DE20202466U1 - Arrangement for voice output of operating data of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Description

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BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

LAW FIRM

Bothmert & Boehmert ■ P.O.B. 15 03 08 · D-80043 Munich

German Patent and Trademark Office
Zweibrückenstr. 12

80297 Munich

DR INC. KARL BOEHMERT. pao««-197I)

DIPL.-[NG. ALBERTBOEHMERT.paosoi-ijsi)

WILHELM J. H. STAHLBERG, ra d™.

DR.-INO. WALTER HOORMANN. Pa-. b,.™

DIPL.-PHYS. DR. HEINZ GODDAR, PA'.uo»Aen

Dt-ING. ROLAND LIESEGANG, pa·. M<*h.

WOLF-DIETER KUNTZE, RA &igr;,..&trade;.. Aiiene

DIPL-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER, pa<is».i»2> '

DR. LUDWIG KOUKER. Ra. B.?

DR (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER, PA-.Brm«.

MICHAELA HUTH-DIERIG, «&lgr;. M^i=, DIPL.-PHYS. DR. MARION TONHARDT, PA-. tx&trade;id«r

DR. ANDREAS EBERT-WEIDENFELLER, Ra. Bnm.

DIPL.-ING. EVA LIESEGANG, pa-.m«.,».

DR AXEL NORDEMANN, LAWYER, M.

DIPL-PHYS. DR DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS, &rgr;&agr;·,&rgr;&trade;&igr;&agr;&mgr;

DIPL-PHYS. DR STEFAN SCHOHE, pa-.m·»*..

DR.-ING. MATTHIAS PHILIPP, pa·. EUfcU

DR. MARTIN WIRTZ, «A.D«».i4rf

DR. DETMAR SCHÄFER, «A. a««»

DR. JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM.. «&Agr;&Bgr;»«.

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PROF. DR. WILHELM NOROEMANN. KA. B DIPL-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, pa·. w DR.-ING. GERALD KLÖPSCH, pa·. &ggr;&lgr;«&igr;*»&ggr; DIPL.-ING. HANS W. GROENlNG, pa·. uudtn DIPL.-ING. SIEGFRIED SCHIRMER, pa·. B»i,r,ia DIPL-PHYS. LORENZ HANEWINKEL, PA.,pj.*«n DIPL-ING. DR. IAN TÖNNIES, PA. ra. Kid DIPL-PHYS. CHRISTIAN BIEHL, pamü.1 DlPL-PHYS. DR.-ING. UWE MANASSE, pa·. b&trade; DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCHOWSKI, «a. B=b. DR CARL-RICHARD HAARMANN, RA. Mt«,», DIPL.-PHYS. DR. THOMAS L. B[TTNER, pa·. BeA DR. VOLKER SCHMITZ, M. Julis (Oxford), »a Mwm DlPL-PHYS. CHRISTIAN W. APPELT. PA-.nmhen DR ANKE NORDEMANN-SCHIFFEL. «a= p&trade;.&trade;

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DIPL-BIOL DR. JAN B. KRAUSS, pa. mu>_

JÜRGEN ALBRECHT, RA. ut~k=.

ANKE SIEBOLD, ra. b&trade;»,

DR. KLAUS TlM BRÖCKER, Attorney at Law,

DR. ANDREAS DUSTMANN, LLM., RA. Prady»

DIPL-ING. NILS T. F. SCHMLD, pa-. Low

FLORIAN SCHWAB, LLM., ba·. Mandien

DIPL.-BIOCHEM. DR. MARKUS ENGELHARD, pa. i

In cooperation with DIPL-CHEM. DR. HANS ULRICH MAY, &rgr;&agr;&mgr;&lgr;&lgr;&lgr;.»

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D30050(L)

Hans Dobers
GodesbergerStr.21
53639 Koenigswinter

Munich,

18 February 2002

Arrangement for voice output of operating data of a motor vehicle

The invention relates to an arrangement for the voice output of operating data of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

One of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents is that the driver does not pay the necessary attention to the traffic. There are many measures, such as actively illuminated traffic signs, which attract the attention of the driver.

Pettenkoferstrasse 20-22 ■ D-$0.3.36Munich -.P.O.B^ 15 03^08 · D-80043 Munich · Telephone+49-89-559680■ Fax+49-89-347010

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are intended to increase or at least maintain the driver's ability to concentrate in various traffic situations, but can also distract from the traffic situation.

In particular, optical signals in the vehicle that are intended to inform the driver about individual technical operating data, such as the speed of the vehicle or the engine speed, not only distract the driver, but also require him to look away from the traffic in order to recognize them. This can lead to dangerous traffic situations, especially when the driver's full attention is actually required, for example in traffic-calmed zones, on acceleration lanes on motorways, in weather conditions with poor visibility, such as fog or drizzle, in narrow roads through towns, etc.

With constantly changing speed limits and regulations, it is necessary for the driver to frequently look at the speedometer. During long journeys by car, the driver may underestimate the actual speed because, as psychological studies have shown, human perception can easily become accustomed to high speeds, which can lead to the phenomenon of unconscious speeding.

From DE 3 604 554 a voice output device for operating data of a motor vehicle is known, which acoustically informs the occupants about the vehicle speed.

It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement for the voice output of operating data of a motor vehicle, which ensures that the driver is informed individually under any circumstances, whereby the overall acoustic atmosphere of the vehicle interior is not impaired.

This object is achieved by claim 1. According to the invention, the reproduction of the voice signals representing the operating data of the motor vehicle is intended and audible only to the driver of the vehicle. In this way, it is ensured that both the driver

Even in the event of loud background noise in the interior of the vehicle, the operating data voice signals can be recorded without being distracted from the current traffic situation, and the other occupants are not bothered or disturbed by the voice signals.

Preferably, the playback device is housed in the headrest of the driver's seat. The speakers of the playback device are padded in such a way that the head is safely supported in the event of an accident. Advantageously, the acoustic speech signals are controlled by an amplifier connected to the speech synthesizer in such a way that they are perceived by the driver on the one hand, and on the other hand are not heard at all by the other occupants of the vehicle, or at least are not perceived as disturbing.

The arrangement according to the invention can be provided with an operating device with which the driver can determine when he wants to receive information about certain operating data and when not. This device can be activated by acoustic voice commands or by a button arranged on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

In addition, the arrangement according to the invention can have a selection device via which the driver can select the operating data converted into acoustic voice signals. The selection device can also be operated via acoustic voice commands or by means of a corresponding button on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

The arrangement according to the invention can also be provided with an operating data memory in which the operating data of the motor vehicle are stored, for example, at regular intervals or permanently. This memory is preferably designed to be tamper-proof, like a "black box" in the vehicle. This memory can be used to provide important information about a certain operating state of the motor vehicle, particularly in the event of an accident, or to check speed radar measurements. Such a memory is designed to be tamper-proof and tamper-proof for this purpose.

'BOEHMERT

-4-

The arrangement according to the invention can output all possible operating data of the motor vehicle that are of interest to the driver, as well as other data that can directly or indirectly influence the operating state of the motor vehicle. In particular, the current speed of the vehicle and the current speed of the engine are relevant operating data that can be communicated acoustically only to the driver via the arrangement according to the invention.

Further properties, features and advantages of the invention are explained by the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing, which schematically shows a conventional vehicle in longitudinal section.

The vehicle 1 comprises rear seats 3, a passenger seat and a driver's seat 5. A speech synthesizer (not shown) is housed in the front console 7. The input of the speech synthesizer is connected to a sensor (not shown) which detects and transmits the instantaneous speed in the form of electrical signals. The speech synthesizer is connected to a padded loudspeaker 9 which is housed in the headrest 11 of the driver's seat 5. The loudspeaker 9 is connected to the speech synthesizer via electrically conductive cables.

The loudspeaker 9 can be aligned depending on the position of the driver’s head (not shown).

The synthesizer is operated by a control device (not shown). The control device can be activated by a voice command or by an operating button (not shown) on the steering wheel. A selection device (not shown) is also provided, which the driver can use to select various operating data of the vehicle.

'BOEHMERT By BOEHME^T

-5-

The features disclosed in the above description, the figure and the claims can be important for the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

Claims (12)

1. Arrangement for the voice output of operating data of a motor vehicle ( 1 ) with a speech synthesizer accommodated in the motor vehicle ( 1 ), which can receive the operating data and convert them into an acoustic speech signal, and an acoustic reproduction device ( 9 ) which amplifies the speech signal from the speech synthesizer and converts it into sound waves, characterized in that the reproduction device ( 9 ) is arranged in an area of the seat of a motor vehicle driver, the area being essentially associated with the head of the motor vehicle driver occupying the seat ( 5 ). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the playback device ( 9 ) is accommodated in a headrest ( 11 ) of the seat ( 5 ) of the motor vehicle driver. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the speech synthesizer has an amplifier which regulates the volume of the speech signal in such a way that it is perceptible by the motor vehicle driver. 4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the volume is regulated so that the announcement is essentially only heard by the driver of the vehicle. 5. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an operating device is provided, upon activation of which the speech signal is output at the playback device ( 9 ). 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the operating device can be activated via an acoustic voice command. 7. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the operating device is arranged on a steering wheel ( 13 ) of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) and can be activated manually. 8. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a selection device is provided via which the operating data to be converted into the acoustic signal can be selected. 9. Arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the selection device can be operated via an acoustic voice command. 10. Arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the selection device is arranged on the steering wheel ( 13 ) of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) and can be activated manually. 11. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an operating data memory is provided which stores the recorded operating data and is mounted on the vehicle ( 1 ) in a manner which is tamper-proof. 12. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the instantaneous speed of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) and/or the instantaneous speed of the engine of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) can be converted into the speech signal by the speech synthesizer.