Vehicle communication system
First Claim
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1. A method of communicating through a vehicle communication system associated with a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the method comprising:
- determining, by a vehicle communication system controller, a signal strength of a wearable personal communication device;
determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone within the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a first threshold; and
if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone, decoupling from signal processing logic both a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone;
wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the method further including, if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone;
coupling to signal processing logic at least one of a vehicle speaker in a second zone of the vehicle and a microphone in the second zone of the vehicle; and
coupling to the signal processing logic the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device.
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Abstract
A vehicle communication system detects the presence of a passenger wearable communication device. The system receives audio signals from multiple sources inside or outside of a vehicle. The system processes the signals before routing the signals to multiple destinations. The destinations may include wearable personal communication devices, front and/or rear speakers, and/or a remote mobile device.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of communicating through a vehicle communication system associated with a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the method comprising:
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determining, by a vehicle communication system controller, a signal strength of a wearable personal communication device; determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone within the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a first threshold; and if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone, decoupling from signal processing logic both a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone; wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the method further including, if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone; coupling to signal processing logic at least one of a vehicle speaker in a second zone of the vehicle and a microphone in the second zone of the vehicle; and coupling to the signal processing logic the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for communicating in a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the system comprising:
- a vehicle communication system controller, the vehicle system controller for determining a signal strength associated with a wearable personal communication device, and determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone of the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a threshold;
a signal processor; and
a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a microphone in the first zone, wherein the vehicle communication system controller decouples both the vehicle microphone in the first zone and the vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone from the signal processor if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone;wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the system further comprising; at least one of a vehicle microphone in the second zone and a microphone in the second zone, wherein the vehicle communication system controller couples the signal processor to at least one of the vehicle speaker in the second zone and a microphone in the second zone if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone, and wherein the vehicle communication system controller couples the signal processor to the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 13, 14)
- a vehicle communication system controller, the vehicle system controller for determining a signal strength associated with a wearable personal communication device, and determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone of the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a threshold;
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12. A non-transitory computer program product for communicating through a vehicle communication system associated with a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having executable computer readable program code thereon for execution by a computer, the computer readable program code comprising:
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computer code for determining a signal strength of a wearable personal communication device; computer code for determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone within the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a first threshold; and computer code for, if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone, decoupling from signal processing logic both a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone; wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the computer program product further including; program code for, if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone; coupling to signal processing logic at least one of a vehicle speaker in a second zone of the vehicle and a microphone in the second zone of the vehicle; and coupling to the signal processing logic the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device.
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Specification