Voice acquisition system for a vehicle

• US 20030052772A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeLine, Jonathan E., Lynam, Niall R., Spooner, Ralph A., March, Phillip A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,717,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0077 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 : Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 : Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

An indicator for use with a microphone of a vehicular audio system, such as a cellular telephone, emergency communication device, or other audio device, provides a user of the audio system with a status signal relating to a reception quality of a vocal signal from the user. The microphone may be mounted within an accessory module, which may be mounted to an interior surface of a vehicle windshield. The accessory module houses a microphone and may be positioned adjacent to a headliner of the vehicle generally above an interior rearview mirror which is supported therebelow. The accessory module provides a fixed orientation of the microphone and is easily installed to the vehicle as it is manufactured or as an aftermarket device. The accessory module may further include a wire cover, which extends to a mounting for the mirror in order to substantially encase a mirror wire harness, thereby retaining the mirror harness and providing a finished appearance to the mirror and accessory module. The indicator may be mounted at the accessory module or elsewhere at the mirror assembly.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle equipped with an audio system, said audio system comprising a microphone and a transmitter that transmits signals to a receiver external to the vehicle, said receiver being operable to receive and process said signals, said rearview mirror system including an indicator operable to indicate when vocal signals are being correctly received by said audio system.

2. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said indicator indicates a level of at least one of clarity and volume of the vocal signals.

3. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said microphone.

4. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said indicator further indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said receiver.

5. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said receiver.

6. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises an illumination source, said illumination source being activated in response to the vocal signal at least reaching a threshold level.

7. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 6, wherein said illumination source comprises one of an incandescent bulb, a light emitting diode, a phosphorescent element, an incandescent backlit tell-tale and a light emitting diode backlit tell-tale.

8. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 7, wherein said illumination source comprises multiple illumination sources, each of said multiple illumination sources being activated in response to said vocal signal reaching a different threshold level.

9. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises an audible source, said audible source being operable to communicate to the user of said audio system when said vocal signal is below a threshold level.

10. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises an alphanumeric display.

11. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror system comprises a mirror housing and a mounting portion, said mirror system being mountable to one of an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield.

12. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said microphone is mounted within a microphone module which is mountable between the headliner and the mirror housing, said microphone having a microphone harness which is electronically connectable to a vehicle wiring within the headliner.

13. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said microphone module is fixedly secured such that said microphone is directed toward an area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

14. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said microphone module includes at least a second microphone such that said microphone module includes a plurality of microphones, and a control to integrate each of said plurality of microphones to determine which of said plurality of microphones are receiving the vocal signals and which are receiving non-voice signals, said control at least partially filtering out the non-voice signals, said indicator indicating a status of the vocal signal being received by said audio system.

15. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said indicator is positioned on said microphone module.

16. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said microphone module includes a wire cover which extends between said microphone module and the mirror, said indicator being connected to a mirror harness being routed within said wire cover.

17. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 11, wherein said indicator is positionable on one of said mirror housing, said mounting portion of the mirror, the windshield of the vehicle, the headliner of the vehicle, and a module connected to at least one of said mirror housing, said mounting portion and the headliner.

18. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said microphone is mountable on one of said mirror housing, said mirror mounting portion, the headliner of the vehicle, and the module connected to at least one of said mirror housing, said mirror mounting portion, the windshield and the headliner.

19. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 18 further including control switches for said audio system, said control switches being positionable on one of the housing of the mirror, the mounting portion of the mirror, the headliner of the vehicle, and the module connected to at least one of the mirror, the windshield and the headliner.

20. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said audio system comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, an emergency communication system and a voice recording system.

21. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said microphone of said audio system is voice activated.

22. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 21, wherein said microphone is operable as an input to vehicular controls in response to a voice command.

23. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 22, wherein said vehicular controls comprise at least one of a security system, headlamps, radio, windows, back up aid, windshield wipers, rain sensor and cruise control.

24. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said audio system comprises a control, said control being operable to discern between vocal and non-vocal signals, said indicator indicating a receiving status of the vocal signals.

25. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said control is operable to determine whether the source of the non-vocal signals is at least one of a radio, a blower and wind noise.

26. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 25, wherein said control is operable to adjust an audio level of the source in response to a detection of corresponding non-vocal signals above a threshold level.

27. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 25, wherein said indicator is operable to communicate a noise level message to alert the user to adjust a volume of one of the non-vocal signals.

28. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 24, wherein said control is operable to receive the vocal signal and at least partially discriminate the vocal signals from the non-vocal signals.

29. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 28, wherein a ratio of vocal signals to non-vocal signals received by said audio system is at least approximately 2:

1.

30. The interior rearview mirror system of claim 29, wherein a ratio of vocal signals to non-vocal signals received by said audio system is at least approximately 10:

1.

31. An accessory module for an audio system of a vehicle, the vehicle having an interior rearview mirror assembly, the audio system communicating audible signals received by said at least one microphone to a receiver remote from the vehicle, said accessory module comprising:

at least one microphone for receiving vocal signals from within the vehicle;

at least one indicator being operable to indicate when the vocal signals are being correctly received by said audio system; and

a microphone housing for mounting said at least one microphone and said at least one indicator, said microphone housing being mountable to the vehicle, said at least one microphone and said at least one indicator being electronically connectable to a vehicle wiring harness.

32. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said indicator indicates a level of at least one of clarity and volume of the vocal signal.

33. The accessory module of claim 32, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said at least one microphone.

34. The accessory module of claim 32, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by the receiver.

35. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one illumination source, said illumination source being activated in response to the vocal signals at least being received at a threshold level.

36. The accessory module of claim 35, wherein said at least one illumination source comprises one of an incandescent bulb, a light emitting diode, a phosphorescent element, an incandescent backlit tell-tale and a light emitting diode backlit tell-tale.

37. The accessory module of claim 35, wherein said at least one illumination source comprises multiple illumination sources, each of said multiple illumination sources being activated in response to said receiving status reaching a different threshold level.

38. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said indicator comprises an audible source, said audible source being operable to indicate to the user of said audio system when the vocal signals are received below a threshold level.

39. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said indicator comprises an alphanumeric display.

40. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein the mirror assembly comprises a mounting member and a mirror housing pivotally interconnected to the mounting member, the mounting member being mounted to an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle, the mirror assembly being electronically connectable to the vehicle wiring harness via a mirror harness.

41. The accessory module of claim 40 further including a wire cover extending along the windshield between said microphone housing and the mirror mounting member, the mirror harness being routed within said wire cover.

42. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said microphone housing is adhesively secured to a windshield of the vehicle.

43. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said microphone housing is removably attached to a mounting bracket on at least one of a windshield of the vehicle and a headliner of the vehicle.

44. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said microphone housing includes manual controls for said audio system.

45. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said microphone of said audio system is voice activated in response to vocal signals received by said microphone.

46. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein manual controls for said audio system are positioned on at least one of the mirror assembly and said housing.

47. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said microphone module includes at least one of a Global Positioning System antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device and an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer, and a loudspeaker.

48. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said audio system comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, an emergency communication system and a voice recording system.

49. The accessory module of claim 31, wherein said audio system comprises a control, said control being operable to discern between vocal and non-vocal signals, said indicator indicating when the vocal signals are being correctly received by said audio system.

50. The accessory module of claim 49, wherein said control is operable to determine whether the source of the non-vocal signals is at least one of a radio, a blower and wind noise.

51. The accessory module of claim 50, wherein said control is further operable to adjust an audio level of the source in response to a detection of corresponding non-vocal signals above a threshold level.

52. The accessory module of claim 50, wherein said indicator is operable to communicate a noise level message to alert the user to adjust a volume of one of the non-vocal signals.

53. The accessory module of claim 49, wherein said control is further operable to discriminate between the vocal and non-vocal signals, said control being operable to at least partially filter the non-vocal signals.

54. The accessory module of claim 53, wherein a ratio between the vocal signals and non-vocal signals received by said audio system is greater than approximately 2:

1.

55. The accessory module of claim 54, wherein a ratio between the vocal signals and non-vocal signals received by said audio system is greater than approximately 10:

1.

56. An indicator for use with a microphone of an audio system of a vehicle, the microphone being operable to receive vocal signals from within the vehicle, the audio system transmitting the vocal signals to a receiver remote from the vehicle, said indicator being operable to communicate a receiving status of the vocal signals being received by the audio system.

57. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said receiving status is a level of at least one of clarity and volume of the vocal signals.

58. The indicator of claim 57, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said microphone.

59. The indicator of claim 58, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said receiver.

60. The indicator of claim 57, wherein said indicator indicates said level of the vocal signals as received by said receiver.

61. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said indicator comprises an illumination source, said illumination source being activated in response to said receiving status reaching a threshold level.

62. The indicator of claim 61, wherein said illumination source comprises one of an incandescent bulb, a light emitting diode, a phosphorescent display, an incandescent backlit telltale and a light emitting diode backlit tell-tale.

63. The indicator of claim 61, wherein said illumination source comprises multiple illumination sources, each of said multiple illumination sources being activated in response to said receiving status reaching a different threshold level.

64. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said indicator comprises an audible source, said audible source being operable to communicate to the user of the vocal signal when said receiving status is below a threshold level.

65. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said indicator comprises an alphanumeric display.

66. The indicator of claim 56, wherein the vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror mounted to an interior surface of a windshield and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield, said indicator being mountable on one of a housing of the mirror, a mounting portion of the mirror, the headliner of the vehicle, and a module connected to at least one of the mirror, the windshield and the headliner.

67. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said audio system comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, an emergency communication system and a voice recording system.

68. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said audio system comprises a control, said control being operable to discern between vocal and non-vocal signals, said indicator communicating a receiving status of the vocal signals.

69. The indicator of claim 68, wherein said control is operable to determine whether the source of the non-vocal signals is at least one of a radio, a blower and wind noise.

70. The indicator of claim 69, wherein said control is operable to adjust an audio level of the source in response to a detection of corresponding non-vocal signals above a threshold level.

71. The indicator of claim 69, wherein said indicator is operable to communicate a noise level message to alert the user to adjust a volume of one of the non-vocal signals.

72. The indicator of claim 56, wherein said indicator provides a secondary signal when said audio system is not in use.

73. The indicator of claim 72, wherein said secondary signal is a security alarm status.