Systems and methods for use in a vehicle for detecting external events

• US 9,844,981 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Inventors: Herbert, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ODOM, CURTIS B
• Application Number:
  US15/140,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20160355125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/005 Ballast tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle comprising a microphone positioned to receive sounds originated from outside of the vehicle, an analog-to-digital converter configured to covert the sounds received by the microphone to digital audio signals, a memory storing a sound processing software and one or more known audios, and a hardware processor configured to execute the sound processing software. In one implementation the sound processing software performs comparing the digital audio signals with the one or more known audios stored in the memory, determining, in response to the comparing, a match between the digital audio signals and a first audio of the one or more known audios stored in the memory; and taking an action in response to the determining of the match between the digital audio signals and the first audio.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a microphone positioned to receive sounds originated from outside of the vehicle;

a camera positioned to receive images originated from outside of the vehicle;

a first analog-to-digital converter configured to covert the sounds received by the microphone to digital audio signals;

a second analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the images received by the camera to digital image signals;

a memory storing a sound processing software, known audios, an image processing software, and known images; and

a hardware processor configured to execute the sound processing software and the image processing software to perform;

comparing the digital audio signals and the digital image signals with the known audios and the known images, respectively;

determining, in response to the comparing, a match of at least one of the digital audio signals and the digital image signals with a first audio of the known audios and a first image of the known images, respectively; and

taking an action in response to the determining of the match;

wherein the hardware processor is further configured to enable the camera to receive the images in response to determining the match between one of the digital audio signals and the known audios.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a display and a speaker, wherein the taking of the action includes at least one of displaying a message on the display and playing an audio using the speaker.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a seatbelt, wherein the taking of the action includes tightening the seatbelt.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the sound processing software to perform:

determining a power level of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the power level, a distance of a source of the sounds from the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the sound processing software to perform:

determining a direction of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the direction, a position of a source of the sounds in relation to the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sounds include siren sounds generated by an emergency vehicle.

7. A method for use by a vehicle including a memory storing known audios and known images, the method comprising:

receiving, using a microphone, sounds originated from outside of the vehicle;

receiving, using a camera, images originated from outside of the vehicle;

comparing, using a hardware processor, the sounds and the images with the known audios and the known images, respectively;

determining, using the hardware processor, in response to the comparing, a match of at least one of the sounds and the images with a first audio of the known audios and a first image of the known images, respectively; and

taking an action, using the hardware processor, in response to the determining of the match;

wherein the hardware processor enables the camera to receive the images in response to determining the match between one of the sounds and the known audios.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle further includes a display and a speaker, and wherein the taking of the action includes at least one of displaying a message on the display and playing an audio using the speaker.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle further includes a seatbelt, and wherein the taking of the action includes tightening the seatbelt.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining a power level of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the power level, a distance of a source of the sounds from the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining a direction of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the direction, a position of a source of the sounds in relation to the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the sounds include siren sounds generated by an emergency vehicle.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a microphone positioned to receive sounds originated from outside of the vehicle;

a camera positioned to receive images originated from outside of the vehicle;

a memory storing a sound processing software, known audios, an image processing software, and known images; and

a hardware processor configured to execute the sound processing software and the image processing software to perform;

comparing the sounds and the images with the known audios and the known images, respectively;

determining, in response to the comparing, a match of at least one of the sounds and the images with at least one of a first audio of the known audios and a first image of the known images, respectively; and

taking an action in response to the determining of the match;

wherein the hardware processor is further configured to enable the camera to receive the images in response to determining the match between one of the sounds and the known audios.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 further comprising a display and a speaker, wherein the taking of the action includes at least one of displaying a message on the display and playing an audio using the speaker.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 further comprising a seatbelt, wherein the taking of the action includes tightening the seatbelt.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the sound processing software to perform:

determining a power level of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the power level, a distance of a source of the sounds from the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the sound processing software to perform:

determining a direction of the sounds; and

calculating, based on the direction, a position of a source of the sounds in relation to the vehicle.