Method of controlling audio speaker settings in a vehicle based on dynamic determination of the occupancy state of a rear row of seating and a vehicle providing such control

• US 10,061,557 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elbin, Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US15/661,559
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381 716, 381 86, 381302
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/20 Drive modes; Transition between modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/46 by self learning
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/02 Manually-operated control H03G3/001 and H03G3/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/20 Automatic control H03G3/005 takes precedence; combined with volume compression or expansion H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3005 in amplifiers suitable for low-frequencies, e.g. audio amplifiers H03G3/32, H03G3/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A method of controlling audio speaker settings in a vehicle with a rear row of seating comprises: requesting an operator of the vehicle to make a choice between a first option, wherein the vehicle automatically controls audio speaker settings based on a dynamically determined occupancy state of the rear row of seating, and a second option, wherein the vehicle recommends audio speaker settings to the operator based on the dynamically determined occupancy state; dynamically determining the occupancy state; if the operator chooses the first option, then automatically controlling audio speaker settings based on the dynamically determined occupancy state; and if the operator chooses the second option, then providing recommended audio speaker settings to the operator based on the dynamically determined occupancy state. The audio speaker settings include volume.

Claims

1. A method of controlling audio speaker settings in a vehicle with a rear row of seating comprising:

requesting an operator of the vehicle to make a choice between;

a first option, wherein the vehicle automatically controls audio speaker settings based on a dynamically determined occupancy state of the rear row of seating; and

a second option, wherein the vehicle recommends audio speaker settings to the operator based on the dynamically determined occupancy state;

dynamically determining the occupancy state;

if the operator chooses the first option, then automatically controlling audio speaker settings based on the dynamically determined occupancy state; and

if the operator chooses the second option, then providing recommended audio speaker settings to the operator based on the dynamically determined occupancy state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio speaker settings include volume.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein automatically controlling audio speaker settings based on the dynamically determined occupancy state comprises:

decreasing rear audio speaker volume if the occupancy state is dynamically determined to have changed from occupied to unoccupied; and

increasing rear audio speaker volume if the occupancy state is dynamically determined to have changed from unoccupied to occupied.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein dynamically determining the occupancy state comprises:

using more than one input, assigning a weight to each input to provide weighted inputs, summing the weighted inputs to provide a summation, and determining the occupancy state based on the summation.

5. The method of claim 4, where the more than one input includes whether a passenger rear door has opened.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein requesting the operator to make a choice between the first option and the second option comprises:

presenting a first graphical representation symbolizing the first option and a second graphical representation symbolizing the second option on a touch screen user interface and the operator makes the choice by touching either the first graphical representation or the second graphical representation.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein providing recommended audio speaker settings to the operator based on the dynamically determined occupancy state comprises:

providing a recommendation that rear audio speaker volume be decreased to a predetermined volume level after the dynamically determined occupancy state changes from occupied to unoccupied; and

providing a recommendation that rear audio speaker volume be increased to a predetermined volume level after the dynamically determined occupancy state changes from unoccupied to occupied.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

notifying the operator that the rear audio speaker volume has been decreased after automatically decreasing rear audio speaker volume; and

notifying the operator that the rear audio speaker volume has been increased after automatically increasing rear audio speaker volume.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

prompting the operator to accept or reject the recommended rear audio speaker settings and learning and storing the operator'"'"'s acceptance or rejection, along with the occupancy state, for subsequent recommended rear audio speaker settings.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

if the operator accepts the recommended rear audio speaker settings, then implementing the recommended rear audio speaker settings; and

if the operator rejects the provided recommendation that rear audio speaker volume be decreased after the dynamically determined occupancy state changes from occupied to unoccupied, then not implementing the recommended rear audio speaker settings and providing a subsequent recommendation that rear audio speaker volume not be decreased if the dynamically determined occupancy state subsequently changes from occupied to unoccupied.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a rear row of seating;

one or more rear audio speakers having settings;

one or more sensors, from which an occupancy state of the rear row of seating can be determined;

a user interface; and

a controller in communication with the user interface, the one or more rear audio speakers; and

the one or more sensors;

wherein, the controller dynamically determines the occupancy state of the rear row of seating based on data provided by the one or more sensors; and

wherein, the controller, via the user interface, requests an operator of the vehicle to make a choice between;

a first option, wherein the controller automatically controls the settings of the one or more rear audio speakers based on the occupancy state of the rear row of seating; and

a second option, wherein the controller recommends settings, via the user interface to the operator, for the one or more rear audio speakers based on the occupancy state of the rear row of seating.

12. The vehicle of claim 11,

wherein, if the operator chooses the first option, then the controller automatically sets the settings of the one or more rear audio speakers based on the occupancy state of the rear row of seating;

and

wherein, if the operator chooses the second option, then the controller provides to the operator, via the user interface, recommended settings of the one or more rear audio speakers based on the occupancy state of the rear row of seating.

13. The vehicle of claim 12,

wherein, the settings of the one or more rear audio speakers include volume.

14. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein, if the operator chooses the first option, then the controller further:

decreases the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers, if the controller dynamically determines that the occupancy state changes from occupied to unoccupied; and

increases the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers, if the controller dynamically determines that the occupancy state changes from unoccupied to occupied.

15. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein, the one or more sensors provide more than one input to the controller;

and

wherein, the controller assigns a weight to each input to provide weighted inputs, sums the weighted inputs to provide a summation, and determines the occupancy state based on the summation.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 further comprising:

a rear passenger door;

wherein, the one or more sensors include a door condition sensor;

wherein, the controller determines based on the input provided by the door condition sensor that the rear passenger door has opened; and

wherein, the controller determines the occupancy state based, at least in part, on the determination that the rear passenger door has opened.

17. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein, the user interface is a touch screen;

wherein, the user interface displays a first graphical representation symbolizing the first option and a second graphical representation symbolizing the second option; and

wherein, the operator makes the choice by touching either the first graphical representation or the second graphical representation.

18. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein, if the operator chooses the second option, then the controller further:

recommends to the operator, via the user interface, that the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers be decreased if the controller dynamically determines that the occupancy state changes from occupied to unoccupied; and

recommends to the operator, via the user interface, that the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers be increased if the controller dynamically determines that the occupancy state changes from unoccupied to occupied.

19. The vehicle of claim 14,

wherein, the controller, via the user interface, notifies the operator that the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers has been decreased after the controller automatically decreased the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers;

and

wherein, the controller, via the user interface, notifies the operator that the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers has been increased after the controller automatically increased the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers.

20. The vehicle of claim 18,

wherein, if the controller recommends to the operator, via the user interface, that the volume of the one or more rear audio speakers be increased or decreased, then the controller prompts the operator, via the user interface, to accept or reject the recommended rear audio speaker settings.