Method and device for interfacing a driver information system using a voice portal server

• US 6,721,633 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Funk, Karsten, Kynast, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/087,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207-213, 701/200, 701/201, 701/1, 342/357.1, 342/357.08, 455/456
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• 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: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

System for interfacing a device onboard a vehicle and a voice portal server external to the vehicle including a voice communicator and a data communicator situated in the vehicle. The onboard device communicates electronically with the voice communicator and/or the data communicator which in turn are able to communicate wirelessly with a base station. The base station communicates electronically with the voice portal server. A method of providing information to an occupant of a vehicle includes providing a voice communicator, a data communicator, an onboard device, a base station, and a voice portal server. The voice portal server communicates electronically with the base station, the base station communicates wirelessly with the voice communicator and/or the data communicator, and the onboard device communicates electronically with the voice communicator and/or the data communicator. The occupant communicates a request for information via the voice communicator and via the base station to the voice portal server. The voice portal server communicates an information match via the base station and via the data communicator and/or the voice communicator. A vehicle navigation apparatus including a voice communicator, a data communicator, and an onboard device situated in a vehicle. The onboard device is electrically coupled to the voice communicator and the data communicator and communicates wirelessly with a base station which electronically communicates with a voice portal server to provide information to the occupant of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a voice communicator situated in a vehicle;

a data communicator situated in the vehicle;

an onboard device situated in the vehicle and being adapted to communicate electronically with at least one of the voice communicator and the data communicator;

a base station being adapted to communicate wirelessly with at least one of the voice communicator and the data communicator; and

a voice portal server being adapted to communicate electronically with the base station;

wherein the onboard device recognizes a function command communication verbally by an occupant, the function command corresponding to an onboard function of the onboard device;

wherein the onboard device actuates the onboard function in accord with the function command; and

wherein the onboard device distinguishes between the funtion command and a request, the request communicated verbally by the occupant and corresponding to an offboard function.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the onboard device communicates the request via the voice communicator and via the base station to the voice portal server; and

the voice portal server recognizes the request and at least one of(a) communicates audible information via the base station and via the voice communicator to the occupant, and (b) communicates electronic information via the base station and via the data communicator to the onboard device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the voice communicator communicates a request from the occupant of the vehicle to the voice portal server; and

the voice portal server provides information to at least one of the occupant and the onboard device, the information corresponding to the request.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information is provided to the occupant via the voice communicator.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the information is provided to the onboard device via the data communicator.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the onboard device communicates at least one of a vehicle system status and a vehicle position to the voice portal server via the data communicator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the onboard device communicates the vehicle system status to the voice portal server; and

the voice portal server at least one of determines at least one suggested action step and begins a dialogue with the occupant.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the voice portal server determines the at least one suggested action step; and

the voice portal server communicates the at least one suggested action step to at least one of (a) the occupant via the voice communicator and (b) the onboard device via the data communicator.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one suggested action step is at least one of a service station stop, a gas station stop, and a dealer visit.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the voice portal server begins the dialogue with the occupant via the voice communicator, the dialogue for reducing a plurality of possible information matches corresponding to the request to one possible information match.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the voice portal server communicates the one possible information match to at least one of (a) the occupant via the voice communicator and (b) the onboard device via the data communicator.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the onboard device communicates the vehicle position to the voice portal server and the voice portal server uses the vehicle position to reduce a number of possible information matches corresponding to the request.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the voice portal server reduces the number of possible information matches corresponding to the request by eliminating each possible information match where a distance between a physical location associated with each possible information match and the vehicle position is greater than a predetermined maximum distance.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined maximum distance is determined by a response from the occupant to an interrogatory from the voice portal server communicated via the voice communicator.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard device includes at least one of a navigation system, an information system, and a music system.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker for communicating electronically with the onboard device, the speaker creating sound pressure waves that correspond to prompts from the voice portal server to the occupant of the vehicle; and

a microphone for communicating electronically with the onboard device, the microphone sensing sound pressure waves that correspond to responses from the occupant to the voice portal server.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a hands-free kit for communicating with the onboard device;

wherein

the hands-free kit connects the voice communicator to at least one of the speaker and the microphone when the hands-free kit is connected to the onboard device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the hands-free kit is electrically connected to the onboard device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the speaker is part of a vehicle sound system.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein:

an occupant of the vehicle communicates the request via the voice communicator and the base station to the voice portal server; and

the voice portal server recognizes the request and determines at least one information match.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one information match includes a plurality of information matches; and

the voice portal server prompts the occupant with at least one interrogatory via the voice communicator; and

the at least one interrogatory reduces a number of the plurality of information matches to at least one of a single information match and a smaller plurality of information matches.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the voice portal server communicates the at least one information match via the base station and via the data communicator to the onboard device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the voice portal server communicates the at least one information match via the base station and via the voice communicator to the occupant.

19. The system of claim 19, wherein the hands-free kit communicates wirelessly with the onboard device.

25. A method of providing information to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a voice communicator;

providing a data communicator;

providing an onboard device, the onboard device communicating electronically with at least one of the voice communicator and the data communicator;

providing a base station, the base station communicating wirelessly with at least one of the voice communicator and the data communicator;

providing a voice portal server, the voice portal server communicating electronically with the base station; and

communicating verbally by the occupant at least one of (a) a request for information via the voice communicator and via the base station to the voice portal server and (b) a function command to the onboard device; and

distinguishing by the onboard device between the request for information and the function command.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the occupant communicates the function command, and further comprising:

recognizing by the onboard device the function command, the function command corresponding to an onboard function of the onboard device; and

actuating by the onboard device the onboard function in accord with the function command.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the occupant communicates the request for information, further comprising:

communicating an information match by the voice portal server via the base station and via at least one of (a) the data communicator to the onboard device and (b) the voice communicator to the occupant.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the communicating an information match by the voice portal server via the base station is via the data communicator to the onboard device.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the communicating an information match by the voice portal server via the base station is via the voice communicator to the occupant.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising responding by the occupant to at least one interrogatory communicated by the voice portal server via the voice communicator, the at least one interrogatory for reducing a set of at least two information matches to one information match, the one information match corresponding to the request for information.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising communicating by the onboard device to the voice portal server via the data communicator at least one of a current location of a vehicle and a current status of a vehicle system.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving by the voice portal server the current location of the vehicle from the onboard device;

wherein the request for information is a request for a destination location; and

wherein the voice portal server reduces a set of at least two possible destination locations based on a distance between the current location of the vehicle and each of the at least two possible destination locations by eliminating each of the at least two possible destination locations where a distance between the current location and each of the at least two possible destination locations is greater than a predetermined maximum distance.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising determining the predetermined maximum distance by a response from the occupant to an interrogatory from the voice portal server communicated via the voice communicator.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving by the voice portal server the current status of a vehicle system from the onboard device, wherein the request for information is a request for a vehicle status check; and

determining a vehicle manufacturer'"'"'s suggested course of action, wherein the vehicle manufacturer'"'"'s suggested course of action is the information match.

35. A vehicle electronic apparatus comprising:

a voice communicator situated in a vehicle;

a data communicator situated in the vehicle; and

an onboard device situated in the vehicle, the onboard device electrically coupled to the voice communicator and the data communicator;

wherein the voice communicator and the data communicator are able to communicate with a base station;

wherein the base station is able to communicate with a voice portal server;

wherein the base station and the voice portal server are external to the vehicle;

wherein the onboard device recognizes at least one function command communicated verbally by an occupant, the at least one function command corresponding to at least one onboard function of the onboard device; and

wherein the onboard device distinguishes between the at least one function command and a request, the request communicated verbally by the occupant and corresponding to at least one offboard function.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein

the onboard device actuates the at least one onboard function in accord with the at least one function command.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the onboard device communicates the request via the voice communicator and via the base station to the voice portal server; and

the voice portal server recognizes the request and at least one of(a) communicates audible information via the base station and via the voice communicator to the occupant, and (b) communicates electronic information via the base station and via the data communicator to the onboard device.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the voice communicator and the data communicator are integrated in a communication device.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the voice communicator and the data communicator are separate communication devices.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the request includes a request for information;

the occupant of the vehicle communicates the request for information to the voice portal server via the voice communicator; and

the voice portal server provides an information match via the data communicator to the onboard device, the information match corresponding to the request for information.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the onboard device provides a current location to the voice portal server;

the request for information includes a destination request; and

the voice portal server uses the current location to reduce a number of possible matches for the destination request by eliminating each possible match where a distance between the current location and each location associated with each possible match for the destination request is greater than a predetermined maximum distance.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the predetermined maximum distance is determined by a response from the occupant to an interrogatory from the voice portal server communicated via the voice communicator.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the voice communicator includes a mobile telephone.

44. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the request includes a request for information;

the occupant of the vehicle communicates the request for information to the voice portal server via the voice communicator; and

the voice portal server provides an information match via the data communicator to the onboard device, the information match corresponding to the request for information.

45. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the voice communicator includes a mobile telephone.

46. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein:

the request includes a request for information;

the occupant of the vehicle communicates the request for information to a voice portal server via the voice communicator; and

the voice portal server creates a set of at least one information match from the request for information match corresponding to the request for information.