Control device and method for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Control device (12) for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle (10), with - a speech recognition device (26) which is designed to recognise at least one speech command (28) of a vehicle occupant (30) which is linked to at least one condition and relates to the activation of at least two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the motor vehicle (10); - a control device (24) which is designed to generate a rule for controlling the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the voice command (28) recognized by the voice recognition device (26) and to control the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the generated rule, characterized in that the voice recognition device (26) is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the voice command (28) which describes a relationship between respective operating states of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22), so that the operating modes of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) are coupled to one another.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control device and a method for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is known that various functional units of a motor vehicle, such as a navigation system, can be controlled using voice commands. For example, DE 10 2010 004 869 A1 describes a method and a device for providing a voice interface in a vehicle. Voice commands can be recorded using the voice interface, with the voice commands being analyzed and assigned to a specific category based on the analysis results to facilitate voice-based control.

[0003] DE 101 91 732 B4 also describes a method for voice-based control of a motor vehicle. This method allows spoken sentences to be recorded for operating various auxiliary vehicle devices.

[0004] Furthermore, DE 10 2012 213 668 A1 discloses a method and a device for operating a voice-controlled information system for a vehicle. A voice recognition unit can evaluate and recognize individual words spoken by a vehicle user. In this context, it is also possible, for example, for questions from a vehicle occupant regarding the functioning of a specific functional unit of the motor vehicle to be recorded by the voice recognition unit and then answered by the vehicle. The vehicle may, for example, have an automatic start-stop system, whereby the driver can ask, for example, why the engine was not switched off while stationary. The vehicle then answers the question, for example, by stating that the engine does not switch off because the current outside temperature is below a target value of 3 °C.

[0005] DE 10 2011 002 985 A1 discloses an advisory system for use by one or more occupants of a motor vehicle and includes a computer. This computer is configured to receive inputs indicating an operating state of the vehicle. The computer determines the need to provide time information to an occupant based on the operating state of the vehicle and / or the occupant's request for time information. The computer generates data that is represented by an avatar using a spoken statement.

[0006] DE 10 2012 208 728 A1 discloses a device for the event-driven automatic activation and / or deactivation and / or adjustment of at least one vehicle functional system of a vehicle, which device can be coupled to a predetermined set of vehicle functional systems of the vehicle. The device determines a vehicle function-specific rule, so that a vehicle system is controlled accordingly.

[0007] DE 10 2015 103 263 A1 relates to a vehicle computing system having at least one controller in communication with one or more transceivers, wherein the one or more transceivers are capable of communicating with a wireless device. The at least one controller is configured to detect a vehicle passenger based on a wireless device connection received at the transceiver. The at least one controller is further configured to receive one or more infotainment rules based on the detected vehicle passenger. The one or more infotainment rules are associated with at least one of time of day, calendar date, vehicle position, and outside temperature. The at least one controller is further configured to control an infotainment system by adjusting control settings based on the one or more infotainment rules.It should be noted that the climate control management rules may include additional tables to control other features of the climate control system. For example, the user can select to activate the heated seats when the outside temperature reaches 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If the outside temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the management rules may also include advanced settings based on a user preference to activate the heated seat control only for the first 5 minutes of driving and then deactivate the feature.

[0008] Voice-based control of various functional units in a motor vehicle is often still relatively complex and not very natural for vehicle occupants. Furthermore, voice commands are usually intended for a specific function, such as entering a destination, preselecting a temperature setting, or the like. The range of functions available with voice-based control of a motor vehicle is therefore relatively limited and is often perceived as relatively cumbersome by vehicle occupants.

[0009] It is the object of the present invention to provide a control device and a method for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle, by means of which a motor vehicle can be controlled voice-based in a particularly simple and intuitive manner.

[0010] This object is achieved by a control device and a method for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle having the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] The control device according to the invention for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle comprises a voice recognition device designed to recognize at least one voice command from a vehicle occupant that is linked to at least one condition and relates to the control of at least two functional units of the motor vehicle. The voice recognition device can, for example, have one or more microphones designed to capture speech from vehicle occupants. The voice recognition device can then evaluate and recognize each captured voice command. Furthermore, the control device according to the invention comprises a control device designed to generate a rule for controlling the two functional units in accordance with the voice command recognized by the voice recognition device and to control the two functional units in accordance with the generated rule.

[0012] In other words, the control device according to the invention is designed to capture, evaluate, and recognize nested voice commands from vehicle occupants, wherein the respectively recognized voice commands can be converted by the control device into corresponding rules for controlling the at least two functional units. Using the control device according to the invention, it is thus possible to issue novel voice commands that also trigger nested actions with respect to various functional units of the motor vehicle. Using the control device according to the invention, a vehicle occupant can essentially freely combine all possible functions in the motor vehicle and establish conditions under which circumstances these various functions or functional units of the motor vehicle should be operated and how.

[0013] In principle, the voice command that can be captured, evaluated and recognized by the voice recognition device is always structured in such a way that it has a specific condition as a result of which at least two actions are carried out with regard to respective functional units of the motor vehicle. In other words, the fulfillment of a specific condition is always linked to the fact that at least two functional units of the motor vehicle are operated in accordance with the spoken voice command when the condition is fulfilled. With regard to the recognizable and evaluable conditions, all parameters and sensor data of the motor vehicle that are currently available can be used, either because corresponding sensor devices on the motor vehicle enable the respective conditions to be checked and / or because, for example, wireless reception, e.g. via a mobile phone orInternet connection, various information that can be checked under the specified conditions.

[0014] Using the control device according to the invention, it is therefore particularly easy for a vehicle occupant to program relatively complex and nested actions relating to the operation of various vehicle functions or functional units of the motor vehicle using voice commands. The user does not require any special tools or apps for this purpose and can intuitively create any rules based on corresponding conditions and relationships between the functional units and other parameters using voice commands.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the control device is designed to repeatedly control the two functional units of the motor vehicle according to the generated rule when it is detected that at least one condition is met, without the vehicle occupant having to utter the voice command again. The vehicle occupant therefore does not have to utter the voice command again each time in order to execute the rule previously specified by them based on their voice. Instead, by uttering the corresponding voice command, they can cause the relevant rule to be stored by the control device and continuously checked with regard to the fulfillment of the condition contained therein. Whenever this condition is met, the control device automatically controls the two functional units according to the specified rule.The vehicle occupant can therefore configure and program automatisms relating to the functioning of various functional units of the vehicle in a particularly simple and convenient way using voice-based means, so that the vehicle can carry out a multitude of actions automatically and independently, tailored to the individual user, whenever the conditions specified by the vehicle occupant are met.

[0016] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the speech recognition device is designed to edit or delete the generated rule according to a further voice command related to the rule from the vehicle occupant or another vehicle occupant. The vehicle occupant or other vehicle occupants can thus very easily delete or modify previously stored rules based on their voice. Voice control thus allows for a very simple and intuitive creation, revision, and / or deletion of a wide variety of rules relating to the functioning of functional units of the motor vehicle.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the speech recognition device is designed to recognize, based on at least one predetermined command, whether the rule should be executed only once or whether it should be stored until the rule is changed or deleted. Thus, a vehicle occupant can easily specify whether a specific rule defined by the voice command they utter should be executed only once or repeatedly as long as this rule is not changed or deleted. For example, it is possible for a vehicle occupant to control a plurality of functional units of the motor vehicle by uttering a corresponding voice command, whereby this control only occurs once.Furthermore, it is also possible for the vehicle occupant to specify, based on speech, that a rule which he has defined and generated once in the form of a voice command should be executed again and again, provided that at least one of the conditions defined by him in connection with the pronunciation of the voice command is met.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control device is designed to store the rule in personalized form in a memory of the motor vehicle and / or an external server device. If the rule or the plurality of rules are stored in personalized form in a memory of the motor vehicle, it can be provided, for example, that a check is carried out to determine whether the person who defined the rules is currently sitting in the motor vehicle. If this is the case, the corresponding rules are checked and executed, provided the relevant conditions are met.The advantage of personalized storage in an off-board server lies in the fact that a wide variety of rules can be defined language-based, even across vehicles. This allows a user to access a variety of rules that they have previously defined language-based when using different vehicles. This can be useful, for example, if the person owns a variety of vehicles or frequently drives a variety of different vehicles, such as rental vehicles, company fleet vehicles, or the like.

[0019] The invention provides that the speech recognition device is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the voice command, which describes a relationship between respective operating states of the two functional units. In other words, the speech recognition device is preferably designed to recognize when the condition includes that one functional unit should be operated in a first predetermined manner when the other functional unit is operated in a second predetermined manner. For example, such a condition could be that the ambient lighting of the motor vehicle is set to red when the air conditioning system has been set to 23°C.In this way, a vehicle occupant can link the operation of various functional units of the motor vehicle by determining how certain functional units of the motor vehicle should behave depending on another functional unit of the motor vehicle.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the speech recognition device is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the voice command, which describes a relationship between a detected action of the vehicle occupant and the respective operating states of the two functional units. For example, it would be possible for the vehicle user to specify that whenever they enter the vehicle, a radio should be switched on and the ambient lighting should be set to red. Likewise, the vehicle occupant can, for example, specify that whenever they exit the vehicle, certain desired actions should be performed by various functional units of the vehicle.The control device of the control apparatus can, for example, be coupled to a wide variety of sensors of the motor vehicle, such as belt sensors, seat occupancy sensors, sensors that can monitor the opening and closing of the vehicle doors, or the like, in order to be able to check such conditions.

[0021] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the speech recognition device is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the voice command, which describes a relationship between at least one parameter describing the vehicle environment, in particular the ambient temperature, and respective operating states of the two functional units. For example, a vehicle user could specify that as soon as it is detected that the outside temperature is below 0 °C, the seat heating of the motor vehicle is set to level 2, a window heating system is switched on, and the air conditioning system of the motor vehicle is set to maximum heating output as soon as it is detected that the user in question is getting into the motor vehicle. To check such conditions, the control device can also be coupled to a wide variety of vehicle-mounted sensors, using which these conditions can be checked.A motor vehicle user can thus define a multitude of rules based on voice commands, which take into account certain user specifications regarding the vehicle's environment, such as ambient temperature, precipitation levels, traffic conditions, and the like. The behavior of various functional units of the motor vehicle can thus be adapted to the respective environmental conditions to be monitored, based on voice commands.

[0022] The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises the control device according to the invention or an advantageous embodiment of the control device according to the invention.

[0023] In the method according to the invention for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle, a voice command from a vehicle occupant, linked to at least one condition and relating to the control of at least two functional units of the motor vehicle, is recognized by a voice recognition device. A rule for controlling the two functional units is generated in accordance with the voice command recognized by the voice recognition device, and the two functional units are controlled by the control device in accordance with the generated rule. Advantageous embodiments of the control device according to the invention are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention, wherein the control device in particular has means for carrying out the method steps.

[0024] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0025] The drawing shows in the single figure a schematic representation of a motor vehicle which comprises a control device for the voice-based operation of various functional units of the motor vehicle.

[0026] A motor vehicle 10 comprises a control device 12 for voice-based operation of a plurality of vehicle-mounted functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22. Specifically, a control device 24 of the control device 12 is signal-connected to a radio 14, ambient lighting 16, seat heating 18, window heating 20, and an air conditioning system 22 of the motor vehicle 10. The control device 12 further comprises a voice recognition device 26 for detecting, evaluating, and recognizing various voice commands 28 uttered by a vehicle occupant 30. The functionality of the control device 12 is explained in more detail below using several examples.

[0027] The speech recognition device 26 is designed to capture, analyze, and recognize the voice command 28. The voice command 28 contains at least one condition directed toward the activation of the functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22. The control device 24 is designed to generate a rule for activating at least two of the functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 in accordance with the voice command 28 recognized by the speech recognition device 26 and to activate them according to the rule.

[0028] For example, the vehicle occupant 30 can specify in the form of the voice command 28 that if the air conditioning system 22 is set to 23°C, the ambient lighting 16 should illuminate the vehicle interior of the motor vehicle 10 in red. The vehicle occupant 30 can thus utter nested voice commands that determine the functioning of the various functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 in such a way that certain operating states or operating modes of the functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 are mutually dependent.

[0029] Furthermore, it is also possible, for example, for the vehicle occupant 30 to issue a voice command 28 stating that whenever he or she enters the motor vehicle 10, the radio 14 should be switched on and the ambient lighting 16 should illuminate the vehicle interior red. The vehicle occupant 30 can thus also define voice-based rules that link a specific action of the vehicle occupant 30—in this specific example, entering the motor vehicle 10—with the respective operating states or operating modes of the respective functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22.

[0030] Furthermore, it is also possible, for example, for the vehicle occupant 30 to specify as a rule in the form of the voice command 28 that, whenever the outside temperature is below 0 °C, the seat heating 18 is set to level 2, the window heating 20 is switched on, and the air conditioning system 22 is set to its maximum temperature as soon as the vehicle occupant 30 enters the motor vehicle 10. The vehicle occupant 30 can therefore also, for example, specify conditions that affect parameters of the vehicle's environment, wherein the functioning of two or more of the functional units 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 can be determined depending on the fulfillment of such conditions.

[0031] With regard to the conditions that can be set voice-based, essentially all conditions that can be verified in the form of vehicle-detectable parameters can be set. A wide variety of information channels and sensors of the motor vehicle 10 can be used for this purpose. With regard to the weather, for example, online information can also be used, while with regard to the outside temperature, for example, the vehicle's temperature sensors can also be used.

[0032] The speech recognition device 26 forms an interface for the vehicle occupant 30, via which they can program a wide variety of actions, particularly complex and nested ones, using voice commands. The vehicle occupant 30 can create the respective rules in the vehicle 10 in a particularly simple and intuitive manner using voice commands, without having to use special tools or apps.

[0033] Voice control also allows for particularly simple and intuitive creation of additional rules, whereby the various rules or regulations can also be edited or deleted based on voice commands. This eliminates the burden on the vehicle occupant 30 with complex lists, displays, or the like. All rules generated by the vehicle occupant 30 can be stored in a personalized manner, for example, on the vehicle in a storage device (not shown here) and / or via a server device external to the vehicle. Server-based storage also allows the vehicle occupant 30 to use the previously defined rules not only in one but also in multiple vehicles.Personalized storage has the advantage that appropriate recording devices on the vehicle side can be used to identify which user is currently sitting in the vehicle, whereby user-specific predefined rules can be retrieved and implemented depending on the user.

Claims

[1] Control device (12) for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle (10), with - a speech recognition device (26) which is designed to recognise at least one speech command (28) of a vehicle occupant (30) which is linked to at least one condition and relates to the activation of at least two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the motor vehicle (10); - a control device (24) which is designed to generate a rule for controlling the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the voice command (28) recognized by the voice recognition device (26) and to control the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the generated rule characterized bythat the speech recognition device (26) is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the speech command (28) which describes a relationship between respective operating states of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22), so that the operating modes of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) are coupled to one another. [2] Control device (12) according to claim 1, characterized by that the control device (24) is designed to repeatedly control the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the motor vehicle (10) in accordance with the generated rule when it is detected that the at least one condition is fulfilled, without the vehicle occupant (30) having to utter the voice command (28) again. [3] Control device (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the speech recognition device (26) is designed to revise or delete the generated rule in accordance with a further voice command related to the rule from the vehicle occupant (30) or another vehicle occupant. [4] Control device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the speech recognition device (26) is designed to recognize, on the basis of at least one predetermined command, whether the rule should be executed only once or whether it should be stored until the rule is changed or deleted. [5] Control device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control device (12) is designed to store the rule in a personalized manner in a memory of the motor vehicle (10) and / or a server device external to the vehicle. [6] Control device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the speech recognition device (26) is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the speech command (28) which describes a relationship between a detected action of the vehicle occupant (30) and between respective operating states of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22). [7] Control device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the speech recognition device (26) is designed to recognize at least one condition contained in the speech command (28) which describes a relationship between at least one parameter describing the vehicle environment and respective operating states of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22). [8] Motor vehicle (10) with a control device (12) according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Method for voice-based operation of a motor vehicle (10), comprising the steps - recognizing a voice command (28) of a vehicle occupant (30) linked to at least one condition and relating to the control of at least two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) of the motor vehicle (10) by means of a voice recognition device (26); Generating a rule for controlling the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the voice command (28) recognized by the voice recognition device (26) and controlling the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in accordance with the generated rule by means of the control device (24), characterized by , that the speech recognition device (26) recognizes at least one condition contained in the speech command (28) which describes a relationship between respective operating states of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22), so that the operating modes of the two functional units (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) are coupled to one another.

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