Apparatus for automatically synchronizing the operation of a device, for presenting audio information to occupants of a vehicle, to correspond with its movement along a predetermined route

Claim 1

A method for correlating the playing of recorded audio informative passages in a vehicle with the actual location of said vehicle comprising the steps of: selecting, with respect to a standard external reference system, an initial reference point on a determined route; Recording the informative audio passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle; recording on the medium, using the standard external reference system, visible indicies, audio prompts, and electronically readable indicies; obtaining a distance traveled signal from distance measuring equipment in the vehicle to indicate the distance traveled from the initial reference point; correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular tire wheel and distance measuring equipment characteristics of said vehicle; obtaining a proper recorded medium location signal by means of a player; comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal; applying the control signal to said player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route, generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock; comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal, to obtain a signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium; selecting a current observed external reference point from said external reference system and generating a current location signal to correspond to said external point; comparing the time of play signal to the current location signal and generating a second control signal; applying the second control signal to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that the play of the medium will commence again at a location thereon which generally corresponds to said observed external point; and obtaining a distance adjustment signal from the player as set by the vehicle driver to adjust for random observed errors by applying the distance adjustment signal to the corrected distance traveled signal.

Claim 2

A method for correlating the playing of recorded audio informative passages in a vehicle with the actual location of said vehicle comprising the steps of: selecting, with respect to a standard external reference system, an initial reference point on a determined route; Recording the informative audio passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle; recording on the medium, using the standard external reference system, visible indicies, audio prompts, and electronically readable indicies; obtaining a distance traveled signal from distance measuring equipment in the vehicle to indicate the distance traveled from the initial reference point; correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular tire wheel and distance measuring equipment characteristics of said vehicle; obtaining a proper recorded medium location signal by means of a player; comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal; applying the control signal to said player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route, generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock; comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal, to obtain a signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium; selecting a current observed external reference point from said external reference system and generating a current location signal to correspond to said external point; comparing the time of play signal to the current location signal and generating a second control signal; applying the second control signal to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium so that the play of the medium will commence again at a location thereon which generally corresponds to said observed external point; and obtaining a distance adjustment signal from the player as set by the vehicle driver to adjust for random observed errors by applying the distance adjustment signal to the corrected distance traveled signal.

Claim 3

A system for playing informative audio passages recorded on a suitable magnetic recording medium in a vehicle equipped with a power source and distance measuring equipment for obtaining distance traveled and for controlling the playing of the recorded passages so as to be synchronized with the actual location of the vehicle along a determined route, said system comprising: a means for obtaining distance traveled data from the distance measuring equipment and converting said data to a distance traveled signal, said distance traveled being measured from an initial starting point within a standard external reference system on said route; a means for correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular distance measuring equipment, tires and wheel characteristics of said vehicle; pre-recorded audio informative passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle; proper location signals recorded on said medium in binary code digital language, visible location digital language, visible location indicies, electronically readable indicies, and audio prompts, all of which are pre-recorded with respect to said standard external reference system; a player-controller for playing the recording medium and for independently reading the recorded passages and the coded proper location signal, having a two speed winding capability, and having means for comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal which the player-controller applies to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium, so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route, and the player-controller having means for generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock, and the player-controller having means for comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal in order to obtain another signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium, and the player-controller having means for accepting a current vehicle location setting which corresponds to an external reference point actually observed with respect to said standard external reference system, for generating a current location signal corresponding thereto, for comparing said current location signal to the time of play signal and for generating a second control signal which is applied to stop the player or fast wind the medium, allowing the vehicle location and position of the medium to generally correspond, and the player-controller having means for adjusting the corrected vehicle distance traveled signal for errors in said distance traveled measuring equipment which may result in a discrepancy between actual observed and instrument indicated distance traveled, caused by variations in temperature, tire pressure, road conditions, and random errors.

Claim 4

A system for playing informative audio passages recorded on a suitable magnetic recording medium in a vehicle equipped with a power source and distance measuring equipment for obtaining distance traveled and for controlling the playing of the recorded passages so as to be synchronized with the actual location of the vehicle along a determined route, said system comprising: a means for obtaining distance traveled data from the distance measuring equipment and converting said data to a distance traveled signal, said distance traveled being measured from an initial starting point within a standard external reference system on said route; a means for correcting the distance traveled signal for the particular distance measuring equipment, tires and wheel characteristics of said vehicle; pre-recorded audio informative passages with frequent pause points on both sides of a suitable magnetic recording medium of fixed length with respect to distance of travel so that the medium can be played in either direction corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicle; proper location signals recorded on said medium in binary code digital language, visible location digital language, visible location indicies, electronically readable indicies, and audio prompts, all of which are pre-recorded with respect to said standard external reference system; a player-controller for playing the recording medium and for independently reading the recorded passages and the coded proper location signal, having a two speed winding capability, and having means for comparing the corrected distance traveled signal with the proper location signal to generate a first control signal which the player-controller applies to the player to stop the player or fast wind the medium, so that play of the medium will commence at the proper vehicle location along said route, and the player-controller having means for generating a time of play signal of said medium from a clock, and the player-controller having means for comparing the time of play signal with the corrected distance traveled signal in order to obtain another signal which is applied to the player to continuously regulate the duration and extent of pauses in playing the medium, and the player-controller having means for accepting a current vehicle location setting which corresponds to an external reference point actually observed with respect to said standard external reference system, for generating a current location signal corresponding thereto, for comparing said current location signal to the time of play signal and for generating a second control signal which is applied to stop the player or fast wind the medium, allowing the vehicle location and position of the medium to generally correspond, and the player-controller having means for adjusting the corrected vehicle distance traveled signal for errors in said distance traveled measuring equipment which may result in a discrepancy between actual observed and instrument indicated distance traveled, caused by variations in temperature, tire pressure, road conditions, and random errors.