JP3582159B2 - In-vehicle map display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a map display device having a voice recognition function, which is suitably applied to an in-vehicle navigation device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an in-vehicle navigation device having a voice recognition function has been developed.
[0003]
In the in-vehicle navigation device equipped with the voice recognition function, the operator inputs the name of the current location, the name of the destination, and the name of the facility, etc., without using a hand, thereby enabling the map information of the current location, the destination, and the like to be input. This can be displayed on the display means, which is extremely preferable for safe driving.
[0004]
However, this speech recognition has a drawback that the processing speed decreases because the amount of data to be compared with the input speech increases as the vocabulary to be recognized increases, and furthermore, the number of conflict candidate words increases. There was also a problem that the speech recognition rate was reduced.
[0005]
Therefore, for example, in the in-vehicle map display device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 3-257485, the vocabulary to be recognized is limited to only the place names displayed on the display screen, thereby preventing the processing speed from lowering. Improves voice recognition rate.
[0006]
In the map display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-175478, there is provided a voice data storage means for storing words to be recognized by the voice recognition means for each display area. The supplied voice data is changed to another area in accordance with the change of the display area, so that the speech recognition target word is in the corresponding area.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the recognition target words are limited to the place names displayed on the screen of the display device as in the above-described related art, it becomes impossible to perform a map operation and an information search for an area not displayed on the screen. There are inconveniences.
[0008]
In view of the above circumstances, the present invention minimizes the number of vocabulary words to be recognized, prevents a reduction in processing speed, and increases a voice recognition rate while performing map operation and information processing on an area that is not displayed on the screen. It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle map display device capable of searching.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided an on-vehicle map display device, comprising: a map information storage unit for storing map information; and a voice feature for storing voice characteristics of a place name information group stored in the map information storage unit. Storage means; voice recognition means for recognizing features of the input voice required for map display by comparing voice features extracted from the input voice with voice features stored in the voice feature storage means; Map display means for reading and displaying map information corresponding to the voice feature from the map information storage means,
The recognition target word determining means is
The recognition target word is predicted from the preset vehicle traveling route or the current vehicle traveling state outside the area displayed on the display means, in addition to the place name in the map information displayed on the display means. Limited to the place name of the vehicle travel area, decided
Furthermore, based on the vehicle travel information, the recognition target words are determined by limiting only the place names of the area related to the vehicle travel,
When the vehicle is running on a motorway, the recognition target word is determined to be limited to a place name of a detailed area in the vicinity of an interchange near the current position ahead of the traveling direction .
[0010]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the area where the driver is expected to travel in the future from the driving state of the vehicle, the recommended route, etc., that is, the area where the driver needs information depending on the situation at that time is estimated, and within this area Since the place names are used as words to be recognized, the number of words to be recognized can be suppressed to a minimum, processing speed can be prevented, and a map of a distant area that is not displayed on the screen while increasing the voice recognition rate can be prevented. There is an advantage that operation and information retrieval become possible.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an entire configuration of a navigation device to which the map display device of the embodiment is applied.
[0012]
The navigation device shown in FIG. 1 includes a map database 1 (map information storage unit) for storing map information, and a voice feature database 2 (voice feature storage unit) for storing voice features of a group of place name information stored in the map database 1. ) And a speech recognition unit 4 that compares a speech feature extracted from a speech input from a microphone 3 as speech input means with a speech feature stored in a speech feature database 2 to recognize features of the input speech necessary for map display. (Voice recognition means), a route guidance device 6 for reading map information corresponding to the voice feature recognized by the voice recognition unit 4 from the map database 1 and displaying the map information on a screen of a display device 5, and a recognition target word determination unit 7 (Recognition target word determination means), a vehicle position detection device 8 including a GPS antenna, a vehicle speed sensor, a gyro, etc., and a driver And an audio output device 9 to provide a guide to, and necessary instructions to the driver.
[0013]
In this case, the route guidance device 6 has a function of searching for a recommended route to the destination set by the driver and displaying this on the screen of the display device 5. Further, the route guidance device 6 has a function of transmitting the current location data, the route data, and the road attribute data to the recognition target word determination unit 7, and the recognition target word determination unit 7 outputs a voice based on these data. The recognition target words are determined by limiting only to place name information related to only a vehicle traveling area predicted from a preset vehicle traveling route or the current vehicle traveling state, and the determined recognition target word data is determined by a voice recognition unit. 4 is transmitted.
[0014]
The map database 1 stores, in addition to map data, voice recognition data of place names in association with latitude and longitude. In addition to the latitude and longitude, the current location data includes vehicle speed, heading data, and the link ID of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. Further, the road attribute data is information on the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling. This is data on attributes (exclusive roads, national roads, prefectural roads, etc.).
[0015]
The manner in which the recognition target words are limited by the recognition target word determination unit 7 is roughly classified as follows.
[0016]
(1) Recognition target words in consideration of the running state of the vehicle The recognition target words are limited in consideration of the current location data (latitude, longitude, traveling direction, running route, etc.) obtained from the route guidance device 6.
[0017]
1-a) Search in detail along the current route.
[0018]
1-b) While driving on a motorway (highway), search in detail around the interchange near the current location ahead of the direction of travel.
[0019]
1-c) Search forward in the traveling direction.
[0020]
(2) If the limited driver of the recognition target word in consideration of the recommended route sets a destination and runs on the recommended route searched by the route guidance device 6 to the destination, the position of the destination and the recommendation The recognition target words are limited in consideration of the route.
[0021]
2-a) Search the current location and destination area in detail. If the recommended route includes an automobile-only road, the vicinity of the interchange descending from the automobile-only road to a general road is also searched in detail.
[0022]
2-b) Search in detail for recommended route.
[0023]
(3) Use of keywords other than place names The keywords to be recognized are limited by simultaneously recognizing keywords other than place names.
[0024]
3-a) When keywords such as "ski resort" and "golf course" are recognized, the place names recorded in the ski resort list and golf course list in the map database 1 are added as recognition target words, and recognition processing is performed again. , It is possible to recognize the name of a distant facility.
[0025]
3-b) Limit the names of distant places to those with a high degree of place name. In this case, since detailed position designation is impossible, words indicating relative positions such as “west” and “above” are determined from the place names and words indicating relative positions in addition to the recognition target words.
[0026]
Next, of the contents of the processing executed by the route guidance device 6 in FIG. 1, the part related to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts in FIG. 2 and FIG. Note that S represents each step.
[0027]
First, as shown in S1 to S3 in FIG. 2, the travel distance threshold value is initialized, the distance counter is set to 0, and the update of the current position data is awaited. Next, a distance counter is added in accordance with the vehicle speed (S4), and it is checked whether or not the value of the distance counter has exceeded a predetermined threshold value (S5). If the value of the distance counter is not equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (S5: NO), the process proceeds to S7, but if it is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (S5: YES), the position data transmission flag is set. Is turned on (S6).
[0028]
In the next S7, the traveling direction of each level is calculated. Here, when each level is, for example, three levels, as shown in FIG. 6A, level 1 is, for example, 1 km before the destination, level 2 is 100 m before the destination, and level 3 is the destination. It is set to be 10 m before the ground. Next, the change amount of the traveling direction is calculated for each level (S8), and it is checked whether the variation amount of the traveling direction of each level is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value (S9). If the level change amount of the traveling azimuth is not equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold (S9: NO), the process proceeds to S11. If it is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold (S9: YES), The azimuth transmission flag of the corresponding level is turned ON (S10).
[0029]
In the next S11, a road attribute is searched from the link ID, and the process proceeds to S12 in FIG. In S12, it is checked whether or not the road attribute has changed. If there is no change in the road attribute (S12: NO), the process proceeds to S14. If there is a change in the road attribute (S12: YES), the road attribute transmission flag is set. Turn on (S13).
[0030]
In the next S14, it is checked whether or not the setting of the recommended route has been changed. If there is no change in the setting of the recommended route (S14: NO), the process proceeds to S16. The transmission flag is turned on (S15).
[0031]
Next, information of the flag ON is transmitted to the recognition target word determination unit 7 (S16), the distance counter is set to 0 (S17), and it is checked whether or not the travel distance threshold value needs to be changed (S18). This is because the travel distance threshold value needs to be changed between an automobile exclusive road and a normal road. If it is not necessary to change the travel distance threshold (S18: NO), the process immediately returns to S3 in FIG. 2. If it is necessary (S18: YES), the travel distance threshold is changed. (S19), the process returns to S3 of FIG.
[0032]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing the contents of the processing in the recognition target word determination section 7. First, in S21, the information waiting state from the route guidance device 6 is set, and it is checked whether or not the recommended route information has been received (S22). If the recommended route information is not received (S22: NO), the recognition target word is determined based on the traveling direction of the vehicle (S23). If the recommended route information is received (S22: YES), the recognition target word is recognized. A word is determined (S24).
[0033]
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are explanatory diagrams showing an actual example of place name limitation based on the traveling direction. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the hierarchy of the map and the hierarchy of the words to be recognized. Level 1 is, for example, a prefecture name, level 2 is a municipal name, and level 3 is a detailed place name. FIGS. 6A and 6B show the limitation of the place name according to the direction (in the case of three stages).
[0034]
FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing a routine for determining a recognition target word based on the traveling direction of the vehicle executed by the recognition target word determination unit 7 in S23 of FIG.
[0035]
First, in FIG. 7, a state of waiting for receiving azimuth information (azimuth and level) is set (S31), and a recognition target area (azimuth and distance range) is determined (S32). Next, the place name data at the corresponding level is read (S33), and a discrimination process is performed on each place name data (S34). Then, the recognition target word group is transmitted to the speech recognition unit 4, and the process is terminated (S35).
[0036]
In FIG. 8, the latitude and longitude data corresponding to the place name is received from the route guidance device 6 (S41), and a straight line distance from the current position to the place is calculated (S42). It is determined whether or not this is the case (S43). If the distance exceeds the threshold value (S43: NO), the process ends. On the other hand, if the distance is equal to or smaller than the threshold (S43: YES), the azimuth from the current position is calculated (S44), and the angle difference from the traveling direction is calculated (S45). Then, it is checked whether or not the angle difference is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold (S46). When the angle difference is equal to or smaller than the threshold (S46: YES), the place name is set as a recognition target word (S47).
[0037]
Next, a place name limitation routine based on the recommended route will be described. In this case, the limitation of the recognition target word by the traveling route, the limitation of the recognition target word by the traveling direction, and the limitation around the destination may be performed.
[0038]
9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating an example of a routine for limiting the words to be recognized based on the traveling route. For example, while traveling on a main road, the area along the running route is divided into a plurality of square areas, and the area including the currently running route (area with double hatching) is searched for the place name of that area as type1. (S51 in FIG. 10) Next, an area which does not include a route but is in contact with two or more of the areas of type 1 is set as type2, and a place name of the area is searched (S52 in FIG. 10), and a place name corresponding to type1 and type2 is searched. Is set as a recognition target word (S53 in FIG. 10).
[0039]
Further, the recognition target words may be switched based on the travel history. For example, an area where daily driving is performed may be narrowly and deeply searched centering on a detailed place name, and an area where traveling frequency is low may be searched widely and shallowly centered on a main place name.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of a navigation device to which a map display device according to the present invention is applied; FIG. 2 is a first half of a flowchart showing the contents of processing executed by a route guidance device in FIG. 1; 3 is a latter half of a flowchart showing the contents of processing executed by the route guidance device of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing the contents of processing executed by the recognition target word determination unit of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the hierarchy of the map and the hierarchy of the words to be recognized. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a place name limiting method according to the direction. FIG. 7 is executed by the word to be recognized determining unit in FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a routine for determining a recognition target word based on the traveling direction of a vehicle, which is performed by a recognition target word determination unit of FIG. -G [Fig.9] The method of limiting the words to be recognized based on the running route Akirazu FIG. 10 is a flow to explain the limited approach of recognition terms by the route of the running - tea - door DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
1 map database (map information storage means)
2 Voice feature database (voice feature storage means)
3 microphone 4 voice recognition unit (voice recognition means)
5 Display device (map display means)
6 route guidance device 7 recognition target word determination unit (recognition target word determination means)
8 Vehicle position detection device 9 Audio output device

Claims (1)

Map information storage means for storing map information, voice feature storage means for storing voice features of the group of place name information stored in the map information storage means, and voice features extracted from the input voice stored in the voice feature storage means. Voice recognition means for recognizing a feature of an input voice required for map display by comparing with the obtained voice feature, and map information corresponding to the voice feature recognized by the voice recognition means is read out from the map information storage means and displayed. A vehicle-mounted map display device comprising a map display means,
A recognition target word determining means for determining a recognition target word in the voice recognition means only to place name information related only to a vehicle traveling area predicted from a preset vehicle traveling route or a current vehicle traveling state; Do Ri,
The recognition target word determining means is
The recognition target word is predicted from the preset vehicle traveling route or the current vehicle traveling state outside the area displayed on the display means, in addition to the place name in the map information displayed on the display means. Limited to the place name of the vehicle travel area, decided
Furthermore, based on the vehicle travel information, the recognition target words are determined by limiting only the place names of the area related to the vehicle travel,
An on-vehicle map display device , wherein, while traveling on a motorway, the recognition target word is limited to a place name of a detailed area in the vicinity of an interchange near the current position in front of the traveling direction .

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