System for customizing settings and sounds for vehicle

• US 7,170,400 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, David A., Cowelchuk, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung
• Application Number:
  US10/850,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/426.14, 340/426.16, 340/825.5, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.28, 701/36, 701/37, 701/45, 701/86, 701/108, 701/109
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/00 Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel

Abstract

A system for customizing vehicle settings includes a control unit adapted to communicate with a vehicle input source and a vehicle auxiliary device. The system further includes a data storage device in communication with the control unit for storing and retrieving audio electronic data for customizing sounds related to the actuation of the vehicle input source. The data storage device is further capable of storing and retrieving non-audio electronic data for customizing settings for the vehicle auxiliary device. The control unit is adapted to communicate with at least one input device for uploading the audio and non-audio data stored in the data storage device data.

Claims

1. A system for customizing vehicle settings for vehicular input sources and auxiliary devices, said system comprising:

a control unit adapted to communicate with a vehicle input source and an auxiliary device; and

a data storage device in communication with said control unit for storing and retrieving audio electronic data for customizing sounds related to actuation of the vehicle input source, said data storage device further capable of storing and retrieving non-audio electronic data for customizing settings for the vehicle auxiliary device;

wherein said control unit is adapted to communicate with at least one input device for uploading the audio and non-audio data stored in said data storage device.

2. The system of claim 1 further including a control unit interface for controlling said control unit to change a first sound from said audio data associated with the actuation of the vehicle input source to a second sound.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a vehicle auxiliary device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said auxiliary device is one of a seat assembly, a mirror assembly, a steering wheel assembly, a light source, and an audio system.

5. The system of claim 1 further including an audio output device in communication with said control unit for outputting an audio signal of the audio data.

6. The system of claim 1, further including an input source in communication with said control unit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said data input source includes one of a personal computer, a cellular phone, and compact disc player.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said data input source is a sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said sensor includes at least one of a touch sensor device, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a Hall Effect device, a Piezo device, and a photoelectric device.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said data input source is a field effect sensor.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein said data input source is a driver operated switch.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said data input source is a driver identification device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-audio data includes information regarding one of a seat position, a mirror position, a steering wheel position, a pedal position, a radio preset, a color of a light source, and an intensity of a light source.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device and data storage device are integrated together.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said data storage device is capable of storing data on a removable portable media device.

16. The system of claim 1, further including a data input device in communication with said control unit for uploading at least one of the audio and non-audio data stored in said data storage device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said input device is capable of storing data on a removable portable media device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said input device is in communication with said control unit via a wireless connection.

19. A system comprising:

an auxiliary device having multiple settings;

an audio output device;

a vehicle input source, wherein actuation of said vehicle input source causes a sound to be emitted from said audio output device for alerting an operator of the system of the actuation of said vehicle input source;

a control unit in communication with said auxiliary device, said audio output device, and said vehicle input source;

a data storage device in communication with said control unit for storing and retrieving audio data for producing said sound, said data storage device further storing and retrieving non-audio data for customizing the settings of said auxiliary device;

an input device for uploading audio and non-audio data stored in said data storage device data; and

an interface in communication with said control unit for changing said audio data of said sound with a second audio data uploaded from said input device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said control unit is operable to store first and second user settings in said data storage device of audio and non-audio data different from one another, said system further including a driver identification device in communication with said control unit, wherein said driver identification device is operable to select one of said first and second user settings.