Vehicle control device and vehicle control method thereof

• US 10,214,145 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jaegal, Chan, Chang, Sukjin, Kim, Minjae
• Primary Examiner(s): Holder, Anner N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abouzahra, Hesham K
• Application Number:
  US14/950,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/95 Measuring the same parameter at multiple locations of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 : Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 : Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 : the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/001 : Two-way communication systems between a limited number of parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 : for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/326 : for microphones H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 : Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle control device including a camera configured to photograph an image around a vehicle; a display unit configured to display the image received from the camera; at least one sound sensor arranged on the vehicle and configured to sense a sound generated inside or outside the vehicle; at least one sound output unit arranged on the vehicle and configured to output sound inside or outside the vehicle; and a controller configured to sense a situation of the vehicle based on the sensed sound generated inside or outside the vehicle, and control at least one of the sound sensor, sound output unit and the display unit to output information based on the sensed situation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, comprising:

a camera configured to photograph an image around a vehicle;

a display unit configured to display the image received from the camera;

at least one sound sensor arranged on the vehicle and configured to sense a sound generated inside or outside the vehicle;

at least one sound output unit arranged on the vehicle and configured to output sound inside or outside the vehicle;

an eye sensing unit configured to sense a user'"'"'s viewing angle; and

a controller configured to control at least one of the sound sensor, sound output unit and the display unit to output information based on the sensed sound generated inside or outside the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

control the camera to capture an image of a sound generating source based on a location of the sound generating source generating the sound in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied,

display the image received from the camera on the display unit when the sound generating source is located out of the user'"'"'s viewing angle, and

not display the image received from the camera on the display unit when the sound generating source is located in the user'"'"'s viewing angle.

2. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect the location of the sound generating source generating the sound, and

control the sound output unit to output notification information towards the sound generating source, based on the detected location of the sound generating source.

3. The vehicle control device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to control the sound sensor and the sound output unit such that a sound generated inside the vehicle is output toward the sound generating source located outside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle control device of claim 2, wherein, in response to the detected location of the sound generating source being within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the controller is further configured to control the sound output unit to output the notification information toward the sound generating source.

5. The vehicle control device of claim 2, wherein, in response to the detected location of the sound generating source not being within the predetermined distance from the vehicle, the controller is further configured to control the sound output unit not to output the notification information is not output toward the sound generating source.

6. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sound output unit includes a plurality of sound output units arranged to be spaced apart from each other, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control a sound output unit among the plurality of sound output units disposed at a location corresponding to the location of the sound generating source to output notification information related to the sensed sound generated inside or outside the vehicle.

7. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect an accident risk degree and relative distance information related to at least one graphic object included in the image, based on sound information respectively corresponding to sound received from a sound generating source indicating by the at least one graphic object.

8. The vehicle control device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to simultaneously display the accident risk degree and relative distance information related to the at least one graphic object on an area around the area in which the at least one graphic object is displayed.

9. The vehicle control device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a touch input applied to a first graphic object among the at least one graphic object, and

control the sound output unit to output notification information toward a sound generating source corresponding to the first graphic object.

10. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

sense an opening/closing state of a window mounted in the vehicle, and

in response to a change from the closing state of the window to the opening state of the window being sensed when the sound output unit and the sound sensor are activated, change the state of the activated sound output unit and the activated sound sensor to a non-activation state.

11. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

sense a situation information of the vehicle based on the sensed sound generated inside or outside of the vehicle; and

display information related to the situation information on the display unit such that a driver recognizes the situation information.

12. The vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein the situation information includes at least one of component state information of the vehicle, level information of a noise outside the vehicle, type information of a sound generating source, obstacle information, and state information of a road surface.

13. The vehicle control device of claim 12, wherein, in response to any sound sensed by the sound sensor not being sensed for a predetermined time, the controller is further configured to control the sound output unit to perform a function of reproducing a music or generate a white noise.

14. The vehicle control device of claim 12, wherein, in response to the sound information corresponding to predetermined sound information, the controller is further configured to display driving guidance information related to driving of the vehicle on the display unit.

15. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further configured to:

detect an obstacle exists around the vehicle, and

control a sound sensitivity of the sound sensor.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle control device, the method comprising:

capturing, via a camera arranged on a vehicle, an image around a vehicle;

displaying, via a display unit, the image received from the camera;

capturing, via a camera arranged on a vehicle, an image around a vehicle;

displaying, via a display unit, the image received from the camera;

sensing, via at least one sound sensor arranged on the vehicle, a sound generated inside or outside the vehicle;

outputting, via at least one sound output unit arranged on the vehicle, sound inside or outside the vehicle;

sensing, via an eye sensing unit, a user'"'"'s viewing angle; and

controlling, via the controller, at least one of the sound sensor, sound output unit and the display unit to output information based on the sensed sound generated inside or outside the vehicle,

wherein the control method further comprises;

in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied, controlling the camera to capture an image of the sound generating source based on the location of the sound generating source generating the sound;

displaying the image received from the camera on the display unit when the sound generating source is located out of the user'"'"'s viewing angle; and

not displaying the image received from the camera on the display unit when the sound generating source is located in the user'"'"'s viewing angle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a location of a sound generating source generating the sound; and

controlling the sound output unit to output notification information towards the sound generating source, based on the detected location of the sound generating source.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

controlling the sound sensor and the sound output unit such that the sound generated inside the vehicle is output toward the sound generating source located outside the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, in response to the detected location of the sound generating source being within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the method further comprises controlling the sound output unit to output the notification information toward the sound generating source.