Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle mounted devices and equipment
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a device mounted on a motor vehicle for automatically changing operating conditions of first and second manipulative elements inherent to said device, comprising:
- (a) a first step of detecting start-indication from a passenger of said motor vehicle, which start-indication is indicative of a demand for a change in operating conditions of said device;
(b) a second step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said first manipulative element to compartment of said motor vehicle in response to said detection in said first step;
(c) a third step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said second step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said second step;
(d) a fourth step of changing the operating condition of said first manipulative element when said instructions are received at said third step;
(e) a fifth step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said second manipulative element to said compartment when said instructions are not received at said third step;
(f) a sixth step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said fifth step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said fifth step;
(g) a seventh step of changing the operating condition of said second manipulative element when said instructions are received at said fifth step.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A demand for a change in the operating condition of at least one of a plurality of vehicle mounted devices is issued by means of a single push button switch attached to the center of the steering wheel. When the vehicle occupant intends to manipulate a device such as a radio, stereo unit or an air conditioner, he depresses the switch to supply a microcomputer with a demand signal. The microcomputer produces an instruction signal with which a sound synthesizer produces sequential vocal announcements which are emitted via a speaker. The occupant depresses the switch again within a predetermined period of time after the emission of a vocal announcement naming a device intended to control so that the sound synthesizer now provides various manipulative information relating to the available manipulations of the selected device. The driver depresses the switch to issue responsive instructions in response to an announcement of desired manipulation. The microcomputer thus operates to produce necessary control signals which are fed to a corresponding control unit of the selected device. A sound recognizer may be used in place of or together with the switch to detect the demand and responsive instructions from the driver.
30 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a device mounted on a motor vehicle for automatically changing operating conditions of first and second manipulative elements inherent to said device, comprising:
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(a) a first step of detecting start-indication from a passenger of said motor vehicle, which start-indication is indicative of a demand for a change in operating conditions of said device; (b) a second step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said first manipulative element to compartment of said motor vehicle in response to said detection in said first step; (c) a third step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said second step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said second step; (d) a fourth step of changing the operating condition of said first manipulative element when said instructions are received at said third step; (e) a fifth step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said second manipulative element to said compartment when said instructions are not received at said third step; (f) a sixth step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said fifth step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said fifth step; (g) a seventh step of changing the operating condition of said second manipulative element when said instructions are received at said fifth step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling a plurality of devices mounted on a motor vehicle for automatically changing operating conditions of a plurality of manipulative elements inherent to each of said devices by designating a particular device among said plurality of devices, comprising:
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(a) a first step of detecting start-indication from a passenger of said motor vehicle, which start-indication is indicative of a demand for effecting automatic change; (b) a second step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said plurality of devices in sequence from a first device to a compartment of said motor vehicle, where the order of said devices to be announced is predetermined; (c) a third step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said second step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said second step; (d) a fourth step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of a next device to said compartment when said instructions are not received at said third step; (e) a fifth step of specifying a device, which has been just announced, when said instruction are received at said third step; (f) a sixth step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of said plurality of manipulative elements of said specified device in a sequence from a first manipulative element, to said compartment; (g) a seventh step of determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement of said sixth step is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement of said sixth step; (h) an eighth step of emitting vocal announcement indicative of a next manipulative element to said compartment when said instructions are not received at said sixth step; (i) a ninth step of changing the operating condition of said manipulative element, which has been just announced, when said instructions are received at said seventh step. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of devices mounted on a motor vehicle for automatically changing operating conditions of a plurality of manipulative elements inherent to each of said devices by designating a particular device among said plurality of devices, comprising:
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(a) a first means for detecting start-indication from a passenger of said motor vehicle, which start-indication is indicative of a demand for effecting automatic change; (b) a second means for emitting vocal announcement indicative of said plurality of devices in sequence from a first device to a compartment of said motor vehicle, where the order of said devices to be announced is predetermined; (c) a third means for determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement from said second means is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement; (d) a fourth means for emitting vocal announcement indicative of a next device to said compartment when said instructions are not received by said third means; (e) a fifth means for specifying a device, which has been just announced, when said instructions are received by said third means; (f) a sixth means for emitting vocal announcement indicative of said plurality of manipulative elements of said specified device in a sequence from a first manipulative element, to said compartment; (g) a seventh means for determining whether instructions from said operator responding to said vocal announcement from said sixth means is received within a predetermined period of time after said vocal announcement from said sixth means; (h) an eighth means for emitting vocal announcement indicative of a next manipulative element to said compartment when said instructions are not received by said sixth means; (i) a ninth means for changing the operating condition of said manipulative element, which has been just announced, when said instructions are received by said seventh means. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification