Multiple input and passenger engagement configuration to influence dynamic generated audio application

• US 9,417,837 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Rill, Florian, Kubiak, Nicholas Daniel, Lobato Fregoso, Marco Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): ODUNUKWE, UBACHUKWU A
• Application Number:
  US14/195,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/123, 381/81, 381/61, 381/85, 709/204, 340/5.61, 340/438, 340/692, 340/901, 340/905, 340/5.1, 701/211, 701/1, 701/200, 701/208, 701/29.1, 701/118, 701/423, 701/207, 701/10, 701/24, 701/36, 715/727, 846/15, 846/09, 455/414.2, 455/420, 455/435.3, 455/440
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/08 Means for indicating or recording, e.g. for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Apparatus, system and method for generating and reproducing audio, were vehicle data, representing a vehicle characteristic, is produced and transmitted to a portable processing device communicatively coupled to a vehicle. The vehicle data is processed to determine a vehicle state and an audio generation application is invoked based on the determined vehicle state. The portable processing device receives user inputs representing physical inputs/manipulation, wherein audio is generated based on the user inputs. The portable processing device may be communicatively coupled to other portable devices, wherein user inputs from the other portable devices generate and/or modify audio.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating audio, comprising:

a first input configured to receive vehicle data received from a vehicle comprising information relating to a vehicle characteristic, wherein the vehicle characteristic comprises at least one vehicle parameter indicating an operational state of a vehicle component;

a storage, operatively coupled to the input, for storing the vehicle data received from the vehicle and a plurality of audio generation applications, wherein each of the plurality of audio generation applications are associated with a respective vehicle state;

processing means, operatively coupled to the storage, wherein the processing means is configured to process the vehicle data received from the vehicle over a predetermined period of time to determine a vehicle state and invoke at least one of the plurality of audio generation application that is associated with the determined vehicle state;

a second input, configured to receive user input data comprising physical inputs from a user, wherein the processing means is further configured to generate audio in the apparatus based on the user input data;

a third input for receiving device data comprising information indicating the presence of a device proximate to the apparatus; and

a paired device that contains a device ID registered to at least one user,

wherein device registration is stored on the vehicle according to the device ID, and

wherein device registrations include a device user profile associated with each device ID that includes at least one of a demographic data, user interests, or user device/vehicle history.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input comprises a wireless interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio generation application comprises at least one of a software synthesizer, a sampler, and effect processing module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises other user input data comprising physical inputs from another user associated with the device, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to generate and/or modify audio based on the other user input data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing means is further configured to generate audio based on the vehicle data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing means is configured to store the generated audio into the storage as a file.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing means is further configured to process device data to determine that the paired device is a primary user or a passenger.

7. A method for generating audio in an apparatus, comprising the steps of:

receiving vehicle data from a vehicle at a first input of the apparatus, said vehicle data received from the vehicle comprising information relating to a vehicle characteristic;

processing the vehicle data received from the vehicle in a processor of the apparatus to determine a vehicle state;

receiving user input data at a second input of the apparatus, wherein the user input data comprises information relating to physical inputs from a user;

receiving device data at a third input of the apparatus, wherein the device data comprises information indicating the presence of a device proximate to the apparatus;

pairing with the device that contains a device ID registered to at least one user;

storing device registration of the paired device on the vehicle according to the device ID;

invoking an audio generation application in the apparatus based on the vehicle data; and

generating audio using the audio generation application, wherein at least a portion of the audio is generated using the user input data,

wherein device registrations include a device user profile associated with each device ID that includes at least one of a demographic data, user interests, or user device/vehicle history.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle data is received via one of a wired and a wireless interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the vehicle data received from the vehicle comprises processing a vehicle parameter indicating an operational state of a vehicle component.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle data received from the vehicle is processed over a predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein invoking the audio generation application comprises invoking at least one of a software synthesizer, a sampler, and effect processing module.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving device data comprising other user input data comprising physical inputs from another user associated with the device; and

at least one of generating audio and modifying generated audio based on the other user input data.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving device data comprising information indicating the presence of a secondary device proximate to the apparatus; and

transmitting generated audio to the secondary device.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein generating audio using the audio generation application comprises generating audio based on the vehicle data received from the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 7, comprising the step of storing the generated audio as a file.

22. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing the device data to determine that the device is a primary user or a passenger.

16. A processor-based method for reproducing audio in a vehicle entertainment system, comprising the steps of:

receiving device data comprising information indicating the presence of a portable device proximate to the vehicle entertainment system;

establishing a connection with the portable device by pairing with the portable device;

registering the portable device that contains a device ID to at least one user;

storing the device registration on the vehicle according to the device ID

producing vehicle data in a processor, said vehicle data comprising information relating to a vehicle characteristic to determine a vehicle state;

transmitting the vehicle data to the portable device via the connection;

receiving audio for reproduction in the vehicle entertainment system via the connection, wherein the audio is based at least in part on the vehicle data and input data from the device, said input data reflecting physical inputs made from a user;

reproducing the received audio in the vehicle entertainment system,

wherein device registrations include a device user profile associated with each device ID that includes at least one of a demographic data, user interests, or user device/vehicle history.

17. The processor-based method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle data comprises a vehicle parameter indicating an operational state of a vehicle component.

18. The processor-based method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle data is produced over a predetermined period of time.

19. The processor-based method of claim 16, wherein reproducing the received audio comprises one of (i) reproducing the received audio as a digital stream, and (ii) reproducing the received audio as a digital file.

20. The processor-based method of claim 16, wherein the connection with the portable device is established via a wireless connection.

23. The processor-based method of claim 16, further comprising processing the device data to determine that the device is a primary user or a passenger.