Mobile hearable device

A vehicle control system comprising:

• a set of location identification transmitters located in a vehicle;
• wherein each of the location identification transmitters define a corresponding personal area zone within the vehicle;
• a vehicle function controller configured to be coupled to one or more vehicle actuators;
• wherein the set of location identification transmitters are each configured to transmit a respective location identifier to a mobile hearable device,
• wherein the mobile hearable device is configured to detect a nearest one of the location identification transmitters;
• wherein the mobile hearable device is configured to detect a first actuator control command from a first user in a first corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the mobile hearable device is configured to generate a first control instruction based on the first actuator control command, the location identifier of the nearest one of the identification transmitters, and the first corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the vehicle function controller is configured to wirelessly receive the first control instruction from the mobile hearable device,
• wherein the vehicle function controller is configured to compare the first actuator control command with a first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wherein the vehicle function controller is configured to control the one or more vehicle actuators dependent on the first control command when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to receive a second control instruction from a second user having a second corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the first corresponding personal area zone overlaps with the second corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to control the actuator in the vehicle based only on the first control instruction when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone, even if the second control instruction is within a second set of allowable actuator control commands for the second corresponding personal area zone and requests control of the actuator.

A method of controlling a vehicle actuator using a mobile hearable device comprising a transceiver configured as one of a NFMI transceiver and a NFEMI transceiver, the method comprising:

• receiving via the transceiver a location identifier transmitted by a location identification transmitter nearest to the mobile hearable device;
• wherein the location identification transmitter defines a first corresponding personal area zone within a vehicle;
• receiving a speech signal from a first user of the mobile hearable device;
• determining whether the speech signal comprises a first actuator control command;
• generating a first control instruction comprising the first actuator control command, the location identifier, and the first corresponding personal area zone;
• comparing the first actuator control command with a first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wirelessly transmitting the first control instruction to a vehicle control system wirelessly coupled to the mobile hearable device to control an actuator affecting the location identification transmitter nearest to the mobile hearable device when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to receive a second control instruction from a second user having a second corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the second control instruction is within a second set of allowable actuator control commands for the second corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the first corresponding personal area zone overlaps with the second corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to limit an amount that the actuator in the vehicle may be controlled based on the first control instruction when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to control of the actuator based on the second control instruction as long as the second control instruction only requests control of the actuator within the limit set by the first control instruction.

A non-transitory computer readable media storing thereon a computer program product comprising instructions which, when being executed by a processing unit within a mobile hearable device comprising a transceiver configured as one of a NFMI transceiver and a NFEMI transceiver, cause said processing unit to perform the steps of:

• receiving via the transceiver a location identifier transmitted by a location identification transmitter nearest to the mobile hearable device;
• wherein the location identification transmitter defines a first corresponding personal area zone within a vehicle;
• receiving a speech signal;
• determining whether the speech signal comprises a first actuator control command;
• generating a first control instruction comprising the first actuator control command, the location identifier, and the first corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• comparing the first actuator control command with a first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wirelessly transmitting the first control instruction to a vehicle control system wirelessly coupled to the mobile hearable device to control an actuator affecting the location identification transmitter nearest to the mobile hearable device when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to receive a second control instruction from a second user having a second corresponding personal area zone;
• wherein the first corresponding personal area zone overlaps with the second corresponding personal area zone;
• and
• wherein the vehicle control system is configured to control the actuator in the vehicle based only on the first control instruction when the first actuator control command is within the first set of allowable actuator control commands for the first corresponding personal area zone, even if the second control instruction is within a second set of allowable actuator control commands for the second corresponding personal area zone and requests control of the actuator.