Voice guidance device and navigation device with the same

• US 7,805,306 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Mitsui, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil; Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): He; Jialong
• Application Number:
  US11/183,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 704/258, 704/260, 704/275, 704/268, 704/270
• US Class Current: 704/258
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/065 Aids for the handicapped in understanding

Abstract

For a voice guidance phrase, multiple voice data items having individually different voice ranges or frequencies are previously stored in a memory. A voice mixing unit chooses to mix three voice data items among the stored voice data items and thereby produces a mixed voice data item. A voice outputting unit converts the mixed voice data item into a voice and then vocalizes a voice guidance phrase via a speaker. A voice measuring unit measures a characteristic of a frequency, a volume, or a pronunciation speed with respect to a response voice responding to the outputted voice guidance phrase. A voice mixing unit produces a mixed voice data item having a characteristic similar to the measured characteristic and outputs it.

Claims

1. A voice guidance device comprising:

a storing unit that stores a plurality of voice data items for each of a plurality of voice guidance phrases, wherein each of the plurality of voice data items for a specific voice guidance phrase includes the specific voice guidance phrase at a different frequency;

a voice mixing unit that mixes at least two voice data items from a first voice guidance phrase of the plurality of guidance phrases to thereby produce a first mixed voice data item of the first voice guidance phrase;

a voice outputting unit that outputs and sounds only the first voice guidance phrase using a first mixed voice based on the first mixed voice data item;

a voice detecting unit that detects a response voice uttered by a user responding to the outputted first voice guidance phrase using the first mixed voice; and

a voice measuring unit that measures a frequency with respect to the detected response voice;

the voice mixing unit producing a second mixed voice data item by mixing at least two voice data items of a second voice guidance phrase from the plurality of voice guidance phrases, different than the first voice guidance phrase and different from the detected response, the second mixed voice data item having the characteristic of the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice detected after the first mixed voice was sounded;

the voice outputting unit further outputting and sounding only the second voice guidance phrase using a second mixed voice based on the second mixed voice data item in response to the response voice, the second voice guidance phrase approximating the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice in order to assist the user to hear and understand the second voice guidance phrase.

2. The voice guidance device of claim 1,

wherein the voice mixing unit mixes three voice data items for the first voice guidance phrase,

wherein the three voice data items individually correspond to a low range voice, a medium range voice, and a high range voice, and

wherein the low range voice, the medium range voice, and the high range voice form a harmonic sound.

3. The voice guidance device of claim 1,

wherein the voice mixing unit mixes three voice data items for the first voice guidance phrase, a frequency ratio of which is 1:

2;

4, to thereby produce the mixed voice data.

4. The voice guidance device of claim 1,

wherein the voice mixing three voice data items for the first voice guidance phrase, a frequency ratio of which is 1:

1.5;

2, to thereby produce the mixed voice data.

5. The voice guidance device of claim 1,

wherein the voice mixing unit produces the second mixed voice data item so that a voice volume of the second mixed voice increases as time elapses.

6. The voice guidance device of claim 1,

wherein the voice mixing unit determines a mixing ratio of the at least two voice data items based on the frequency, to thereby produce the second mixed voice data item.

7. A navigation device including the voice guidance device according to claim 1.

8. A voice guidance device comprising:

a storing unit that stores a plurality of stored voice data items for each of a plurality of voice guidance phrases, each of the plurality of voice data items for a specific voice guidance phrase including the specific voice guidance phrase at a different frequency;

a voice producing unit that produces at least one produced voice data item for each of the plurality of voice guidance phrases from the plurality of stored voice data items using voice synthesis, wherein each of the plurality of stored voice data items and the at least one produced voice data item of a first voice guidance phrase of the plurality of voice guidance phrases has a different frequency;

a voice mixing unit that mixes at least two voice data items from the first voice guidance phrase to thereby produce a first mixed voice data item of the first voice guidance phrase;

a voice outputting unit that outputs and sounds only the first voice guidance phrase using a first mixed voice for the first voice guidance phrase based on the first mixed voice data item;

a voice detecting unit that detects a response voice responding to the outputted first voice guidance phrase using the first mixed voice; and

a voice measuring unit that measures a frequency with respect to the detected response voice;

the voice mixing unit producing a second mixed voice data item by mixing at least two voice data items of a second voice guidance phrase of the plurality of voice guidance phrases, different than the first voice guidance phrase and different from the detected response, the second mixed voice data item having the characteristic of the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice detected after the first mixed voice was sounded;

the voice outputting unit further outputting and sounding only the second voice guidance phrase using a second mixed voice based on the second mixed voice data item in response to the response voice, the second voice guidance phrase approximating the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice.

9. The voice guidance device of claim 8,

wherein the voice mixing unit mixes three voice data items of the stored plurality of voice data items and the produced at least one voice data item for the first voice guidance phrase,

wherein the three voice data items individually correspond to a low range voice, a medium range voice, and a high range voice, and

wherein the low range voice, the medium range voice, and the high range voice form a harmonic sound.

10. The voice guidance device of claim 8,

wherein the voice mixing unit mixes three voice data items for the first voice guidance phrase, a frequency ratio of which is 1:

2;

4, to thereby produce the mixed voice data.

11. The voice guidance device of claim 8, wherein the voice mixing unit mixes three voice data items for the first voice guidance phrase, a frequency ratio of which is 1:

1.5;

2, to thereby produce the mixed voice data.

12. The voice guidance device of claim 8,

wherein the voice mixing unit produces the second mixed voice data item so that a voice volume of the second mixed voice increases as time elapses.

13. The voice guidance device of claim 8,

wherein the voice mixing unit determines a mixing ratio of the at least two voice data items based on the frequency, to thereby produce the second mixed voice data item.

14. A navigation device including the voice guidance device according to claim 8.

15. A voice guidance method comprising steps of:

obtaining a plurality of voice data items for each of a plurality of voice guidance phrases, wherein each of the plurality of voice data items for a specific voice guidance phrase includes the specific voice guidance phrase at a different frequency and at least one of the plurality of voice data items is read from a memory and others of the plurality of voice data items are synthesized from the voice data item read from the memory;

producing a first mixed voice data item by mixing at least two voice data items from a first voice guidance phrase selected from the plurality of voice guidance phrases;

outputting and sounding the first guidance phrase using a first mixed voice for the first voice guidance phrase based on the first mixed voice data item;

detecting a response voice uttered by a user responding to the outputted first guidance phrase using the first mixed voice;

measuring a frequency with respect to the detected response voice;

producing a second voice data item by mixing at least two voice data items for a second voice guidance phrase of the plurality of guidance phrases, different than the first voice guidance phrase and different from the detected response, the second mixed voice data item having the characteristic of the frequency that is measured with response to the response voice detected after the first mixed voice was sounded; and

outputting and sounding only the second voice guidance phrase using a second mixed voice based on the second mixed voice data item in response to the response voice, the second voice guidance phrase approximating the frequency that is measured with respect to the response voice in order to assist the user to hear and understand the second voice guidance phrase.

16. The voice guidance method of claim 15, further comprising:

producing a second voice data item for the second voice guidance phrase, wherein the second voice data item has the frequency that is measured with respect to the response voice.

17. A voice guidance device comprising:

a storing unit that stores a plurality of voice data items for each of a plurality of voice guidance phrases each of the plurality of voice path items for a specific voice guidance phrase includes the voice guidance phrase at a different frequency;

an obtaining unit that obtains a plurality of voice data items for each of the plurality of voice guidance phrases, wherein each of the plurality of voice data items for each voice guidance phrase has a different frequency, wherein at least one of the plurality of voice data items is read from the storing unit and others of the plurality of voice data items are synthesized from the at least one of the plurality of voice data items read from the storing unit;

a voice mixing unit that mixes at least two voice data items for a first voice guidance phrase of the plurality of voice guidance phrases to thereby produce a first mixed voice data item;

a voice outputting unit that outputs and sounds only the first guidance phrase using a first mixed voice for the voice guidance phrase based on the first mixed voice data item;

a voice detecting unit that detects a response voice uttered by a user responding to the outputted first guidance phrase using the first mixed voice; and

a voice measuring unit that measures a frequency with respect to the detected response voice;

the voice mixing unit producing a second mixed voice data item by mixing at least two voice data items for a second voice guidance phrase of the plurality of voice guidance phrases, different than the first voice guidance phrase and different from the detected response, the second mixed voice data item having the characteristic of the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice detected after the first mixed voice was sounded;

the voice outputting unit further outputting and sounding the second voice guidance phrase using a new mixed voice based on the new mixed voice data item in response to the response voice, the second voice guidance phrase approximating the frequency that is measured by the voice measuring unit with respect to the response voice in order to assist the user to hear and understand the second voice guidance phrase.