# US 11,122,367 B2 · Method, device, mobile user apparatus and computer program for controlling an audio system of a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,367 B2 - Document ID: US11122367B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/591,133 - Filed: 2019-10-02 - Published: 2020-01-30 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-01 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Alexander Augst - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122367B2 ## CPC - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - G06F 3/167: {Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback} - G06F 17/18: for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} - G10L 15/063: {Training} - G06F 2203/011: Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns - H04R 2430/01: Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract In a method for controlling an audio system of a vehicle, an intention to communicate and/or a voice of at least one of a specific, occupant of the vehicle and/or of an occupant on a specific seat of the vehicle, are/is sensed, and at least one audio signal of the vehicle is changed as a function of the sensed intention to communicate and/or the voice of the occupant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling an audio system of a vehicle including a microphone and a computer, the method comprising: capturing with the microphone a voice of an occupant of the vehicle; determining, by the computer, in which seat of the vehicle the occupant is sitting based on the voice captured by the microphone; changing an audio signal of the vehicle depending on the voice and the seat in which the occupant is sitting; predicting a parameter of an auditory communication in an interior of the vehicle; and changing a parameter of the audio signal of the vehicle depending on the predicted parameter of the auditory communication; wherein the changing of the parameter of the audio signal concerns at least one spatial sound parameter, wherein at least one direction from which the audio signal of the vehicle comes or is heard by a driver of the vehicle is adjusted; wherein the changing of the parameter of the audio signal includes modifying the audio signal in a frequency range in such a way that signal components of the audio signal relating to the frequency range of human speech within the voice of the occupant are modified in such a way that signal energy is distributed to multiple frequency ranges that do not relate or that relate to a lesser extent to the frequency range of the voice of the occupant; and wherein the changing of the parameter of the audio signal includes at least partial displacement of frequencies of the audio signal that correspond at least statistically to frequencies of the voice of the occupant, from a first spatial direction in which the occupant is located to a second spatial direction, which is arranged differently from the first spatial direction, essentially opposite to the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising recognizing that the voice is the voice of a particular person or group of people, and recognizing that a change to the audio signal depends on a recognition of the voice as the voice of the particular person or group of people. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the voice of the occupant in an interior of the vehicle is distinguished from a voice from a multimedia recorder of the audio system or a multimedia recorder connected to and carried along with the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the voice of the occupant in an interior of the vehicle is distinguished from a voice from a multimedia recorder of the audio system or a multimedia recorder connected to and carried along with the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting an intention to communicate of at least one occupant of the vehicle, by an interior camera, at least one of a lip movement and a physical motion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the audio signal is adjusted depending on a position of the occupant and/or a relative direction from which spoken content comes or will come according to the intention to communicate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one of an emotion detection and an intent detection for the occupant of the vehicle is recognized and is taken into account when a change of the audio signal is carried out. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining a probability of success that parameters of the audio signal are or were not able to be changed for certain parameters and/or spoken contents based on background noise, subsequently selecting a measure or combination of measures in relation to a change in the audio signal of the vehicle and/or a replay of at least one section of the audio signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: learning the voice and/or a specific physical motion of the occupant of the vehicle at one or more time intervals; subsequently, in a case of further recognition of the particular voice and/or the specific physical motion of the occupant at one or more later time intervals, applying an optimized or previously saved adjustment of the audio signal for the voice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: learning a physical motion that precedes speaking a voice communication at one or more time intervals of a particular occupant, subsequently, in a case of a repeat recognition of the physical motion of the particular occupant and/or a physical motion typical of the occupant from several time intervals, applying an optimized or previously saved adjustment of the audio signal for the voice of the occupant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio signal of the vehicle is adjusted based on a content of the voice. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio signal of the vehicle is adjusted based on at least one of an age and a gender of the occupant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A device for controlling an audio system of a vehicle, wherein the device is designed to perform the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A mobile user apparatus for controlling an audio system of a vehicle that includes an interface with the vehicle and that is set up to perform at least part of the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program, which when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute the method according to claim 1.