sound output device

Abstract

To provide a sound output device capable of more audibly outputting an information sound to which an operator needs to respond.SOLUTION: In an in-vehicle system 100, an ear speaker 60 outputs an information sound such that the sound pressure is higher at the position of the driver's ear than at other positions. When the level of responsiveness is high, since the information sound is emphasized, it becomes easier to hear than a case when the level of responsiveness is low. As a result, it is possible to output the information sound that the driver needs to respond to more easily.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosure in this specification relates to a sound output device that outputs information sounds to an operator. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, navigation systems have been developed that allow a vehicle's planned route to be registered and provide route guidance by voice. These navigation systems identify intersections where the vehicle must turn based on the planned route, map information, and the current position, and notify the driver in advance so that the vehicle can travel along the set route.

[0003] When providing route guidance, a map screen display and voice guidance output are used in combination, but since it is not desirable for the driver to focus on the map screen while driving the vehicle, notification by voice guidance is important. On the other hand, when a vehicle is equipped with an audio device that outputs music, video, etc., there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish between the music output by the audio device and the voice guidance.

[0004] To address such problems, the driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 reduces the volume of the music output by the audio device or reduces the volume of the vocals included in the music when outputting a guide voice. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-50083 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1, the volume of the audio device is lowered to make the guide voice easier to hear, but in the case of guide voices that are highly urgent, such as warning sounds, or guide voices that require the driver to respond immediately, it is desirable to make them easier to hear.

[0007] Therefore, the disclosed object has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a sound output device that can output information sounds that the operator is likely to need to respond to in a more audible manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present disclosure employs the following technical means to achieve the above-mentioned objectives.

[0009] The sound output device disclosed herein includes an acquisition unit (30) that acquires information sound that provides information to an operator, an ear speaker (60) that outputs the information sound so that the sound pressure at the position of the operator's ear is higher than at other positions, and a sound output unit (60) that outputs the information sound so that the sound pressure at the position of the operator's ear is higher than at other positions. Depending on the height of Emphasize information sounds Control the degree to which and a sound control unit (30) that controls the sound so that the sound is output from the ear speaker, and the sound control unit reduces the degree to which reverberation is added to the information sound when the necessity is high compared to when the necessity is low. And, In addition to reverberation processing, high-frequency emphasis processing is applied to the information sound to emphasize the high frequency parts. To a lesser extent than when the need is low Do, When the necessity is low, the degree to which reverberation is added to the information sound is increased compared to when the necessity is high, and high-frequency emphasis processing is performed on the information sound together with reverberation processing at a stronger degree than when the necessity is high, and the high-frequency emphasis processing is controlled so that when the necessity is high, the volume of the high-frequency part is increased less and the lower limit value for emphasis of the high-frequency part is increased compared to when the necessity is low, and controlled so that the volume of the high-frequency part is increased more and the lower limit value is decreased compared to when the necessity is high. It is a sound output device.

[0010] According to this sound output device, the ear speaker outputs information sound so that the sound pressure is higher at the position of the operator's ear than at other positions, allowing the operator to feel as if the information sound is being output close to the ear. When information sound is output close to the ear, it has a stronger psychological impact on the operator than when information sound is output at a distant location, making it easier for the operator to hear the information sound. Furthermore, when the need for the information sound is high, the information sound is emphasized, making it easier to hear than when the need for the information sound is low. This makes it possible to output information sound that the operator needs to respond to more easily.

[0011] The symbols in parentheses for the above-mentioned means are examples showing the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments to be described later. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle system 100. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram specifically showing the configuration of an output control unit 30. [Figure 3] A diagram explaining the levels of readiness required. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] (First embodiment) A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. An in-vehicle system 100 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle for use. As shown in Fig. 1, the in-vehicle system 100 includes a navigation device 10, an audio device 20, an output control unit 30, a display 40, a main speaker 50, and an ear speaker 60. The main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60 are units that output sound, and the output control unit 30 controls each of the speakers 50, 60. Therefore, the output control unit 30, the main speaker 50, and the ear speaker 60 constitute a sound output device.

[0014] The navigation device 10 is a device that sets a planned route for the vehicle and guides the vehicle along the planned route. Although not shown, the navigation device 10 includes a GNSS receiver, a map data storage unit, and a navigation control unit.

[0015] A GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver receives positioning signals transmitted from multiple artificial satellites. These artificial satellites are also called positioning satellites. The GNSS receiver outputs the received positioning signals to the navigation control unit as GPS information.

[0016] The map data storage unit is a component that stores map data. The map data storage unit is connected to the navigation control unit, and the map data can be read by the navigation control unit. The map data defines a map that represents roads using, for example, links and nodes. Specifically, the map data is formed by links formed as line segments of a predetermined length along the roads, which are connected in sequence by nodes.

[0017] The map data storage unit may be, for example, a cloud server instead of being provided in the navigation device 10. The same function can be provided by transmitting map data from the cloud server to the navigation device 10.

[0018] The navigation control unit uses GPS information to determine the current location of the vehicle, and then sets a planned route for the vehicle based on the determined current location, the set destination location, and map data, and performs route guidance.

[0019] Route guidance is performed by providing the driver with images and guide sounds of the planned route. The guide sounds are sounds that guide the driver along the planned route and include sound effects and voice. Specifically, route guidance uses the planned route and the vehicle's position to detect locations where guidance should be provided to the driver, such as intersections where the driver must turn right or left, and executes guidance processing when the location where guidance should be provided approaches. The guidance processing includes, for example, outputting guide sounds and enlarging the display of intersections.

[0020] The navigation control unit performs guidance processing, and creates display data showing information to be displayed to the driver, such as a map of the area near the intersection where the vehicle will turn right or left, and the direction of the turn, and outputs this to the output control unit 30. The navigation control unit also creates sound data to be displayed to the driver, such as the distance to the intersection where the vehicle will turn right or left, and the direction of travel for turning right or left, and outputs this to the output control unit 30.

[0021] The audio device 20 is a device that provides various contents such as music and video to the occupants, and includes, for example, a drive unit, a tuner unit, and an audio control unit inside.

[0022] The drive unit reads music and video information from storage media, such as CD media, DVD media, and HDDs, and outputs the information to the audio control unit. The tuner unit receives radio and television broadcasts and outputs the information to the audio control unit. Content may also be acquired via a network such as the Internet.

[0023] The audio control unit performs various processes on the content read by the drive unit or received by the tuner unit, and provides the processed content to the output control unit 30. When the sound information of the content is a stereo sound source, the audio control unit performs surround processing on the sound information. The stereo sound source data is created on the assumption that it will be output from two speakers, left and right, and includes right output sound data intended to be output from the right speaker and left output sound data intended to be output from the left speaker. By creating a difference between the left and right output sounds, the listener can sense a sense of direction and distance.

[0024] Surround processing is a process in which a virtual output in a desired direction, such as a virtual center output, is calculated from stereo sound source data, and the output sound of each speaker is adjusted so that the sound is heard from that direction.

[0025] Furthermore, if the sound information of the content is a 5.1ch sound source, the audio control unit performs processing to reproduce the sound information. The 5.1ch sound source data is created on the premise that it will be output from six speakers: in front of the listener, in the front right, in the front left, in the rear right, in the rear left, and for bass output, and has six pieces of data for each direction.

[0026] If it is not possible to provide dedicated speakers for each direction, for example, if there is no center speaker to be provided in front, the center output that should be output from the center speaker can be assigned to another speaker, for example, a right front speaker on the right front or a left front speaker on the left front, and added together as a center component to realize a virtual center output.

[0027] The output control unit 30 executes a program stored in a storage medium and controls the display 40 and each of the speakers 50 and 60. The output control unit 30 has at least one central processing unit (CPU) and a storage medium that stores programs and data. The output control unit 30 is realized, for example, by a microcomputer equipped with a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium is a non-transitory, tangible storage medium that non-temporarily stores computer-readable programs and data. The storage medium is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like.

[0028] The output control unit 30 processes output data from the navigation device 10 and the audio device 20 as necessary. The output control unit 30 controls the processed data to be output from the display 40 and each of the speakers 50 and 60. As part of the output processing, the output control unit 30 adds various special effects to the output sound, for example, to improve the sound quality and the sense of realism. Special effects include, for example, emphasis processing of a specific band and reverberation processing.

[0029] The display 40 notifies the user of the content by displaying an image. The images displayed on the display 40 are controlled by the output control unit 30. The display 40 is provided in a position within the vehicle that is visible to the driver, such as on the instrument panel. The display 40 is realized, for example, by a center information display.

[0030] The main speaker 50 is an audio speaker that outputs the sound of the content, i.e., audio sound. The sound output from the main speaker 50 is controlled by the output control unit 30. The main speaker 50 is placed farther from the driver's seat than the ear speaker 60. The main speaker 50 is provided integrally with the display 40, for example.

[0031] The ear speaker 60 outputs information sounds so that the sound pressure is higher at the ear position of the driver who is the operator than at other positions. Information sounds differ from audio sounds in that they provide the driver with information about driving. Information sounds include, for example, guide sounds that provide route guidance, warning sounds that notify of warnings, malfunction sounds that notify of abnormalities, and sounds that notify emergency earthquake alerts.

[0032] The ear speaker 60 produces a higher sound pressure at the position of the driver's ears than at the position of the driver's waist when seated in the driver's seat. Also, the ear speaker 60 produces a higher sound pressure at the position of the driver's ears when seated in the driver's seat than at the installation position of the main speaker 50. The ear speaker 60 is preferably disposed in a position closer to the driver's ears than to the driver's elbows when seated in the driver's seat.

[0033] In this embodiment, the ear speaker 60 is disposed in the headrest of the driver's seat of the vehicle or in the vicinity of the headrest. The position around the headrest is closer to the headrest than the center of the backrest in the vertical direction of the driver's seat, and is provided, for example, at the upper end of the backrest.

[0034] Therefore, the ear speaker 60 is positioned closer to the ear of the driver seated in the driver's seat than the main speaker 50. Furthermore, two ear speakers 60 are provided in this embodiment, one ear speaker 60 for the driver's left ear and the other ear speaker 60 for the driver's right ear. The left ear speaker 60L is positioned on the left side of the driver's seat. The right ear speaker 60R is positioned on the right side of the driver's seat. As a result, the left ear speaker 60L is positioned closer to the driver's left ear than the right ear speaker 60R. Similarly, the right ear speaker 60R is positioned closer to the driver's right ear than the left ear speaker 60L.

[0035] Next, the output control unit 30 will be further described with reference to Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the output control unit 30 has an audio sound control unit 31 and an information sound control unit 70 as functional blocks.

[0036] The audio sound control unit 31 acquires sound information of content, i.e., audio sound, from the audio device 20, performs output control processing, and outputs the audio to the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60. The audio sound control unit 31 includes a main volume adjustment unit 33, a first ear special effects unit 34, and a first ear volume adjustment unit 35. The main volume adjustment unit 33 adjusts the volume of the audio sound from the main speaker 50. The first ear special effects unit 34 controls the special effects applied to the audio sound from the ear speaker 60. As described above, the special effects include, for example, emphasis processing of a predetermined band and reverberation processing. The first ear volume adjustment unit 35 adjusts the volume of the audio sound controlled by the first ear special effects unit 34.

[0037] The information sound control unit 70 acquires sound information, that is, information sound, from the navigation device 10, performs output control processing, and outputs the information sound to the ear speaker 60. Therefore, the information sound control unit 70 also functions as an acquisition unit.

[0038] The information sound control unit 70 includes a second ear volume adjustment unit 71, an ear reverberation unit 72, an ear enhancement unit 73, a first switch unit 74, and a second switch unit 75. The ear reverberation unit 72 performs reverberation processing to add reverberation to the information sound. The reverberation processing can change the degree to which reverberation is added, and the longer the degree of addition, the longer the echo. The reverberation processing may use, for example, a so-called comb filter or so-called Schroeder reverberation. The ear enhancement unit 73 performs signal processing to enhance the high frequencies of the information sound that has been reverberated by the ear reverberation unit 72. For example, the ear enhancement unit 73 enhances the volume of the information sound before the high-frequency enhancement by 6 dB in the high-frequency range of 2 kHz or higher.

[0039] The first switch unit 74 switches whether to output to the ear speaker 60 the information sound processed by the ear reverberation unit 72 and the ear emphasis unit 73, or the information sound from the navigation device 10. In other words, the ear speaker 60 outputs either the information sound that has been specially processed or the information sound that has not been specially processed.

[0040] The second ear volume adjustment unit 71 adjusts the volume of the information sound from the ear speaker 60. The second ear volume adjustment unit 71 is provided after the first switch unit 74, and adjusts the volume of the information sound processed by the ear reverberation unit 72 and ear emphasis unit 73 selected by the first switch unit 74, or the information sound from the navigation device 10. The sound signal whose volume has been adjusted by the second ear volume adjustment unit 71 is input to the second switch unit 75.

[0041] The second switch unit 75 switches between whether or not the sound signal whose volume has been adjusted by the second ear volume adjustment unit 71 is output from the left ear speaker 60L and whether or not it is output from the right ear speaker 60R. The second switch unit 75 can, for example, output information sound only from the left ear speaker 60L.

[0042] A signal based on the audio sound controlled by the audio sound control section 31 is input to the main speaker 50. In response to this, the main speaker 50 outputs the audio sound controlled by the audio sound control section 31.

[0043] A signal based on a synthesized sound in which the audio sound controlled by the audio sound control unit 31 and the information sound controlled by the information sound control unit 70 are superimposed is input to the ear speaker 60. As a result, the ear speaker 60 outputs the synthesized sound controlled by the audio sound control unit 31 and the information sound control unit 70.

[0044] Next, the control of the information sound control unit 70 will be further explained using Figures 3 and 4. The information sound control unit 70 is a sound control unit that controls the output of the information sound to be more emphasized when there is a high need for the driver to respond to the information sound than when there is a low need for response.

[0045] The need for the driver to take action is also referred to as the "immediate response requirement." Information sounds with a high "immediate response requirement" are sounds that indicate information that requires immediate action, such as "Turn left. Turn left here." Information sounds with a low "immediate response requirement" are sounds that indicate information that does not require immediate action, such as "Turn left 2 km ahead."

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the level of need for immediate response is divided into four levels, with the level requiring the highest level being the fourth level and the level requiring the lowest level being the first level. The level division may be two or more, or may be five or more. At the fourth level, action must be started immediately after the output of the information sound, and at the third level, there is a margin of several seconds between the output of the information sound and the action. At the second level, there is a margin of several tens of seconds between the output of the information sound and the action, and at the first level, there is a margin of several minutes or more between the output of the information sound and the action. In other words, the length of the margin of time is one indicator of the level division.

[0047] For example, the fourth level is a collision warning sound, the third level is a guide sound such as "Turn left. Turn left here," the second level is a guide sound such as "Turn left 2 km ahead," and the first level is a guide sound such as "Furthermore than 5 km, follow the road."

[0048] When the need for immediate response is high, the information sound control unit 70 emphasizes the information sound by reducing the degree of reverberation processing on the information sound compared to when the need for immediate response is low, because a high degree of reverberation processing reduces the degree of urgency when listening to the information sound.

[0049] Furthermore, the information sound control unit 70 performs reverberation processing on the information sound, as well as high-frequency emphasis processing to emphasize the high frequency portion of the information sound, in order to prevent the reverberation processing from making the sound difficult to hear.

[0050] Furthermore, when the need for immediate response is high, the information sound control unit 70 reduces the volume from the main speaker 50 compared to when the need for immediate response is low, and emphasizes and outputs the information sound output from the ear speaker 60. This is because increasing the volume of the information sound relatively makes it easier to hear.

[0051] Next, a specific process for emphasizing the information sound will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the volume Vc of the main speaker 50 and the volume Vs of the ear speaker 60 are adjusted so that, when outputting the information sound, the volume Vc of the audio sound is reduced and the volume Vs of the information sound is increased for emphasis. Specifically, when music or the like is being output from the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60, the volume of the audio sound, i.e., the voltage applied to the main speaker 50, is faded out when outputting the information sound from the ear speaker 60.

[0052] That is, the volume Vc of the main speaker 50 is faded out to Vc×rc over the timeout time Tout [s], and the volume Vs of the ear speaker 60 is faded out to Vs×rs over the timeout time Tout [s], and the information sound is output from the ear speaker 60. After the information sound is output, the volume of the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60 is restored to the previous volume over the time-in time Tin [s], where rc and rs are coefficients for adjusting the volume.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, the timeout period Tout and the coefficients rc and rs are varied depending on the urgency of the information sound output from the ear speaker 60 and the need for an immediate response. At the fourth level, Tout = 0, i.e., the volume of the audio sound suddenly decreases and the output of the information sound begins, so the level of urgency is intuitively recognized. In addition, rc = rs = 0, i.e., the audio sound from both the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60 is completely muted, further emphasizing the level of urgency.

[0054] At the third level, by setting Tout=0.2 [s], the driver can intuitively recognize that the information sound is not serious enough to warrant immediate attention, but is not an emergency. When rs=0, the audio sound from the ear speaker 60 is completely muted, making the information sound extremely easy for the driver to hear. On the other hand, when rc=0.5, the volume of the main speaker 50 is only reduced to a level where the signal amplitude is 0.5 times the normal level. This allows passengers, particularly the passenger in the front passenger seat, to continue to hear the audio sound without feeling any discomfort, and also allows the driver to intuitively understand that the situation is not serious enough to require the audio sound to be muted. Furthermore, by reducing the audio sound from the main speaker 50 to about rc=0.5 and completely muting the audio sound from the ear speaker 60 with rs=0, the driver can hear the information sound extremely clearly.

[0055] At the second level, the audio sound is faded out slowly, at Tout=0.5 to 1.0 [s], so that the driver can intuitively understand that the urgency of the information sound is medium.

[0056] At the first level, the audio sound is faded out very slowly, with Tout = 1.0 to 2.0 [s]. This allows the driver to intuitively sense that the information sound is completely non-urgent. In addition, as with the second and third levels, not only is rc = 0.5, but rs = 0.1, so that the ear speaker 60 does not completely mute the audio sound, but also leaves a small amount of volume in the audio sound. This emphasizes the non-urgent nature of the information sound and allows the driver to hear the information sound without any discomfort caused by the audio sound being interrupted. If rs = 0.1 or so, the audibility of the information sound is not impaired.

[0057] When the audio volume is restored when the information sound is output, that is, fade-in, the volume of the information sound is restored to the volume before it was output over a time-in time Tin [s]. If it is intended not to interfere with the process in which the driver understands the content of the information sound, it is advisable to fade in the first to fourth levels described above slowly, for example, over a time of about 1.0 to 2.0 [s].

[0058] The ear reverberation unit 72 of the information sound control unit 70 changes the reverberation length according to the level of the required prompt response. For example, the reverberation length is set to 0.2 [s] at the first level, 0.1 [s] at the second level, and 0 [s] at the third level, and the reverberation length is shortened as the level increases.

[0059] The ear reverberation unit 72 is provided with the type of information sound and the level of responsiveness from the navigation device 10, and performs reverberation processing by specifying a reverberation length according to the level. The reverberation length may also be specified by the user on a setting screen of the navigation device 10, etc.

[0060] In this way, when audio sound is being output from the ear speaker 60, the volume of the audio sound from the ear speaker 60 is faded out or muted in accordance with the playback of the information sound, thereby emphasizing the information sound. Furthermore, when audio sound is not being output from the main speaker 50 and information sound is being output from the ear speaker 60, there is no need to control the output from the main speaker 50. Furthermore, even when audio sound is being output from the main speaker 50 but not from the ear speaker 60, the output of audio sound from the main speaker 50 is controlled in the same way.

[0061] Furthermore, the ear emphasis unit 73 of the information sound control unit 70 changes the characteristics of high-frequency emphasis according to the level. The characteristics of high-frequency emphasis are, for example, adjusted by adjusting the lower limit fcg [kHz] of the frequency to be emphasized and the volume rg [dB] to be emphasized. Therefore, the ear emphasis unit 73 controls so as to increase the volume rg at frequencies equal to or higher than the lower limit fcg.

[0062] The ear emphasis unit 73 changes the characteristics of high-frequency emphasis according to, for example, the level of prompt response required. For example, at the first level, the volume rg is emphasized by 6 dB in the high-frequency range where the lower limit fcg is 2 kHz. At the second level, the volume rg is emphasized by 3 dB in the high-frequency range where the lower limit fcg is 4 kHz. At the third level, no emphasis processing is performed. As described above, the lower the level of prompt response required, the longer the reverberation. And since the longer the reverberation, the more difficult it tends to be to hear the information sound, by performing emphasis processing in this manner, it is possible to maintain a constant level of ease of hearing regardless of the length of the reverberation.

[0063] As described above, in this embodiment, at levels 3 and 4 of the prompt response requirement, the ear reverberation unit 72 does not add reverberation, and the ear emphasis unit 73 does not perform high-frequency emphasis processing. Therefore, at levels 3 and 4 of the prompt response requirement, the first switch unit 74 switches to the side other than the ear reverberation unit 72 and the ear emphasis unit 73, i.e., to the side where the information sound is input directly from the navigation device 10 to the first switch unit 74. As a result, the information sound from the navigation device 10 is output from the ear speaker 60 without undergoing special processing.

[0064] The characteristics of the ear emphasis unit 73 may be varied according to the noise level inside the vehicle cabin. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the noise level may be estimated from information about the vehicle speed, and the high-frequency emphasis characteristics may be changed. As the noise inside the vehicle cabin increases, the information sound tends to become more difficult to hear. Therefore, by performing emphasis processing according to the noise level in this way, it is possible to maintain a constant level of audibility regardless of the noise level. Furthermore, the noise level may be estimated not only based on the vehicle speed, but also based on the speed of the blower fan of the vehicle air conditioning system, the open / close status of the windows, etc.

[0065] The ear emphasis unit 73 performs emphasis processing by specifying the characteristics of high-frequency emphasis according to the level, based on the type of information sound and the level of responsiveness provided by the navigation device 10. The characteristics of the emphasis processing may also be specified by the user on a setting screen of the navigation device 10, etc.

[0066] When the level of the need for immediate action is high, the second ear volume adjustment unit 71 may increase the sound pressure of the information sound to emphasize the information sound more than when the level is low. Simply increasing the sound pressure, i.e., increasing the volume, can make the driver aware that the need for immediate action is high.

[0067] Furthermore, when the guide sound is a voice urging the operator to turn right, the information sound control unit 70 emphasizes the guide sound for the operator's right ear more than the guide sound for the left ear.Furthermore, when the guide sound is a voice urging the operator to turn left, the information sound control unit 70 emphasizes the guide sound for the operator's left ear more than the guide sound for the right ear.

[0068] Specifically, the second switch unit 75 of the information sound control unit 70 controls so that guide sounds such as "Turn left" that instruct left turns or steering to the left are output only from the left ear speaker 60L located near the driver's left ear. The second switch unit 75 also controls so that guide sounds such as "Turn right" that instruct right turns or steering to the right are output only from the right ear speaker 60R located near the driver's right ear. The second switch unit 75 also outputs guide sounds that do not instruct left or right steering from both ear speakers 60. This allows the driver to intuitively grasp the direction in which to go and the direction in which to steer with little cognitive load.

[0069] As described above, in the in-vehicle system 100 of this embodiment, the ear speaker 60 outputs information sounds so that the sound pressure is higher at the position of the driver's ear than at other positions, allowing the driver to feel as if the information sounds are being output close to the ear. When information sounds are output close to the ear, it has a stronger psychological impact on the driver than when the information sounds are output at a distant location, making it easier for the driver to hear the information sounds. Furthermore, when the need for immediate response is high, the information sounds are emphasized, making them easier to hear than when the need for immediate response is low. This makes it possible to output information sounds that require the driver to take action more easily.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the level of the need for immediate action is high, the information sound control unit 70 outputs it from the ear speaker 60. Since people are psychologically strongly affected by speech close to their ears, by outputting an information sound indicating a high need for immediate action from the ear speaker 60, the driver can intuitively grasp that a high level of need for immediate action is required.

[0071] In this embodiment, for information sounds with a low level of immediate response requirement, such as "2 km ahead, turn left," reverberation is added to the original audio signal by signal processing, increasing the audible distance, giving the driver the feeling that no immediate response is required. This allows the driver to intuitively understand that the level of immediate response requirement is low.

[0072] Furthermore, since reverberation can make guide sounds difficult to hear, the signal is processed to emphasize high frequencies, which improves audibility even when reverberation is applied.

[0073] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In this embodiment, the main speaker 50 is characterized in that it outputs both information sounds and audio sounds into the vehicle cabin. In the first embodiment described above, the main speaker 50 was configured not to output information sounds. Audio sounds are sounds that are different from information sounds related to driving and are also called normal sounds. In this embodiment, information sounds are output from the ear speaker 60, and similarly, information sounds are output from the main speaker 50 as needed. In this way, information sounds that require a high level of immediate response, such as warning sounds, can be recognized by passengers other than the driver.

[0074] The main speaker 50 may also switch the sound to be output depending on the level of the need for immediate response and the presence or absence of an occupant. For example, the output control unit 30 may perform control so as to prohibit output of information sound from the main speaker 50 when there is an occupant in any seat other than the driver's seat, and to permit output of information sound from the main speaker 50 when there is no occupant in any seat other than the driver's seat. Furthermore, when there is no occupant in any seat other than the driver's seat, information sound with a low level of need for immediate response, for example, at level 1, may be output only from the main speaker 50, without being output from the ear speaker 60.

[0075] The presence or absence of an occupant can be detected by an occupant sensor. The occupant sensor is a sensor for detecting information related to an occupant. Examples of occupant sensors include door courtesy switches and seating sensors. The door courtesy switches detect the open / closed state of each door of the vehicle. The seating sensors detect the seating position of the occupant.

[0076] When there are passengers other than the driver, the information for immediate response required levels 1 to 3 may be output only from the ear speaker 60, and only the information for immediate response required level 4 may be output from the ear speaker 60 and the main speaker 50. Also, the guide sound may not be output from the main speaker 50, and control may be exercised so that only sounds for immediate response required level 4 other than the guide sound, for example, warning sounds, are output from the audio speaker as well. This allows necessary information to be output to the driver and passengers at the appropriate time.

[0077] Furthermore, regardless of whether an occupant is present, the information sound may be emphasized by controlling the audio sound output from at least one of the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60. Specifically, when the need for immediate response is high, the information sound control unit 70 may reduce the volume of the audio sound from the main speaker 50 compared to when the need for immediate response is low, and emphasize the information sound output from the ear speaker 60. By relatively increasing the volume of the information sound, it can be made easier to hear.

[0078] Similarly, when the need for immediate response is high, the information sound control unit 70 may shorten the time taken to fade out the audio sound compared to when the need for immediate response is low, and may output the information sound output from the ear speaker 60 with emphasis. In other words, when the need for immediate response is high, the timeout period Tout [s] for the volume of the main speaker 50 and the ear speaker 60 is shortened. This causes the volume of the audio sound to decrease in a shorter period of time, so that the information sound is relatively emphasized. Furthermore, the audio volume after the audio sound fades out may not be muted but may remain at a certain volume, and only the time taken for the fade-out may be shortened.

[0079] (Other embodiments) The above describes preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be implemented in various modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0080] The structures of the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope of these descriptions. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0081] In the first embodiment described above, an information sound is output even when the immediate response required level is low, but when the immediate response required level is lower than a reference level, the information sound does not have to be output from the ear speaker 60. In other words, when the immediate response required level is higher than the reference level, the information sound may be output, and when it is lower than the reference level, the information sound may be muted, thereby emphasizing the information sound when the immediate response required level is higher than the reference level. Therefore, the immediate response required level is divided into at least two levels, and when the immediate response required level is low, the information sound is muted, the volume is lowered, or reverberation is added, so that it is not emphasized as much as when it is high.

[0082] In the first embodiment described above, the sound output device is realized by the in-vehicle system 100, but the present invention is not limited to a system mounted on a vehicle. The sound output device may be mounted on other mobile devices, such as a motorbike, heavy machinery, an airplane, or a ship, which is operated by a driver.

[0083] In the first embodiment, the ear speaker 60 is fixedly positioned near the ear, but this configuration is not limited thereto and may be a portable speaker. For example, the ear speaker 60 may be realized as headphones worn directly on the ear, a neck-type speaker worn around the neck, or an open-ear type speaker positioned near the ear. In the case of such a portable speaker, the output control unit 30 may also be integrated with the portable speaker. When the portable speaker is used in a vehicle, the output control unit 30 may communicate with the vehicle wirelessly or via a cable to acquire audio and information sounds. In the case of a motorcycle, the portable speaker may be built into the helmet. In the case of a portable speaker that wirelessly connects to a mobile device such as a smartphone, the mobile device may function as the output control unit 30, and the navigation device 10 may be realized by an app on the mobile device. In this way, even when traveling on foot, the same functions as the in-vehicle system 100 of the first embodiment described above can be realized using the mobile device and the portable speaker.

[0084] The ear speakers 60 may be configured to increase the sound pressure near the ears by stereophonic sound. In other words, even if the ear speakers 60 are not located near the ears, as long as they are configured to output sound as if they were located near the ears, the same effects and advantages as those of the first embodiment can be achieved.

[0085] The functions realized by the output control unit 30 in the first embodiment described above may be realized by hardware and software different from those described above, or a combination of these. The output control unit 30 may, for example, communicate with another control device, and the other control device may perform some or all of the processing. When the output control unit 30 is realized by an electronic circuit, it may be realized by a digital circuit including a large number of logic circuits, or an analog circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10...Navigation device 20...Audio device 30... Output control unit (acquisition unit, sound control unit) 31... Audio sound control unit 33...Main volume control section 34...First ear special effects section 35...Volume control for first ear 40...Display 50...Main speaker (audio speaker) 60...Ear speaker 60L...Left ear speaker 60R...Right ear speaker 70... Information sound control section 71... Volume control section for second ear 72... Reverberation section for second ear 73...Ear emphasis section 74...First switch section 75...Second switch section 100...In-vehicle systems

Claims

1. an acquisition unit (30) that acquires an information sound that provides information to an operator; an ear speaker (60) that outputs the information sound so that the sound pressure at the position of the operator's ear is higher than that at other positions; a sound control unit (30) that controls the degree of emphasis of the information sound in accordance with the level of necessity for the operator to respond to the information sound, and controls the sound to be output from the ear speaker; The sound control unit when the need is high, the degree to which reverberation is added to the information sound is reduced compared to when the need is low, and high-frequency emphasis processing that emphasizes the high-frequency portion of the information sound is performed to a weaker degree together with reverberation processing on the information sound compared to when the need is low; when the need is low, a degree of adding reverberation to the information sound is increased compared to when the need is high, and the high-frequency emphasis processing is performed on the information sound together with the reverberation processing at a stronger degree than when the need is high; The high frequency emphasis processing is When the need is high, the volume of the high frequency part is increased less and the lower limit value of the emphasis of the high frequency part is increased more than when the need is low; When the need is low, the sound output device controls the volume of the high frequency portion to be increased more and the lower limit to be smaller than when the need is high.

2. The sound output device according to claim 1 , wherein the sound control unit, when the necessity is high, increases the sound pressure of the information sound more than when the necessity is low, thereby emphasizing the information sound.

3. the information sound includes a guide sound that guides the operator in the direction of travel, The sound control unit When the guide sound is a voice encouraging a right turn, the guide sound for the operator's right ear is emphasized more than the guide sound for the operator's left ear, The sound output device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the guidance sound is a voice encouraging a left turn, the guidance sound for the left ear of the operator is emphasized more than the guidance sound for the right ear.

4. 4. The sound output device according to claim 1, wherein the ear speaker is disposed in a headrest of a driver's seat of a vehicle or in the vicinity of the headrest.

5. the information sound is information regarding a driving operation of the vehicle, The vehicle further includes an audio speaker (50) that outputs an audio sound different from the information sound to the interior of the vehicle.

5. The sound output device according to claim 4, wherein the sound control unit, when the necessity is high in at least one of the audio speaker and the ear speaker, reduces the volume of the audio sound compared to when the necessity is low, and emphasizes and outputs the information sound output from the ear speaker.

6. the information sound is information regarding a driving operation of the vehicle, The vehicle further includes an audio speaker (50) that outputs an audio sound different from the information sound to the interior of the vehicle.

5. The sound output device according to claim 4, wherein the sound control unit, when the necessity is high for at least one of the audio speaker and the ear speaker, shortens the time taken to fade out the audio sound compared to when the necessity is low, thereby emphasizing the information sound output from the ear speaker.

7. The sound control unit When there is an occupant in a seat other than the driver's seat, output of the information sound from the audio speaker is prohibited, 7. The sound output device according to claim 5, wherein when no passenger is present in any seat other than the driver's seat, output of the information sound from the audio speaker is permitted.

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