Patent Application
20050074131
The present invention relates generally to a vehicular audible signal processing system, and more particularly to a vehicular sound responsive entry and emergency sound recognition system for facilitating keyless vehicle entry and for alerting an occupant of a vehicle to emergency sounds external to the vehicle (e.g. a siren).
Sound recognition technology has found many applications in modern automotive vehicles. In recent years, an increasing number of vocally controlled, in-cabin features have become readily available which simplify component use and decrease driver distraction. A driver may now, for example, be able to verbally activate a telephone dialing program, speak a word associated with a telephone number (e.g. “home”), converse, and deactivate the system without manual intervention. The interior of a vehicle is, in many ways, an ideal environment for sound recognition technologies; i.e. a driver has a high degree of control over ambient noise (e.g. the ability to adjust the volume on a stereo system), the cabins of vehicles are becoming quieter due to improved sound dampening technology, and single components (e.g. sound processors, microphones, programs, etc.) employed in sound processing systems (e.g. the OnStar system) may be shared in multiple applications.
As voice processing technology has progressed, user dependent applications wherein a particular user is identified by the pattern of his or her voice have been developed. Though such user dependent applications are feasible inside a vehicle for the reasons mentioned above, they are often impractical for use outside the vehicle where ambient noise is typically louder and beyond a user's control. For these reasons, vehicle entry systems capable of identifying a user based upon his or her particular voice pattern (i.e. user-dependent entry) that utilize microphones external to the vehicle, for example, are expensive to implement and relatively unreliable, notwithstanding that such a voice-based vehicle entry system would allow a user to enter a vehicle without a key or keyfob thus permitting a user who has lost their keys, locked their keys in the vehicle, or simply is not carrying a key to enter the vehicle. These advantages have, however, been largely realized by keypad systems well known in the art. Such systems may employ a numeric keypad located somewhere on the exterior of a vehicle (e.g. underneath a door handle), a memory for storing a code or a plurality of codes, and a processor/software to authenticate an entered sequence of numbers. Though such systems provide the abovementioned benefits, they are user independent (i.e. multiple users may use a single code) and thus allow a user to transfer the ability to access the vehicle by providing the entry code. Such systems also are relatively expensive, and the keypads associated with such systems may not be aesthetically pleasing.
As mentioned above, vehicle sound proofing has improved such that outside noise is increasingly more difficult to hear from within the cabin of a vehicle. Noise produced from other sources internal to the cabin such as a stereo system or cell phone makes it even more difficult to hear external sounds. As a result, a driver/occupant of a vehicle may not receive sufficient early notification of an approaching emergency vehicle. Emergency vehicles may be delayed by drivers who are slow to pull out of the way or who are completely unaware of the approaching emergency vehicle. It is known that such problems may be mitigated by equipping a vehicle with a receiver capable of receiving radio frequency signals emitted from approaching emergency vehicles equipped with corresponding transmitters. When the appropriate frequency is detected, the emergency vehicle warning systems notifies (e.g. by illuminating an indicator light) the automobile occupants. Though such systems work reasonably well, they are only effective when the emergency vehicle and the particular automobile are both provided with the appropriate equipment. Such systems are relatively costly and notify vehicle occupants of sirens associated with emergency vehicles only. That is, these systems do not provide detection of other (e.g. non-vehicle mounted) emergency sirens.
In another known siren detection system, an external microphone is coupled to a high pass filter and a level detector. If a sound is registered by the microphone that is higher in pitch than the frequency cut-off of the high pass filter and louder than the decibel cut-off of the level detector, the system provides a form of notification to the vehicle's occupants of an approaching emergency vehicle. Though systems of this type are relatively inexpensive to employ, such systems are subject to significant false alarms if filter and/or level detector thresholds are set too low. Conversely, if the respective thresholds are set too high, such systems are subject to non-detects.
It should thus be apparent that it would be desirable to provide a siren detection and keyless vehicle entry system that is reliable and inexpensive to implement.
According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided a sound processing system for use on an automotive vehicle of the type which includes at least one door having a door-lock, comprising at least one sound sensor affixed to the vehicle for receiving an external sound. A sound processor is affixed to at least one external sound sensor and compares the characteristics of the external sound to a first predetermined set of characteristics when the vehicle is occupied and to a second set of characteristics when the vehicle is not occupied.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a sound processing system for use on an automotive vehicle of the type which includes at least one door having a door-lock and door handle comprising at least one sound sensor affixed to the exterior of the vehicle for receiving sound and a vehicle occupancy sensor for indicating when the vehicle is occupied. The alert generator notifies the occupant when the external sound is an emergency signal and a door control module affixed to at least one door-lock will unlock the door. A sound processor affixed to the vehicle, occupancy sensor, alert generator and door control module will receive sound and compare it to a first set of characteristics if the vehicle is occupied and a second set of characteristics if the vehicle is unoccupied.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for permitting keyless entry to an automotive vehicle and for alerting an occupant of the vehicle of an external emergency sound, the vehicle having at least one door equipped with a door lock and door access mechanism, comprising receiving an external sound and determining if the vehicle is occupied. The sound is compared with a first set corresponding to an emergency sound if the vehicle is occupied and with a second set corresponding to an audible access code if the vehicle is unoccupied. A user recognizable alert is generated if the sound substantially matches the first set, and the vehicle door is unlocked if the sound substantially matches the second set.
The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and
The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.
Vocal signal processing systems generally include a processor enabling analog-to digital-conversion of an incoming vocal signal and a memory containing a plurality of digital vocal templates or samples corresponding to different words or commands. Vocal signal processing systems are thus generally able to receive an analog vocal signal via an internal microphone (i.e. internal to the vehicle), convert the received analog signal to digital form, interpret the converted digital signal by comparison to a digital template, and execute a function corresponding to the interpretation. Such vocal signal processing systems are commonly known (e.g. the OnStar system) and have been increasing employed in motor vehicles.
Voice recognition system 104 processes vocal signals 101 by conversion to digital form and by comparison to groups or sets of characteristics stored in a memory (not shown) associated with system 104. Specifically, voice recognition system 104 interprets vocal signals 101 by comparing the characteristics thereof to sets of predefined characteristics of templates or samples of digital waveforms corresponding to particular words or commands (e.g. a feature mode command such as “activate headlamps”). If the characteristics of vocal signals 101 are sufficiently similar to those of one or more stored templates, voice recognition system 104 signals a match to vehicle control module 108 via telematics module 106. Vehicle control module 108 then instructs a vehicle feature to adjust in accordance with the mode command. For example, if voice recognition system 104 interprets vocal signals 101 to be sufficiently similar to a template associated with the activation of the vehicle's headlamps, voice recognition system 104 would send an ACTIVATE HEADLAMPS message to vehicle control module 108 which, in turn, would cause the vehicle headlamps to turn on.
Telematics module 106 enables wireless communication (i.e. via a cellular phone connection) with an off-board system. In this way, telematics module 106 may permit a vehicle occupant to access live operators (e.g. having access to a database of geographical maps, user data, etc) and an automated voice recognition system (e.g. having a server responsive to vocal commands and capable of providing information regarding sports statistics, stocks, weather, etc.). Telematics module 106 may also permit additional, off-site processing of vocal signals 101 and may receive signals issued from an off-site source thus enabling remote adjustment of vehicle features (e.g. a driver locked out of a car may have the car doors remotely unlocked).
Sound recognition system 201 includes at least three inputs coupled to the outputs of wake-up module 206, external sound sensor (i.e. microphone) 202, and vehicle occupancy module 208. Sound recognition system 201 may also be coupled to an internal microphone (not shown) of the type shown and described above in conjunction with
Sound recognition system 201 further comprises a single output which is coupled to telematics module 106. Telematics module 106 is similarly provided with an output coupled to an input of vehicle control module 108. Lastly, as is shown in
It should be appreciated that external microphone 202 and external wake-up switch 204 are each located substantially on the exterior of the vehicle. For example, external wake-up switch 204 may take the form of a door handle (e.g. the driver side door handle) and external microphone may be positioned, for example, underneath the door handle. External microphone 202 is positioned on the outside of the vehicle to detect primarily sounds produced by two different external sources: close-proximity sources such as nearby human speakers, and more distant sources such as emergency traffic alerts (e.g. sirens). The external sounds received by external microphone 202 may be processed by audible sound recognition system 201 in one of two ways: by comparison to at least one set of predefined digital waveform characteristics associated with alphanumeric sounds or by comparison to at least one set of predefined digital waveform characteristics associated with emergency traffic notification alerts. Depending upon the results of the comparison, sound recognition system 201 may then send instructional signals to either vehicle entry module 212 or emergency sound module 214, such as an UNLOCK VEHICLE DOORS signal or an ILLUMINATE WARNING LIGHT signal respectively.
As stated above, vehicle occupancy module 208 receives signals from vehicle occupancy sensor 210 which senses a condition indicative of an operator's presence within the vehicle. For example, vehicle occupancy sensor 210 may monitor such conditions as the opening of vehicle doors, vehicle movement, or vehicle ignition. Upon detection of a condition indicative of vehicle occupancy, vehicle occupancy sensor 210 signals vehicle occupancy module 208 which, in turn, sends a signal indicative of vehicle occupancy to sound recognition system 201. That is, if the vehicle is occupied, sound recognition system 201 will cease comparing external sound signals received by external microphone 202 to characteristic sets associated with alphanumeric code entry sounds and instead compare the incoming sound signals to characteristic sets associated with emergency related sounds. In a similar manner, the vehicle occupancy signal or lack thereof will determine whether sound recognition system 201 sends instructional signals to vehicle entry module 212 or emergency sound module 214 as is more fully discussed below in conjunction with
Due to vehicle battery limitations, it would be impractical for sound recognition system 201 to operate for extended periods of time when a vehicle's engine is not running. The present invention thus seeks to reduce power requirements by means of wake-up switch 204 which may be, as stated above, incorporated into the driver side door handle. Upon activation (e.g. lifting of the door handle), external wake-up switch 204 signals wake-up module 208 which, in turn, sends a WAKE-UP signal to sound recognition system 201. When receiving such a WAKE-UP signal, sound recognition system 201 changes from a dormant or non-processing mode to an active or processing mode wherein external sound signals received by external microphone 202 are processed. Sound recognition system 201 will continue in this active mode until occupancy module 208 no longer receives an occupancy signal, after which sound recognition system 201 again enters its dormant state until a wake-up signal from module 206 is received. Furthermore, the active mode may last for a predetermined period of time (e.g. ten minutes), after which sound recognition system 201 returns to its dormant mode if the vehicle remains unoccupied. It should be appreciated that energy concerns noted above are significantly less important when a vehicle's engine is running as is typically the case when the vehicle is occupied. Thus, sound recognition system 201 may remain in an active mode indefinitely while a vehicle's engine is running.
It should be appreciated that display 218 may take any suitable form. For example, display 218 may comprise a LED light mounted on the exterior of a vehicle. Alternatively, display 218 may be replaced by a different feedback means such as a sound generator (e.g. a tone generator). Display 218 may display a user recognizable response after the reception of a correct numerical sequence, or if desired may provide positive feedback after identification of each digit of a multi-digit code.
Door handle 204 is first lifted sending a WAKE-UP signal to door control 206 which, in turn, places a WAKE-UP signal on serial data bus 224. Sound recognition system 201 receives the WAKE-UP signal and begins to monitor external microphone 202 for external sounds. A spoken numerical code 226 (e.g. “4-3-5”) is received by external microphone 202 and delivered to sound recognition system 201 where it is converted to digital form and compared to sets of characteristics associated with various numeric or alphanumeric sounds. After converting and identifying spoken code 226, sound recognition system 201 places the code on serial data bus 224. Next, security module 216 compares code 226, now in digital form, to a predetermined access code stored in a memory. If spoken code 226 and the access code match, security module 216 places a CODE OKAY signal on data bus 224. Display 218 then receives the CODE OKAY signal and produces a user recognizable response. For example, display 218 may display a textual message such as “Code Accepted.” The CODE OKAY signal is also received by door lock control 220 which instructs door locks 222 to unlock.
It should be appreciated that though the entry code has been described as consisting of three numbers, any combinations of words, numbers, or characters may be used. However, it is preferable that the entry code consist of a few (e.g. four or five) alphanumeric characters because (1) such multi-digit codes are relatively easy to identify using modern sound recognition systems and thus provide a relatively reliable entry means, and, (2) such codes may be user-independent (i.e. not specific to a particular person's voice) and thus require no enrollment or training phase. This also allows a user to permit anyone to enter the vehicle by simply giving them the entry code. It should further be appreciated that, although the invention has been described in connection with unlocking all vehicle doors upon receipt of the correct entry code, any desired task could be executed upon detection of match; additional vocal commands may also be accepted at this time and executed using the above described techniques. For example, after detection of a vehicle entry code, a user may then unlock the vehicle doors by saying, “Unlock all doors,” or activate a security alarm with a vocal command, “Alarm On,” etc.
In the interest of security, it may be desirable to provide audible signal processing system 200 with a timed exclusion or lock-out feature wherein sound recognition system 201 enters an uninterruptible dormant mode after a predefined number of mismatches have been consecutively detected. For example, security module 216 may place an INCORRECT CODE signal on data bus 224 after determining that a spoken code does not match the stored access code. After receiving a predefined number of such signals (e.g. three), sound recognition system 201 could then enter a dormant mode for a predetermined period of time (e.g. five minutes) after which wake-up switch/door handle 204 must again be lifted to place sound recognition system 201 in an active mode.
For convenience, multiple codes may be associated with multiple drivers. For example, a first driver may be associated with a first code (e.g. 1-2-3), and a second driver may be associated with a second code (e.g. 1-2-4). The audible signal processing system may thus identify drivers by way of their respective vehicle entry codes. In this way, a vehicle permitting driver profiles (e.g. user preferential settings of adjustable features in a memory) may manipulate personalizable vehicular features in accordance with the driver's preferred settings upon driver identification (i.e. after reception of a particular vehicle access code associated with a particular driver). Thus, after determining the identity of a particular driver by way of a driver-specific entry code, the driver's feature settings may be recalled, and the vehicle features may be adjusted accordingly.
External emergency sounds 400 are first detected by external microphone 202 and transmitted to sound recognition system 201 for conversion and processing. As has been described above, sound recognition system 201 processes incoming external sound signals by comparing them to a group of characteristics associated with emergency traffic notification alerts (e.g. sirens). If the characteristics of the received signals and the emergency sound template are sufficiently similar (e.g. the received signal meets predetermined frequency, amplitude, and/or other characteristics that are indicative of, for example, a siren), an EMERGENCY SOUND DETECTED message is then placed on serial bus 313. Display 310 and sound system 312 receive the EMERGENCY SOUND DETECTED signal and each produce a user recognizable indication that an emergency sound has been detected; display 310 provides a visual indication (e.g. illumination of a dashboard mounted light) in response to the signal, and sound system 312 provides an audible alert (e.g. a prerecorded vocal announcement produced via the vehicle's speaker system). It should be appreciated that although a combination of visual and audible indications are provided in
It should be appreciated that, although
It should thus be appreciated that a relatively reliable and accurate audible signal processing system capable of providing keyless vehicle entry and emergency sound detection has been provided. Many of the components utilized within the inventive system may be shared with a preexisting voice recognition system such as the OnStar system.
