Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-09-04
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
C701S036000, C701S211000, C704S272000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285924
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an on-vehicle input and output apparatus having a head portion and a body portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, in the event that a driver of a vehicle and a fellow passenger wish to obtain information as to a state of condition of the vehicle and circumstances, usually, there is adopted such a way that they look at an indicator provided on the vehicle through their eyes to directly read the information. Here, as an example of such an indicator, there will be explained a navigation system which is loaded on a vehicle. Recently, an on-vehicle navigation system comes into wide use. And as the recent information processing technology advances, such a navigation system is drastically improved in its performance, and on the other hand, it becomes complicated and diversifies in its operation and its output content. However, as to an operation of such a complicated system, according to the conventional way, the operation is performed in such a manner that a menu is displayed on a screen to perform an input on a touch panel basis, or to perform a designate by a cursor. Or alternatively the operation is performed by the use of a number of operational switches provided on remote controller. However, as far as a driver looks at those items, the driver is obliged to take one's eyes off and thus it is not preferable for driving. In view of the foregoing, recently, there has been proposed a product capable of inputting and outputting messages through voice. According to such a product, part of a number of functions is arranged so as to permit a voice input, and there is permitted a voice synthesis output associated with a menu on a screen. However, such a navigation system permitting voice input and output is a mineral (i.e., inanimate) system loaded on a vehicle.
The conventional on-vehicle information equipment having a voice input and output function, for example, the above-mentioned navigation system, is stubbornly a mineral subject having an image of an apparatus or a device, and thus it is unnatural for a user (a driver and a fellow passenger) to perform an operation through a conversation and involves a feeling of wrongness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an on-vehicle input and output apparatus capable of defining an enormous amount of speech of a conversation type without a feeling of wrongness (i.e., unpleasantness) for an operator (a driver).
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides an on-vehicle input and output apparatus having a head portion and a body portion, comprising:
an information input unit for receiving input information in an on-vehicle environment;
an information interpreter unit for interpreting the input information received through said information input unit to generate output information; and
an information output unit for outputting the output information generated in said information interpreter unit.
The on-vehicle input and output apparatus has a head portion and a body portion, typically, an appearance like a doll or a stuffed toy. This feature makes it possible to reduce a feeling of wrongness as compared with a mineral apparatus.
In the on-vehicle input and output apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said information output unit has a voice output apparatus for outputting a voice, and outputs the output information through said voice output apparatus in form of voice.
It is preferable that said information output unit has a head motion mechanism for moving said head portion with respect to said body portion, and outputs the output information in such a manner that said head motion mechanism is used to move said head portion.
Further, it is preferable that said information output unit has right and left arm portions, and an arm motion mechanism for moving said right and left arm portions with respect to said body portion, and outputs the output information in such a manner that said arm motion mechanism is used to move said right and left arm portions.
Furthermore, it is preferable that said information output unit has a transmitter apparatus for transmitting the output information to an equipment which alters in its state in accordance with information received, said equipment being set up in a car, and
said information interpreter unit generates the output information to alter a state of said equipment in accordance with the input information received through said information input unit.
Here, the above-referenced “equipment” implies, for example, a car interior temperature control equipment, a car interior lighting equipment, a head light equipment, a car interior audio equipment, and so on. In this case, the output information implies information of an instruction of increasing or decreasing a temperature, information of an instruction of turning on or turning off a car interior light or a head light, information of an instruction of turning on or turning off a car interior audio equipment, information of an instruction of volume up or volume down, and so on.
Further, in the above-mentioned on-vehicle input and output apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that said information input unit has a microphone for picking up a voice, and said information interpreter unit has a voice recognition apparatus for recognizing a voice, and recognizes the voice to generate the output information.
It is preferable that said information input unit has a sensor for detecting a predetermined environment condition in an on-vehicle environment, and said information interpreter unit interprets the environment condition detected by said sensor to generate the output information.
Further, it is preferable that said information input unit has a receiver apparatus for receiving information representative of a predetermined physical amount indicative of a state of a car, the predetermined physical amount being detected by a sensor set up in the car, and said information interpreter unit interprets the information received by said receiver apparatus to generate the output information.
Here, the above-referenced sensors include various types of sensors for detecting, for example, the car driving speed, the present fuel efficiency (driving distance/fuel consumption amount), the rest of fuel and so on.
The on-vehicle input and output apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above includes various types of aspects as set forth below.
(1) the information input unit has a microphone for picking up a voice,
the information interpreter unit interprets to receive a greeting through a voice recognition and generates output information representative of a responsive greeting to the greeting, and
the information output unit outputs the output information in form of a voice or both a voice and a motion.
(2) the information input unit has an acceleration sensor or a slope sensor,
the information interpreter unit interprets it as a quick acceleration, an emergency brake or an emergency handle, and generates an associated output information, and
the information output unit outputs the output information in form of a voice or both a voice and a motion.
(3) the information input unit has a terrestrial magnetism sensor and a microphone for picking up a voice,
the information interpreter unit interprets an inquiry as to a direction of movement of a car through a voice recognition and generates output information representative of the direction of movement of the car, and
the information output unit outputs the output information in form of a voice or both a voice and a motion.
(4) the information input unit has a microphone for picking up a voice,
the information interpreter unit interprets a car head light control instruction through a voice recognition and generates an associated output information, and
the information output unit informs in form of a voice or both a voice and a motion of a matter tha
Okamoto Terumi
Oomuro Katsumi
Sakai Katsushi
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
Zanelli Michael J.
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