Spatial sonification of accelerating objects

• US 9,573,523 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Di Censo, Davide, Marti, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US14/331,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• 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: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/13 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in stereophonic sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/30 Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field

Abstract

Embodiments provided herein describe a feedback system that alters the distribution of a sound in a vehicle from a default configuration indicating to the driver that his action is dangerous or inefficient. The feedback system monitors one or more forces or accelerations such as speeding up, slowing down, changing the vehicle'"'"'s direction, etc. Moreover, the feedback system may have one or more thresholds associated with these accelerations. If the measured acceleration satisfies the threshold, the feedback system alters the distribution of sound to inform the driver that his driving decisions may be dangerous or inefficient (e.g., causing excessive wear and tear on the vehicle). Furthermore, the change in the sound distribution may mimic the effect of the force or acceleration on the driver or vehicle to provide a more subtle or intuitive sonification relative to outputting a distinct audio alert.

Claims

1. A feedback system, comprising:

a sensor;

a force detection component configured to determine at least one of a force and an acceleration associated with a vehicle based on information provided by the sensor; and

an audio distribution component configured to, upon determining that the at least one of a force and an acceleration satisfy a threshold, change a distribution of a sound in a listening environment of the vehicle relative to a default configuration such that the change in the distribution of the sound mimics an effect of the at least one force or acceleration on the vehicle or a person inside the vehicle.

2. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the audio distribution component is configured to change the distribution of the sound by altering an output volume ratio between at least two of a plurality of speakers.

3. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the force detection component is configured to dynamically determine the at least one force and acceleration, and the audio distribution component is configured to dynamically change the distribution of the sound in proportion to a measured value of the at least one force and acceleration.

4. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein, the sound is an output of an audio system located within the vehicle, wherein the default configuration determines how a plurality of speakers output the sound before the audio distribution component changes the distribution of the sound.

5. The feedback system of claim 4, wherein the audio distribution component is configured to, upon determining that the at least one force and acceleration no longer satisfy the threshold, return the distribution of the sound back to the default configuration.

6. The feedback system of claim 1, further comprising driver settings that include different thresholds that respectively correspond to one of a plurality of selectable modes, each representing a skill level of a driver of the vehicle.

7. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the audio distribution component changes the distribution of the sound by altering at least one of a fade and balance associated with a plurality of speakers.

8. A method comprising:

determining at least one of a force and an acceleration associated with a vehicle based on information provided by a sensor; and

upon determining that the at least one of a force and an acceleration satisfy a threshold, changing a distribution of a sound in a listening environment of the vehicle relative to a default configuration such that the change in the distribution of the sound mimics an effect of the at least one force and acceleration on the vehicle or a person inside the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein changing the distribution of the sound does not change the tempo or rhythm of the sound.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, upon determining that the at least one force and acceleration no longer satisfy the threshold, returning the distribution of the sound back to the default configuration.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein changing the distribution of the sound comprises dynamically changing the distribution of the sound based on a measured changes to the at least one force and acceleration.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a driver action that caused the at least one force and acceleration; and

selecting a value of the threshold based on the identified driver action, wherein different driver actions correspond to different values of the threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified driver action is one of speeding up the vehicle, braking the vehicle, and turning the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein changing the distribution of the sound comprises altering an output volume ratio between at least two of a plurality of speakers.

15. A computer program product for providing feedback, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code configured to;

determine at least one of a force and an acceleration associated with a vehicle based on information provided by a sensor; and

upon determining that the at least one of a force and an acceleration satisfy a threshold, change a distribution of a sound in a listening environment of the vehicle relative to a default configuration such that the change in the distribution of the sound mimics an effect of the at least one force and acceleration on the vehicle or a person inside the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable program code is configured to:

monitor a driver history indicating a frequency at which a driver of the vehicle performs an action that results in the at least one force and acceleration satisfying the threshold; and

alter a value of the threshold based on the frequency.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein changing the distribution of the sound comprises dynamically changing the distribution of the sound based on any measured changes to the at least one force and acceleration.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable program code is configured to, upon determining that the vehicle is exceeding a speed limit, change the distribution of the sound by oscillating an output volume of at least one of a plurality of speakers.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein changing the distribution of the sound does not change the tempo or rhythm of the sound.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

instruct an audio system in the vehicle to output a predefined sound; and

upon determining that the at least one force and acceleration satisfy the threshold, change the distribution of the pre-defined sound in addition to changing the distribution of the sound.