VEHICLE CALL DEVICE AND CALLING METHOD

• US 20090129607A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMAMOTO, Shinichi
• Application Number:
  US12/262,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20090129607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453

Abstract

A vehicle call device and a calling method capable of making it easier to pick up a voice of an occupant of a vehicle in an emergency situation are disclosed. The vehicle call device includes a speaker in a vehicle for outputting a received voice of an opposite party; a microphone in the vehicle for picking up a voice of an occupant of the vehicle; a detecting unit detecting an emergency situation of the vehicle; and a controlling unit, when the detecting unit detects the emergency situation, controlling directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area wider than an area provided before the emergency situation is detected.

Claims

1. A vehicle call device comprising:

a speaker installed in a vehicle, the speaker outputting a received voice of an opposite party;

a microphone installed in the vehicle, the microphone picking up a voice of an occupant of the vehicle;

a detecting unit detecting an emergency situation of the vehicle; and

a controlling unit, when the detecting unit detects the emergency situation, controlling directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area wider than an area provided before the emergency situation is detected.

3. The vehicle call device according to claim 1, wherein

when the detecting unit detects an emergency situation, the controlling unit controls the directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area near a steering wheel of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle call device according to claim 1, wherein

when the detecting unit detects an emergency situation, the controlling unit controls the directional characteristics of the microphone so that the microphone has omnidirectional characteristics.

2. A vehicle call device comprising:

a speaker installed in a vehicle, the speaker outputting a received voice of an opposite party;

a microphone installed in the vehicle, the microphone capable of adjusting directional characteristics of the microphone so that a voice of an occupant of the vehicle can be picked up;

a detecting unit detecting an emergency situation of the vehicle; and

a controlling unit, when the detecting unit detects the emergency situation, controlling the directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area including an area different from an area provided before the emergency situation is detected.

4. The vehicle call device according to claim 2, wherein

when the detecting unit detects an emergency situation, the controlling unit controls the directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area near a steering wheel of the vehicle.

6. A calling method for a vehicle call device including

a speaker installed in a vehicle, the speaker outputting a received voice of an opposite party, and

a microphone installed in the vehicle, the microphone picking up a voice of an occupant of the vehicle, the method comprising:

a detecting step of detecting an emergency situation of the vehicle; and

a controlling step of, when the detecting unit detects the emergency situation, controlling directional characteristics of the microphone so that the voice can be picked up from an area wider than an area provided before the emergency situation is detected.