EP0564353A1 - Car receiver for assisting the navigation of an automotive vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

On-board receiver for assistance with navigating a motor vehicle, intended for receiving messages containing locations of problems of a finite series of memory-stored locations and comprising means (13, 25) for decoding the messages, means (22, 23) for reproduction of the received messages, in a form accessible to a motorist, memory means (25) containing data on a geographical area, and means (14, 15) for choosing an itinerary, controllable by the motorist, while means for selection (13) and for memory storage (20) of messages are arranged for receiving, from the decoding means (13, 25) reproduced messages, in order to select them and store them in memory under the control of the memory means (25) and of the means (14, 15) for choice of itinerary. Application to motor-vehicle navigation. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an on-board receiver for assisting the navigation of a motor vehicle capable of receiving, by transmitters and a specific broadcasting channel, coded messages containing at least problem locations of a finite sequence of locations set. stored in the receiver, the latter comprising means for decoding messages, means for restoring, in a form accessible to a motorist, messages received and stored, memory means containing geographic data relating to a determined geographic area and means of route crosses controllable by the motorist.

The radio data system RDS (Radio Data System), which is based on frequency modulation transmitters and via a traffic message channel TMC (Traffic message channel), is already known as a car navigation aid system. , transmits digital information on traffic conditions, weather and other services to vehicles equipped with an RDS receiver. This system is useful for signaling traffic problems, mainly traffic jams, and, more precisely, their locations.

The RDS system is based on a reference table, containing in particular numbers associated in a one-to-one fashion with predetermined problem locations. The problem location table (PL table) is stored in the on-board receiver. When a problem arises, which can be detected by an automatic system, police or gendarmerie services, municipal services, for example, it is formatted, coded, then transmitted in the form of byte trains by RDS on the TMC channel.

• une cause (accident, par exemple),
• un effet (bouchon, ralentissement),
• un point A, si le problème est ponctuellement localisé, deux points A et B, si le problème produit son effet entre ces deux points (bouchon, ralentissement), une distance à partir d'un point A (ralentissement, bouchon, depuis ce point sur la distance considérée), etc.

A problem can be defined, or explained, by:

• a cause (accident, for example),
• an effect (traffic jam, slowing down),
• a point A, if the problem is punctually localized, two points A and B, if the problem produces its effect between these two points (traffic jam, deceleration), a distance from a point A (deceleration, traffic jam, from this point distance considered), etc.

Information on a problem can be associated with advice (turn away from X), information on weather conditions, etc.

In the RDS system, as it is currently implemented, an RDS receiver, receiving a coded problem message, decodes its cause, its effect as well as, using the stored table PL, the number or numbers of locations of the problem before, using a synthesizer, to restore the message in voice form (slowdown from A to B due to an accident, for example).

There are, in a country like France, approximately 65,000 locations of possible problems. It is easy to see that memorizing the messages relating to all of the problem locations requires a large memory capacity. In addition, the motorist must be able to quickly access the relevant messages, which requires sophisticated management of the stored data and the use of memories operating at high speed allowing quick access to the data they contain to respond quickly to motorist requests. This sophisticated management is costly in hardware and software and, moreover, memories of the quick access type, such as semiconductor integrated circuit memories, on the one hand, are proportionally more expensive than slower, semiconductor or magnetic memories. , and, on the other hand, consume more.

The Applicant has sought to resolve this problem without, however, limiting its solution to the RDS specification.

To this end, the present invention relates to an on-board receiver of the type mentioned above, characterized in that it comprises means for selecting and storing messages arranged to receive, from said decoding means, restored messages, for select them and store them under the control of said memory means and said route selection means.

Thus, knowing the route chosen by the motorist, the receiver keeps only the messages relevant to this route and possibly neighboring diversion routes. The volume of equipment is thus limited, while the access time to the fewer stored messages is reduced, which allows the use of simpler equipment therefore less costly in terms of memory means and means management of these.

Advantageously, the route selection means include speech processing means performing voice recognition. The motorist can choose their route without having to use a keyboard whose use is not always user-friendly and is not recommended when the vehicle is in motion.

In particular, the speech processing means can be arranged to perform speech recognition of the multi-speaker type. Any motorist, driver or passenger can thus choose a route without having to make the receiver learn voice recognition.

The speech processing means can also be arranged to perform a speech synthesis and control the reproduction means. This avoids duplication of certain means used for speech analysis and synthesis. The speech processing means are advantageously arranged to perform speech synthesis by rules, which makes it possible to have an unlimited vocabulary, if necessary in several languages, since diphones are used to reconstitute the words, diphones in limited number. In addition, the quality, in particular the transitions at the end of a word or sentence, is better than with a synthesis by words. The restitution means may include a display, so as, for example, to avoid disturbing the listening to a cassette or the radio by an audible message.

So that the receiver has all the necessary messages when the motorist starts, time base means, programmable by the latter, can advantageously be provided to activate the receiver at a time previously determined by the motorist.

In order to obtain a compact embodiment, it is convenient for the message decoding means, the message selection means and the speech processing means to be included in a signal processor. In addition, the sequence of the various tasks of the receiver is thus simplified, since it is the signal processor which determines this sequence.

To automatically activate the receiver, means may be provided that are sensitive to the opening of a door of the motor vehicle and, in such cases, activate the speech processing means. The motorist can thus, after selecting a route, immediately take cognizance of any stored messages.

Conveniently, a memory module can include the geographic data, the program used for the selection means, the data relating to said problems and the data for speech processing. It is thus possible, for example, to have only one memory component of appropriate size, managed in access sharing.

The invention will be better understood using the following description of the preferred embodiment of the receiver of the invention, with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing.

The receiver is installed in a car, not shown, and it comprises a reception antenna 11 connected to an input of a demodulator 12 connected at output to a signal processing processor 13 and transmitting to it in a usable form by the latter, signals representative of signals received by the antenna 11. The signals correspond to broadcast messages, here of the RDS type, and transmitted by a TMC channel. The RDS system is defined in a specification of the European Broadcasting Union, published in March 1984 and bearing the reference Tech. 3244- F.

The processor 13 is also connected at the input, by interface circuits not shown, respectively to a microphone 14 as well as to an alphanumeric keyboard 15 located on the dashboard of the car and usable by the motorist to issue commands. to the receiver.

• une table de transcodage contenant une suite de localisations de problèmes potentiels de circulation concernant une étendue géographique prédéterminée, comme une zone urbaine ou bien des axes routiers principaux, chaque identité de localisation étant fournie en sortie, sous forme compréhensible par l'automobiliste, lorsqu'un mot de code, normalisé dans le système RDS, propre à une localisation, est appliqué en entrée de la table ;
• une table de transcodage, du même genre que la précédente, pour recevoir et décoder des informations supplémentaires contenues dans un message reçu, indiquant la cause ou l'effet du problème, par exemple le genre de problème de circulation, le sens de circulation affecté ou la durée probable du problème, les informations décodées ci-dessus étant fournies sous une forme compréhensible par l'automobiliste ;
• une table de transcodage fournissant au moins un mot de code de zone géographique, incluse dans l'étendue géographique indiquée ci-dessus, en réponse à la réception d'un mot de code correspondant à un nom géographique fourni par l'automobiliste ;
• une table de transcodage fournissant un mot de code d'itinéraire en réponse à plusieurs mots de code de zones géographiques, du type de ceux issus de la table de transcodage précédente, accompagnés d'un mot de code représentant un opérateur logique de réunion ou d'intersection, dont le rôle est expliqué plus loin, et fournissant aussi, sur demande du processeur 13, des mots de code d'itinéraire pour des itinéraires de déviation voisins ;
• une table de transcodage fournissant une liste de mots de code de localisations de problèmes potentiels en réponse à un mot de code d'itinéraire du type de ceux issus de la table de transcodage précédente.

A bus 16 for the transmission of data and addresses connects the processor 13 to a message memory 20, consisting of a RAM type memory (random access memory) in which the messages received by the processor 13 can be stored. coming from the demodulator 12, while a memory 21 of messages to be presented, of the same type as the previous one and connected to the bus 16, contains, in a suitable format, messages intended to be transmitted to a character display 22 located. on the dashboard of the car or to a speaker 23 located in the car. The character display 22 and the loudspeaker 23 are respectively connected to a specific output of the processor 13 comprising a coupler circuit, not shown. To the bus 16 is also connected a route memory 24, containing code words representing routes chosen by the motorist, EEPROM type memory (electrically erasable read-only memory), as well as a transcoding memory 25, of type ROM (read-only memory), containing transcoding tables, listed below:

• a transcoding table containing a series of localizations of potential traffic problems concerning a predetermined geographic extent, such as an urban area or else main road axes, each location identity being provided as an output, in a form understandable by the motorist, when a code word, standardized in the RDS system, specific to a localization, is applied at the table entry;
• a transcoding table, of the same kind as the previous one, for receiving and decoding additional information contained in a received message, indicating the cause or the effect of the problem, for example the kind of traffic problem, the direction of traffic affected or the probable duration of the problem, the information decoded above being provided in a form understandable by the motorist;
• a transcoding table providing at least one geographic area code word, included in the geographic extent indicated above, in response to receipt of a code word corresponding to a geographic name provided by the motorist;
• a transcoding table providing a route code word in response to several geographic area code words, of the type from those from the previous transcoding table, accompanied by a code word representing a logical meeting operator or intersection, the role of which is explained below, and also providing, on request from processor 13, route code words for neighboring detour routes;
• a transcoding table providing a list of code words for locations of potential problems in response to a route code word of the type from those from the previous transcoding table.

A memory 26 for processing phonic signals, of ROM type, connected to bus 16, comprises databases intended for an analysis of the phonic signals arriving, by the microphone 14, at the processor 13 and at a speech synthesis for the control by the latter of the speaker 23. In this example, the analysis of the voice signals coming from the motorist is of the multi-speaker type, that is to say that the voice recognition does not require learning on the part of the receiver. To guarantee a low error rate, the vocabulary to recognize is of limited volume. Speech synthesis is carried out in a known manner by rules, from diphones stored in the processing memory 26 and using, from codes representing words to be synthesized, an adapted algorithm stored in this memory 26.

The sequencing of the operation of the processor 13 is controlled by a program memory 27, of ROM type, connected to the bus 16 and supplying the processor 13 with a desired succession of commands. A time base circuit 28, located in processor 13, provides clock signals necessary for the various electronic circuits. It includes programmable counters arranged to activate the receiver, through the processor 13, at certain times previously chosen by the motorist by means of the keyboard 15 or the microphone 14. The activation of the receiver can also be carried out automatically, during the opening of the driver's side door, by the change of state of a breaking contactor 29, when the associated door is open, the electrical continuity of a looped wire, represented schematically by a single connection, of which the two ends are respectively connected to processor 13. The deactivation of the receiver is controlled from a relay 30, represented schematically by a movable blade, the coil of which is supplied when the ignition key of the car is in position electrically supplying the engine of this, and which, in the opposite case, interrupts the electrical continuity of a looped wire, represented in a wired fashion, the two ends of which are respectively connected to processor 13.

The operation of the receiver is as follows.

First of all, the motorist provides the receiver, by means of the microphone 14, with a choice of a route, limiting himself to the vocabulary provided, limited for example to the numbers from 0 to 9, to letters of the alphabet. and a few words, such as "AND", "OR", common names designating communication routes, such as "street", "highway" and other words commonly used to designate a route.

The vocabulary above makes it possible to name geographical zones and to define a restricted geographical zone common to these. It also makes it possible to associate geographic areas and in particular restricted geographic areas. This is done by combinations controlled by the words "AND" and "OR" above which designate logical operators "AND" and "OR" corresponding respectively to an intersection and to a logical union. For example, if the name of a highway has been entered by voice, therefore representing a road axis, then the word "AND" followed by the name of a geographical area representing a surface, this determines a restricted geographical area which is a section of highway located in this geographic area. Word "OR" is used for its part, for example, to end-to-end various route sections defined as above, defining a total chosen route, this by means of a logical meeting of routes elementary.

The processor 13 performs the above determination by first analyzing the phonic signals coming from the microphone 14, by means of the algorithms contained in the processing memory 26. If words, or simply numbers or letters, are thus recognized, they are, in a first step, assembled judiciously to group, for example, a letter A followed by a number 6 which would designate a motorway named A6 and, moreover, group other symbols, for example the numbers 7 and 5 designating a geographic area named 75. If the word "AND" is recognized between A6 and 75, the processor 13 determines that it is the portion of the A6 motorway included in the geographic area 75.

By sending to the transcoding memory 25, in a following step, the code words of the geographical areas A6 and 75 as well as a code word representing the logical operator "AND", the processor 13 receives in return a code word of route, designating the section of the A6 motorway concerned, which it stores in the route memory 24. The above section must however be located within the predetermined geographical extent relating to the transcoding table. If necessary, this operation is repeated for the various sections of route mentioned above, which are each defined by geographical names and by logical operators of their own. The names of several complete routes can thus be initially stored. An identification code word specific to each stored route is also introduced. by the driver and stored with the route code word.

In order to avoid errors when the processor 13 stores the choice of a route in the route memory 24, read-only memory which will keep its data even after the receiver is switched off, the processor 13 retranscribes, on the display 22, the choice of recognized route, in the form of the names of the recognized geographical areas, accompanied by the indication of the logical mode of combination of these areas as expressed by the motorist by means of the logical operator. The display can be simply a transcription of the commands coming from the motorist or it can be reshaped by the processor 13, to be more explicit, for example by designating, by words which are specific to it, the chosen route , words associated with the code word of the latter. The messages displayed come from the memory 21 of messages to be presented, previously and temporarily filled for this purpose by the processor 13, in the format desired for the display 22, by means of the code words recognized phonically. The motorist validates or invalidates the recognized choice by means of the microphone 14 or by pressing a key, among two possible, on the keyboard 15.

Similarly, in order to avoid untimely activations of the voice recognition function due to noise, it is planned to activate it only for a few minutes after the change of state of the contactor 29 or after action on the keyboard 15. The change of state of the contactor 29 also has the effect of deactivating the receiver, after a time delay of a few minutes made by the time base circuit 28, if the car engine is stopped, which is detected by the relay 30, of which the change of state is perceived by the microprocessor 13 and transmitted to the time base circuit 28. The messages contained in the RAM 20 are then previously saved in a part reserved for this purpose in the EEPROM memory 24 and retransferred in the RAM 20 during the subsequent activation of the receiver.

A restitution, in voice form, of the identity of the chosen route is also, in this example, carried out, the processor 13 sending to the processing memory 26 code words representing the words to be synthesized and the latter providing it then in return a series of logic signals. The processor 13 transforms these into an analog electrical signal formed by the coupler of the speaker 23 and modulates the latter to make it phonically restore the electronically synthesized voice signal.

Having initially stored one or more routes in read-only memory, the motorist can then subsequently select one.

On command, by the microphone 14 or the keyboard 15, the stored routes are displayed on the display 22 or spoken by voice synthesis, one of these then being selected, as well as its direction, by a voice command or by keyboard 15.

It is also expected, by means of the keyboard 15, that the motorist chooses and stores routes then that he makes the selection of one of them. This is done according to the principle set out above, without requiring the speech recognition indicated.

Furthermore, the broadcast messages received by the antenna 11 reach, by the demodulator 12, the processor 13 which performs a sorting among them according to the route selected last. To do this, when a message is received, the processor 13 determines whether it relates to a location relating to the selected route, so as to store the message only in this case. As the latter may include several potential problem locations, the route code word or words corresponding to the selected route are transmitted to the transcoding memory 25, which provides in response a list of the problem location code words potentials relating to the selected route, that is to say located on it or in its vicinity, on diversion routes.

The processor 13 then performs a comparison between the location code word contained in the received message, designating a location where there is a problem, and the above list of location code words relating to the selected route. If one of the location code words in the list corresponds to that of the message received, the processor 13 then commands the storage of the message in the message memory 20. Otherwise, the message is lost. The storage in the memory 20 in fact relates to a restored message, corresponding to the received message which has been transmitted for transcoding to the transcoding memory 25 in order to have in return a restored message containing information understandable by the motorist as regards is the locations and nature of the problems. The processor 13 thus stores only the messages concerning the predetermined geographical extent contained in the transcoding memory 25, insofar as they are likely to be relevant, i.e. regarding the selected route.

It will be understood that the use of route code words makes it possible to reduce the volume of the route memory 24 and the time required to sort the messages, but that it would however be possible to initially store the raw data of route choice from the motorist. At each message arrival, the transcoding memory 25 would then be used to obtain lists of locations located in the chosen geographic areas, by carrying out the indicated logical operators making it possible to retain only the locations of the route or of its vicinity.

In order to avoid a dead time between the moment when the motorist enters his car, which activates the receiver thanks to the contactor 29, and the moment when the receiver has memorized enough messages to transcribe satisfactorily the problems of traffic, the motorist can initially program, using the keyboard 15 or by voice command with the microphone 14, the time base circuit 28 so that it activates the receiver a few moments before the expected arrival of the motorist. The receiver then stores the messages concerning a selected route designated in advance by the motorist.

The stored messages concerning the locations of the selected route are, when they are stored, restored in voice form by the loudspeaker 23, under the control of the processor 13. In addition, the motorist can order a subsequent playback thereof by action on the keyboard 15 or by means of the microphone 14, which controls the processor 13. For respond quickly to requests of this kind, the latter has previously read the messages in the message memory 20, transmitted them to the transcoding memory 25 in order to obtain the corresponding information on the locations and the problems, in a form understandable by the motorist, then memorized these in the memory 21 of messages to be presented. The above information is then transformed, at the request of the motorist, into voice transmission by means of the processing memory 26, the microprocessor 13 possibly improving the user-friendliness of the message, or else it is transmitted, in the desired form, to display 22.

The memory 21 of messages to be presented normally only includes messages directly concerning the selected route, but the motorist can however order the supply of messages relating to diversion routes.

The embodiment described above comprises memories which can be physically grouped into a single circuit which can also include processor 13.

Claims (10)

On-board receiver for the navigation aid of a motor vehicle, intended to receive, by transmitters and a specific broadcasting channel, coded messages containing at least problem locations of a finite sequence of locations stored in memory the receiver and comprising means (13,25) for decoding messages, restitution means (22,23), in a form accessible to a motorist, of messages received and stored, memory means (25) containing relative geographic data to a geographical area, and means (14,15) of route choice, controllable by the motorist,
characterized by the fact that it includes means (13) for selecting and storing (20) messages arranged to receive, from said decoding means (13,25), restored messages, for selecting and storing them under control said memory means (25) and said means (14,15) for route selection. An on-board receiver according to claim 1, in which the route selection means include a speech processing circuit (26) designed to perform voice recognition. An on-board receiver according to claim 2, in which said speech processing circuit (26) is arranged to perform speech recognition, of the multi-speaker type. On-board receiver according to one of claims 2 and 3, wherein said processing circuit (26) speech is arranged to perform a speech synthesis and control said restitution means (23). An on-board receiver according to claim 4, wherein said speech processing circuit (26) is arranged to perform rule-based speech synthesis. On-board receiver according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the rendering means comprise a display (22). On-board receiver according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which a time base circuit (28), programmable by the motorist, is provided for activating said receiver at a time determined by the motorist. On-board receiver according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which said means (13,25) for decoding messages, means (13) for selecting messages and circuit (26) for speech processing are included in a processor signal (13). On-board receiver according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which there are provided means (29) sensitive to the opening of a door of the motor vehicle and arranged to activate, in such a case, said circuit (26) speech processing. On-board receiver according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which a memory module comprises said geographic data (25), said program (27) serving for the selection means (13), said database (25) relating to said problems. and said database (26) for speech processing.

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