Information processor, method for outputting information, program, and recording medium

Abstract

To provide an information processor that can notify a user of what would happen if the user chooses a different path from a guidance route.SOLUTION: An information processor includes a voice guidance unit for acquiring a current position of a mobile body and providing an audio guidance along a route to a destination. The voice guidance unit audio-outputs information about comparison between the current route and a route to the destination along a specified direction when the user requests information on the basis of a different direction from the direction shown by the route at the guidance position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to audio route guidance. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, navigation devices that provide route guidance to a destination by voice have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a voice navigation system that notifies the user of the approximate distance and direction from the current location to the destination by increasing the spread of the sound field as the distance from the current location to the destination decreases and by localizing the sound output from the speaker so that the sound is heard from the direction of the destination relative to the user's head. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-138277 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] During route guidance by a navigation device, a user may want to know what would happen if he or she took a route different from the guidance route. For example, the guidance route indicates a right turn at a guidance point, but if the direction of the right turn is congested and the direction going straight is not, the user may think that it would be faster to go straight. Therefore, it would be convenient if the user could know what would happen if he or she went in a direction different from the guidance route.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its main object to provide an information processing device that can inform a user of what would happen if the user took a route different from the guide route. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention described in the claims is an information processing device that provides information regarding the movement of a moving body, and is equipped with a voice guidance unit that acquires the current position of the moving body and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at the guidance point, the voice guidance unit outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and the route to the destination in the specified direction.

[0007] The invention described in the claims is also an information output method executed by an information processing device that provides information regarding the movement of a moving body, and includes a voice guidance process that acquires the current position of the moving body and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at the guidance point, the voice guidance process outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and the route to the destination that proceeds in the specified direction.

[0008] The invention described in the claims is a program that is executed by an information processing device having a computer and provides information regarding the movement of a moving body, and causes the computer to function as a voice guidance unit that acquires the current position of the moving body and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at the guidance point, the voice guidance unit outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and the route to the destination in the specified direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 shows an example of the configuration of a voice guidance system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a voice guidance device. [Diagram 3] An example of a situation in which information about a route different from the guide route is requested is shown below. [Figure 4] 13 is a flowchart of a route guidance process. [Diagram 5] 13 is a configuration example of a voice guidance system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 2 illustrates an example of a schematic configuration of a server device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an information processing device that provides information regarding the movement of a moving body includes a voice guidance unit that acquires the current position of the moving body and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at a guidance point, the voice guidance unit outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and a route to the destination in the specified direction.

[0011] The information processing device includes a voice guidance unit that acquires the current position of the moving object and provides voice guidance along a route to the destination. When a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at the guidance point, the voice guidance unit outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and a route to the destination in the specified direction. This allows the user to know what will happen if the user proceeds in a direction different from the current guidance route.

[0012] In one aspect of the information processing device, when the information request is made, the voice guidance unit calculates a new route to the destination by proceeding in the specified direction, and outputs information regarding a comparison between the current route and the new route. In this aspect, a new route to proceed in the specified direction is calculated, and information is output based on the calculated new route.

[0013] In another aspect of the above information processing device, when the information request is related to the time required to reach the destination, the voice guidance unit outputs information related to a comparison of the required times. When the information request is related to the distance to the destination, the voice guidance unit outputs information related to a comparison of the distances. When the information request is related to a travel fare to the destination, the voice guidance unit outputs information related to a comparison of the travel fare. When the information request is related to the characteristics of a travel route to the destination, the voice guidance unit outputs information related to a comparison of the characteristics of the travel route.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an information output method executed by an information processing device that provides information regarding the movement of a moving object includes a voice guidance step of acquiring the current position of the moving object and providing voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at a guidance point, the voice guidance step outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and a route to the destination proceeding in the specified direction. This allows the user to know what will happen if the user proceeds in a direction different from the current guidance route.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a program that is executed by an information processing device having a computer and provides information regarding the movement of a moving object causes the computer to function as a voice guidance unit that acquires the current position of the moving object and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination, and when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at a guidance point, the voice guidance unit outputs voice information regarding a comparison between the current route and a route to the destination proceeding in the specified direction. The above information processing device can be realized by executing this program on a computer. This program can be stored in a storage medium and used. EXAMPLES

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. <First Example> [System Configuration] 1 shows an example of the configuration of a voice guidance system according to a first embodiment of an information processing device of the present invention. The voice guidance system includes a vehicle Ve and a voice guidance device 1.

[0017] The voice guidance device 1 moves together with the vehicle Ve and provides route guidance mainly through voice so that the vehicle Ve travels along a route to be guided (also called a "guidance route"). Note that "route guidance mainly through voice" refers to route guidance that allows the user to grasp information necessary for driving the vehicle Ve along the guidance route at least from voice alone, and does not exclude the voice guidance device 1 displaying a map around the current position as an auxiliary. In this embodiment, the voice guidance device 1 outputs information on at least a point on the route where guidance is required (also called a "guidance point") by voice. Here, the guidance point corresponds to, for example, an intersection where the vehicle Ve turns right or left, or other important passing points for the vehicle Ve to travel along the guidance route. The voice guidance device 1 provides voice guidance on the guidance point, such as the distance from the vehicle Ve to the next guidance point and the traveling direction at the guidance point. Hereinafter, the voice regarding the guidance for the guidance route is also called "route voice guidance".

[0018] The voice guidance device 1 may be an in-vehicle device provided or attached to the vehicle Ve, or may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone that is brought into the vehicle and used. In yet another example, the voice guidance device 1 may be incorporated into the vehicle Ve. The voice guidance device 1 is an example of an "information processing device." The vehicle Ve is also an example of a "mobile body."

[0019] [Device configuration] 2 shows an example of a schematic configuration of the voice guidance device 1. The voice guidance device 1 mainly includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a control unit 14, a sensor group 15, a display unit 16, and a voice output unit 17. The elements in the voice guidance device 1 are connected to each other via a bus line 10.

[0020] The communication unit 11 performs data communication with other terminals under the control of the control unit 14. For example, the communication unit 11 may receive map data for updating a map DB (DataBase) 4 (described later) from a map management server (not shown).

[0021] The storage unit 12 is composed of various types of memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a non-volatile memory (including a hard disk drive, a flash memory, etc.). The storage unit 12 stores programs for the voice guidance device 1 to execute predetermined processes. The above-mentioned programs may include an application program for providing route guidance by voice, an application program for playing music, and an application program for outputting content other than music (such as television). The storage unit 12 is also used as a working memory for the control unit 14. The programs executed by the voice guidance device 1 may be stored in a storage medium other than the storage unit 12.

[0022] The storage unit 12 also stores a map DB (DataBase) 4. Various data necessary for route guidance is recorded in the map DB 4. The map DB 4 is a database including, for example, road data that represents a road network by a combination of nodes and links, and facility data that indicates facilities that are candidates for a destination, a stop-off point, or a landmark. The map DB 4 may be updated based on map information that the communication unit 11 receives from a map management server under the control of the control unit 14.

[0023] The input unit 13 is a button, a touch panel, a remote controller, a voice input device, etc. that the user operates. The display unit 16 is a display or the like that displays information based on the control of the control unit 14. The voice output unit 17 is a speaker or the like that outputs sound based on the control of the control unit 14.

[0024] The sensor group 15 includes an external sensor 18 and an internal sensor 19. The external sensor 18 is one or more sensors for recognizing the surrounding environment of the vehicle Ve, such as a camera, a lidar, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a sonar, etc. The internal sensor 19 is a sensor for measuring the position of the vehicle Ve, such as a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, a gyro sensor, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), a vehicle speed sensor, or a combination of these. Note that the sensor group 15 may include sensors that enable the control unit 14 to directly or indirectly (i.e., by performing an estimation process) derive the position of the vehicle Ve from the output of the sensor group 15.

[0025] The control unit 14 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and the like, and controls the entire voice guidance device 1. For example, the control unit 14 estimates the position (including the direction of travel) of the vehicle Ve based on the output of one or more sensors of the sensor group 15. When a destination is specified by the input unit 13, the control unit 14 generates route information indicating a guide route that is a route to the destination, and performs route guidance based on the route information, the estimated position information of the vehicle Ve, and the map DB4. In this case, the control unit 14 controls the audio output unit 17 to output route audio guidance to the audio output unit 17. The control unit 14 also controls the display unit 16 to display information on the music being played, video content, or a map of the surroundings of the current position. The control unit 14 and the audio output unit 17 are an example of an audio guidance unit.

[0026] The processing executed by the control unit 14 is not limited to being realized by software using a program, but may be realized by any combination of hardware, firmware, and software. The processing executed by the control unit 14 may be realized by using a user-programmable integrated circuit, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or a microcomputer. In this case, the program executed by the control unit 14 in this embodiment may be realized by using this integrated circuit. In this way, the control unit 14 may be realized by hardware other than a processor.

[0027] The configuration of the voice guidance device 1 shown in FIG. 2 is an example, and various changes may be made to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. For example, instead of the map DB4 being stored in the storage unit 12, the control unit 14 may receive information necessary for route guidance from a map management server (not shown) via the communication unit 11. In another example, instead of including the voice output unit 17, the voice guidance device 1 may be electrically connected to the voice output unit 17 configured separately from the voice guidance device 1 or by a known communication means, thereby causing the voice output unit 17 to output a voice. In this case, the voice output unit 17 may be a speaker provided in the vehicle Ve. In yet another example, the voice guidance device 1 may not be provided with the display unit 16. In this case, the voice guidance device 1 may not perform any control regarding the display, and may be electrically connected to a display unit provided in the vehicle Ve or the like by wire or wirelessly, thereby causing the display unit to perform a predetermined display. Similarly, instead of including the sensor group 15, the voice guidance device 1 may acquire information output by a sensor provided in the vehicle Ve from the vehicle Ve based on a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0028] [Request for information on a route that differs from the guided route] Next, a process will be described when a user makes an information request regarding a route different from the guided route. During route guidance, a user may want to know what would happen if the user took a route different from the guided route. For example, the guided route indicates a right turn at a guidance point, but if the direction of the right turn is congested and the direction going straight is not, the user may think that it would be quicker to go straight. Therefore, it would be convenient if the user could know what would happen if the user went in a direction different from the guided route.

[0029] Therefore, in this embodiment, the user is allowed to make a request for information about a route different from the guide route. Specifically, the user specifies a travel direction during route guidance, and requests information when proceeding in the specified travel direction. For example, when the guide route indicates a right turn at a certain guide point, the user inputs a voice such as "What will happen if I go straight here?". The information request may be made before the vehicle enters the guide point. For example, before the vehicle enters an intersection that is a guide point, the user may ask "What will happen if I go straight at the next guide point?". In addition, for example, when a route can be calculated for each lane, the user may respond with a request such as "What will happen if I take the lane next to the right?".

[0030] In response to this, the voice guidance device 1 calculates a new route (hereinafter referred to as an "alternative route") that proceeds in the direction of travel specified by the user and reaches the same destination as the currently set guide route. Then, the voice guidance device 1 outputs information on a comparison between the current guide route and the alternative route by voice. Specifically, the voice guidance device 1 outputs at least one of the following: a difference in travel distance when the alternative route is traveled instead of the guide route, a difference in the time required to reach the destination, a difference in the arrival time at the destination, and a difference in the travel fee when a toll road or the like is used. For example, the voice guidance device 1 outputs information such as that the alternative route takes more time, that the arrival time is 10 minutes later, that the alternative route is 5 minutes earlier but the travel fee is 300 yen higher, or that there is not much time difference between the alternative route and the guide route. The voice guidance device 1 may further output differences in characteristics between the guide route and the alternative route. For example, differences in the environment between the guide route and the alternative route, such as that the alternative route has more curves, a better view, more convenience stores, and more lane changes, may be additionally output.

[0031] In the above example, the user does not specify the information he / she wants to hear, but simply asks "What will happen if I go straight from here?". When the user specifies the information he / she wants to hear and requests the information, the voice guidance device 1 may output the information first. Specifically, when the user specifies the required time, arrival time, travel fare, characteristics of the travel route, etc. and requests the information, the voice guidance device 1 may provide the information requested by the user first. For example, when the user asks "Is it faster to go straight from here?", the information the user wants to hear is the difference in the required time, so the voice guidance device 1 may output information related to the required time, such as "It will be 5 minutes late." In this case, the voice guidance device 1 may output information related to the travel fare, information related to the characteristics of the travel route, etc. as additional information.

[0032] 3 shows an example of a case where a user makes an information request regarding a route different from the guide route. Now, assume that a vehicle Ve is traveling on a guide route R. The guide route R is a route that passes through guide points G1 and G2 in this order to reach a destination D, and the vehicle Ve has entered an intersection corresponding to the next guide point G1. Here, according to the guide route R, the vehicle Ve needs to turn right at the guide point G1, but as shown in the enlarged view of the guide point G1, the right-turn lane is congested with another vehicle V.

[0033] In this case, the user requests information on what would happen if the user went straight through this guidance point. For example, the user makes a voice input such as "What would happen if I went straight through here?" When such a voice input is made, the voice guidance device 1 calculates an alternative route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination D in the case of going straight through guidance point G1, and outputs information on a comparison between the current guidance route and the alternative route. In the example of FIG. 3, the voice guidance device 1 calculates an alternative route Rx indicated by a dashed line, and outputs information on the differences between the required time, arrival time, travel fare, and characteristics of the travel route when traveling the guidance route R and the alternative route Rx.

[0034] 4 is a flowchart of the route guidance process. When a destination is set by the user and route guidance is started, the voice guidance device 1 performs guidance along the guidance route (step S11). Next, the voice guidance device 1 determines whether or not the user has requested information on a route different from the guidance route as described above (step S12).

[0035] If the user's information request has not been acquired (step S12: No), the process returns to step S11. On the other hand, if the user's information request has been acquired (step S12: Yes), the voice guidance device 1 calculates an alternative route in the case where the vehicle proceeds in a direction different from the guide route at the next guide point (step S13), and outputs information regarding a comparison between the alternative route and the guide route (step S14).

[0036] Next, the voice guidance device 1 judges whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination (step S15). If the vehicle has not arrived at the destination (step S15: No), the process returns to step S11. On the other hand, if the vehicle has arrived at the destination (step S15: Yes), the route guidance process ends.

[0037] In this way, according to this embodiment, when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the guide route, the voice guidance device 1 provides information on a comparison between an alternative route in that direction and the current guide route. Therefore, the user can decide which direction to go in after considering the provided information.

[0038] If the user hears the information comparing the alternative route with the guide route and thinks that the alternative route is better, the user may simply drive along the alternative route. When the current position deviates from the guide route, the voice guidance device 1 automatically performs a so-called reroute and changes the guide route. Alternatively, the voice guidance device 1 may change the guide route by acquiring an instruction to switch to the alternative route from the user. As a result, the alternative route is set as the guide route, and the user can then drive along the alternative route.

[0039] <Second Example> 5 is a configuration example of a voice guidance system according to the second embodiment. The voice guidance system according to the second embodiment mainly includes a vehicle Ve, a voice guidance device 1A, and a server device 2. Note that components similar to those in the first embodiment are appropriately given the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] The voice guidance device 1A has the same configuration (see FIG. 2) as the voice guidance device 1 described in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the server device 2 performs route search processing and route guidance processing based on the map DB 4, so the voice guidance device 1A does not need to have the map DB 4. When the voice guidance device 1A detects an input specifying a destination or the like by a user through the input unit 13, the voice guidance device 1A transmits to the server device 2 an upload signal "S1" including the position information of the vehicle Ve outputted by the sensor group 15 and information related to the specified destination.

[0041] Furthermore, when the user makes a request for information on a route different from the guide route, the voice guidance device 1A supplies an upload signal S1 including that request and information on the traveling state of the vehicle Ve at that time to the server device 2. Furthermore, when the voice guidance device 1A receives a control signal "S2" related to voice output from the server device 2 while the vehicle Ve is traveling, the voice guidance device 1A performs voice output from the voice output unit 17 based on the control signal S2. In this case, the voice guidance device 1A outputs information related to a comparison between the guide route and an alternative route based on the control signal S2.

[0042] The server device 2 generates route information indicating a guide route along which the vehicle Ve should travel, based on an upload signal S1 including a destination and the like received from the voice guidance device 1A. In the case of the above-mentioned first example, the server device 2 generates a control signal S2 including information regarding a comparison between the guide route and an alternative route, based on a user's information request and a traveling state of the vehicle Ve indicated by the upload signal S1 subsequently transmitted by the voice guidance device 1A. The server device 2 then transmits the generated control signal S2 to the voice guidance device 1A.

[0043] 6 shows an example of a schematic configuration of the server device 2. The server device 2 mainly includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 24. The elements in the server device 2 are connected to each other via a bus line 20.

[0044] The communication unit 21 performs data communication with an external device such as the voice guidance device 1A under the control of the control unit 24. The storage unit 22 is composed of various memories such as a RAM, a ROM, and a non-volatile memory (including a hard disk drive, a flash memory, etc.). The storage unit 22 stores a program for the server device 2 to execute a predetermined process. The storage unit 22 also includes a map DB4. The control unit 24 includes a CPU, a GPU, etc., and controls the entire server device 2. The control unit 24 also executes at least a part of the process of the voice guidance device 1 described in the above embodiment by executing the program stored in the storage unit 22. For example, the control unit 24 generates route information indicating a guide route and generates a control signal S2 including information on a comparison between the guide route and an alternative route based on an upload signal S1 received from the voice guidance device 1A via the communication unit 21. Then, the control unit 24 transmits the generated control signal S2 to the voice guidance device 1A via the communication unit 21.

[0045] In this way, even if the server device 2 substantially controls the voice guidance device 1A regarding route guidance, the voice guidance system can output information regarding a comparison between the guidance route and an alternative route, similar to the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the server device 2 is an example of an "information processing device."

[0046] In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer readable media and supplied to a control unit, which is a computer. The non-transitory computer readable medium includes various types of tangible storage media. Examples of the non-transitory computer readable medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical storage media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory)).

[0047] In the above-described embodiments, the moving body is described as a car, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the moving body may be a pedestrian, and the present embodiment may be applied to a pedestrian navigation system using a mobile terminal such as a smartphone as a voice guidance device.

[0048] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by a person skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and corrections that a person skilled in the art could make in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the claims, and the technical ideas. In addition, the disclosures of the above cited patent documents and the like are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Voice guidance device 2. Server equipment 4. Map DB 11, 21 Communications Department 12, 22 Storage section 13 Input section 14, 24 Control section 15 Sensor Group 16 Display section 17 Audio output section

Claims

[Claim 1] An information processing device that provides information regarding movement of a moving object, a voice guidance unit that acquires a current position of the moving object and provides voice guidance along a route to a destination; The voice guidance unit is an information processing device that, when a user requests information by specifying a direction different from the direction indicated by the route at the guidance point, outputs information regarding a comparison between the current route and the route to the destination in the specified direction.

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