JP2023124533A - Information processing device, information processing method, program, and system - Google Patents

Abstract

To allow for presenting directions of left and right turns to a user in an intuitively understandable manner in route guidance using a function of a mobile terminal, such that left and right turn directions can be understood even if a user does not comprehend linguistic meaning.SOLUTION: A vehicle used by a user acquires a guidance route. Voice is output from a voice output device worn by the user while the vehicle is traveling along the guidance route. A localization position of a sound image of the voice is controlled according to the guidance route.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a system.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a technique for presenting a direction to a user of a vehicle by voice. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for outputting a non-localized alerting sound through a speaker when an obstacle is approaching within a predetermined distance, and then outputting a warning sound with a sound image localized in the direction of the obstacle. is disclosed.

JP 2020-123143 A

However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200000 does not consider the use environment in which the user rides a motorcycle while using the functions of the mobile terminal, such as making a call or listening to music. That is, for example, it does not take into consideration the case where a guidance voice for route guidance from a portable terminal is output to a headset through wireless communication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide route guidance using the functions of a mobile terminal so that the direction to turn right or left can be shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand the direction to turn left or right, even if the user does not understand the meaning of the language. It is to make it possible to show

According to the invention,
a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
Control means for causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
with
The information processing apparatus is provided, wherein the control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the voice according to the guidance route.

According to the present invention, in route guidance using the function of a portable terminal, the direction of right or left turn is shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand, and the direction of right or left turn is shown even if the user does not understand the meaning of the language. make it possible.

1 is a right side view of a straddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the straddle-type vehicle of FIG. 1; 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device for a straddle-type vehicle; FIG. The figure which shows the outline|summary of the route guidance system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows an example of a structure of a terminal device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a terminal device; 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an audio output device; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining processing for determining a localization position of a sound image in the route guidance system; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the output timing of the sound depending on whether the vehicle is turning right or left. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by a terminal device according to one embodiment;

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Also, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

In each figure, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions orthogonal to each other, the X direction being the front-rear direction of the saddle-ride type vehicle, the Y direction being the vehicle width direction (horizontal direction) of the saddle-ride type vehicle, and the Z direction being the vertical direction. indicates The left and right sides of the straddle-type vehicle are the left and right sides when viewed in the forward direction. Hereinafter, the front or rear in the longitudinal direction of the straddle-type vehicle may simply be referred to as the front or rear. In addition, the inner side or the outer side in the vehicle width direction (horizontal direction) of the straddle-type vehicle may be simply referred to as the inner side or the outer side.

The information processing apparatus according to this embodiment is used in a route guidance system that performs vehicle navigation. In the route guidance system according to one embodiment, when the user uses the vehicle, the information processing device and the voice output device are connected by wireless communication. Next, while the vehicle is traveling along the guidance route, the sound image of the sound output from the audio output device is controlled according to the guidance route.

In the system according to the present embodiment (described later in FIG. 4), the voice of each application such as a route guidance application implemented in the terminal device is output to the voice output device, and the user's input to the voice output device It is possible to operate the terminal device by In other words, output of functions such as weather information, navigation, phone calls, messages, music playback, or dashboards that can be implemented on a mobile terminal are output by a voice output device, and those operations are performed via a microphone or buttons provided on the voice output device. can be done. For example, the weather information of the user's current location or the destination is used as the weather information output using the voice output device in the route guidance system, but the functions that can be implemented in the terminal device are not particularly limited to these. Such a configuration makes it possible to use the functions of the terminal device while the vehicle is running without interfering with the driving operation.

[Overview of straddle-type vehicle]
First, the vehicle in the system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a right side view of a straddle-type vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the straddle-type vehicle 1. As shown in FIG.

The straddle-type vehicle 1 is a tourer-type motorcycle suitable for long-distance travel, but the present invention is applicable to various straddle-type vehicles including other types of motorcycles. It can be applied to an electric vehicle using a motor as a drive source as well as a vehicle using a motor as a drive source. The straddle-type vehicle 1 may be referred to as the vehicle 1 hereinafter.

A vehicle 1 includes a power unit 2 between front wheels FW and rear wheels RW. In this embodiment, the power unit 2 includes a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine 21 and a transmission 22 . The driving force of the transmission 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels RW via a drive shaft (not shown) to rotate the rear wheels RW.

A power unit 2 is supported by a vehicle body frame 3 . The body frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the X direction. A fuel tank 5 and an air cleaner box (not shown) are arranged above the main frame 31 . In front of the fuel tank 5, there is provided a meter panel MP equipped with an electronic image display device for displaying various information to the rider.

A front end of the main frame 31 is provided with a head pipe 32 that rotatably supports a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by the handle 8 . A pair of left and right pivot plates 33 are provided at the rear end of the main frame 31 . A lower end portion of the pivot plate 33 and a front end portion of the main frame 31 are connected by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown), and the power unit 2 is supported by the main frame 31 and the lower arms. A pair of left and right seat rails (not shown) extending rearward are provided at the rear end of the main frame 31. The seat rails are a seat 4a on which a rider sits, a seat 4b on which a fellow passenger sits, and a rear trunk. 7b etc. are supported.

The pivot plate 33 swingably supports the front end of a rear swing arm (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction. The rear swing arm is vertically swingable, and supports the rear wheel RW at its rear end. An exhaust muffler 6 that muffles exhaust noise from the engine 21 extends in the X direction below the rear wheel RW. Left and right saddlebags 7a are provided on the upper side of the rear wheel RW.

A front suspension mechanism 9 that supports the front wheels FW is configured at the front end of the main frame 31 . The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper link 91 , a lower link 92 , a fork support 93 , a cushion unit 94 and a pair of left and right front forks 95 .

The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are arranged at the front end of the main frame 31 with a vertical gap therebetween. Each rear end of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 is pivotably connected to a support provided at the front end of the main frame 31 . Front ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotably connected to a fork support 93 . The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 each extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged substantially in parallel.

The cushion unit 94 has a structure in which a shock absorber is inserted through a coil spring, and its upper end is supported by the main frame 31 so as to be swingable. A lower end portion of the cushion unit 94 is swingably supported by the lower link 92 .

The fork support 93 is cylindrical and tilts backward. The front end of the upper link 21 is rotatably connected to the upper front portion of the fork support 93 . A front end portion of the lower link 92 is rotatably connected to the lower rear portion of the fork support 93 .

A steering shaft 96 is rotatably supported on the fork support 93 about its axis. The steering shaft 96 has a shaft portion (not shown) through which the fork support 93 is inserted. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 96, and a pair of left and right front forks 95 are supported by this bridge. The front wheel FW is rotatably supported by the front fork 95 . The upper end of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to a steering shaft (not shown) rotated by the handle 8 . Steering of the steering wheel 8 rotates the steering shaft 96 to steer the front wheels FW.

The vehicle 1 includes a brake device 19F that brakes the front wheels FW and a brake device 19F that brakes the rear wheels RW. The brake devices 19F and 19R are configured to be operable by the rider's operation of the brake lever 8a or the brake pedal 8b. Brake devices 19F and 19R are, for example, disc brakes. When not distinguishing between the brake devices 19F and 19R, they are collectively referred to as the brake device 19. As shown in FIG.

A headlight unit 11 that irradiates light in front of the vehicle 1 is arranged in the front part of the vehicle 1 . The headlight unit 11 of the present embodiment is a twin-lens type headlight unit that includes a right light irradiation section 11R and a left light irradiation section 11L symmetrically. However, a single-lens type headlight unit, a three-lens type headlight unit, or a left-right asymmetric two-lens type headlight unit can also be employed.

A front portion of the vehicle 1 is covered with a front cowl 12, and a front side portion of the vehicle 1 is covered with a pair of left and right side cowls 14. - 特許庁A screen 13 is arranged above the front cowl 12 . The screen 13 is a windshield that reduces the wind pressure applied to the rider during running, and is made of, for example, a transparent resin member.

A pair of left and right side mirror units 15 are arranged on the sides of the front cowl 12 . A side mirror (not shown) is supported by the side mirror unit 15 so that the rider can visually recognize the rear side.

In this embodiment, the front cowl 12 is composed of cowl members 121-123. The cowl member 121 extends in the Y direction to constitute the main body of the front cowl 12 , and the cowl member 122 constitutes the upper portion of the cowl member 121 . The cowl member 123 is spaced downward from the cowl member 121 .

An opening for exposing the headlight unit 11 is formed between the cowl members 121 and 123 and between the pair of left and right side cowls 14. The upper edge of this opening is defined by the cowl member 121 and the lower edge. is defined by the cowl member 123 , and the left and right side edges are defined by the side cowl 14 .

An imaging unit 16A and a radar 16B are arranged behind the front cowl 12 as detection devices for detecting the situation in front of the vehicle 1 . The radar 16B is, for example, a millimeter wave radar. The imaging unit 16A includes an imaging device such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor, and an optical system such as a lens, and images an image in front of the vehicle 1 . The imaging unit 16A is arranged behind a cowl member 122 forming the upper portion of the front cowl 12. As shown in FIG. An opening 122a is formed through the cowl member 122, and the imaging unit 16A captures an image in front of the vehicle 1 through the opening 122a.

Radar 16B is arranged behind cowl member 121 . Due to the existence of the cowl member 121, the presence of the detection unit 16 can be made inconspicuous when viewed from the front of the vehicle 1, and deterioration of the appearance of the vehicle 1 can be avoided. The cowl member 121 is made of a material, such as resin, through which electromagnetic waves can pass.

The imaging unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged in the center of the front cowl 12 in the Y direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle. By arranging the imaging unit 16A and the radar 16B at the center of the vehicle 1 in the Y direction, it is possible to obtain a wider imaging range and a wider detection range on the left and right sides in front of the vehicle 1, so that the situation in front of the vehicle 1 can be seen more clearly. It can be detected without oversight. In addition, since one imaging unit 16A and one radar 16B can uniformly monitor the front of the vehicle 1 on the left and right sides, instead of providing a plurality of imaging units 16A and radars 16B, a configuration in which one imaging unit 16A and one radar 16B are provided, It is particularly advantageous.

[Control device for straddle-type vehicle]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control device 10 of the vehicle 1, and shows only the necessary configuration in relation to the description that will be given later. The vehicle 1 includes a control unit (ECU) 10a. The control unit 10a includes a processor represented by a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an input/output interface or a communication interface with an external device, and the like. The storage device stores programs executed by the processor, data used for processing by the processor, and the like. The control unit 10a may include multiple sets of processors, storage devices, interfaces, etc. corresponding to each function of the vehicle 1 .

The control unit 10a acquires the detection results of the imaging unit 16A and the radar 16B, and constantly recognizes targets around the vehicle 1 and road conditions. The control unit 10a also acquires information from the GPS sensor 17, the communication device 18, and the map information database DB. The GPS sensor 17 detects position information indicating the current position of the vehicle 1 . The communication device 18 wirelessly communicates with a server that provides map information and traffic information to acquire such information. Further, in this embodiment, the communication device 18 can wirelessly communicate with a terminal device carried by a user who uses the vehicle 1 . Highly accurate map information can be stored in the map information database DB, and the control unit 10a can more accurately determine the shape of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the position of the vehicle 1 on the lane based on this map information. Identifiable.

The control unit 10 a can control each actuator of the power unit 2 and the brake 19 . In the case of the present embodiment, the control unit 10a controls these when performing the speed limiting process, which will be described later. The control unit 10a can also control the display of the meter panel MP. In this embodiment, various warning displays for the rider are displayed on the meter panel MP. In this embodiment, the alarm is activated by displaying an image on the meter panel MP, but the alarm may be activated by lighting or blinking of a lamp, or by voice. Activation of the warning by voice may be controlled to output voice through wireless communication from a speaker provided on the rider's helmet.

[Route Guidance System]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the route guidance system according to this embodiment. In system 400, terminal device 410 is communicably connected to audio output device 420 and vehicle 430, respectively. The terminal device 410 is an information processing device capable of providing route guidance for a vehicle 430 used by a user, such as a smart phone. The terminal device 410 transmits audio data to the audio output device 420 to output audio. The content of the sound to be output by the sound output device 420 is not particularly limited as long as it is a sound that can be output from a general terminal device. , music, or call voice. The terminal device 410 according to the present embodiment basically causes the voice output device 420 to output the guidance voice by the route guidance application.

The audio output device 420 is a device worn by the user that outputs audio received from the terminal device 410 . The audio output device 420 may be, for example, a headset integrated with a helmet, or may be a wireless earphone, and is not particularly limited to its form as long as it is wirelessly connected to the terminal device 410 and can output audio. do not have. The audio output device 420 according to this embodiment includes a communication unit (not shown) that enables communication by Bluetooth (registered trademark), and is connected to the terminal device 410 .

The terminal device 410 connects with the vehicle 430 and performs start processing of the route guidance application. The vehicle 430 is a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and the control unit 10a transmits to the terminal device 410 a start signal for an application installed in the terminal device 410. FIG. In this embodiment, the vehicle 430 is a straddle-type vehicle. The communication device 18 of the vehicle 430 is a communication unit that enables communication by Bluetooth (registered trademark), and is wirelessly connected to the terminal device 410 .

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the terminal device 410. As shown in FIG. The terminal device 410 includes a processing section 510 , a storage section 520 , a communication section 530 and a display section 540 . The processing unit 510 is a central processing unit such as a CPU, and executes programs stored in the storage unit 520 to perform various processes. The storage unit 520 is a storage device such as RAM, ROM, or hard disk. The programs stored in the storage unit 520 include application programs for navigation services by the route guidance system according to this embodiment. This application program may be downloaded from a server or distributed on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM.

Further, the storage unit 520 stores map data, which can be used for route guidance of the vehicle 430 . The map data stored in the storage unit 520 includes information on nodes corresponding to connection points in a road network, including guide points for route guidance such as intersections, and information on links to roads formed between nodes. It may also contain information related to searching for a route, such as.

Communication unit 530 includes a wireless communication interface or a wired communication interface capable of communicating with audio output device 420 and vehicle 430 . The display unit 540 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or a touch panel, and is capable of displaying processing results such as displaying a map during route guidance together with the current location. In addition, the display unit 540 can acquire user input based on the user's contact with the touch panel. Here, the display unit 540 may acquire the user's destination or position information, which will be described later, for use in the route guidance system, for example.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the terminal device 410 according to this embodiment. A terminal device 410 according to this embodiment includes a position acquisition unit 601 , a route acquisition unit 602 , a determination unit 603 , a sound image position determination unit 604 and a control unit 605 .

The position acquisition unit 601 can acquire the position of the user of the vehicle 430 . In this embodiment, the position acquisition unit 601 may receive GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals and calculate the current position based on the received GNSS signals, or may obtain position information based on user input. may be obtained. Further, the position acquisition unit 601 may acquire the position information acquired by the GPS 17 of the vehicle 430 from the vehicle 430 as the user's position information. The position acquisition unit 601 can acquire position information using any known means, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Also, the position acquisition unit 601 can acquire the input of the destination by the user, which is used in the route guidance system. In this embodiment, the position acquisition unit 601 acquires the destination set according to the user's voice input to the microphone provided in the voice output device 420. For example, the user's input to the touch panel of the terminal device 410 It is also possible to use different methods, such as obtaining the user's destination based on the . Also, the destination may be obtained based on the user's input when using the route guidance application, or may be set in advance.

In the system 400 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to search for a destination by user's voice input. Here, the destination may be searched for, for example, by name, by address, or by category such as gas station or parking lot. Here, the terminal device 410 can search for a destination using the map information on the server. In addition, the storage unit 520 can store favorite settings (for example, five) of destinations, and various processes for setting a preferred destination for the user, such as proposing them to the user when setting the destination. It is possible to

The route acquisition unit 602 acquires a guidance route used in route guidance for the vehicle 430 . The route acquisition unit 602 according to this embodiment acquires a guidance route based on the user's position information and the destination acquired by the position acquisition unit 601 .

The determination unit 603 determines whether the vehicle 430 turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route. The guidance point according to the present embodiment refers to a point on the guidance route acquired by the route acquisition unit 602 where the route guidance for the vehicle 430 is performed next by voice guidance. For example, the guidance point is an intersection, and the terminal device 410 can cause the voice output device 420 to output the guidance voice of the route at the intersection at a predetermined distance before the vehicle 430 reaches the intersection.

The sound image position determination unit 604 determines the localization position of the sound image of the sound to be output to the sound output device 420 based on the guidance route acquired by the route acquisition unit 602 . For example, the sound image position determination unit 604 can determine the localization position of the sound image according to whether the vehicle 430 turns right or left at the guidance point. An example of processing for determining the localization position of the sound image will be described later with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. In the following description, the term "localization position" simply refers to the localization position of the sound image. The control unit 605 controls the audio output device 420 so that the sound image is localized at the position determined by the sound image position determination unit 604 .

The sound image position determination unit 604 can make the user perceive as if a sound source exists at a position determined to localize the sound image by the sound output device 420 . For this reason, the sound image position determining unit 604 can localize the sound image by adjusting the volume or timing of the sound output from the sound output device 420 on the left and right sides.

When a user who drives a vehicle is given a guidance voice in which a sound image is localized in either the left or right direction in addition to the environmental sound, the user may feel that the driving tends to tilt in the direction in which the sound image is localized. . From such a point of view, by outputting a guidance voice in which a sound image is localized in the turning direction at a guidance point to turn left or right, it is possible to intuitively understand the direction, which is easier to turn naturally than non-localized guidance voice. It is possible to provide a guidance voice that is easy to listen to.

If a guidance voice with a localized sound image is output while the vehicle body of the vehicle 430 is banked, the driving may tilt more than necessary, which may disturb the balance. In consideration of this, the sound image position determining unit 604 acquires information indicating the tilt angle of the vehicle 430, and if the tilt angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the sound image position determining unit 604 outputs the sound to the sound output device 420. It is also possible to make the sound image of . A threshold for the tilt angle can be set arbitrarily, such as 30 degrees.

The sound image position determination unit 604 can acquire the tilt angle of the vehicle 430 from the vehicle 430 . For example, the vehicle 430 may have a bank angle sensor (not shown) that detects the tilt, and the sound image position determination unit 604 may acquire the tilt angle of the vehicle 430 measured by the bike angle sensor. Further, the sound image position determining unit 604 may estimate the tilt angle based on the speed and curve of the vehicle 430, and compare the estimated value with a threshold. method can be used. Further, the vehicle 430 does not need to be acquired by a sensor provided in the vehicle 430, and may be estimated by a gyro sensor built in the audio output device 420, for example.

The audio output device 420 will be described below assuming that it is a headset built into a helmet as shown in FIG. Form and function are not limited. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a headset as audio output device 420. As shown in FIG. The audio output device 420 includes a communication section 710 , an input section 720 , an output section 730 , an AIF 731 , a DAC 732 and an amplifier 733 . The communication unit 710 is a communication unit for performing wireless communication with the terminal device 410 and the vehicle 430, and transmits and receives various data including guidance voice data between the devices.

The input unit 720 acquires user input for applications running on the terminal device 410 . The input unit 720 according to the present embodiment is, for example, a sound collector (microphone), and acquires user's voice input for inputting a destination. Also, the input unit 720 is, for example, a dial-type or toggle-type mechanical switch, and may acquire user input regarding adjustment of the output volume, setting of sound on/off, and the like.

An AIF (Audio Interface) 731 transmits audio signals received from the terminal device 410 to a DAC 732 for each left and right channel. A DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) 732 converts the digital signal input from the AIF 731 into an analog signal. The amplifier 733 amplifies the analog signal input from the DAC 732 and supplies it to the speaker 730 . As a result, the sound received from the terminal device 410 is output from the speaker 730 as the sound of the localization position determined by the sound image position determination unit 604 .

[Sound image position determination processing]
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the process of determining the localization position of the sound to be output according to the guidance route, which is performed by the sound image position determination unit 604 in the route guidance system according to this embodiment. In FIG. 8, the vehicle 430 is traveling based on the guidance route and is about to approach an intersection 801 for which the guidance voice is to be provided. Here, a specific example of determination processing of the localization position according to the guide route at the intersection 801 will be described.

The sound image position determination unit 604 may determine the localization position of the sound image according to whether the vehicle 430 is turning right or left at the intersection 801 . For example, when the vehicle 430 turns right at the intersection 801, the sound image position determination unit 604 may position the localization position to the right of the front of the vehicle 430. It may be positioned leftward from the front of the vehicle 430 . According to such processing, it is possible to intuitively indicate the direction of right or left turn by the orientation position, and it is possible to indicate the direction of right or left turn even if the meaning of the language is not understood. In the following description, when the localization position is simply referred to as “right direction” or “left direction”, it indicates the right direction or left direction as viewed from the front of the vehicle 430 . In this case, when the vehicle 430 is going straight ahead at the intersection 801, the sound image position determining unit 604 outputs the guidance voice without direction.

In the example of FIG. 8, the vehicle 430 is traveling in the left lane of the entry route 802. For example, when making a right turn, it is necessary to first enter a right turn exclusive lane. is considered to take time. From such a point of view, the sound image position determination unit 604 outputs the guidance voice to the voice output device 420 at different timings depending on whether the vehicle turns right or left at the intersection 801 (in this example, at earlier timings for right turns). may be output. Since FIG. 8 assumes left-hand driving, for example, when driving on a right oblique line is obligatory, the sound image position determination unit 604 may output the guidance voice at an earlier timing for a left turn. Further, in this process, the sound image position determination unit 604 may change the timing itself for outputting the guidance voice indicating the direction of the right or left turn, such as "I will turn right (left) after 200 m". You may change the timing to localize the guidance voice output by .

Further, the sound image position determination unit 604 may cause the sound output device 420 to output sound so that the localization position moves according to the distance to the intersection 801 when the vehicle 430 turns right or left. That is, in the initial state, the localization position of the sound image to be output is set to neutral (non-localization), and the localization position moves to the right (when turning right) or to the left (when turning left) as the intersection 801 for turning left or right is approached. You may make it move.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of a point 901 at which a guidance voice is output when making a right turn and a point 902 at which a guidance voice is output when making a left turn with respect to a vehicle 430 traveling on an approach route 802 . is. When making a left turn at the intersection 801, an instruction "Turn left at the next intersection" is issued by a guidance voice with a sound image positioned to the left of the vehicle at a point 901 located at a distance S1 from the intersection 801. Also, when turning right at the intersection 801, at point 902, which is S2, the distance from the intersection 801 is greater than S1, a guidance voice with a sound image positioned to the right of the vehicle will be heard saying, "I will turn right at the next intersection. Right turn lane. Please be careful." is given. Here, the method of determining the position where the sound image is localized is not particularly limited. For example, the sound image position determination unit 604 may determine the localization position based only on whether the route guidance is for a right turn or a left turn, and may refer to a table or the like based on the distance from the vehicle 430 to the intersection 801 to determine the localization position. position may be determined. Further, for example, the sound image position determination unit 604 acquires a reference position for determining the localization position set on the map data, and based on the position of the vehicle 430 on the map data and the acquired reference position (for example, the vehicle The localization position may be calculated so that the sound image is localized from the current position of 430 in the direction of the reference position.

Furthermore, the sound image position determining unit 604 may cause the sound output device 420 to output sound so that the localization position of the sound image moves from the start of the reproduction of the guidance sound to the end of the reproduction. For example, when outputting a guidance voice saying "Turn right (left) at the next intersection", the localization position of the sound image is set to neutral at the start of playback, and is gradually shifted to the right (left) direction toward the end of playback. The sound may be output so that the is moving (reproduced again from the neutral localization position at the time of the second output). As the sound image is localized in the right or left direction from the neutral position, the contrast between the start and end of the reproduction of the sound allows the user to more intuitively grasp the right or left turn direction.

Also, in the present embodiment, the voice output from the voice output device 420 is, for example, a guidance voice indicating the right or left turn direction at the intersection 801 and the distance from the current position to the intersection 801 . However, the sound image position determining unit 604 may determine the localization position of such voice other than the guide voice, and cause the voice output device 420 to output the localization position. For example, the sound image position determining unit 604 may determine the localization position of the sound image for the call voice with the external terminal during communication instead of the localization position of the guidance voice. That is, when the terminal device 410 is outputting the output sound of the call function via the sound output device 420, the sound image position determining unit 604 changes the localization position of the sound image of the call sound instead of outputting the guidance sound. may Also, the sound image position determination unit 604 may change the localization position of the sound image of the music being played instead of the call voice. According to these processes, it is possible to indicate the direction to turn left or right without interrupting the functions of the terminal device 410 such as calling and music reproduction to reproduce the guidance voice. Note that the call function and music playback function can be realized by processing using a general application, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the terminal device 410 in the system according to this embodiment.

In S1001, the terminal device 410 receives a route guidance application start signal from the control unit 10a of the vehicle 430 and starts route guidance. Here, the control unit 10a may transmit a start signal to the terminal device 410, for example, in response to the start of the vehicle 430, and transmit the start signal in response to a signal from the terminal device 410 that executed the application. Alternatively, it may detect that the user has started to use the vehicle 430 (for example, straddle) and transmit the start signal. This start signal transmission process can be performed by any procedure. In the processing shown in FIG. 10, the localization position of the sound image of the guidance voice of the route guidance application is determined, but the processing may be such that the position of the sound image of the call voice or music is changed as described above.

In S1002, the position acquisition unit 601 acquires position information of the user's current location and destination. As described above, for example, the position acquisition unit 601 can acquire each position information using the GPS function and set the destination by voice input by the user. In S1003, the route acquisition unit 602 acquires a guidance route based on each piece of position information acquired in S1002.

In S1004, the determination unit 603 identifies a guidance point for next route guidance on the guidance route acquired in S1003, and determines whether to turn right or left (or go straight ahead) at that guidance point. In S1005, the sound image position determination unit 604 determines the sound localization position for the guidance point specified in S1004.

In S1006, the control unit 605 transmits the sound for which the localization position was determined in S1005 to the sound output device 420 for output. In S<b>1007 , the determination unit 603 determines whether or not there are still guide points remaining on the guidance route acquired in S<b>1003 . If so, the process returns to S1004; otherwise, the process ends.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to cause the audio output device worn by the user to output the sound at the localization position corresponding to the guidance route while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route. Therefore, it is possible to indicate the right and left turn directions to the user in a more intuitive and easy-to-understand manner, and to indicate the right and left turn directions even if the user does not understand the meaning of the language.

Further, in the route guidance system according to the present embodiment, the explanation has been made assuming that the localization position of the voice is used to indicate the right or left turn direction at the guidance point. may For example, the terminal device 410 causes the meter panel provided in the vehicle 430 or the panel provided in the helmet incorporating the audio output device 420 to emit light in the direction of the right or left turn, along with outputting guidance voices for right and left turns by controlling the localization position. Thus, it is possible to assist direction indication. This light emission display may be, for example, a blinking display biased to the right or left direction, or a lighting display that flows in the right or left direction. A display method may be employed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the terminal device 410, the audio output device 420, and the vehicle 430 are completely separate devices and perform respective processes. Alternatively, all processing may be shared with other devices. For example, it is possible for the vehicle 430 to perform some or all of the processing performed by the terminal device 410 .

[Summary of embodiment]
The above embodiments disclose at least the following information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and system.

1. The information processing device (for example, 410) of the above embodiment is
a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
Control means for causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
with
The control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the sound according to the guidance route.
According to this embodiment, in the route guidance using the function of the mobile terminal, the direction of the right or left turn is shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand the direction of the right or left turn. It is possible to show

2. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The voice is guidance voice for performing route guidance for the vehicle based on the guide route.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to indicate the right or left turn direction by the localization position of the sound image in the guidance voice for route guidance.

3. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
When the vehicle turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route, the control means outputs the guidance to the voice output device at different timings depending on whether the vehicle turns right or left at the guidance point. output sound.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to adjust the timing of outputting the guidance voice whose localization position of the sound image is controlled based on whether the vehicle is to turn right or turn left.

4. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The control means outputs the guidance voice at an earlier timing when the vehicle turns right at the guidance point than when the vehicle turns left at the guidance point.
According to this embodiment, when a right turn takes more time to prepare than a left turn, it is possible to quickly notify that the vehicle will turn right at the next guidance point.

5. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The control means controls the voice output device such that, when the vehicle turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route, the localization position of the sound image moves according to the distance from the current position to the guidance point. to output the guidance voice.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to more intuitively grasp the distance to the guidance point from the localization position of the sound image.

6. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The control means is
so that when the vehicle turns right at the guidance point, the localization position of the sound image moves rightward as the distance from the current position to the guidance point decreases.
so that when the vehicle turns left at the guidance point, the localization position of the sound image moves leftward as the distance from the current position to the guidance point decreases.
The voice output device is caused to output the guidance voice.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to indicate that the closer the localization position of the sound image is to the right or left, the closer the guidance point for turning in that direction is.

7. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The control means is
When the vehicle turns right at a guidance point on the guidance route, the voice output device provides the guidance so that the localization position of the sound image moves rightward from the start of reproduction of the guidance voice to the end of the reproduction of the guidance voice. output sound,
When the vehicle turns left at the guidance point, the audio output device is caused to output the guidance voice so that the localization position of the sound image moves leftward from the start of the reproduction of the guidance voice to the end of the reproduction. .
According to this embodiment, the contrast between the start and end of reproduction of the guidance voice allows the user to more intuitively grasp the right and left turn directions.

8. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The voice includes call voice with an external terminal that is in communication.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to guide the user about the right and left turn directions at the guide point without interrupting the call function of the terminal device to reproduce the guidance voice.

9. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
The audio includes music that is playing.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to guide the user about the right and left turn directions at the guidance point without interrupting the music reproduction of the terminal device to reproduce the guidance voice.

10. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
Further comprising tilt acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the tilt angle of the vehicle,
The control means causes the audio output device to output the audio so that the localization position of the sound image is non-localized when the tilt angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.
According to this embodiment, by detecting the tilt of the vehicle body and making the localization position of the sound image non-local, it is possible to prevent the driving from tilting more than necessary and causing the balance to be disturbed.

11. In the information processing device of the above embodiment,
further comprising receiving means for receiving a start signal from a control unit of the straddle-type vehicle, which is the vehicle;
In response to receiving the start signal, the route obtaining means starts obtaining the guidance route.
According to this embodiment, route guidance can be started by communication with the vehicle.

12. The information processing method of the above embodiment includes:
a step of obtaining a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
a step of causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle travels along the guidance route;
with
A localization position of the sound image of the sound is controlled according to the guidance route.
According to this embodiment, in the route guidance using the function of the mobile terminal, the direction of the right or left turn is shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand the direction of the right or left turn. It is possible to show

13. The program of the above embodiment is
The mobile terminal carried by the user,
a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for the vehicle used by the user;
Control means for causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
A program that functions as
The control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the sound according to the guidance route.
According to this embodiment, in the route guidance using the function of the mobile terminal, the direction of the right or left turn is shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand the direction of the right or left turn. It is possible to show

14. The system of the above embodiment is
a mobile terminal comprising: route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user; and transmission means for transmitting audio to be output by an audio output device worn by the user while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route. ,
an audio output device comprising: receiving means for receiving the audio from the mobile terminal; and output means for outputting a sound image in which the audio is localized in a direction set according to the guidance route;
Prepare.
According to this embodiment, in the route guidance using the function of the mobile terminal, the direction of the right or left turn is shown to the user in a way that makes it easier for the user to intuitively understand the direction of the right or left turn. It is possible to show

Although the embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

601: position acquisition unit, 602: route acquisition unit, 603: determination unit, 604: sound image position determination unit, 605: control unit

According to the invention,
a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
Control means for causing a voice output device worn by the user to output a guidance voice for guiding the vehicle based on the guidance route while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
with
The control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the guidance voice according to the guidance route, and when the vehicle turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route, the vehicle turns right at the guidance point. There is provided an information processing device characterized by causing the voice output device to output the guidance voice at different timings depending on whether the vehicle is to turn left or to turn left .

Claims (14)

a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
Control means for causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
with
The information processing apparatus, wherein the control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the sound according to the guidance route. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voice is guidance voice for performing route guidance of said vehicle based on said guide route. When the vehicle turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route, the control means outputs the guidance to the voice output device at different timings depending on whether the vehicle turns right or left at the guidance point. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information processing apparatus outputs sound. 4. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein when the vehicle turns right at the guidance point, the control means outputs the guidance voice at an earlier timing than when the vehicle turns left at the guidance point. Information processing equipment. The control means controls the voice output device such that, when the vehicle turns right or left at a guidance point on the guidance route, the localization position of the sound image moves according to the distance from the current position to the guidance point. 5. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the guidance voice is output to the . The control means is
so that when the vehicle turns right at the guidance point, the localization position of the sound image moves rightward as the distance from the current position to the guidance point decreases.
so that when the vehicle turns left at the guidance point, the localization position of the sound image moves leftward as the distance from the current position to the guidance point decreases.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said voice output device is caused to output said guidance voice. The control means is
When the vehicle turns right at a guidance point on the guidance route, the voice output device provides the guidance so that the localization position of the sound image moves rightward from the start of reproduction of the guidance voice to the end of the reproduction of the guidance voice. output sound,
When the vehicle turns left at the guidance point, the audio output device is caused to output the guidance voice so that the localization position of the sound image moves leftward from the start of the reproduction of the guidance voice to the end of the reproduction. 7. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by: 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voice includes call voice with an external terminal in communication. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voice includes music being played. Further comprising tilt acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the tilt angle of the vehicle,
1. The control means causes the audio output device to output the audio so that the localization position of the sound image is non-localized when the tilt angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. 10. The information processing device according to any one of 9. further comprising receiving means for receiving a start signal from a control unit of the straddle-type vehicle, which is the vehicle;
11. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said route obtaining means starts obtaining said guidance route in response to receiving said start signal. a step of obtaining a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user;
a step of causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle travels along the guidance route;
with
An information processing method, wherein the localization position of the sound image of the voice is controlled in accordance with the guidance route. The mobile terminal carried by the user,
a route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for the vehicle used by the user;
Control means for causing an audio output device worn by the user to output audio while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route;
A program that functions as
A program, wherein the control means controls the localization position of the sound image of the sound according to the guidance route. a mobile terminal comprising: route acquisition means for acquiring a guidance route for a vehicle used by a user; and transmission means for transmitting audio to be output by an audio output device worn by the user while the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route. ,
an audio output device comprising: receiving means for receiving the audio from the mobile terminal; and output means for outputting a sound image in which the audio is localized in a direction set according to the guidance route;
A system, comprising:

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