# US 2023/0054915 A1 · Apparatus and method for parent monitoring of audio content in a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054915 A1 - Document ID: US20230054915A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/797,590 - Filed: 2021-02-19 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-21 - Assignees: Harman International Industries, Incorporated - Applicants: Harman International Industries, Incorporated - Inventors: Riley WINTON; Chris LUDWIG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054915A1 ## CPC - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - H04N 21/41422: {located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle (arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62)} - B60W 50/10: Interpretation of driver requests or demands - H04N 21/233: Processing of audio elementary streams {(monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58)} - H04N 21/4122: {additional display device, e.g. video projector (digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423)} - H04N 21/4126: {The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones} - H04N 21/436: Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home - H04N 21/44222: {Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programmes or purchase activity (monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)} - H04N 21/4755: {for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre (retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306)} - B60W 2540/21: Voice - B60W 2540/227: Position in the vehicle - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract In at least one embodiment, an apparatus and method for monitoring audio content that is played back in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes memory and a media controller. The media controller includes the memory and is programmed to transmit first media content as desired by one or more first vehicle occupants positioned in a first zone seating area and to transmit second media content as desired one or more second vehicle occupants positioned in a second zone seating area. The media controller is further programmed to receive an indication from the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area and to transmit the second media content for monitoring by the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area based on the indication. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for monitoring audio content that is played back in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: memory; and a media controller including the memory and programmed to: transmit first media content as desired by one or more first vehicle occupants positioned in a first zone seating area; transmit second media content as desired one or more second vehicle occupants positioned in a second zone seating area; receive an indication from the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area; and transmit the second media content for monitoring by the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area based on the indication. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first media content and the second media content corresponds to at least one of audio content or video content. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media controller includes sub-media controllers positioned in one or more seats in the second zone seating area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media controller is programmed to receive the indication from a user interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the user interface includes a switch that enables the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit voice commands to one or more loudspeakers in the second zone seating area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the user interface includes a switch that transmits the indication to the media controller to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the user interface includes a switch that enables the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area to control a volume limit of the second media content in the second zone seating area while the media controller plays back the first media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 8 A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that is programmed for monitoring audio content that is played back in a vehicle, the computer-program product comprising instructions for: transmitting first media content as desired by one or more first vehicle occupants positioned in a first zone seating area; transmitting second media content as desired one or more second vehicle occupants positioned in a second zone seating area; receiving an indication at a media controller from the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area; and transmitting the second media content for monitoring by the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area based on the indication. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-program product of claim 8, wherein each of the first media content and the second media content corresponds to at least one of audio content or video content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-program product of claim 8 further comprising instructions for receiving the indication from a user interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions for enabling, via the user interface, the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit voice commands to one or more loudspeakers in the second zone seating area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions for transmitting, via the user interface, the indication to the media controller to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions for transmitting, via the user interface, the indication to the media controller to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computer-program product of claim 10 further comprising enabling, via the user interface, the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area to control a volume limit of the second media content in the second zone seating area while the media controller plays back the first media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 15 A method for providing monitoring audio content that is played back in a vehicle, the method including: transmitting first media content as desired by one or more first vehicle occupants positioned in a first zone seating area; transmitting second media content as desired one or more second vehicle occupants positioned in a second zone seating area; receiving an indication at a media controller from the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area; and transmitting the second media content for monitoring by the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area based on the indication. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first media content and the second media content corresponds to at least one of audio content or video content. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving the indication from a user interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising enabling, via a user interface, the one or more first vehicle occupants to transmit voice commands to one or more loudspeakers in the second zone seating area. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising instructions for transmitting, via a user interface, the indication to the media controller to transmit the second media content in the first zone seating area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method claim 15 further comprising enabling, via a user interface, the one or more first vehicle occupants in the first zone seating area to control a volume limit of the second media content in the second zone seating area while the media controller plays back the first media content in the first zone seating area.