Tone based control of vehicle functions

• US 9,539,943 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Pisz, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): ANTONUCCI, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/518,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/26 using acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

An apparatus and method for using audible tones generated by a vehicle driver'"'"'s use of a tone actuator in a vehicle. The vehicle generates an audible tone which is capable of being heard by the driver as well as being received by a processor in the vehicle, the processor accessing a memory table correlating each distinct tone with a distinct vehicle control function. The processor outputs a signal to select the vehicle control function corresponding to the generated tone.

Claims

1. A method of controlling vehicle functions comprising:

associating a selector in a vehicle to a vehicle function;

providing a distinct audible tone associated with the selector;

when the selector is actuated, generating and sending an electric signal to an audible tone generator coupled to the selector;

using the audible tone generator, generating the distinct audible tone associated with the selector;

receiving the distinct audible tone at an audible tone receiver;

converting, using the audible tone receiver, the distinct audible tone from analog to digital format and generating a tone identifier; and

activating the vehicle function in response to the tone identifier being received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

associating each of a plurality of selectors with a respective one of a plurality of distinct vehicle functions; and

associating a distinct audible tone with each of the plurality of selectors.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using at least one processor executing program instructions, in response to the received audible tone from the audible tone receiver, to generate an output for a vehicle function associated with the received audible tone.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the audible tone in memory; and

in response to identifying an actuated selector, generating the audible tone associated with the actuated selector.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

configuring the selector as a push button in the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

mounting the push button on a vehicle steering wheel.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

substituting a new tone for a prior tone and associating the new tone with one selector.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the distinct audible tone associated with the selector comprises:

providing the distinct audible tone as one of a plurality of simultaneously generated tones, and a plurality of consecutively generated discrete tones.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the distinct audible tone associated with the selector comprises:

pre-assigning a plurality of distinct tones to a plurality of distinct selectors such that actuation of each selector generates the audible tone associated therewith.

10. A vehicle function control apparatus utilizing audible tones, the apparatus comprising:

at least one tone generator configured for receiving an electric signal and emitting at least one audible tone;

a selector for a vehicle function, the selector being mountable in a vehicle, coupled to the tone generator, and associated with the at least one audible tone;

an audible tone receiver, mounted in the vehicle, for receiving the at least one audible tone, converting the audible tone from analog to digital format, and generating a tone identifier;

a memory storing correlations between the tone identifier and the vehicle function; and

at least one processor executing program instructions in response to receiving the tone identifier, to generate an output selecting the vehicle function associated with the selector.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a plurality of tone generators and a plurality of selectors, each tone generator generating a distinct audible tone when the selector associated therewith is actuated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

at least two of the plurality of selectors and at least two of the plurality of tone generators are capable of simultaneous actuation and generation.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one tone generator is mounted in a vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of tone generators, each generating a distinct audible tone; and

a plurality of selectors, each selector associated with a respective tone generator.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the selectors comprise separate push buttons.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the push buttons are mounted on a vehicle steering wheel.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

the at least one tone generator including a tone stored in a memory; and

the at least one processor executing program instructions, when the vehicle function is selected by the selector, to audibly broadcast the audible tone associated with the vehicle function selected and generate a vehicle control function output associated to the audible tone and sending the vehicle control function output to a vehicle function controller.