Speech recognition system for car navigation and microphone

• US 6,778,963 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikezawa, Satoko, Takahashi, Yoshikazu, Yamamoto, Toru, Akabane, Makoto, Yamamoto, Eiji, Ohkubo, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Abebe, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/859,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 381/86, 381/365
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers

Abstract

An in-vehicle device which is capable of performing control by means of speech recognition includes a monitor for displaying map and other information and a speech input microphone connected to the monitor.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device capable of being controlled by speech recognition, comprising:

a monitor for displaying map information and other information; and

a plurality of microphones wherein said plurality of microphones are mounted directly on said monitor;

wherein the orientation of said plurality of microphones is realized by applying a predetermined delay to each of said plurality of microphones to alter a directivity axis, to apply a sound-source estimating method.

2. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of microphones are attachable and detachable to said monitor.

3. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of microphones are mounted directly to said monitor so that the orientation of said plurality of microphones are horizontally or vertically adjustable and rotatable.

4. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, further comprising electric noise-reducing means for reducing noise input from said plurality of microphones.

5. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined delay is adjusted to alter said directivity axis, and a preferred orientation of said plurality of microphones is selected so that the highest speech output level from a plurality of speech output levels is obtained.

6. A monitor device comprising:

a monitor main body for displaying map information and other information;

a plurality of speech input microphones for inputting speech and noise; and

a plurality of noise input microphones for inputting noise;

wherein said plurality of speech input microphones are provided on the front face of said monitor main body;

wherein said plurality of noise input microphones are provided on the rear face of said monitor main body; and

wherein said plurality of speech input microphones and said plurality of noise input microphones are integrated within said monitor; and

wherein the orientation of said plurality of microphones is realized by applying a predetermined delay to each of said plurality of microphones to alter a directivity axis, to apply a sound-source estimating method.

7. The monitor device according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined delay is adjusted to alter said directivity axis, and a preferred orientation of said plurality of microphones is selected so that the highest speech output level from a plurality of speech output levels is obtained.

8. An in-vehicle device capable of being controlled by speech recognition, comprising:

a monitor for displaying map information and other information; and

a plurality of microphones wherein said plurality of microphones are integrated within said monitor;

wherein the orientation of said plurality of microphones is realized by applying a predetermined delay to each of said plurality of microphones to alter a directivity axis, to apply a sound-source estimating method.

9. The in-vehicle device according to claim 8, further comprising electric noise-reducing means for reducing noise input from said plurality of microphones.

10. The in-vehicle device according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined delay is adjusted to alter said directivity axis, and a preferred orientation of said plurality of microphones is selected so that the highest speech output level from a plurality of speech output levels is obtained.