Method and apparatus for managing audio devices

• US 20020196134A1
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MicroPairing Technologies LLC (Micropairing Technologies Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Medius Inc
• Inventors: Preston, Dan Alan, Lutter, Robert Pierce
• Granted Patent: US 6,778,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle audio system includes a wireless audio sensor configured to wirelessly detect different portable audio sources brought into the vehicle. Audio output devices are located in the vehicle for outputting audio signals from the different audio sources. A processor selectively connects the different audio sources to the different audio output devices. In another aspect, the audio system includes object sensors that detect objects located outside the vehicle. The processor generates warning signals that are output from the different audio output devices according to where the objects are detected by the object sensors.

Claims

1. A vehicle audio system, comprising:

a wireless audio sensor configured to wirelessly detect different audio sources brought into or next to a vehicle;

wireless audio output devices for outputting audio data; and

a processor for selectively connecting the different audio sources to the audio output devices.

2. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 including a graphical user interface that automatically displays the different audio sources detected by the wireless audio sensor.

3. A vehicle audio system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical user interface automatically displays the wireless audio output devices brought into or next to the vehicle.

4. A vehicle audio system according to claim 3 wherein the different audio sources are selectively connected to the different audio output devices by dragging and dropping icons displayed on the graphical user interface representing the different audio sources over icons representing the audio output devices.

5. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 including object sensors connected to the processor.

6. A vehicle audio system according to claim 5 wherein the processor causes the audio output devices to output a warning signal according to how far an object detected by the object sensor is from the vehicle.

7. A vehicle audio system according to claim 6 wherein the processor causes the audio output devices to output a low volume warning signal when the object is detected at a far distance from the vehicle, a medium volume warning signal when the object is detected at a medium distance from the vehicle, and a high volume warning signal when the object is detected at a close distance to the vehicle.

8. A vehicle audio system according to claim 5 wherein the audio output devices are located at different locations in the vehicle and the processor outputs a warning signal to the audio output devices at the locations associated with a detected location of the object.

9. A vehicle audio system according to claim 8 wherein the processor automatically interrupts other audio sources with the warning signal when the object comes within a specified distance of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 wherein the different audio sources are assigned priority values and the processor couples the audio sources to the audio output devices according to the priority values.

11. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 wherein the different audio sources are assigned security values and the processor couples the audio sources to the audio output devices according to the security values.

12. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 wherein one of the audio sources comprises a cellular telephone that generates an output signal that is detected by the wireless audio sensor when located inside or next to the vehicle.

13. A vehicle audio system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the audio output devices comprise in-dash vehicle speakers.

15. A method according to claim 14 including varying a tone of the warning signal according to the detected distance of the object from the vehicle.

16. A method according to claim 14 including outputting the warning signal in different speaker locations in the vehicle associated with different locations where the object is detected.

17. A method according to claim 16 including:

outputting the warning signal from a front right speaker when the object is detected generally along a front right corner of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal from both the front right speaker and a rear right speaker when the object is detected generally along a right side of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal in the rear right speaker when the object is detected generally around a rear right corner of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal in a left rear speaker and the right rear speaker when the object is detected generally along a rear end of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal in the rear left speaker when the object is detected generally along a left rear corner of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal in the rear left speaker and a front left speaker when the object is detected generally along a left side of the vehicle;

outputting the warning signal in a front left speaker when the object is detected generally along a front left corner of the vehicle; and

outputting the warning signal in the front left speaker and the front right speaker when the object is detected generally along a front end of the vehicle.

18. A method according to claim 14 including detecting mobile audio sources that are moved into, or next to, the vehicle and automatically displaying the mobile audio sources along with any hardwired audio sources and any audio output devices on a graphical user interface.

19. A method according to claim 18 including controlling which of the audio sources are output from the audio output devices by dragging icons on the graphical user interface representing the audio sources over icons on the graphical user interface representing the audio output devices.

20. A method according to claim 18 including detecting the mobile audio sources using a sensor that detects wireless signals output by the mobile audio sources.

21. A method according to claim 20 including:

detecting speakers in the mobile audio sources;

displaying the speakers on the graphical user interface; and

connecting any of the audio sources detected in the vehicle to any of the detected speakers in the mobile audio devices by dragging icons on the graphical user interface representing the audio sources over icons on the graphical user interface representing the speakers.

22. A method according to claim 14 including automatically patching-in a warning signal to all audio sources in the vehicle when a collision condition is detected.

24. An audio system according to claim 23 including an audio source sensor coupled to the processor that detects different audio sources.

25. An audio system according to claim 24 wherein the audio source sensor is an infrared sensor that detects infrared signals output by the different audio sources.

26. An audio system according to claim 25 including a graphical user interface coupled to the processor that automatically displays icons that represent the different detected audio sources.

14. A method for annunciating distance information in a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an object outside a vehicle;

generating a warning signal identifying the detected object; and

continuously varying the loudness of the warning signal in proportion to a detected distance of the object from the vehicle.

23. An audio system, comprising:

multiple speakers positioned at different locations;

sensors that detect objects; and

a processor that outputs warning signals from the different speaker locations according to where the objects are detected by the object sensors.