JP2013008308A - Vehicle approach notification device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle approach notification device that allows a pedestrian to accurately recognize an approaching vehicle through the mobile terminal device while using the mobile terminal device.
The vehicle 1 has a vehicle position detecting means 4 capable of detecting the vehicle position and a vehicle information transmitting means 5 for transmitting the vehicle position, and the mobile terminal device 10 is provided with the current position of the pedestrian. And pedestrian detection means 13 and 15 for detecting the direction of the pedestrian and the vehicle information transmission means, and an approaching vehicle for detecting a vehicle approaching the pedestrian from the position of the vehicle and the current position of the pedestrian. According to the detection means 14, 17 and the direction of the pedestrian and the approaching vehicle, the virtual sound source forming unit 19 that forms a virtual sound source in the vehicle presence direction of the approaching vehicle with respect to the pedestrian, and the audio signal from the virtual sound source The report output unit 29 is configured to output from the earphone unit. With this configuration, when a pedestrian is using a mobile terminal device and there is an approaching vehicle, a virtual sound source is formed so as to follow the position of the vehicle, and the virtual sound source is output from the earphone unit from the direction in which the vehicle exists. .
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle approach notification device that notifies a pedestrian of an approaching vehicle through a mobile terminal device.

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in towns and the like, it can be seen that a portable terminal device such as a portable music player is carried and walking while listening to information such as music.
In many cases, earphones (including headphones) are worn on the pedestrian's ears and personally listen to music and the like, so the surrounding sounds are hardly audible. For this reason, there are many cases where the approaching vehicle is not noticed, and it is difficult to ensure safety for the vehicle.

  Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which a warning sound signal is transmitted from a vehicle as disclosed in Patent Document 1 to a portable music player used by a pedestrian to convey the approach of the vehicle to the pedestrian.

JP 2009-78632 A

However, since this technology merely generates a warning sound from the portable music player, it is difficult to recognize from which direction the vehicle approaches.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle approach notification device that allows a pedestrian to accurately recognize an approaching vehicle through the mobile terminal device while using the mobile terminal device.

  The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has vehicle position detection means capable of detecting the vehicle position and vehicle information transmission means for transmitting the vehicle position, and the mobile terminal device is a portable walk Pedestrian detection means for detecting the current position of the pedestrian and the direction of the pedestrian, and transmission from the vehicle information transmission means, and detects a vehicle approaching the pedestrian from the position of the vehicle and the current position of the pedestrian. According to the approaching vehicle detection means, the direction of the pedestrian and the approaching vehicle, a virtual sound source forming unit that forms a virtual sound source in the vehicle presence direction of the approaching vehicle with respect to the pedestrian, and an audio signal from the formed virtual sound source The notification output unit is configured to output from the left and right earphone units.

According to this configuration, when a pedestrian is using a mobile terminal device and there is a vehicle approaching the pedestrian, a virtual sound source is formed to follow the position of the approaching vehicle, and the virtual sound source is generated from the left and right earphone units to be used. Is output as a notification sound from the direction in which the vehicle is present. Thereby, the pedestrian is recognized from which direction the approaching vehicle approaches while using the mobile terminal device.
In the second aspect of the invention, the approaching vehicle detection means includes a calculation means for calculating a relative position between the pedestrian and the approaching vehicle so that the approaching vehicle can be easily recognized clearly, and the virtual sound source forming unit is According to the detection of the pedestrian direction, the calculated relative position and the approaching vehicle, a virtual sound source is formed in the vehicle presence direction of the approaching vehicle based on the pedestrian.

In the invention according to claim 3, the approaching vehicle detection means selects the vehicle closest to the pedestrian and detects the approaching vehicle so that the approaching vehicle can be easily recognized.
In the invention according to claim 4, the vehicle information transmission means transmits the vehicle position as well as the vehicle position of the vehicle so that the approaching vehicle can be identified from the difference in sound. The information is transmitted, and the virtual sound source formed by the virtual sound source forming unit is formed by the vehicle sound corresponding to the vehicle case information.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the virtual sound source formed by the virtual sound source forming unit is further provided in the vehicle position detecting means so that the position detection accuracy of the vehicle position detecting means and the pedestrian detecting means can be effectively used. The audio signal is controlled according to the position detection accuracy of the vehicle position and the position detection accuracy of the pedestrian position in the pedestrian detection means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a pedestrian is using the mobile terminal device and there is a vehicle approaching the pedestrian, a virtual sound source is formed in the direction in which the approaching vehicle exists, and the virtual sound source is used from the left and right earphone units to be used. The sound from the sound source is output from the direction in which the vehicle exists as a notification sound.
Therefore, the pedestrian can recognize from which direction the approaching vehicle approaches accurately through the mobile terminal device while using the mobile terminal device.

According to the invention of claim 2, the pedestrian can clearly recognize the approaching vehicle.
According to the invention of claim 3, the pedestrian can easily recognize the approaching vehicle.
According to the invention of claim 4, the pedestrian further knows what kind of vehicle the approaching vehicle is based on the difference in sound (difference in vehicle grade), and further deepens the recognition.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to effectively use the position detection accuracy of the vehicle position detection means and the pedestrian detection means.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle approach notification apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the control which notifies presence of the approaching vehicle of the apparatus to a pedestrian. The flowchart which shows the control following FIG. The figure explaining the condition where the report sound is conveyed to the pedestrian while moving following the vehicle. The block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle approach notification apparatus used as the principal part which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on a first embodiment shown in FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the vehicle approach notification device, FIGS. 2 and 3 show the control of the device, and FIG. 4 shows an image transmitted by the controlled virtual sound source.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle approach notification device includes a combination of a vehicle (automobile) 1 and a portable music player 10 that is a portable terminal device that can be carried by a pedestrian.

Among these, the vehicle 1 includes a GPS device 4 (corresponding to the vehicle position detection means of the present application) and a vehicle information transmission unit 5 that detects the position of the host vehicle in addition to various devices necessary for normal driving as shown in FIG. (Corresponding to the vehicle information transmission means of the present application) and the like.
Specifically, the GPS device 4 calculates a current vehicle position according to the GPS signal receiving unit 4a that receives GPS signals from GPS satellites, the set map information, and the GPS signal. And a position calculation unit 4b. In addition, the vehicle 1 is provided with a vehicle type information unit 6 that stores vehicle type information indicating the vehicle type of the host vehicle, such as a light vehicle, a small passenger car, and a truck. The vehicle information transmitting unit 5 transmits the calculated own vehicle position and the vehicle type information of the own vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. The transmission range is within a predetermined range (for example, a range of 15 to 20 m centering on the host vehicle).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the portable music player 10 includes a GPS device 13 that detects the current position of a pedestrian carrying the portable music player 10 in addition to the music player unit 11 required for normal music reproduction (the walking of the present application). A vehicle information receiving unit 14 (corresponding to the approaching vehicle detecting unit of the present application) for receiving a signal transmitted from the vehicle information transmitting unit 5 of the vehicle 1 is provided.

The GPS device 13 includes a GPS signal receiving unit 13a that receives GPS signals from GPS satellites, and a current position calculating unit 13b that calculates a current pedestrian position according to the set map information and the GPS signal. And is configured.
The portable music player 10 is provided with a pedestrian orientation detection unit 15 (which constitutes the pedestrian detection means of the present application together with the GPS device 13) for detecting the orientation of the pedestrian carried around (front and back of the body). The pedestrian orientation detection unit 15 is composed of, for example, an acceleration sensor.

  Further, in the portable music player 10, the current position of the vehicle 1 (existing in the vicinity of the pedestrian) received from the vehicle information receiving unit 14 and the current position of the pedestrian from the current position calculating unit 13b are determined for the pedestrian. A relative position calculation unit 17 (comprising the approaching vehicle detection means of the present application) for calculating the relative position of the vehicle 1 is provided to detect the vehicle 1 approaching the pedestrian, and more specifically, detected by the pedestrian direction detection unit 15. Together with the direction signal of the pedestrian, the structure is such that it is possible to detect from which direction the vehicle 1 approaches the pedestrian. In particular, the relative position calculation unit 17 is also provided with a function for selecting the vehicle 1 having the closest relative position to the pedestrian so as not to cause confusion.

  Further, in the portable music player 10, a vehicle approach notification audio signal control unit 19 (corresponding to the virtual sound source formation unit of the present application) that forms a virtual sound source in accordance with the position where the approaching vehicle 1 exists is provided. The vehicle approach notification audio signal control unit 19 forms a virtual sound source that is a virtual sound source of the vehicle 1 and serves as a notification sound from the direction of the pedestrian and the current position of the approaching vehicle 1 in the direction of the approaching vehicle 1 with respect to the pedestrian. It has a function to do.

In particular, when the GPS accuracy capable of calculating the relative position (relative distance) between the pedestrian and the approaching vehicle 1 is ensured, the vehicle approach notification audio signal control unit 19 detects the virtual sound source at the same relative position. It is supposed to be formed at a position. Here, the virtual sound source is formed at the front end in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 so that the pedestrian can accurately recognize the approach of the vehicle.
As the virtual sound source, vehicle sound corresponding to the vehicle size of the vehicle 1 is used so that the approaching vehicle can be recognized. For this reason, the portable music player 10 is provided with a vehicle-specific voice data unit 20 that stores in advance all the voice data for each vehicle type of the vehicle 1, and the vehicle music information received from the vehicle information receiving unit 14 approaches the portable music player 10. The voice data of the vehicle case corresponding to the vehicle 1 is selected, and a virtual sound source that matches the vehicle sound of the actual approaching vehicle is formed.

In particular, the formation of the virtual sound source is affected by the GPS accuracy, that is, the position detection accuracy of the GPS device 4 (vehicle 1) and the position detection accuracy of the GPS device 13 (portable music player 10). A process for automatically controlling the audio signal of the virtual sound source is taken.
Specifically, the position detection accuracy in the GPS devices 4 and 13 varies depending on the number of GPS satellites, areas where high-rise buildings are dense, places where the top is not open, and the like. In other words, the use of the GPS devices 4 and 13 causes various situations such as when the relative position (relative distance) between the pedestrian and the vehicle can be detected, when the approach direction of the vehicle can be detected, and when both cannot be performed. It is expected that. For this reason, the vehicle approach notification audio signal control unit 19 divides, for example, the position detection accuracy (GPS accuracy) of the GPS devices 4 and 13 into four classes (for example, class S, class A, class B, and class C from the top), The higher relative class and the class having accuracy that can set the approach direction of the vehicle (here, both the vehicle and the portable music player 10 are class A or higher) are virtual according to the relative distance from the vehicle and the approach direction of the vehicle. The accuracy class that forms the sound source and can set only the approach direction of the middle vehicle (here, both the vehicle and the portable music player 10 are class B or one is class B) depends on the vehicle approach direction. A virtual sound source is formed, and the classes below it are set to have no change in sound (a constant sound).

  The portable music player 10 has a built-in audio signal output unit 29 for outputting sound (report sound) from the virtual sound source to the left and right earphone units 28 of the headphones 27, and approaches a pedestrian wearing the headphones 27. The vehicle sound of the approaching vehicle existing in the vehicle presence direction of the vehicle or the vehicle presence position of the approaching vehicle is transmitted. Of course, the pedestrian can synthesize the audio signal of the virtual sound source being controlled to the audio signal of the music being reproduced, so that the portable music player 10 can hear the music being reproduced. The report output unit of the present application is configured together with the signal output unit.

Further, the vehicle approach notification voice signal control unit 19 is also set to control to stop the notification. This control is set with a function (report end means) that determines that the vehicle 1 has passed a pedestrian and stops outputting the vehicle sound when reception from the vehicle 1 is interrupted and the interrupted time continues for a predetermined time, for example. This ensures that notifications are made properly.
2 and 3 show control flowcharts for reporting such approaching vehicles.

To explain the flowchart, it is assumed that a pedestrian α carrying the portable music player 10 walks on a T-shaped road, for example, as shown by A1 to A3 in FIG.
Here, the power switch (not shown) of the portable music player 10 is turned on, and the pedestrian α is walking on the road while listening to the reproduced music through the headphones 27 attached to the head. In other words, the pedestrian α is walking in a situation where it is difficult to hear the surrounding sounds and the vehicle 1 is hardly noticed by the sound from the headphones 27.

At this time, the portable music player 10 starts the control for notifying the approaching vehicle shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
That is, when the power switch is turned on as shown in FIG. 1, the process proceeds from step S1 to step S2, and first, a GPS signal from a GPS satellite is received from the GPS signal receiving unit 13a. In subsequent step S3, the GPS signal receiving unit 13a is used to determine the GPS position detection accuracy (any of class S to class C) from the number of GPS signals and the reception environment, and the determined GPS accuracy is determined. Remember.

In subsequent step S4, the current position calculation unit 13b calculates the position of the portable music player 10, that is, the current position of the pedestrian α, based on the received GPS signal and preset map information. Subsequently, it progresses to step S5 which determines whether vehicle information is received.
From the vehicle information transmission unit 5 of the vehicle 1 traveling on the road, the current vehicle position calculated by the GPS device 4 mounted on the vehicle 1 and the vehicle type information indicating the vehicle type of the vehicle 1 such as a light vehicle And the GPS accuracy (GPS position detection accuracy) on the vehicle side are continuously transmitted. Here, the transmission range of the vehicle information transmission unit 5 is limited.

For this reason, when the vehicle 1 exists within the range in which the vehicle information can be received, that is, when the vehicle 1 starts to approach the pedestrian α, the portable music player 10 detects the current position of the vehicle 1 that is vehicle information from the vehicle 1. Receives the vehicle case (light vehicle), GPS position detection accuracy, and the like. If it receives, it will reach step S6 and will calculate the relative position of pedestrian alpha and vehicles 1.
Here, when there are a plurality of vehicles, it is required to specify the vehicles so as not to cause confusion. Therefore, the next step S7 selects the vehicle 1 at the relative position closest to the pedestrian α among the relative positions with respect to each vehicle.

Next, the portable music player 10 proceeds to a routine for forming a virtual sound source after step S8.
That is, in step S8, in order to determine how close to the approaching vehicle a virtual sound source can be obtained, first, the GPS accuracy class (class S, class A, class B, class of the pedestrian α and the vehicle 1 is determined. Select the combination of C). Specifically, both the GPS accuracy of the pedestrian α and the GPS accuracy of the vehicle 1 can detect the relative position (relative distance) between the pedestrian and the vehicle and the approach direction of the vehicle with “class A or higher”. ”And / or one of the GPS accuracy of the pedestrian α and the GPS accuracy of the vehicle 1 that can detect the approaching direction of the approaching vehicle with high accuracy is“ Class B ”and the GPS accuracy of the other pedestrian α. Both and / or the GPS accuracy of the vehicle 1 is divided into “class C”.

  When both are class A or more, it progresses to step S9 and receives the information of the direction (front and back) of the pedestrian α from the pedestrian direction detection unit 15. In the subsequent control of the sound signal in step S10, the sound of the vehicle sound (light car) according to the vehicle case is used to bring the vehicle to the vehicle presence position brought about by the relative distance from the pedestrian α and the approach direction of the vehicle 1. A virtual sound source G is formed as shown in FIG. More specifically, the virtual sound source G is formed at a position that is the front end of the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 (FIG. 4). The audio signal of the virtual sound source G is synthesized with the music being reproduced as in step S11 in FIG. This synthesized audio signal is output from the left and right earphone sections 28 of the headphone 27 as shown in step S12, and the presence of the vehicle 1 is transmitted to the pedestrian α by the virtual sound source G (vehicle sound).

  With this virtual sound source G formed in the direction in which the approaching vehicle 1 exists, the pedestrian α can recognize from which direction the vehicle 1 is approaching, even if it is difficult to hear the vehicle sound of the approaching vehicle by the reproduced music. For example, as indicated by “A1” in FIG. 4, the pedestrian α is informed of the situation in which the vehicle 1 gradually approaches from the direction in which the vehicle 1 is present, from the sound of the virtual sound source G transmitted from the left and right earphone units 28, and further “A2”. The situation in which the pedestrian α is closest to the vehicle is transmitted from the vehicle presence direction, and finally the situation in which the vehicle 1 passes through the pedestrian α is transmitted from the vehicle presence direction as “A3”.

If either or both are class B, the process proceeds to step S13, where information on the direction of the pedestrian α (before and after the traveling direction) is received from the pedestrian direction detection unit 15, and in step S14, the vehicle sound ( The sound source of the light vehicle is controlled to form the virtual sound source G in the direction in which the vehicle 1 approaches (because the accuracy required to calculate the relative position cannot be obtained). Similarly, the audio signal of the virtual sound source G is output from the left and right earphone units 28 of the headphone 27 through steps S11 and S12, and the presence of the vehicle 1 approaching from the vehicle approach direction is transmitted to the pedestrian α.
Even if it is difficult to hear the vehicle sound of the approaching vehicle, the pedestrian α can recognize from which direction the vehicle 1 approaches from the sound of the virtual sound source G.

The approaching vehicle 1 can be sufficiently recognized if the virtual sound source G is formed at least in the vehicle presence direction (vehicle approaching direction) where the vehicle 1 exists.
When both or one of them is class C, the process proceeds to step S 15, and the vehicle sound (light car) of the vehicle case is only output from the left and right earphone units 28 of the headphone 27.
In addition, as shown in steps S16 to S18, when the reception of vehicle information from the approaching vehicle is interrupted and the time when the discontinuation is continuously interrupted becomes a predetermined time T or more, the approaching vehicle passes the pedestrian α and the vehicle 1 It determines with having moved out of the transmission range, stops formation of the virtual sound source G like step S19, and complete | finishes the synthesis | combination of the audio | voice signal of the virtual sound source G.

  Therefore, by forming the virtual sound source G in the direction in which the approaching vehicle exists in the portable music player 10, the pedestrian α quickly recognizes from which direction the approaching vehicle approaches while using the portable music player 10. It is possible to improve the safety of the pedestrian α with respect to the approaching vehicle. In particular, by calculating the relative position (relative distance) between the pedestrian α and the approaching vehicle 1 and forming the virtual sound source G, a virtual sound source G corresponding to the relative distance between the pedestrian α and the approaching vehicle can be formed, Further, the approaching vehicle can be easily recognized, and the position of the approaching vehicle can be recognized more accurately. For this reason, there is an advantage that the safety can be further improved.

Moreover, when the approaching vehicle is detected, by using the control for selecting the nearest vehicle from the relative position with the pedestrian 1, when there are a plurality of vehicles approaching the pedestrian α, the pedestrian α is not confused. It is possible to identify the approaching vehicle so that the approaching vehicle can be easily recognized.
In addition, when the virtual sound source G is formed with vehicle sounds according to the vehicle class information, it is possible to know what kind of vehicle is approaching, and the recognition of the approaching vehicle is further deepened.

Further, the position detection accuracy of the virtual sound source G is controlled according to the position detection accuracy (GPS accuracy) of the GPS device 4 of the vehicle 1 and the position detection accuracy (GPS accuracy) of the portable music player 10. The virtual sound source G corresponding to the same accuracy can be formed effectively, and it is possible to cope with the effective use of the position detection accuracy on the vehicle 1 side and the portable music player 10 side.
FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

  This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, in which a vehicle-specific voice data section for storing the vehicle case information mentioned in the first embodiment is provided on the vehicle side instead of the portable music player side. It is. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a vehicle approach notification audio signal data unit 30 is provided on the vehicle 1 side, and in the data unit 30, vehicle grades such as light cars, small passenger cars, trucks, etc. The vehicle type information indicating the vehicle type and the voice data of the vehicle of the same vehicle type are stored, and the vehicle information is transmitted from the vehicle information transmission unit 5 during traveling.

Even if it does in this way, there exists an effect similar to 1st Embodiment mentioned above. However, in FIG. 5, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which a portable music player is used as a portable terminal device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to a portable terminal device that can be carried by other pedestrians. Of course, the present invention may be applied not only to the headphones but also to a portable terminal device that listens to information using another pair of left and right earphones.

1 vehicle 4 GPS device (vehicle position detection means)
5 Vehicle information transmission unit (vehicle information transmission means)
10 Portable music player (portable terminal device)
13, 15 GPS device, pedestrian orientation detection unit (pedestrian detection means)
14, 17 Vehicle information receiver, relative position calculator, (approaching vehicle detection means)
19 Vehicle approach notification audio signal control unit (virtual sound source forming unit)
28 Earphone unit 29 Audio signal output unit (report output unit)

Claims (5)

A vehicle approach notification device that has a mobile terminal device that can listen to information from the left and right earphone units, and that notifies a pedestrian using the mobile terminal device of a vehicle approaching the pedestrian through the mobile terminal device. And
The vehicle has vehicle position detection means capable of detecting a vehicle position, and vehicle information transmission means for transmitting the vehicle position,
The portable terminal device
Pedestrian detection means for detecting the current position of the pedestrian carrying the mobile terminal device and the orientation of the pedestrian;
An approaching vehicle detection means for receiving a transmission from the vehicle information transmission means and detecting a vehicle approaching the pedestrian from the position of the vehicle and the current position of the pedestrian,
According to the direction of the pedestrian and the detection of the approaching vehicle, a virtual sound source forming unit that forms a virtual sound source in a vehicle presence direction of the approaching vehicle with respect to the pedestrian,
A vehicle approach notification device comprising: a notification output unit configured to output a sound signal from the formed virtual sound source from the left and right earphone units. The approaching vehicle detection means includes calculation means for calculating a relative position between the pedestrian and the approaching vehicle,
The virtual sound source forming unit forms a virtual sound source in a vehicle presence direction of an approaching vehicle based on the pedestrian according to the direction of the pedestrian, the calculated relative position, and detection of the approaching vehicle. The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 1.   The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 1, wherein the approaching vehicle detection unit selects a vehicle closest to the pedestrian and detects an approaching vehicle. The vehicle information transmission means transmits vehicle status information indicating the vehicle status of the vehicle along with transmission of the vehicle position,
The vehicle approach notification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the virtual sound source formed by the virtual sound source forming unit is formed by a vehicle sound corresponding to the vehicle type information. . The virtual sound source formed by the virtual sound source forming unit is controlled by an audio signal according to the position detection accuracy of the vehicle position in the vehicle position detection means and the position detection accuracy of the pedestrian position in the pedestrian detection means. The vehicle approach notification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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