Navigation device, navigation method, and computer program product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9789815-B2
Application number	US-201514977948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a navigation device installed in a vehicle includes an obtainer, a controller, and a reproducer. The obtainer obtains at least one of vehicle information related to the vehicle and driver information related to a driver of the vehicle. The controller controls, based on at least one of the vehicle information and the driver information, localization direction of a playback sound which is to be reproduced for the driver. The reproducer reproduces the playback sound using a three dimensional sound based on control of the localization direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A navigation device installed in a vehicle, comprising:
an obtainer configured to obtain at least one of vehicle information related to the vehicle and driver information related to a driver of the vehicle from at least one of a camera, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, an acceleration sensor, and an in-vehicle network;
a controller configured to control, based on at least one of the vehicle information and the driver information, localization direction of a playback sound which is to be reproduced for the driver; and
a reproducer configured to reproduce the playback sound using a three dimensional sound based on control of the localization direction, wherein
when the vehicle information represents at least one of information indicating a situation in front of the vehicle and information related to the deceleration of the vehicle, the controller performs control in such a way that the localization direction of the playback sound moves from front side to backside of the driver.

2. A navigation device installed in a vehicle, comprising:
an obtainer configured to obtain at least one of vehicle information related to the vehicle and driver information related to a driver of the vehicle;
a controller configured to control, based on at least one of the vehicle information and the driver information, localization direction of a playback sound which is to be reproduced for the driver; and
a reproducer configured to reproduce the playback sound using a three dimensional sound based on control of the localization direction, wherein,
when the vehicle information represents at least one of information indicating a situation behind the vehicle and information related to acceleration of the vehicle, the controller performs control in such a way that the localization direction of the playback sound moves from backside to front side of the driver.

3. A navigation device installed in a vehicle, comprising:
an obtainer configured to obtain at least one of vehicle information related to the vehicle and driver information related to a driver of the vehicle;
a controller configured to control, based on at least one of the vehicle information and the driver information, localization direction of a playback sound which is to be reproduced for the driver; and
a reproducer configured to reproduce the playback sound using a three dimensional sound based on control of the localization direction, wherein,
when the vehicle information indicates an orientation of a particular part of the vehicle, the controller controls the localization direction of the playback sound so as to generally fit the orientation of the particular part.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the particular part is a front wheel of the vehicle.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
when the vehicle information is related to left-hand side or right-hand side of the vehicle, the controller performs control in such a way that the localization direction of the playback sound moves from an opposite-side front of a direction of instruction to backside in the direction of instruction via front side and via the direction of instruction, and
the reproducer achieves the three dimensional sound using a virtual sound technology.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the driver information represents information indicating a condition of the driver and when it is determined from the information indicating the condition of the driver that the driver is probably dozing off, the controller performs control in such a way that the driver hears the playback sound from different random localization directions on the upper side of the driver.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Someda Keiichiro
• Enamito Akihiko

Classifications

• B60W2540/26

  Incapacity · CPC title

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60W40/08

  related to drivers or passengers · CPC title