Audio system and its contents reproduction method, audio apparatus for a vehicle and its contents reproduction method, portable audio apparatus, computer program product and computer-readable storage medium

• US 20010048749A1
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Hiroshi, Ushio, Masao, Hosoda, Kouji, Hirabayashi, Shigefumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/85 which are mobile communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

An audio apparatus for a vehicle made up of a car-mounted audio apparatus 100 and portable audio apparatuses 200a and 200b transmits/receives contents data such as music via radio communication. As a communication system for this in-car radio communication, a short-distance data communication system is used, which allows the apparatuses to recognize and authenticate one another and perform data communication with one another in the vehicle. Received music data is reproduced/output in real time.

Claims

1. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus comprise;

a storage medium for retaining contents information; and

a transmission module for transmitting said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication,

wherein said audio apparatus comprises;

a reception module for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

a control unit for reproducing said contents information received by said reception module and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

2. The audio system according to

claim 1

, wherein said audio apparatus further comprises:

an operation switch that allows the passenger of said vehicle to input an operation of said audio system; and

an operation signal transmission module for transmitting an operation signal corresponding to the operation of said operation switch to said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication,

wherein said portable audio apparatus further comprises a CPU for controlling the own operation according to said operation signal received from said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication.

3. The audio system according to

claim 1

, wherein at least any one of said audio apparatus and said portable audio apparatus further comprises a man-machine interface capable of selecting a communication execution state in which contents information is transmitted between both apparatuses or a non-communication execution state in which contents information is not transmitted.

4. The audio system according to

claim 1

, wherein at least said audio apparatus further comprises a display for visibly displaying the state of communication between said audio apparatus and said portable audio apparatus.

5. The audio system according to

claim 1

, wherein said audio apparatus identifies said portable audio apparatus that exists in a predetermined radio communication area of said audio apparatus and further comprises a system construction unit for constructing a radio communication system made up of the identified portable audio apparatus and said audio apparatus, and

said audio apparatus acquires said contents information from the portable audio apparatus identified by said system construction unit.

6. The audio system according to

claim 5

, wherein said audio apparatus further comprises a man-machine interface capable of, when a plurality of contents information pieces is received from a plurality of portable audio apparatuses identified by said system construction unit, instructing simultaneous reproduction of the plurality of contents information pieces,

wherein said control unit, when simultaneous reproduction is instructed by said man-machine interface, outputs at least one contents information piece from among the plurality of contents information pieces whose simultaneous reproduction is instructed from said speaker and at the same time remotely controls said plurality of portable audio apparatuses so that the other contents information pieces are reproduced by at least any one of the plurality of portable audio apparatuses identified by said system construction unit.

7. The audio system according to

claim 5

, wherein said reception module can receive contents information from the plurality of portable audio apparatuses identified by said system construction unit,

said audio apparatus further comprises a man-machine interface capable of, when a plurality of contents information pieces is received from the plurality of portable audio apparatuses identified by said system construction unit, setting priority of the plurality of portable audio apparatuses in order to set the order of reproducing those contents information pieces, and

said control unit, when the priority is set by said man-machine interface, sequentially performs control that contents information received from one portable audio apparatus is output as sound from the speaker mounted in said vehicle on said identified plurality of portable audio apparatuses according to said priority.

8. The audio system according to

claim 5

, wherein said system construction unit, for the purpose of identifying said portable audio apparatuses detected in said vehicle, which is said predetermined radio communication area, assigns individual identification addresses and constructs said radio communication system with all portable audio apparatuses, which have been assigned identification addresses, and said audio apparatus.

9. The audio system according to

claim 5

, wherein said system construction unit transmits a first radio signal with directivity in said vehicle and identifies said portable audio apparatus that exists in said predetermined radio communication area based on a second radio signal received from said portable audio apparatus according to the transmission of the radio signal.

10. The audio system according to

claim 9

, wherein said predetermined radio communication area corresponds to a seat position placed in said vehicle.

11. The audio system according to

claim 10

, wherein said predetermined radio communication area corresponds to a position of the mount of said portable audio apparatus placed in said vehicle.

12. The audio system according to

claim 9

, wherein said system construction unit sends a first radio signal from a radio antenna installed almost in the center of said vehicle.

13. A contents reproduction method of an audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a system constructing step of constructing a communication system constructed of a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle and an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle that performs at least radio communication;

a contents information transmitting step of transmitting contents information pre-stored in said portable audio apparatus to said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

a sound reproducing step of receiving and reproducing said contents information sent in said contents information transmitting step by said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

14. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 13

, further comprising:

an operation inputting step allowing the passenger of said vehicle to input an operation of said audio system;

an operation signal transmitting step of transmitting an operation signal according to the operation input in said operation inputting step to said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

a reproducing step in which said portable audio apparatus reproduces contents information retained in the portable audio apparatus in response to said operation signal received from said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication.

15. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 13

, wherein said radio communication system is constructed in said system constructing step only at the beginning of audio control.

16. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 13

, wherein said radio communication system is constructed in said system constructing step at predetermined time intervals.

17. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 13

, wherein in order to identify said portable audio apparatus detected in said vehicle as a predetermined radio communication area, said system constructing step assigns individual identification addresses and constructs said radio communication system with all portable audio apparatuses with the identification addresses assigned and said audio apparatus.

18. An audio apparatus for a vehicle mounted in a vehicle that reproduces contents information as sound in said vehicle, comprising:

a system construction unit for constructing a radio communication system constructed of a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of the vehicle and said audio apparatus;

a reception module for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

a control unit for reproducing said contents information received by said reception module and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

19. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 18

, wherein said system construction unit constructs, when a plurality of said portable audio apparatuses is identified, a radio communication system including the plurality of portable audio apparatuses, and

said control unit, between said plurality of portable audio apparatuses, transfers contents information retained in a first portable audio apparatus to a second portable audio apparatus via radio communication and controls so that the contents information is reproduced as sound in said second portable audio apparatus.

43. A computer program product that provides instructions that implement an operation of the audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 18

.

46. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program code that implements an operation of the audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 18

.

20. A contents reproduction method of an audio apparatus for a vehicle mounted in said vehicle to reproduce contents information as sound in said vehicle, comprising:

a system constructing step of constructing a-radio communication system constructed of a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle and said audio apparatus;

a receiving step of receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

a sound reproducing step of reproducing said contents information received in said receiving step and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

21. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 20

, wherein, when a plurality of said portable audio apparatuses is identified in said system constructing step, a radio communication system including the plurality of portable audio apparatuses is constructed, and

said sound reproducing step, between said plurality of portable audio apparatuses, transfers contents information retained in a first portable audio apparatus to a second portable audio apparatus via radio communication and controls so that the contents information is reproduced as sound in said second portable audio apparatus.

45. A computer program product that provides instructions that implement the contents reproduction method according to

claim 20

with an audio apparatus for a vehicle.

48. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program code that implements the contents reproduction method according to

claim 20

with an audio apparatus for a vehicle.

22. An audio apparatus for a vehicle that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle comprising:

an audio control unit equipped with a first radio communication apparatus; and

a plurality of speaker units equipped with a second radio communication apparatus,

wherein said first and second radio communication apparatuses can carry out radio communications based on a predetermined radio communication protocol, and

said plurality of speaker units receives a radio signal sent from the first radio communication apparatus of said audio control unit by said second radio communication apparatus and reproduces contents information included in the received radio signal according to characteristic information individually set for each speaker unit.

23. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein said audio control unit can perform a setting by which said plurality of speaker units is divided into a plurality of groups made up of at least one speaker unit and sends a radio signal including contents information differing among the set plurality of groups.

24. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 23

, wherein said plurality of speaker units is provided in accordance with the seats in the vehicle, and

said audio control unit sends to a speaker unit corresponding to a specific seat, a radio signal including contents information different from the contents information of the other speaker units.

25. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein said audio control unit sends a first radio signal including the same contents information to said plurality of speaker units and sends a second radio signal including said characteristic information to each speaker unit individually, and

said plurality of speaker units applies sound field processing based on individual characteristic information included in said second radio signal to the contents information included in said first radio signal and then outputs the contents information as sound.

26. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 25

, wherein said characteristic information includes information on the locations of all said plurality of speaker units and sound field processing at those locations, and

said plurality of speaker units performs sound field processing taking into account the other units based on said characteristic information prior to outputting sound from the own unit.

27. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein said plurality of speaker units is provided in accordance with the seats in said vehicle, and

said audio control unit controls a speaker unit from among said plurality of speaker units that corresponds to a specific seat so as to be able to reproduce sound with sound volume, sound quality or sound field different from the other speaker units.

28. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 27

, wherein the seats in said vehicle are provided with a detection unit for detecting whether any child seat is attached, and

said audio control unit designates a seat where said detection unit has detected the presence of a child seat as said specific seat and controls the speaker unit corresponding to the seat so as to be able to reproduce sound with sound volume, sound quality or sound field different from the other speaker units.

29. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein said audio control unit is a portable terminal.

30. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein said audio control unit sends, when said radio signal is sent, contents information to be sent through the radio signal by dividing the contents information by a predetermined unit amount of information to said plurality of speaker units.

31. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 30

, wherein when the contents information divided into said predetermined unit amounts of information received through said radio signal is reproduced, said plurality of speaker units synchronizes the output timing among one another.

32. The audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 22

, wherein when a plurality of types of radio signals sent from different sources is received, said plurality of speaker units reproduces contents information included in any one of the radio signals based on preset priority.

33. A portable audio apparatus in the vehicle audio system according to

claim 22

that comprises a third radio communication apparatus that receives a radio signal sent from the first radio communication apparatus of said audio control unit and can reproduce sound at least through a headphone based on the radio signal received by the radio communication apparatus.

34. A contents reproduction method for an audio apparatus for a vehicle that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a system constructing step of constructing a radio communication system made up of an audio control unit and a plurality of speaker units each equipped with a radio communication apparatus that can carry out radio communication based on a predetermined radio communication protocol;

a first step of sending a radio signal including contents information from said audio control unit; and

a second step of receiving said radio signal from said plurality of speaker units and reproducing the contents information included in the received radio signal as sound according to the characteristic information individually set for each speaker unit.

35. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 34

, wherein said first step divides said plurality of speaker units into a plurality of groups made up of at least one speaker unit and sends a radio signal including contents information differing among those groups from said audio control unit.

36. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 34

, wherein in said first step, said audio control unit sends a first radio signal including the same contents information to said plurality of speaker units and sends a second radio signal including said characteristic information to each of the speaker units, and

in said second step, said plurality of speaker units applies sound field processing based on the individual characteristic information included in said second radio signal to the contents information included in said first radio signal individually and then outputs the contents information as sound.

37. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 34

, wherein said plurality of speaker units are preset in accordance with the seats in the vehicle, and

said second step controls a speaker unit from among said plurality of speaker units that corresponds to a specific seat by said audio control unit so as to be able to reproduce sound with sound volume, sound quality or sound field different from the other speaker units.

38. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 34

, wherein when said radio signal is sent from said audio control unit in said first step, the contents information to be sent through the radio signal is divided by a predetermined unit amount of information and sent to said plurality of speaker units.

39. The contents reproduction method according to

claim 34

, wherein when said plurality of speaker units receives a plurality of types of radio signals sent from different sources in said second step, contents information included in any one of the radio signals is reproduced based on preset priority.

40. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus comprises;

contents information retaining means for retaining contents information; and

transmitting means for transmitting said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication, and

wherein said audio apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

controlling means for reproducing said contents information received by said receiving means and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

41. An audio apparatus for a vehicle mounted in a vehicle that reproduces contents information as sound in said vehicle, comprising:

system constructing means for constructing a radio communication system constructed of a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of the vehicle and said audio apparatus;

receiving means for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus at least by means of radio communication; and

controlling means for reproducing said contents information received by said receiving means and outputting the reproduced information as sound from a speaker mounted in said vehicle.

44. A computer program product that provides instructions that implement an operation of the audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 41

.

47. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program code that implements an operation of the audio apparatus for a vehicle according to

claim 41

.

42. An audio apparatus for a vehicle that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

audio controlling means equipped with a first radio communication apparatus and a plurality of speaker units equipped with a second radio communication apparatus,

wherein said first and second radio communication apparatuses can carry out radio communications based on a predetermined radio communication protocol, and

said plurality of speaker units receives a radio signal sent from the first radio communication apparatus of said audio controlling means by said second radio communication apparatus and reproduces contents information included in the received radio signal according to characteristic information individually set for each speaker unit.