Communications device for transmitting acoustic signals in a motor vehicle

• US 20060023892A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Schultz, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,054,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/005 Feeding arrangements without the use of line transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic

Abstract

A communications device is for transmitting acoustic signals in a motor vehicle. The communications device includes at least two transmitters and at least two receivers for transmitting and emitting acoustic signals. One transmitter and one receiver are each allocated to a spatial position. The device further includes a control unit for activating or deactivating at least the transmitters. The control unit is associated with at least one actuator element by which at least one transmitter may be selectively deactivated irrespective of a prevailing signal level.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A communications device for transmitting acoustic signals in a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least two transmitter devices configured to transmit acoustic signals;

at least two receiver devices configured to emit acoustic signals;

a control unit configured to activate and deactivate at least the transmitter devices;

wherein at least one transmitter device and at least one receiver device are assigned to a spatial position, the transmitter devices configured to detect signal levels in accordance with the control unit, the control unit configured to activate only a transmitter device having a highest signal level, the control unit assigned at least one control element configured to at least one of (a) selectively deactivate at least one transmitter device independently of an applied signal level and (b) weight signal levels of at least one transmitter device.

13. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the control element is configured to deactivate at least one receiver element independently of the signal levels.

14. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter devices include at least one of (a) a microphone and (b) a microphone array.

15. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the receiver devices include a loudspeaker.

16. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to one of (a) deactivate an assigned receiver device of an active transmitter device and (b) reduce a level of the assigned receiver device of the active transmitter device.

17. The communications device according to claim 12, further comprising time-delay elements configured to compensate for differences in propagation time arranged between the transmitter devices and the receiver devices.

18. The communications device according to claim 12, further comprising echo compensators arranged between the transmitter devices and the receiver devices.

19. The communications device according to claim 12, further comprising attenuation devices arranged between the transmitter devices and the receiver devices.

20. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the control element includes at least one of (a) a non-locking key, (b) a switch, (c) a rotary transducer and (d) a pressure transducer.

21. The communications device according to claim 12, further comprising a multifunction operation unit configured to display a position of the transmitter devices and the receiver devices, the control element assigned to the multifunction operation unit.

22. A communications device for transmitting acoustic signals in a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least two transmitting means for transmitting acoustic signals;

at least two receiving means for emitting acoustic signals;

controlling means for activating and deactivating at least the transmitting means;

wherein at least one transmitting means and at least one receiving means are assigned to a spatial position, the transmitting means for detecting signal levels in accordance with the controlling means, the controlling means for activating only a transmitting means having a highest signal level, the controlling means assigned at least one control element means for at least one of (a) selectively deactivating at least one transmitting means independently of an applied signal level and (b) weighting signal levels of at least one transmitting means.