Apparatus and method for providing a personalized bass tactile output associated with an audio signal

• US 10,620,906 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Trestain, Christopher Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US16/215,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20190107994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/302 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic sound system to listener position or orientation H04S7/301 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/307 Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for providing a tactile output associated with an audio output is provided. The apparatus includes an audio controller that is coupled to a plurality of tactile transducers with each tactile transducer being positioned in a seat of a vehicle. The audio controller is configured to receive a command indicative of a desired tactile feedback for a seat of the vehicle, the desired tactile feedback is associated with an audio output that is played back by one or more speakers in the vehicle. The audio controller is further configured to transmit a control signal indicative of the desired tactile feedback to be provided by a tactile transducer in the seat of the vehicle such that the tactile transducer generates the desired tactile feedback at the seat while the one or more speakers in the vehicle playback the audio output.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a tactile output associated with an audio output, the apparatus comprising:

a head unit being operably coupled to a first tactile transducer positioned in a first seat of a vehicle, the head unit being configured to;

receive a first signal indicative of whether a first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat;

transmit a first control signal indicative of a first tactile feedback to be provided by the first tactile transducer in the first seat of the vehicle to generate the first tactile feedback at the first seat while one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback the audio output in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat; and

deactivate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is not positioned in the first seat,

wherein the first tactile feedback corresponds to an overall excursion of the first tactile transducer that is selectable by a user at the head unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head unit is further configured to receive a second signal indicative of whether a second vehicle occupant is positioned on a second seat of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the head unit is further configured to transmit a second control signal indicative of a second tactile feedback to a second tactile transducer in the second seat of the vehicle to generate the second tactile feedback at the second seat while the one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback the audio output.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the head unit is further configured to deactivate the second tactile transducer in response to the second signal indicating that the second vehicle occupant is not positioned in the second seat.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the head unit is further configured to activate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned in the first seat while deactivating the second tactile transducer when the second signal indicates that the second vehicle occupant is not positioned in the second seat of the vehicle.

6. An apparatus for providing a tactile output associated with an audio output, the apparatus comprising:

a head unit being operably coupled to a first tactile transducer positioned in a first seat of a vehicle, the head unit being configured to;

receive a first signal indicative of whether a first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat; and

transmit a first control signal indicative of a first tactile feedback to be provided by the first tactile transducer in the first seat of the vehicle to generate the first tactile feedback at the first seat while one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback the audio output in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat,

wherein the first tactile feedback corresponds to a first overall excursion of the first tactile transducer that is selectable by a user at the head unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the head unit is further configured to deactivate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is not positioned on the first seat.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the head unit is further configured to receive a second signal indicative of whether a second vehicle occupant is positioned on a second seat of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the head unit is further configured to transmit a second control signal indicative of a second tactile feedback to a second tactile transducer in the second seat of the vehicle to generate the second tactile feedback at the second seat while the one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback the audio output.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the head unit is further configured to deactivate the second tactile transducer in response to the second signal indicating that the second vehicle occupant is not positioned in the second seat.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the head unit is further configured to activate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned in the first seat while deactivating the second tactile transducer when the second signal indicates that the second vehicle occupant is not positioned in the second seat of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second tactile feedback corresponds to a second overall excursion of the second tactile transducer that is selectable by the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first overall excursion is different than the second overall excursion.

14. A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer read-able medium that is programmed for providing a tactile output in a vehicle, the computer-program product comprising instructions for:

receiving a first signal indicative of whether a first vehicle occupant is positioned on a first seat;

transmitting a first control signal indicative of a first tactile feedback to be provided by a first tactile transducer in the first seat of the vehicle to generate the first tactile feedback at the first seat while one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback an audio output in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat; and

one of activating or deactivating the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal;

wherein the first tactile feedback corresponds to an overall excursion of the first tactile transducer that is selectable by a user at a head unit.

15. The computer-program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions to activate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is positioned on the first seat.

16. The computer-program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions to deactivate the first tactile transducer in response to the first signal indicating that the first vehicle occupant is not positioned on the first seat.

17. The computer-program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions to receive a second signal indicative of whether a second vehicle occupant is positioned on a second seat.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17 further comprising instructions to transmit a second control signal indicative of a second tactile feedback to a second tactile transducer in the second seat of the vehicle to generate the second tactile feedback at the second seat while the one or more loudspeakers in the vehicle playback the audio output.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18 further comprising instructions to deactivate the second tactile transducer in response to the second signal indicating that the second vehicle occupant is not positioned on the second seat.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19 further comprising instructions to activate the second tactile transducer in response to the second signal indicating that the second vehicle occupant is positioned on the second seat.