Voice control system (VCS [SBS]), function - GF82.70-P-0002M: Notes
MODELS 215.3, 220.0 /1 as of 1.9.03 with CODE (813) Voice control system (VCS)
Function
As part of the integrated communication and audio systems in the vehicle, a voice control system (VCS) is used for the audio, communications and navigation systems.
Using the voice control system, spoken command sequences, that can be given without pretraining, i.e. independently of the speaker, as well as names specified and trained by the user in the speaker dependent mode can be recognized. The VCS contains a function for suppression of environmental noise, so that a voice command is possible even at relatively loud driving noise.
On non-activated voice recognizers, vehicle noise can be filtered out from the microphone signals of the hands-free system by means of high-performance noise suppression.
Thus, even with a relatively loud driving noise, a distinct improvement in hands-free speaking quality can be achieved. With unclear speakers, the recognition rate can be influenced positively via subsequent training.
The objective of the voice activation system is to relieve the user during the drive and simultaneously increase control comfort. Thus, the user has access to a number of functions via intuitive actuation. Distractions from the traffic situation are reduced to a minimum.
Basic performance features of the VCS are:
- Operation of the telephone spectrum via voice command
- Improvement of hands-free speech quality during phone call through 4 microphones with noise suppression and echo compensation
- Operation of the address book via voice command
- Operation of all audio components via voice command
- Operation of the navigation system via voice command
- Subsequent speaker training
- Voice output for dialog
- Help function for the user
Activation and deactivation is performed by actuating the VCS switch (S93/2); this is signaled to the user during activation acoustically by means of a beep and for deactivation by means of voice output.
After the activation the radio is muted automatically. The volume setting can be changed by using the appropriate volume at the appropriate control or via the + and a buttons, setting of specific functions and volume control (S111s1) at the multifunction steering wheel. Adjustment of the tone and volume with the VCS is not possible.
In addition to the manual volume setting, a noise-dependent volume control with 3 stages is present for voice output by the VCS. It depends on the magnitude of the ambient noise level in the vehicle and cannot be influenced by the user.
The VCS also contains a priority control, i.e. if collisions occur in the control of individual components in the communication, navigation or audio system, any functions started by the VCS are discontinued or skipped.
Example: the navigation system attempts voice output while the VCS is involved in a dialog with the user. As the spoken announcement of the navigation system has the highest priority of all systems, the dialog with the voice control system is interrupted by the system, the spoken announcement (navigation) is made and the system returns to the dialog (VCS) with the user.
The VCS is designed with a minimum boot software on the system when it is in mint condition. This makes it possible to quickly boot the system. The actual application software for the particular language is loaded during the production process. The same procedures are later used to update the VCS (e.g., changing the language).
User guidance function
In addition to voice recognition the VCS also provides a voice output for user guidance. These outputs are compressed texts that are recorded in a sound studio within a frequency range of 100 to 3500 Hz. The selection includes a male and a female voice. The same announcers are used for the VCS and the navigation system.
Help menu, function
To provide a better access to more complex functionalities of the speech recognition systems, a comfortable help function is required.
It is provided to the user in the following form:
- If an invalid command was entered 3 times.
- Through the "help" command, in which the help function is always executed dependent on the context.
In detailed form this means:
- If the help function is activated in the main menu via the "help" command, all components that can be actuated via voice command are read aloud.
- If help is requested together with a keyword, such as "radio help", then the possible commands for the control of the radio (e.g., "station search", "next station") are read aloud.
- If "help" is requested in a submenu without a keyword, only the corresponding menu-related commands are read aloud.
The help function is executed such that the user is offered the most important commands (categorized according to relationship and priority). At the end of the help function the VCS returns to the original dialog with the user.
It has to be observed when doing so that, after exiting the help function, the VCS returns to the state it was in before the help function was activated. Driver requests have different effects depending on the state of the system. The "radio" command normally switches to radio, however, in the help mode it activates the help texts for radio control.
| Voice control system (VCS), arrangement of components | GF82.70-P-0002-01M | ||
| Voice control system (VCS) function diagram | GF82.70-P-0002-02M | ||
| Activating/accepting call, function | GF82.70-P-2000M | ||
| Terminating/ending call, function | GF82.70-P-2001M | ||
| Navigation, function | GF82.61-P-2003M | ||
| Dialing, function | GF82.70-P-3000M | ||
| Telephone book, function | GF82.70-P-3001M | ||
| Station list, function | GF82.70-P-3002M |