Rear seat audio control with multiple media

• US 5,661,811 A
• Filed: 08/25/1994
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Prieto, Raymundo, Sanders, Stuart Baker, Huemann, James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/295,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/74, 381/24-25, 381/123, 455/200.1, 455/355, 455/345, 455/353
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A microprocessor controlled automotive audio system with radio, cassette tape, and/or compact disk media has a rear seat control with headphones allowing rear passengers to turn off the rear speakers, turn on the headphones and select any media, while the front speakers play programs selected by a front control. Rear control of media programming is also permitted if the selected media is not under front control. Rear control signals the desired function to the microprocessor which executes the commands subject to front control dominance. An audio processor couples the front-selected program to front and rear outputs and to front speakers. An audio multiplexer connects any media as well as the rear output to the rear control where a speaker/headphone switch connects the multiplexer to the rear speaker or the headphone.

Claims

1. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending rear control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones; and

means including the microprocessor for asserting dominance of the front control inputs when there is a conflict of front and rear control inputs wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the rear control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the rear control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

the microprocessor being programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control.

3. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control; and

wherein the rear user control further includes a speaker/headphone switch subject to the microprocessor for selectively coupling the second switch to the speakers and headphones.

4. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control; and

wherein;

the second switch means comprises a multiplexer having an output and a plurality of inputs connected to each of the media and to the first switch means; and

a speaker/headphone switch is coupled to the output of the multiplexer for selecting either of the rear speakers and headphones.

5. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control, the system further including;

an audio processor coupling the first switch to the front speakers and to a rear audio output;

the second switch means comprises a multiplexer having an output and a plurality of inputs connected to each of the media and to the rear audio output; and

a speaker/headphone switch is coupled to the output of the multiplexer for selecting either of the rear speakers and headphones.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 including means for turning off the rear control;

and

means including the multiplexer and the speaker/headphone switch for coupling the rear audio output to the rear speakers when the rear control is off.

7. The invention as defined in claim 5 including means for turning the rear control on and off;

and

means including the multiplexer and the speaker/headphone switch for coupling one of the media to the headphones when the rear control is turned on.

8. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control;

the system further including;

an audio processor coupling the first switch to a front audio output and to a rear audio output;

a front amplifier coupling the front audio output to the front speakers;

the second switch means comprises a multiplexer having an output and a plurality of inputs connected to each of the media and to the rear audio output;

a rear amplifier coupled to the multiplexer output; and

a speaker/headphone switch is coupled to the rear amplifier for selecting either of the rear speakers and headphones.

9. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor, the rear user control having media programming buttons for sending control commands to the microprocessor for controlling a medium selected by the rear control;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to carry out the control commands only when the medium is not also currently selected by the front user control, and when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control; and

wherein;

the rear control includes media selection switches for sending selection signals to the microprocessor;

the microprocessor being programmed to couple the selected media to the headphones irrespective of the media selected by the front control.

10. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones; and

means including the microprocessor responsive to the vehicle ignition for turning off the rear control when the vehicle ignition is just turned on;

wherein when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control, the headphones may be coupled to another of the media as selected by the rear user control and the microprocessor is programmed to initialize the system to turn off the rear control when vehicle ignition is just turned on.

11. In an audio system for a motor vehicle having a plurality of media, front and rear speakers, rear head phones and both front and rear user controls, control means comprising:

a microprocessor;

a front user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor;

a rear user control supplying inputs to the microprocessor; and

a controller subject to the microprocessor having;

inputs from each media,

a first switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with front control inputs for coupling to the front speakers, and

a second switch means for selecting a media input in accordance with rear control inputs for selective coupling to rear speakers and headphones;

wherein when the front speakers are coupled to one of the media as selected by the front user control; and

means responsive to the front control and the vehicle ignition and including the microprocessor for asserting dominance of the front control inputs by initializing the system the vehicle ignition is just turned on to turn off the rear control and to turn on the rear speakers when the front control is on.