US 9,870,764 B2 · Using external sounds to alert vehicle occupants of external events and mask in-car conversations

Abstract

An audio processing system may selectively identify certain environmental sounds and playing back these sounds, or a representation of these sounds, in the vehicle's cabin. The audio processing system may filter the environmental sounds to identify a particular sound that matches an event such as a bouncing ball, squealing tires, footsteps, and the like. The audio processing system may then provide an audio alert to an occupant in the vehicle. For example, the system may process the identified sound (e.g., amplify and/or isolate the sound) and use a speaker to output the processed sound into the interior of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the audio processing system may use environmental sounds as an audio masking sound for creating privacy zones within the vehicle. The audio processing system may filter the environmental sounds to identify a continuous sound which is then output to generate the privacy zones.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A vehicle audio system, comprising:

an audio detector configured to detect ambient sound external to a vehicle;
and
an audio processor configured to:
receive one or more signals associated with the ambient sound from the audio detector,
process the one or more signals to identify one or more continuous sounds included in the ambient sound, and
transmit a masking sound to one or more speakers to generate a privacy zone within the interior of the vehicle, wherein the masking sound is acquired from the one or more continuous sounds.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using external sounds to alert vehicle occupants of external events and mask in-car conversations

Life of this patent

Using external sounds to alert vehicle occupants of external events and mask in-car conversations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15