Electronic control system built into vehicle

• US 20050278083A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shikano, Toshiya, Kyomitsu, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger

Abstract

An on-vehicle electronic control system has an input device for performing a plurality of manual input operations, wherein the input operations can be simultaneously and independently input; a processing device for independently processing the input operations and outputting respective processed results corresponding to the input operations; and a display device for independently showing the respective processed results. The display device may have a single display screen which is divided into a plurality of display sections for independently and simultaneously showing the respective processed results. The input device may have a microphone array including a plurality of microphones so as to simultaneously and independently perform a plurality of voice input operations. Typically, the input device assigns a task to any one of the input operations; and the processing device has a task content changing device for making the task be inherited and executed as a task assigned to another input operation.

Claims

1. An electronic control system built into a vehicle, the system comprising:

an input device for receiving a plurality of manual input operations, wherein the input operations can be simultaneously and independently input;

a processing device for independently processing each of the plurality of the input operations and outputting respective processed results corresponding to each of the plurality of the input operations; and

a display device for independently showing the respective processed results.

2. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display device has a single display screen which is divided into a plurality of display sections for simultaneously and independently showing the respective processed results.

3. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input operations are mechanically performed.

4. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a microphone array including a plurality of microphones, wherein the microphone array permits simultaneous and independent reception of a plurality of voice input operations.

5. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the input device assigns a task to any one of the input operations; and

the processing device has a task content changing device for permitting the task to be inherited and executed as a task assigned to another input operation.

6. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a voice output device for subjecting the respective processed results to different processes in accordance with the independent input operations, so as to independently and vocally output the processed results.

7. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the voice output device independently outputs the processed results by using a different voice to correspond to each of the processed results, each view having at least one of unique tone qualities and unique volumes.

8. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the voice output device has a speaker array including a plurality of speakers, and applies directivity to each processed result in accordance with the corresponding input operation by using the speaker array so as to output the processed results as voices having respective directivities.

9. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a microphone array including a plurality of microphones, and wherein the microphone array permits simultaneous reception of a plurality of voice input operations, and distinguishes between each of the plurality of voice input operations using a geometric calculation based on the relative delay in receiving a given voice input operation for each microphone of the plurality of microphones.

10. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the microphone array is positioned so as to be generally central in the width direction of the vehicle.

12. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the input operations are manually performed.

18. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a microphone array including a plurality of microphones, wherein the microphone array permits simultaneous and independent reception of a plurality of voice input operations.

11. An electronic control system built into a vehicle, the system comprising:

a single input device for receiving a plurality of input operations, wherein the input operations can be simultaneously and independently input;

a processing device comprising plural processing sections for simultaneously and independently processing each of the plurality of input operations, and outputting respective processed results corresponding to each of the plurality of input operations; and

a display device for independently showing the respective processed results.

13. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the input device comprises a microphone array including a plurality of microphones, wherein the microphone array permits simultaneous and independent reception of a plurality of voice input operations, and distinguishes between individual voice input operations.

14. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the plural processing sections is assigned a task corresponding to a voice input operation, and wherein:

the input device assigns a task to any one of the plural processing sections; and

the processing device has a task content changing device for permitting one of the processing sections to inherit a task from a different one of the processing sections, and for permitting the task to be executed by the different one of the processing sections.

15. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a voice output device for outputting the respective processed results so that each respective processed result is audibly identifiably distinct so as to be associated with the corresponding voice input operation.

16. The electronic control system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the single input device is provided with a plurality of display sections, the number of display sections corresponding to a number of vehicle occupants.

17. An electronic control system built into a vehicle, the system comprising:

an input device for-receiving a plurality of manual input operations, wherein the input operations can be simultaneously and independently input;

a processing device for simultaneously and independently processing each of the plurality of input operations and outputting respective processed results corresponding to each of the plurality of input operations; and

a display device for independently showing the respective processed results.