Speech support system for a vehicle

• US 7,760,889 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Bergmann, Carsten, Form, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESHALE, AKELAW
• Application Number:
  US11/200,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20060034466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 381/24, 381/26, 381/59, 381/71.4, 381 77- 89, 381/90, 381/91, 381/92, 381/95, 381/96, 381111-117, 381/122, 381/168, 381/175, 381/300, 381/302, 381/332, 381/365, 381/375, 381/389
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0282 for the use of several passengers, e.g. simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
• 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 speech support system for a vehicle with a first microphone and second microphone and a third microphone, as well as with a first loudspeaker, a second loudspeaker and a third loudspeaker, in which, by means of the speech support system, can maintain one communication path each from the first microphone to the second loudspeaker and/or from the first microphone to the third loudspeaker, as well as from the second microphone to the third loudspeaker and from the third microphone to the second loudspeaker. By means of the speech support system, a communication path can selectively be maintained from the first microphone to a telephone, and a communication path from telephone to the first loudspeaker, while maintaining communication path from the second microphone to the third loudspeaker and the communication path from the third microphone to the second loudspeaker.

Claims

1. A speech support system for a vehicle comprising:

a first microphone,

a second microphone,

a third microphone,

a fourth microphone,

a first loudspeaker,

a second loudspeaker,

a third loudspeaker, and

a fourth loudspeaker,

wherein in a first state of the speech support system, first communication paths are maintained from the first microphone to the second, third, and fourth loudspeakers, second communication paths are maintained from the second microphone to the first, third, and fourth loudspeakers;

third communication paths are maintained from the third microphone to the first, second, and fourth loudspeakers the second loudspeaker, and fourth communication path are maintained from the fourth microphone to the first, second, and third loudspeakers,

wherein, of the speech support system is operable to switch to a second state of the speech support system in which the first communication paths are interrupted and substituted with communication paths from the first microphone to a telephone and from the telephone to the first loudspeaker, the second communication paths are interrupted and substituted with communication paths from the second microphone to the telephone and from the telephone to the second loudspeaker, and the third and fourth communication paths to the first and second loudspeakers are interrupted, while maintaining the third and fourth communication paths between the third and fourth microphones and the third and fourth loudspeakers.

2. A speech support system according to claim 1, wherein, by means of the speech support system, the second microphone signal can be selectively output to the telephone and the telephone signal that can be output from the telephone can be output to the second loudspeaker, wherein the first microphone signal can be output to the third loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the second loudspeaker, the third microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the second loudspeaker, and the fourth microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the third loudspeaker, but not to the second loudspeaker.

3. A speech support system according to claim 1, wherein, by means of the speech support system, the third microphone signal can alternately be output to the telephone and the telephone signal that can be output by telephone can be output to the third loudspeaker, wherein the first microphone signal can be output to the second loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker, the second microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker, and the fourth microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker.

4. A speech support system according to claim 1, wherein the system includes an operating element for selective connection of the first microphone and the first loudspeaker to the telephone, for selective connection of the second microphone and the second loudspeaker to the telephone, for selective connection of the third microphone and a third loudspeaker of the telephone, and for selective connection of the fourth microphone and a fourth loudspeaker of the telephone.

5. A speech support system according to claim 4, wherein, by means of the speech support system, a tactile, optical and/or an acoustic confirmation of successful operation of operating element can be generated.

6. A speech support system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first seat,

a second seat,

a third seat,

a fourth seat,

a first loudspeaker and a first microphone assigned to the first seat,

a second loudspeaker and a second microphone assigned to the second seat,

a third loudspeaker and a third microphone assigned to the third seat, and

a fourth loudspeaker and a fourth microphone assigned to the fourth seat, wherein;

a first microphone signal, recordable by the first microphone, can be selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to any of the second loudspeaker and, the third loudspeaker, and the fourth loudspeaker,

a second microphone signal, recordable by the second microphone, can be selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to any of the first loudspeaker, the third loudspeaker, and the fourth loudspeaker,

a third microphone signal, recordable by the third microphone, can be selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to any of the first loudspeaker, the second loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, and

a fourth microphone signal, recordable by the third microphone, can be selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to any of the first loudspeaker, the second loudspeaker, and the third loudspeaker, and

wherein in a first state of the speech support system for assisting persons in the first and second seats to participate in a telephone communication;

the first and second microphone signals are selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to a telephone and signals from the telephone are output to the first and second loudspeakers loudspeaker,

the forth microphone signal is selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to the third loudspeaker, but not to the first and second loudspeakers, and

the third microphone signal is selectively, by means of the speech support system, output to the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the first and second loudspeakers.

7. A speech support system according to claim 6, wherein, by means of the speech support system, the third microphone signal can alternately be output to the telephone and the telephone signal that can be output by telephone can be output to the third loudspeaker, wherein the first microphone signal can be output to the second loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker, the second microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the fourth loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker, and the fourth microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker.

8. A speech support system according to claim 6, wherein the system includes an operating element for selective connection of the first microphone and the first loudspeaker to the telephone, for selective connection of the second microphone and the second loudspeaker to the telephone, for selective connection of the third microphone and a third loudspeaker of the telephone, and for selective connection of the fourth microphone and a fourth loudspeaker of the telephone.

9. A speech support system according to claim 8, wherein, by means of the speech support system, a tactile, optical and/or an acoustic confirmation of successful operation of operating element can be generated.

10. A speech support system for a vehicle comprising:

a first microphone,

a second microphone,

a third microphone,

a first loudspeaker,

a second loudspeaker,

a third loudspeaker,

a communication path control unit being operable to;

establish, for a speech support system, first communication paths from the first microphone to the second loudspeaker and the third loudspeaker, second communication paths are maintained from the second microphone to the first loudspeaker and the third loudspeaker, and third communication paths are maintained from the third microphone to the first loudspeaker and the second loudspeaker, and

in response to a telephone call from a telephone, the communication path control unit operable to switch any one, two, or all three of the microphones and loudspeakers from participation in the speech support system to participation in the telephone call, by means of the communication path control unit interrupting and replacing any of the first, second, and third communication paths with communication paths between the telephone and any one, two, or all three of the microphones and loudspeakers.

11. A speech support system according to claim 10, wherein the second microphone signal can be selectively output to the telephone and the telephone signal that can be output from the telephone can be output to the second loudspeaker, wherein the first microphone signal can be output to the third loudspeaker, but not to the second loudspeaker, and the third microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker, but not to the second loudspeaker.

12. A speech support system according to claim 10, wherein, the third microphone signal can alternately be output to the telephone and the telephone signal that can be output by telephone can be output to the third loudspeaker, wherein the first microphone signal can be output to the second loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker, and the second microphone signal can be output to the first loudspeaker, but not to the third loudspeaker.

13. A speech support system according to claim 10, wherein the system includes an operating element for selective connection of the first microphone and the first loudspeaker to the telephone, for selective connection of the second microphone and the second loudspeaker to the telephone and/or for selective connection of the third microphone and a third loudspeaker of the telephone.

14. A speech support system according to claim 13, wherein, a tactile, optical and/or an acoustic confirmation of successful operation of operating element can be generated.