Apparatus for controlling sound volume for vehicle

• US 9,340,225 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Oh, Se Min
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/515,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20150158519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20516 Mountings

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling sound volume for a vehicle includes a steering wheel remote controller and a head unit. The steering wheel remote controller includes a scroll-type button disposed at a portion of a steering wheel and configured to increase or decrease the sound volume depending on a rotational direction of the button. A counter is configured to count the number of volume variation steps due to rotation of the scroll-type button for a predetermined time and generate a volume signal. A communicator is configured to transmit the volume signal to the head unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus of controlling a sound volume for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel remote controller; and

a head unit,

wherein the steering wheel remote controller includes;

a scroll-type button disposed at a portion of a steering wheel and configured to increase or decrease the sound volume depending on a rotational direction of the scroll-type button;

a counter configured to count the number of volume variation steps due to rotation of the scroll-type button for a predetermined time and to generate a volume signal; and

a communicator configured to transmit the volume signal to the head unit,

wherein the scroll-type button increases the sound volume when the rotational direction is a clockwise direction and decreases the sound volume when the rotational direction is a counterclockwise direction, and

wherein the counter counts the number of volume variation steps by a positive integer value when the scroll-type button rotates in the clockwise direction and counts the number of volume variation steps by a negative integer value when the scroll-type button rotates in the counterclockwise direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communicator is configured to perform controller area network (CAN) communication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head unit adjusts the sound volume depending on the volume signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume signal is eight-bit data and represents volume up steps or volume down steps.