Voice acquisition system for a vehicle

• US 6,717,524 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Spooner, Ralph A., March, Phillip A., DeLine, Jonathan E., Lynam, Niall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/270,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/425.5, 381/86, 381/391, 381/110, 381/122, 381/168, 381/169, 381/76.1, 381/355, 381/361, 381/365, 379/454, 379/446, 455/74.1, 455/569.1, 455/567, 455/566, 455/67.13, 455/575.1, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0077 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 : Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 : Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A voice acquisition system for a vehicle includes a rearview mirror assembly, at least one microphone and a control. The at least one microphone receives audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generates an output signal indicative of the audio signals. The at least one microphone provides sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and an emergency communication system. The control is operable to receive the output signal from the at least one microphone, and is operable to distinguish the presence of vocal signals from non-vocal signals. The control distinguishes the vocal signals from the non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 2:1.

Claims

1. A voice acquisition system for a vehicle comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly including a reflector element;

at least one microphone for receiving audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generating an output signal indicative of said audio signals, said at least one microphone being one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly, said at least one microphone providing sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and an emergency communication system; and

a control operable to receive said output signal from said at least one microphone, said control being operable to distinguish the presence of vocal signals from non-vocal signals, said control distinguishing said vocal signals from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 2;

1.

2. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone comprises at least two microphones which generate output signals indicative of sound generated within the vehicle cabin.

3. The voice acquisition system of claim 2, wherein at least one of said at least two microphones is directed toward an area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

4. The voice acquisition system of claim 2, wherein said control is operable to select at least one of said output signals from said at least two microphones.

5. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

6. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to distinguish said vocal signals received at said at least one microphone from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 10:

1.

7. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone comprises a single directional microphone fixedly mounted and directed toward the area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

8. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said at least one microphone is included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly being mounted to the windshield, said module being positioned between said interior rearview mirror assembly and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield.

9. The voice acquisition system of claim 1 including an indicator operable to indicate when said vocal signals are being adequately distinguished by said control.

10. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes at least one control input for at least one accessory of the vehicle.

11. The voice acquisition system of claim 10, wherein said at least one accessory of the vehicle comprises at least one of a map reading light, a temperature display, a compass display, a global positioning system antenna, a rain sensor, a video system, a tire pressure display and a security system.

12. The voice acquisition system of claim 1 comprising at least one accessory, said at least one accessory being one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

13. The voice acquisition system of claim 12, wherein said at least one accessory is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

14. The voice acquisition system of claim 13, wherein said at least one accessory comprises at least one of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

15. The voice acquisition system of claim 1 including an illumination source for a vehicle security system.

16. The voice acquisition system of claim 15, wherein said illumination source for a vehicle security system is one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

17. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said reflector element comprises an electrochromic reflector element having electrically variable reflectivity.

18. The voice acquisition system of claim 17, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes electronic circuitry for at least adjusting the reflectivity of said electrochromic reflector element.

19. The voice acquisition system of claim 18, wherein said at least one microphone at least one of:

a) accesses a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and b) shares a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

20. The voice acquisition system of claim 19, wherein said electronic circuitry is associated with at least one mirror-based accessory selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

21. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to control a mechatronic element.

22. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to communicate with devices or components in the vehicle via at least one of a network and a multiplex system.

23. The voice acquisition system of claim 1, wherein said non-vocal signals originate from at least one noise source selected from the group consisting of engine noise, road noise, wind noise, HVAC noise, a radio and a turn signal.

24. A voice acquisition system for a vehicle comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflector element having electrically variable reflectivity, said interior rearview mirror assembly including electronic circuitry for at least adjusting the reflectivity of said electrochromic reflector element;

at least one microphone for receiving audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generating an output signal indicative of said audio signals, said at least one microphone at least one of;

a) accessing a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and b) sharing a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly, said at least one microphone providing sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and an emergency communication system; and

a control operable to receive said output signal from said at least one microphone, said control being operable to distinguish the presence of vocal signals from non-vocal signals, said control distinguishing said vocal signals from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 2;

1.

25. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said at least one microphone comprises at least two microphones which generate output signals indicative of sound generated within the vehicle cabin.

26. The voice acquisition system of claim 25, wherein at least one of said at least two microphones is directed toward an area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

27. The voice acquisition system of claim 25, wherein said control is operable to select at least one of said output signals from said at least two microphones.

28. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said at least one microphone is one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

29. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said control is operable to distinguish said vocal signals received at said at least one microphone from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 10:

1.

30. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said at least one microphone comprises a single directional microphone fixedly mounted and directed toward the area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

31. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said at least one microphone is included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly being mounted to the windshield, said module being positioned between said interior rearview mirror assembly and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield.

32. The voice acquisition system of claim 24 including an indicator operable to indicate when said vocal signals are being adequately distinguished by said control.

33. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes at least one control input for at least one accessory of the vehicle.

34. The voice acquisition system of claim 33, wherein said at least one accessory of the vehicle comprises at least one of a map reading light, a temperature display, a compass display, a global positioning system antenna, a rain sensor, a video system, a tire pressure display and a security system.

35. The voice acquisition system of claim 24 comprising at least one accessory, said at least one accessory being one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

36. The voice acquisition system of claim 35, wherein said at least one accessory is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

37. The voice acquisition system of claim 36, wherein said at least one accessory comprises at least one of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

38. The voice acquisition system of claim 24 including an illumination source for a vehicle security system.

39. The voice acquisition system of claim 38, wherein said illumination source for a vehicle security system is one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

40. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said electronic circuitry is associated with at least one mirror-based accessory selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

41. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to control a mechatronic element.

42. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to communicate with devices or components in the vehicle via at least one of a network and a multiplex system.

43. The voice acquisition system of claim 24, wherein said non-vocal signals originate from at least one noise source selected from the group consisting of engine noise, road noise, wind noise, HVAC noise, a radio and a turn signal.

44. A voice acquisition system for a vehicle comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly including a reflector element, said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one control input for at least one accessory of the vehicle, said at least one accessory of the vehicle comprising at least one of a map reading light, a temperature display, a compass display, a global positioning system antenna, a rain sensor, a video system, a tire pressure display and a security system;

at least one microphone for receiving audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generating an output signal indicative of said audio signals, said at least one microphone being one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly, said at least one microphone providing sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and an emergency communication system; and

a control operable to receive said output signal from said at least one microphone, said control being operable to distinguish the presence of vocal signals from non-vocal signals, said control distinguishing said vocal signals from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 2;

1.

45. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said at least one microphone comprises at least two microphones which generate output signals indicative of sound generated within the vehicle cabin.

46. The voice acquisition system of claim 45, wherein at least one of said at least two microphones is directed toward an area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

47. The voice acquisition system of claim 45, wherein said control is operable to select at least one of said output signals from said at least two microphones.

48. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said at least one microphone is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

49. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said control is operable to distinguish said vocal signals received at said at least one microphone from said non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 10:

1.

50. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said at least one microphone comprises a single directional microphone fixedly mounted and directed toward the area encompassing the general location of a head of a driver of the vehicle.

51. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said at least one microphone is included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly being mounted to the windshield, said module being positioned between said interior rearview mirror assembly and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield.

52. The voice acquisition system of claim 44 including an indicator operable to indicate when said vocal signals are being adequately distinguished by said control.

53. The voice acquisition system of claim 44 comprising at least one other accessory, said at least one other accessory being one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

54. The voice acquisition system of claim 53, wherein said at least one other accessory is included in said interior rearview mirror assembly.

55. The voice acquisition system of claim 54, wherein said at least one other accessory comprises at least one of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

56. The voice acquisition system of claim 44 including an illumination source for a vehicle security system.

57. The voice acquisition system of claim 56, wherein said illumination source for a vehicle security system is one of (i) included in said interior rearview mirror assembly, (ii) positioned adjacent to said interior rearview mirror assembly, (iii) included in an attachment to said interior rearview mirror assembly, and (iv) included in a module associated with said interior rearview mirror assembly.

58. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said reflector element comprises an electrochromic reflector element having electrically variable reflectivity.

59. The voice acquisition system of claim 58, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly includes electronic circuitry for at least adjusting the reflectivity of said electrochromic reflector element.

60. The voice acquisition system of claim 59, wherein said at least one microphone at least one of:

a) accesses a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly, and b) shares a component of said electronic circuitry of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

61. The voice acquisition system of claim 60, wherein said electronic circuitry is associated with at least one mirror-based accessory selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system antenna, a motion sensor, a rain sensor, a video device, an interior light of the vehicle, an automatic toll booth transducer, a security system status indicator, a compass, a compass sensor, a temperature display, a temperature sensor, a tire pressure indicator display, a seat occupancy detection antenna, a seat occupancy detection transducer and a loudspeaker.

62. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to control a mechatronic element.

63. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said voice acquisition system is operable to communicate with devices or components in the vehicle via at least one of a network and a multiplex system.

64. The voice acquisition system of claim 44, wherein said non-vocal signals originate from at least one noise source selected from the group consisting of engine noise, road noise, wind noise, HVAC noise, a radio and a turn signal.