# US 10,766,455 B2 · Sound output apparatus, sound output control method, vehicle, and locking and unlocking system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,455 B2 - Document ID: US10766455B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/164,932 - Filed: 2018-10-19 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-14 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Naoki Uenoyama; Etsuko Nakajima; Junya Masui; Akira Hoshino; Hideo Hasegawa; Keiko Nakano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766455B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/1003: {Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features} - B60R 25/20: Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off - B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user - B60R 25/241: {whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers} - E05B 17/0083: {Sound emitting devices, e.g. loudspeakers} - G07C 9/00: Individual registration on entry or exit - G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - E05B 77/44: Burglar prevention, e.g. protecting against opening by unauthorised tools (E05B77/28 takes precedence) - E05B 2047/0095: {Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A sound output apparatus and a sound output control method including a sound output controller placed in a vehicle having a door lockable and unlockable based on the result of communicated with mobile terminals are disclosed. The vehicle mounted with the sound output controller and a locking and unlocking system including the vehicle are also disclosed. The sound output controller outputs a sound that is different between when the door is unlocked by a specified mobile terminal and when the door is unlocked by other means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sound output apparatus placed in a vehicle having a door that is lockable and unlockable based on a result of communication with mobile terminals, the sound output apparatus comprising: a sound output controller configured to: determine, when the door of the vehicle is unlocked based on authentication information for unlocking of the door received from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal; notify, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle; output a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal; and output a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to determine that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal when the authentication information is provided with a time length of validity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to store a plurality of different types of the mobile terminal in association with corresponding different sounds to be output, and the sound output controller is configured to output the sounds from the speaker corresponding to a type of the mobile terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sound output apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the different sounds corresponds to a different delivery company. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to output, when the door is unlocked, a sound announcing that the door is unlocked by an authorized person. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sound output apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sound announcing that the door is unlocked by the authorized person includes synthetic speech. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to output a loop sound that continuously sounds while the door is open. ### Claim 8 A vehicle communicable with mobile terminals, the vehicle comprising: a door; a first communication circuit configured to receive, from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, authentication information for unlocking the door; and circuitry configured to: unlock the door based on the authentication information; determine, when the door is unlocked, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal; notify, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle; output a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal; and output a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to determine that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal when the authentication information is a onetime key. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output controller is configured to determine which one of the owner of the vehicle and the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal based upon a unique identifier received with the authentication information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sound output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the person in charge of delivery is not an owner of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 A sound output control method performed by a sound output controller placed in a vehicle having a door that is lockable and unlockable based on a result of communication with mobile terminals, the sound output control method comprising: determining, when the door of the vehicle is unlocked based on authentication information for unlocking of the door received from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal; notifying, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle; outputting a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal; and outputting a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of independent regions, and the authentication information enables one of the plurality of independent regions to be locked and unlocked. ### Claim 14 A locking and unlocking system comprising: mobile terminals each including a short-distance communication interface configured to transmit first authentication information through short-distance wireless communication; a vehicle including: a door, a first communication circuit configured to receive the first authentication information from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, the first authentication information being information for unlocking the door, and circuitry configured to: unlock the door based on a result of collating the first authentication information and second authentication information, the second authentication information being information corresponding to the first authentication information, determine, when the door is unlocked, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, store the second authentication information, notify, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle, and output a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal, and output a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal; and a server apparatus including a second communication circuit configured to: transmit the first authentication information to the mobile terminal, and transmit the second authentication information to the vehicle.