Voice guidance switching device and method

• US 6,529,825 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Mega, Susumu, Nishikawa, Masato, Kunimatsu, Yoshimasa, Nagasaka, Chikao
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US09/962,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 707/211, 707/209, 707/201, 707/210, 707/1, 707/36, 707/23, 707/28, 707/202, 707/79, 707/74, 345/764, 348/148, 348/135, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/996, 340/692, 340/5.62, 455/517, 455/414, 455/507, 455/158.4, 455/186.1, 455/186.2, 455/90, 455/128, 455/345, 180/167, 180/168, 180/271
• US Class Current: 701/211
• 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

Abstract

A voice guidance switching device for use in a car navigation device. When a navigation control section receives a signal from one of a controller and a controller, the navigation control section determines whether the signal is a first signal or a second signal. When the signal is determined to be the first signal, the navigation control section reads a voice guidance switching program from a storage medium and determines whether the signal has been transmitted from the controller or from the controller. The navigation control section also determines whether or not the vehicle is travelling at the time on the basis of a signal from a speed sensor, and then switches a voice guidance generating program between an operable state and an inoperable state on the basis of these determination results.

Claims

1. A voice guidance switching device comprising:

a voice guidance generator for generating a voice in response to a function of a specific device in a vehicle interior, with the voice guidance generator being connected to the specific device;

a first operating device for operating the specific device by predetermined operations, with the first operating device being disposed at a location at which the first operating device can be operated by an occupant seated in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle;

a second operating device for operating the specific device by operations corresponding to the predetermined operations, with the second operating device being disposed at a location at which an occupant seated in a seat other than the driver'"'"'s seat can operate the second operating device; and

a switching means for receiving a signal transmitted from one of the first operating device and the second operating device, determining whether the signal is transmitted from the first operating device or the second operating device, and switching the voice guidance generator to an operable state when it is determined that the signal is transmitted from the first operating device.

2. The voice guidance switching device of claim 1, further comprising a determination device for determining whether the second operating device has been operated from the driver'"'"'s seat or a seat other than the driver'"'"'s seat, with the determination device being disposed in correspondence with the second operating device, wherein the second operating device is disposed at a location at which the second operating device can be operated from the driver'"'"'s seat and a seat other than the driver'"'"'s seat.

3. The voice guidance switching device of claim 2, further comprising a speed detector for detecting vehicle speed and generating a speed signal corresponding to the vehicle speed, wherein the speed detector is one of directly and indirectly connected to the switching device, and the switching device switches the voice guidance generator between the operable state and the inoperable state on the basis of the speed signal.

4. The voice guidance switching device of claim 2, wherein the switching device switches the voice guidance generator between the operable state and the inoperable state on the basis of whether duration of an operation performed at one of the first operating device and the second operating device is equal to or exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

5. The voice guidance switching device of claim 4, wherein the voice guidance generator generates a voice for a function, among a plurality of functions of the specific device, selected by operation of one of the first operating device and the second operating device.

6. The voice guidance switching device of claim 4, wherein the specific device comprises:

a monitor having a screen, with the monitor outputting predetermined images on the screen; and

a controller for outputting to the monitor screen one to a plurality of selections and selecting one to a plurality of the selections on the basis of a signal transmitted from one of the first operating device and the second operating device;

wherein the voice guidance generator generates a voice for the selection selected on the basis of the signal transmitted from one of the first operating device and the second operating device.

7. A system for providing voice guidance in a vehicle, the system comprising:

(a) information control apparatus mountable in the vehicle for providing information when operated, the information control apparatus including a data storage arrangement comprising a storage medium storing data and information, with the data storage arrangement being accessible by the information control apparatus for reading stored data and information;

(b) first and second controllers mountable in the vehicle operable for user input to the information control apparatus, wherein when operated, the first and second controllers transmit signals to the information control apparatus corresponding to user input to the controllers; and

(c) software installed in the information control apparatus, the software when operated on the information control apparatus, causing the information control apparatus to perform processing that includes;

(i) accepting signals transmitted from the controllers;

(ii) determining from which controller a signal is received; and

(iii) enabling voice guidance functions if it is determined that the received signal is from a predetermined one of the controllers,

wherein the processing further includes generating voice guidance audio output for a function selected by user input via one of the controllers for performance by the information control apparatus.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an image sensor operable for producing image data corresponding to electromagnetic radiation received by the sensor, the image sensor being disposed in the vehicle at a location for receiving electromagnetic radiation from an area including one of the controllers, and when the image sensor is operated, provides image data to the information control apparatus, wherein the information control apparatus processing further includes determining, based on the image data received, whether a signal received from a controller is due to user input from a user seated in a position for driving or seated in a position other than for driving.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a speed sensor which when operated produces a speed signal corresponding to vehicle speed, and provides the speed signal directly or indirectly to the information control apparatus, and the information control apparatus processing further includes enabling or disabling voice guidance functions based on speed signal data.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the information control apparatus processing further includes enabling or disabling voice guidance functions based on duration of a operation performed on one of the controllers.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the information control apparatus includes a display, and the processing includes outputting display data that is shown on the display as a plurality of functions for selection by a user via either of the controllers.

12. A voice guidance switching method for application to operations of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from one of at least two types of devices, and determining from which device the signal is transmitted; and

switching a voice guidance generator to an operable state in response to the signal when the signal is determined to be transmitted from a predetermined device of the at least two types of devices,

wherein the predetermined device is a speed detector, and the step of switching the voice guidance generator to the operable state is performed on the basis of a speed signal transmitted from the speed detector, with the speed signal corresponding to vehicle speed.

13. The voice guidance switching method of claim 12, further comprising a step wherein the voice guidance generator is switched between the operable state and an inoperable state on the basis of whether duration of an operation performed at one of the at least two types of devices is equal to or exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

14. The voice guidance switching method of claim 12, further comprising a step wherein the voice guidance switching device generates a voice for a vehicular function selected by operation of one of the at least two types of devices.

15. The voice guidance switching method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one selectable function on a monitor installed in a vehicle; and

selecting, by operation of one of the at least two kinds of devices, a function from the at least one selectable function displayed.

16. The voice guidance switching method of claim 12, further comprising a step wherein the voice guidance generator is switched between the operable state and an inoperable state on the basis of whether duration of an operation performed at one of the at least two types of devices is equal to or exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

17. The voice guidance switching method of claim 12, further comprising a step wherein the voice guidance switching device generates a voice for a vehicular function selected by operation of one of the at least two types of devices.

18. The voice guidance switching method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one selectable function on a monitor installed in a vehicle; and

selecting, by operation of one of the at least two kinds of devices, a function from the at least one selectable function displayed.