received by the receiver unit, a speech synthesizing unit for converting character information outputted from the demultiplexing unit into speech information, and a speech output unit for outputting the speech information in a voice signal.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

(a) a multiplexed-information receiving apparatus comprising;

receiving means for receiving multiplexed information including (i) character information concerning a road traffic state to be displayed in said navigation system and (ii) first speech information;

demultiplexing means for demultiplexing said multiplexed information received by said receiving means to separate and output the first speech information and the character information;

speech synthesizing means for converting the character information outputted from said demultiplexing means into second speech information;

speech output means for outputting the first speech information and said second speech information in a voice signal; and

voice volume control means for controlling voice volume of the first speech information and the second speech information, wherein said voice volume control means controls said first speech information and said second speech information so that they are output to said speech output means with respective voice volume levels differing from each other;

(b) system position determining means for determining a system position at which said navigation system is currently located;

(c) storage means for storing map information; and

(d) display means for providing a display of the system position determined by said system position determining means together with said map information so that said system position is contained within said map information in said display, and

wherein said display means displays additionally the character information outputted from said demultiplexing means.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising speech information selecting means for selecting either one of said first speech information or said second speech information to be outputted to said speech output means.