AMBIENT SITUATION AWARENESS SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLES

• US 20100033313A1
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personics Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Keady, John Patrick, Usher, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of situation awareness facilitation for a vehicle driver comprising: receiving a first acoustic signal from outside a vehicle that the driver is in and converting the first acoustic signal into a first acoustic electronic signal; sending the first acoustic electronic signal to a processor; matching the first acoustic electronic signal by the processor to stored reference electronic signals; and sending an acoustic message associated with a matched reference electronic signal to a speaker in the cab of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle situation awareness device comprising:

a notification device, where the notification device is configured to emit a first signal;

a microphone, where the microphone is configured to measure a second signal, where the second signal is a measurement of at least a first portion of an ambient acoustic signal; and

a processor, where at least one sonic signature is identified from at least a second portion of the second signal, and where when the at least one sonic signature is identified an emit signal is sent to the notification device to emit the first signal.

2. The awareness device according to claim 1, where the notification device is a receiver.

3. The awareness device according to claim 1, where the notification device is a video display.

4. The awareness device according to claim 1, where the notification device is inside the vehicle.

5. The awareness device according to claim 4, where the first signal is an audio signal.

6. A vehicle situation awareness device comprising:

a notification device, where the notification device is configured to emit a first signal;

a microphone, where the microphone is configured to measure a second signal, where the second signal is a measurement of at least a first portion of a vehicle equipment signal; and

a processor, where at least one sonic signature is identified from at least a second portion of the second signal, and where when the at least one sonic signature is identified an emit signal is sent to the notification device to emit the first signal.

7. The awareness device according to claim 6, where the notification device is a receiver.

8. The awareness device according to claim 6, where the notification device is a video display.

9. The awareness device according to claim 6, where the first signal is an input to a second processor.

10. The awareness device according to claim 6, where the notification device is inside the vehicle.

11. The awareness device according to claim 10, where the first signal is an audio signal.

12. The awareness device according to claim 9, where the first signal is used by the second processor to affect vehicle operation.

13. The awareness device according to claim 12, where affecting vehicle operation is at least one of shifting gears, decreasing power usage, sending a remote signal, operating the windshield wiper, and changing the headlight illumination.

14. A vehicle situation awareness device comprising:

a notification device, where the notification device is configured to emit a first signal to a first processor;

a microphone, where the microphone is configured to measure a second signal, where the second signal is a measurement of at least a first portion of at least one of an interior vehicle acoustic signal or an external vehicle acoustic signal; and

a second processor, where at least one sonic signature is identified from at least a second portion of the second signal, and where when the at least one sonic signature is identified an emit signal is sent to the notification device to emit the first signal.

15. The awareness device according to claim 14, where the at least one sonic signature is a vocal command.

16. The awareness device according to claim 15, where the first signal uniquely corresponds to the voice command.

17. The awareness device according to claim 16, where the first signal is used to modify vehicle operation.

18. The awareness device according to claim 17, where the modify vehicle operation includes one of at least opening a door, opening the trunk, opening the gas tank access panel, opening the hood, turning on the headlights, turning on an audio alarm, and beginning audio recording.

19. A method of situation awareness facilitation for a vehicle driver comprising:

receiving a first acoustic signal from outside a vehicle that the driver is in and converting the first acoustic signal into a first acoustic electronic signal;

sending the first acoustic electronic signal to a processor;

matching the first acoustic electronic signal by the processor to stored reference electronic signals; and

sending an acoustic message associated with a matched reference electronic signal to a speaker in the cab of the vehicle.