Customer Selectable Vehicle Notification Sounds

• US 20080024285A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Russell, Melanie, Payne, David, Pruda, John, Vandenbrink, Kelly, Petniunas, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,299,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling

Abstract

A method and system for customizing vehicle interior sounds and other indicia associated with vehicle accessories and events. The method enables a vehicle operator to selectively associate a particular sound with a particular event by selecting a desired sound and associating it with a particular event whereby emission of the desired sound occurs upon occurrence of the particular event to notify the vehicle operator of the occurrence of the particular event. Accordingly, the present invention enables a vehicle operator to configure and associate specific vehicle notification with particular events. In addition, the present invention provides a method and system whereby the vehicle operator uploads into the system customized sounds and sound bytes.

Claims

1. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile, including varying certain indicators associated with predetermined events, said method including the steps of:

providing a predefined profile including a plurality of predetermined sounds;

selecting a sound from said set of predetermined sounds;

associating the selected sound with a particular event;

storing the associated sound and event in the storage means; and

retrieving said sound from said storage means upon the occurrence of the particular event associated with said sound and playing said sound at an audible level.

2. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a sound from said set of predetermined sounds includes using a vehicle information interface located within said vehicle.

3. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a sound from said set of predetermined sounds includes using an ignition key cycle input step, said key cycle input step includes the user cycling said vehicle key between an on and off position to select a particular sound.

4. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a sound from said set of predetermined sounds includes using a key fob to select a sound, said step of using said key fob to select a sound includes pressing a button on said key fob.

5. A method for customizing a bit vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a sound from said set of predetermined sounds includes a vehicle dealer accessing the predetermined sounds and associating a particular sound with a particular event.

6. A method for customizing the vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 including the step of providing said predefined user profile with at least a plurality of predetermined vehicle interior lighting configurations.

7. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 6 including the step of associating a particular vehicle interior lighting configuration with a particular event.

8. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 including the step of selecting a sound other than a sound located in the plurality of predetermined sounds;

converting the selected sound into a suitable format whereby the sound can then be associated with a particular event.

9. A method for customizing a vehicle interior profile as set forth in claim 1 wherein said predefined profile includes at least one of the following, plurality of predetermined interior lighting schemes, instrument cluster display settings, driver information graphics, radio presets, and vehicle control mechanism settings.

10. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event comprising the steps of:

selecting a sound;

associating the selected sound with the particular event;

storing the selected sound with the particular event in an electronic storage mechanism;

activating and sending a system sound request to a sound synthesizer when a particular event occurs; and

using the sound synthesizer to drive a speaker whereby the speaker emits the sound associated with the particular event.

11. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of selecting a sound includes the step of selecting a desired sound from a plurality of sounds stored in a database.

12. A method for enabling the vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of selecting a sound includes the steps of converting the selected sound into a suitable format and storing the sound in the suitable format in a database.

13. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 10 including the steps of associating multiple sounds with a particular event.

14. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 10 including the step of selecting the duration that the sound synthesizer plays the selected sound and varying the amplitude of the selected sound over the duration.

15. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 10 including the step of using an interface to input the selected sound data into the electronic storage mechanism whereby said sound data and correspondingly said the desired sound are associated with the particular event.

16. A method for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 15 when said interface includes a vehicle information interface, said vehicle information interface including a graphical user interface and an input means whereby the vehicle operator selects the sound and associates it with the particular event.

17. A system for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event comprising:

a system bus;

an instrument cluster connected to said system bus;

a sound module connected to said instrument cluster, said sound module including a speaker;

electronic storage mechanism connected to said system bus, said electronic storage mechanism suitable for storing sound data associated with particular sounds;

an electronic control unit connected to said system bus; and

an interface module connected to said system bus.

18. A system for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 17 including a lighting module attached to said system bus.

19. A system for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 17 wherein said interface module includes at least one of a wired interface module and a wireless interface module.

20. A system for enabling a vehicle operator to selectively associate a sound with a particular event as set forth in claim 17 including said instrument cluster including an instrument cluster display and instrument cluster buttons, said instrument cluster buttons and display providing an input mechanism whereby the vehicle operator can associate a sound with a particular event.