Text-to-Speech Component for In-Car Navigation Audio Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In-car navigation systems lack the ability to audibly identify non-standard or country-specific information, limiting their functionality in providing comprehensive audio guidance.
Innovation Solution
A navigation device and method that incorporates a text-to-speech (TTS) component to audibly inform users of street names, road numbers, Points of Interest, and other relevant data, with options for user selection of voice types and notification preferences, including pre-recorded or synthesized voices, and integration with ambient conditions and traffic information through secondary radio-telecommunication means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pre-recorded phrases are used for navigation guidance, then the system is simple and reliable, but it cannot provide audible identification of non-standard or country-specific information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a text-to-speech (TTS) engine as an intermediary component that converts text data (street names, road numbers, Points of Interest) into spoken audio. This TTS engine acts as a mediator between the navigation system's data processing capabilities and the audio output requirement, enabling dynamic generation of speech for non-standard information without requiring pre-recorded phrases for every possible scenario
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system is enhanced with multi-functionality by integrating both pre-recorded phrase playback and TTS engine capabilities. The system can universally handle various types of audio output needs - standard navigation instructions use pre-recorded phrases for reliability, while non-standard or country-specific information uses TTS for adaptability, making the system versatile across different information types
2Adaptability or versatility
If TTS engine is added to provide dynamic audio guidance, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the TTS engine functionality with the existing navigation device architecture. The TTS engine is integrated into the data processing flow, combining with the map database, route calculation, and audio playback components into a unified system that automatically selects between pre-recorded phrases and TTS-generated speech based on the information type
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing text data into speech format using the TTS engine before audio playback is needed. The TTS engine is configured and ready in advance, with text-to-speech conversion capabilities pre-established, allowing rapid generation of audio guidance without adding significant real-time processing complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining the manner in which a processor-enabled device should producing sounds from data is described. The device ideally comprises means for synthesizing sounds digitally, and re-producing pre-recorded sounds, together with means for audible delivery thereof, memory in which is stored a database of a plurality data at least some of which is in the form of text-based indicators, and one or more pre-recorded sounds, data transfer means by which the data is transferred between the processor of the device and said memory, and operating system software which controls the processing and flow of data betwixt processor and memory, and whether said sounds are audibly reproduced. In accordance with the invention, the device is further capable of repeatedly determining one or more physical conditions, e.g. current GPS location, which is compared with one or more reference values provided in memory such that a positive result of the comparison gives rise to an event requiring a sound to be produced by the device. Essentially, once the device determines that an event must be audibly identified, the method includes the steps of a) offering a selection to the user of the type of sound required to be audibly delivered, and, dependent on the user selection, either b) enabling a TTS software component to interact with the operating system or a program executing thereon such that for at least one event, sounds are digitally synthesized from one or more text-based indicators retrieved from the database, or c)one or more pre-recorded sounds stored on the device are reproduced for said at least one event, or a combination of b) and c).