Vehicle control device and vehicle comprising the same

• US 10,598,504 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Jiwon, Piao, Jinhua, Cho, Eunjoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jonathan C
• Application Number:
  US15/826,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20190094038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device for a vehicle having a voice input unit, an audio output unit, and a display. The vehicle control device may include a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one of the voice input unit, the audio output unit, and the display, and a processor configured to control the communication unit to output a message for inducing an utterance of a passenger aboard the vehicle in at least one of an auditory manner and a visual manner when a preset event occurs, and identify the passenger based on receiving a response of the passenger to the message through the voice input unit, and perform a different function based on the identified passenger.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device comprising:

at least one processor;

a communication device implemented by the at least one processor and configured to communicate with a voice input device, and at least one of an audio output device, or a display of the vehicle, wherein the voice input device comprises at least one microphone, and wherein the audio output device comprises a first speaker and a second speaker; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

determining that a preset event has occurred;

based on the determination that the preset event has occurred, instructing the communication device to output a message configured to prompt a first vocal response from a first passenger in the vehicle, wherein the message is at least one of a visual type, an audible type, or a tactile type;

receiving, through the voice input device, the first vocal response from the first passenger in the vehicle;

in response to the received first vocal response, determining an identity of the first passenger; and

performing a function associated with the vehicle in accordance with the identity of the first passenger,

wherein the operations further comprise;

receiving, through the voice input device, a second vocal response from a second passenger of the vehicle, the second vocal response including a request for execution of a function associated with the vehicle;

in response to the received second vocal response, determining an identity of the second passenger and authority of the second passenger to execute applications installed on the vehicle in accordance with one or more characteristics associated with the second passenger;

based on the identity of the first passenger, executing a first voice recognition service associated with the first passenger;

based on the identity of the second passenger, executing a second voice recognition service associated with the second passenger,

determining the first speaker of the audio output device corresponding to a position of the first passenger;

determining, by the first voice recognition service, first audible messages for the first passenger;

instructing the communication device to output the first audible messages through the first speaker;

determining the second speaker of the audio output device corresponding to a position of the second passenger;

determining, by the second voice recognition service, second audible messages for the second passenger;

instructing the communication device to output the second audible messages through the second speaker;

determining that the function requested for execution by the second passenger is not allowed under the authority of the second passenger; and

based on the determination that the function requested by the second passenger is not allowed under the authority of the second passenger, instructing the communication device to output a guidance message requesting an approval for execution of the function from the first passenger through the first speaker.

2. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining, by the first voice recognition service, first audible messages for the first passenger;

instructing the communication device to output the first audible messages in a first tone;

determining, by the second voice recognition service, second audible messages for the second passenger; and

instructing the communication device to output the second audible messages in a second tone different from the first tone.

3. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the first and second voice recognition services are different types of voice recognition services.

4. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

based on the determined identity of the first passenger, selecting, from a plurality of voice recognition services, a first voice recognition service associated with the first passenger; and

based on the selection, executing the first voice recognition service associated with the first passenger.

5. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining one or more characteristics associated with the first passenger;

determining authority of the first passenger to execute applications installed on the vehicle in accordance with the one or more characteristics associated with the first passenger; and

allowing the first passenger to execute applications installed on the vehicle in accordance with the determined authority of the first passenger.

6. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving, through the voice input device, a third vocal response from the first passenger approving execution of the function requested by the second passenger; and

in response to receiving the third vocal response from the first passenger approving execution of the function requested by the second passenger, executing the function requested by the second passenger.

7. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the identity of the first passenger does not match with a stored user of the vehicle;

determining a state of the vehicle; and

based on the determination that the identity of the first passenger does not match with a stored user of the vehicle, preventing execution of a function associated with the vehicle in accordance with the state of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle control device of claim 7, wherein the preventing execution of a function comprises:

receiving a start command to start the vehicle; and

preventing the vehicle from starting.

9. The vehicle control device of claim 8, wherein the operations comprise:

instructing the communication device to output, through the display, a lock screen configured to receive a password for allowing the vehicle to start.

10. The vehicle control device of claim 9, wherein the instructing the communication device to output a lock screen configured to receive a password comprises:

determining a first seat occupied by the first passenger; and

instructing the communication device to output the lock screen only on a first display corresponding to the first seat occupied by the first passenger.

11. The vehicle control device of claim 7, wherein the preventing execution of a function comprises:

determining that the vehicle is running; and

based on the determination that the vehicle is running, switching the state of the vehicle to a locked state configured to limit execution of at least one application installed on the vehicle.

12. The vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the vehicle is in the locked state; and

based on the determination that the vehicle is in the locked state, instructing the communication device to output an additional message configured to prompt a fourth vocal response from the stored user, the additional message being one of the visual type or the audible type.

13. The vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the vehicle is in the locked state; and

based on the determination that the vehicle is in the locked state, limiting a speed of the vehicle to a reference speed.

14. The vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the vehicle is in the locked state;

based on the determination that the vehicle is in the locked state, allowing an autonomous driving of the vehicle to a predetermined destination;

determining that the vehicle has arrived at the predetermined destination through the autonomous driving; and

based on the determination that the vehicle has arrived at the predetermined destination through the autonomous driving, powering down the vehicle.

15. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the identity of the first passenger does not match with a stored user of the vehicle; and

based on the determination that the identity of the first passenger does not match with a stored user of the vehicle,

switching a state of the vehicle to a locked state configured to limit execution of at least one application installed on the vehicle, and

instructing the communication device to transmit a notification message to a terminal of the stored user.

16. The vehicle control device of claim 15, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving, through the communication device, an unlock command from the terminal of the stored user; and

in response to receiving the unlock command, switching the state of the vehicle to an unlocked state.

17. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the first vocal response from the first passenger has not been received within a predetermined time period from the outputting of the message configured to prompt the first vocal response; and

based on the determination that the first vocal response from the first passenger has not been received within a predetermined time period, switching a state of the vehicle to a locked state configured to limit execution of at least one application installed on the vehicle.