Systems and methods for delivering discrete autonomous in-vehicle notifications

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for providing discrete autonomous notifications to passengers of a vehicle are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a plurality of seats, a plurality of audio transducers, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination, determine a notification based on the predetermined destination, and send the notification to the passenger via one or more of the plurality of audio transducers based on a determined passenger head position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle passenger comfort and safety, and more particularly to systems and methods for delivering discrete autonomous in-vehicle notifications. BACKGROUND

[0002] Modern vehicles, including shuttles, buses, trains, and the like, can simultaneously transport several passengers to several different locations. For example, an airport shuttle can pick up a group of people at a terminal and transport the group to several different car rental locations or other destinations. These vehicles can also provide one or more notifications to the passengers that can indicate the next stop or other points of interest. SUMMARY

[0003] The accompanying claims define the application. The summary of the disclosure sets forth aspects of the embodiments and is not to be used to limit the claims. Upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other implementations are contemplated in accordance with the techniques described herein and that these implementations are intended to fall within the scope of the application.

[0004] Exemplary embodiments are shown that describe systems, devices, and methods for providing personalized notifications to a specific passenger on a vehicle, which can include a car, bus, train, airplane, or other device for transporting multiple passengers, using directional audio signals intended to allow only the specific passenger to hear the notification. One disclosed exemplary vehicle includes a plurality of seats, a plurality of audio transducers, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination, determine a notification based on the predetermined destination, and send the notification to the passenger through one or more of the plurality of audio transducers based on a determined passenger head position. In some examples, the notification can be sent such that it is only heard by the designated passenger and not by other nearby passengers.

[0005] One disclosed exemplary method of providing notifications to a vehicle passenger includes determining, by a vehicle processor, a passenger seat from a plurality of seats, the passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination. The method also includes determining a notification based on the predetermined destination. And the method further includes sending the notification to the passenger through one or more of a plurality of audio transducers based on a determined passenger head position.

[0006] A third example can include means for determining, by a vehicle processor, a passenger seat from a plurality of seats, the passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination. The third example can also include means for determining a notification based on the predetermined destination. And the third example can also include means for sending the notification to the passenger through one or more of a plurality of audio transducers based on a determined passenger head position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007] For a better understanding of the present application, reference can be made to the embodiments illustrated in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and the related elements can be omitted, or in some cases can be exaggerated for the sake of clarity. Additionally, the system components can be arranged in different manners as known in the art. Furthermore, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0008] Figure 1A And Figure 1B An exemplary vehicle with respective speaker configurations is shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 An exemplary speaker is shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 An exemplary block diagram of electronic components of a vehicle is shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1A And Figure 1B An exemplary block diagram of electronic components of a vehicle is shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 A flowchart of an exemplary method is shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] While the present application can be embodied in various forms, some example and non-limiting embodiments are shown in the drawings and will be described below in which it is understood that the present disclosure is considered to be an example of the present application and the present disclosure is not intended to limit the present application to the specific embodiments shown.

[0013] As noted above, some vehicles are designed or configured to transport groups of people from one or more departure points to one or more destinations. These vehicles can include airport shuttles, buses, trains, airplanes, and the like. In some cases, these vehicles can transport passengers long distances (taking up to an hour or more). It can be beneficial to provide individualized notifications to each rider based on one or more factors such as the passenger’s destination and preferences. Furthermore, it can be beneficial to provide notifications to passengers such that only that passenger can hear to avoid disturbing other passengers.

[0014] In view of these issues, the example embodiments disclosed herein can provide notifications to specific passengers through beamformed audio signals based on known destinations, preferences, and other factors. In one example, a passenger can enter a destination through his or her mobile phone. The passenger can also indicate which seat in the bus he or she is sitting in. The vehicle can then determine when a specific notification should be provided, such as when there are ten minutes until arrival at the destination, when there is a point of interest outside the vehicle, and so on. The vehicle can then use one or more audio transducers (i.e., speakers) to provide a narrow beam or localized audio signal that can be heard by the passenger, but will not disturb other passengers nearby. The narrow beam can be an ultrasonic wave with a frequency that cannot be heard as a single harmonic.

[0015] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An example vehicle 100 is shown with two different respective audio transducer configurations. In this disclosure, examples can be described with reference to one or more "speakers" or "speaker configurations." It should be noted that the term speaker is used as an example, and other types of audio transducers can also be used while remaining within the scope of this disclosure. Figure 1A Speakers 104A-104K corresponding to seats 102A-102K are shown, while Figure 1B Speakers 114A-114J distributed throughout vehicle 100 are shown. Vehicle 100 can be a standard gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or any other type of mobility implementation vehicle. Vehicle 100 can be non-autonomous, semi-autonomous, or autonomous. Vehicle 100 can include mobility-related portions, such as a powertrain system with an engine, transmission, suspension, drive axles, and / or wheels, etc. In the example shown, vehicle 100 is shown as a bus with eleven seats. However, it should be noted that the features described herein can also apply to other vehicles, including airplanes, trains, buses, etc. Furthermore, vehicle 100 can include one or more electronic components (described below with respect to Figure 2

[0016] As Figure 1A shown, vehicle 100 can include a plurality of seats 102A-102K, speakers 104A-104K, and processor 110. Seats 102A can be configured to each allow one passenger to sit. In other examples, a given seat can be a bench seat and can allow two or more passengers to sit.

[0017] ​Each speaker 104A-K and / or 114A-J can provide narrow-beam audio directly to a passenger by using one or more beamforming techniques. In some examples, two or more speakers can be used to provide localized audio to a passenger. This can be done by controlling each speaker to provide an audio signal such that the two signals constructively interfere at a given location in 3D space. This location can be near the head of the passenger, allowing the passenger to hear the audio signal.

[0018] Figure 2 An example speaker 200 is shown, which includes multiple components 210 that can be turned on or off. The arrangement of turned-on components 210 can direct the output audio beam in various directions.

[0019] In cases where two or more speakers are used to provide an audio signal to a passenger, such as passenger 106, the output of each speaker can be configured to constructively interfere at a specific location near the head 108 of the passenger. In this way, the passenger 106 will be able to hear the audio signal, but nearby passengers will not.

[0020] In some examples, a passenger can not be able to hear the output from each individual speaker, but the constructive interference of two or more outputs can combine to generate an audible signal. This can be the case, for example, when the output of each speaker is in a higher frequency range than what a normal human can hear, such as above 22 kHz. However, the constructive interference between the two signals can be below 22 kHz, enabling the passenger to hear the combined signal. In some examples, the speakers and / or speaker outputs can be aimed or directed toward the head of the passenger.

[0021] The vehicle 100 can further include a processor 110 configured to implement one or more functions or actions described herein. The processor 110 can be configured to determine a passenger seat corresponding to a given passenger.

[0022] In some examples, the passenger seat can be received by a communication module of the vehicle 100. The communication module can transmit and / or receive data with one or more remote computing devices to receive the passenger seat corresponding to the given passenger. The remote device can be, for example, a server or other cloud-based device.

[0023] In some examples, the passenger seat can be received from a mobile device or determined based on an electronic coupling between the vehicle and a mobile device of the passenger. For example, the mobile device can include an application configured to receive input from a user indicating which seat the user is sitting in.

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, the passenger seat can be determined by the vehicle using one or more vehicle antennas or systems configured to determine a location of the passenger's mobile device within the vehicle. For example, triangulation can be performed using one or more sensors such as Bluetooth antennas. In other examples, one or more sensors can be coupled with the passenger seat itself, such as one or more near field communication (NFC) or Bluetooth couplings. For example, the processor 110 can determine the passenger seat corresponding to the passenger based on the coupling or pairing between the passenger's phone and the NFC sensor and / or Bluetooth sensor.

[0025] In some examples, the processor 110 can also receive and / or determine a destination for the passenger. The destination can be a pre-determined destination input through an application on the mobile device.

[0026] In some examples, the processor 110 can also be configured to receive other data corresponding to the passenger 106. For example, a destination, a sleep intent, and / or one or more options or preferences can be received. In the case where the passenger indicates that he or she intends to sleep on the vehicle, one or more notifications can be prevented from being provided.

[0027] The processor 110 can also receive an intent from the passenger 106 to receive a wake-up notification. The wake-up notification can be provided by the processor 110 and can provide an audio and / or haptic alert based on a distance or time to the vehicle's arrival at the passenger's destination. A haptic alert can also be provided in the case where the passenger's heart rate changes. The passenger can have a wearable device that can monitor his or her heart rate. If the passenger falls asleep, the passenger's heart rate can change significantly. This information can be communicated to the vehicle and used as an input to determine when and if to provide an alert. In some examples, the processor can first provide an audio alert and if no change occurs (i.e., the passenger does not wake up), the processor can then provide a haptic alert by causing the headrest, seat, mobile device, wearable device, or other device to vibrate.

[0028] The passenger 106 can also select to receive one or more notifications about points of interest along the route, or to receive advertisements. If the passenger selects to receive advertisements, it can reduce the cost of the trip (where the trip is not free).

[0029] The processor 110 can also be configured to determine a notification from a plurality of possible notifications to be provided to the passenger 106 based on the pre-determined destination of the passenger 106. The notification can include a time of arrival at the destination, that the destination has been reached, an expected delay or traffic alert, a weather forecast for the destination, etc. Further, the wake-up call notification can be based on the pre-determined destination in order to provide the passenger with sufficient time to gather his or her belongings in preparation for departure.

[0030] In some examples, a specific notification to be provided to the passenger can be determined based on the determined vehicle location. For example, the notification can include information about points of interest near the current vehicle location. Other notifications can also be possible.

[0031] The processor 110 can also be configured to determine a location of the passenger's head corresponding to the determined notification. This can be done using one or more vehicle cameras 116, one or more ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, or other sensors located within the vehicle 100 (e.g., within the headrest of a seat), through a wearable device on the passenger 106 using a coupling with the vehicle 100, or using one or more other sensors or devices.

[0032] The determined head location can take into account a reclined seating position or a head resting against a window or another passenger. The processor 110 can determine a passenger state (e.g., whether asleep) based on eyelid detection using a vehicle camera. In other examples, the passenger state can be determined based on the location of the passenger's 106 head 108 relative to an upright position. Determining that the passenger's head 108 is tilted from vertical by a threshold amount can indicate that he or she is asleep against a window or another passenger.

[0033] In some examples, one or more cameras 116 or other sensors can be configured to receive control information to control the vehicle's audio system to control the volume of the notification, the frequency of the notification, recalibrate the head location, etc. In addition, one or more cameras can provide the ability for gesture tracking and / or gesture control. Other control mechanisms can be included in seat controls on the armrest, controls through an application on the passenger's mobile device, etc.

[0034] The processor 110 can then be configured to send the notification to the passenger 106 using one or more of the speakers 104A-104K or 114A-114J based on the determined notification and the determined head location.

[0035] Figure 1A An example vehicle 100 is shown in which each seat has a corresponding speaker. In this example, to provide a notification to the passenger 106 seated in seat 102F, speaker 104F can be used to provide a narrow audio beam 112 directed at the passenger's head 108. The speaker 104F can be configured to beamform the output to direct it toward the passenger's head 108.

[0036] In some examples, one or more speakers can be distributed throughout the vehicle 100 (as shown in FIG. 1) or in other locations. For example, a speaker can be located in the headrest of a seat, in the seat itself, in the armrest of a seat, in the ceiling of the vehicle, in the dashboard of the vehicle, in the door of the vehicle, etc. Figure 1BRather than each seat having a dedicated speaker, in the present disclosure the speaker can include one or more audio sources that can be used to beamform the output audio signal. As such, although examples are described with a single speaker that beams the signal, it should be noted that two or more audio sources can be needed to beamform the audio signal. As such, a "speaker" can refer to a single unit or device with multiple audio sources. In such cases where multiple speakers are located at two or more locations within the vehicle 100, the processor 110 can also be configured to send the notification by selecting two or more speakers from the multiple speakers such that respective output signals from the two or more speakers constructively interfere at a location corresponding to the passenger head position 108. The two or more speakers can be selected based on the passenger seat, the passenger head position, and / or one or more other factors.

[0037] As described above, the signals from the two or more speakers can be inaudible or at frequencies that are themselves inaudible. But the passenger 106 can be able to hear the combined signal resulting from the constructive interference. In one example, the output from each speaker can be above the frequency range that most people can hear (e.g., above 22 kHz). But the combined signal from the two or more speakers can be lower such that the passenger is able to hear.

[0038] In Figure 1B In the example shown, the speakers 114D, 114F, and 114G provide signals directed toward the head 108 of the passenger 106 such that the passenger 106 is able to hear the notification, but a passenger seated in the seat 102E is not.

[0039] The processor 110 can also be configured to determine that one or more notifications should not be provided to a given passenger. For example, a notification can be withheld based on the passenger falling asleep (determined by a camera or other vehicle sensor). The processor 110 can be configured to categorize one or more notifications. For example, some notifications can be available when the passenger is awake, but not available when the passenger is asleep. Other notifications, such as arrival notifications, can be available regardless of the passenger state. The processor can determine that the passenger is in a sleep state based on the passenger head position; and responsively determine not to send notifications that are considered unavailable in that state.

[0040] In some examples, the processor 110 can provide a wake-up notification. The processor can track biometric data, such as heart rate and / or eyelid position, from a wearable device worn by the passenger. The processor 110 can then provide a haptic alert through the seat or through a wearable or mobile device of the passenger.

[0041] In some examples, the processor 110 can receive a "do not disturb" signal or preference indication. The processor 110 can responsively refrain from sending or determining not to send one or more notifications. Some notifications can still be sent, such as arrival notifications.

[0042] Further, in some examples, the processor 110 can receive data corresponding to vehicle noise, such as noise of an engine, motor, turbine, etc., and / or various other data that can be used to determine ambient noise or other cabin noise. One or more corresponding signals can be generated to cancel the noise, and can be provided along with one or more notifications. For example, a 180 degree out of phase signal can be provided to cancel ambient noise.

[0043] Figure 3 An example block diagram 300 showing electronic components of the vehicle 100 is shown in accordance with some embodiments. In the example shown, the electronic components 300 include an in-vehicle computing system 310, an infotainment head unit 320, a communication module 330, sensors 340, one or more electronic control units 350, and a vehicle data bus 360.

[0044] The in-vehicle computing system 310 can include a microcontroller unit, controller, or processor 110 and a memory 312. The processor 110 can be any suitable processing device or group of processing devices, such as but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, an integrated circuit, one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory 312 can be a volatile memory (e.g., a random access memory (RAM) including non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, etc.), a non-volatile memory (e.g., disk storage, flash memory, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), memristor-based non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), a non-changeable memory (e.g., an EPROM), a read-only memory, and / or a mass-based storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, etc.). In some examples, the memory 312 includes multiple types of memory, particularly volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

[0045] The memory 312 can be a computer-readable medium on which one or more sets of instructions, such as software for operating the methods of the present disclosure, can be embedded. The instructions can embody one or more methods or logic as described herein. For example, the instructions reside completely, or at least partially, within the memory 312, any one or more of the computer-readable media, and / or the processor 110 during execution of the instructions.

[0046] The terms“non-transitory computer-readable medium” and“computer-readable medium” include a single medium or multiple media (such as a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions and / or data structures (e.g., software code) for execution by a processor. The terms“non-transitory computer- readable medium” and“computer-readable medium” specifically exclude propagating signals per se. The software code can be stored in any desired format, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, bytecode, machine code, etc. The software code can be distributed over networks or can be stored on non-transitory computer-readable media. When the software code is needed for execution, the processor can retrieve the software code from the non-transitory computer-readable media and execute the software code in memory. A non-transitory computer-readable medium can include one or more memories, such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk or tape storage, optical storage, flash memory, or any other form of hardware storage.

[0047] The infotainment head unit 320 can provide an interface between the vehicle 100 and a user. The infotainment head unit 320 can include one or more input and / or output devices. The input devices can include, for example, a control knob, a dashboard, a digital camera for image capture and / or visual command recognition, a touchscreen, an audio input device (e.g., cabin microphone), a button, or a touchpad. The output devices can include instrument cluster outputs (e.g., gauges, lighting devices), actuators, a heads-up display, a center console display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a flat panel display, a solid state display, etc.), and / or a speaker. In the illustrated example, the infotainment head unit 220 includes hardware (e.g., a processor or controller, memory, storage, etc.) and software (e.g., an operating system, etc.) for an infotainment system such as SYNC®, SYNC® APPLINK®, SYNC® INTELLICARE®, SYNC® CONNECT, SYNC® CONNECT FOR The infotainment head unit 320 can provide an interface between the vehicle 100 and a user. The infotainment head unit 320 can include one or more input and / or output devices. The input devices can include, for example, a control knob, a dashboard, a digital camera for image capture and / or visual command recognition, a touchscreen, an audio input device (e.g., cabin microphone), a button, or a touchpad. The output devices can include instrument cluster outputs (e.g., gauges, lighting devices), actuators, a heads-up display, a center console display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a flat panel display, a solid state display, etc.), and / or a speaker. In the illustrated example, the infotainment head unit 220 includes hardware (e.g., a processor or controller, memory, storage, etc.) and software (e.g., an operating system, etc.) for an infotainment system such as SYNC®, SYNC® APPLINK®, SYNC® INTELLICARE®, SYNC® CONNECT, SYNC® CONNECT FOR

[0048] The sensors 340 can be arranged in and around the vehicle 100 in any suitable manner. In the illustrated example, the sensors 340 include one or more cameras 116, one or more ultrasonic sensors 342, and one or more NFC sensors 344. Other sensors can also be included.

[0049] ​​​​An electronic control unit (ECU) 350 can monitor and control subsystems of the vehicle 100. The ECU 350 can communicate and exchange information over a vehicle data bus 360. Additionally, the ECU 350 can transmit attributes (such as the status of the ECU 350, sensor readings, control status, errors, and diagnostic codes, etc.) to and / or receive requests from other ECUs 350. Some vehicles 100 can have seventy or more ECUs 350 positioned in various locations around the vehicle 100, communicatively coupled by the vehicle data bus 360. In some examples, the in-vehicle computing system 310 can be one of many ECUs. For example, the ECU 350 can be a discrete set of electronics that includes their own one or more circuits (such as integrated circuits, microprocessors, memory, storage devices, etc.) and firmware, sensors, actuators, and / or mounting hardware. In the illustrated example, the ECU 350 can include a telematics control unit 352 and a body control unit 354.

[0050] The telematics control unit 352 can control tracking of the vehicle 100, for example, using data received by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a communication module, and / or one or more sensors. The body control unit 354 can control various subsystems of the vehicle 100. For example, the body control unit 354 can control trunk locks, power windows, power locks, power sunroof controls, anti-theft immobilization systems, and / or power mirrors, among others. Other ECUs are also possible.

[0051] The vehicle data bus 360 can include one or more data buses that communicatively couple the in-vehicle computing system 310, the infotainment head unit 320, the communication module 330, the sensors 340, the ECUs 350, and other devices or systems connected to the vehicle data bus 360. In some examples, the vehicle data bus 360 can be implemented according to a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol defined by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 11898-1. Alternatively, in some examples, the vehicle data bus 360 can be a media oriented systems transport (MOST) bus or a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus (ISO 11898-7).

[0052] Figure 4 An example method 400 according to embodiments of the disclosure is shown. The method 400 can enable a vehicle to provide personalized autonomous notifications to passengers using one or more speakers for providing directional audio signals. Figure 4The flowchart represents machine-readable instructions stored in memory (such as memory 312) and may include one or more programs that, when executed by a processor (such as processor 110), cause vehicle 100 and / or one or more systems or devices to perform one or more functions described herein. Although references... Figure 4 The flowchart shown illustrates an exemplary procedure, but many other methods for implementing the functionality described herein can be used alternatively. For example, the execution order of the blocks can be rearranged or executed sequentially or in parallel with each other, and the blocks can be changed, eliminated, and / or combined to perform method 400. Furthermore, because of the connection between Figures 1 to... Figure 3 The components disclose method 400, so some of the functions of those components will not be described in detail below.

[0053] Method 400 may begin at block 402. At block 404, method 400 may include receiving a passenger destination. For example, the passenger destination may be received from a passenger-controlled mobile device or from a cloud-based server.

[0054] At block 406, method 400 may include determining a passenger seat. This may include determining which seat corresponds to a passenger. In the presence of multiple passengers, it may also include determining which passenger corresponds to which seat. In some examples, this may be done via communication between the vehicle and the passenger's mobility device. The vehicle may include sensors configured to pair with the mobility device using one or more protocols such as Bluetooth in order to match seats with passengers.

[0055] At box 408, method 400 may include determining a notification to be sent to the passenger. The notification may be of any type and may include information such as arrival time, traffic updates, weather updates, etc.

[0056] At box 410, method 400 may include determining the position of a passenger's head. This may include determining the horizontal position, as well as the vertical and forward / rear positions of the passenger's head relative to one or more locations within the vehicle. The position of the passenger's head may be used to direct or beamform audio from one or more speakers.

[0057] At box 412, method 400 may include determining whether a passenger has fallen asleep. This can be determined by one or more vehicle sensors, such as cameras or other detection mechanisms. If the passenger has fallen asleep, method 400 may determine at box 414 whether a wake-up notification has been requested.

[0058] If a wake-up notification is requested, method 400 may include providing a wake-up alarm at block 416. The wake-up alarm may include an audio signal as well as a tactile alarm (such as vibration or other physical movement of a headrest, armrest, or other device). If no wake-up call is requested, method 400 may determine that no wake-up alarm is provided, and method 400 may then terminate without sending an alarm to the passenger.

[0059] However, if it is determined at box 412 that the passenger is not asleep, method 400 may include providing the determined notification to the passenger. This may include beamforming the audio toward the passenger's head or otherwise directing the audio. Method 400 may then end at box 420.

[0060] In this application, the use of transitional conjunctions is intended to encompass the conjunction itself. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. Specifically, references to “the” object or “a / one” object are also intended to indicate one of a possible plurality of such objects. Furthermore, the conjunction “or” can be used to convey features that coexist rather than mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or” should be understood as including “and / or”. The terms “includes,” “including,” and “include” are inclusive and have the same scope as “comprises,” “comprising,” and “comprise,” respectively.

[0061] The above embodiments, and specifically, any "preferred" embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and are merely illustrative for clearly understanding the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications can be made to one or more of the above embodiments without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the technology described herein. All modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure and are protected by the following claims.

[0062] According to the present invention, a vehicle is provided having: a plurality of seats; a plurality of audio transducers; and a processor configured to: determine a passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination; determine a notification based on the predetermined destination; and send the notification to the passenger via one or more of the plurality of audio transducers based on the determined passenger head position.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the processor is also configured to determine the passenger seat based on electronic coupling with a movement device corresponding to the passenger.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the passenger seat is input by the passenger via an application on the mobile device.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the passenger seat is determined based on a determined location of the mobile device.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the passenger seat is determined based on a pairing of the mobile device with a sensor mounted to the passenger seat.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the predetermined destination is received by the processor from a mobile device corresponding to the passenger.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the notification is based on a determined vehicle location.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the plurality of audio transducers includes a respective audio transducer corresponding to each of the plurality of seats, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the notification to the passenger by beamforming an output signal of a first audio transducer of the plurality of audio transducers based on the determined passenger head position.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the plurality of audio transducers are located at two or more locations within the vehicle, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the notification by selecting two or more audio transducers from the plurality of audio transducers such that respective output signals from the two or more audio transducers constructively interfere at a location corresponding to the determined passenger head position.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the output signal of each of the two or more selected audio transducers is inaudible, and wherein the constructively interfering signal from the two or more selected audio transducers is audible.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the processor is further configured to determine the passenger head position based on data from an ultrasonic sensor.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the processor is further configured to determine the passenger head position based on data from a video camera.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the notification is a first notification, and wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the passenger is in a sleep state based on the passenger head position; and responsively determine not to transmit a second notification.

[0075] According to the invention, a method of providing a notification to a passenger of a vehicle includes determining, by a vehicle processor, a passenger seat from a plurality of seats, the passenger seat corresponding to a passenger having a predetermined destination; determining the notification based on the predetermined destination; and transmitting the notification to the passenger through one or more of a plurality of audio transducers based on a determined passenger head position.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the above invention features further wherein the passenger seat is determined based on an electronic coupling with a mobile device corresponding to the passenger.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the passenger seat is determined based on a determined location of the mobile device.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the predetermined destination is received from a mobile device corresponding to the passenger.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the plurality of audio transducers includes a respective audio transducer corresponding to each seat of the plurality of seats, the method further comprising transmitting the notification to the passenger based on the determined passenger head position by beamforming an output signal of a first audio transducer of the plurality of audio transducers.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the plurality of audio transducers are located at two or more locations within the vehicle, the method further comprising transmitting the notification by selecting two or more audio transducers from the plurality of audio transducers such that respective output signals from the two or more audio transducers constructively interfere at a location corresponding to the determined passenger head position.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the above invention features further wherein the notification is a first notification, the method comprising determining that the passenger is in a sleep state based on the passenger head position; and responsively determining not to transmit a second notification.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: Multiple seats; Multiple audio transducers; as well as Processor, the processor being configured to: Determine passenger seats corresponding to passengers with predetermined destinations; Notification is determined based on the predetermined destination; as well as Based on the determined passenger head position, the notification is sent to the passenger through two or more of the plurality of audio transducers; The signal from each of the two or more audio transducers is inaudible, while the combined signal obtained by the constructive interference of the signals from the two or more audio transducers is audible.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the passenger seat based on electronic coupling with a mobility device corresponding to the passenger.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the passenger seat is input by the passenger via an application on the mobile device.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the passenger seat is determined based on the determined position of the mobility device.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the passenger seat is determined based on the pairing of the mobile device with sensors mounted to the passenger seat.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predetermined destination is received by the processor from the mobile device corresponding to the passenger.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the notification is based on the determined vehicle location.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audio transducers includes a corresponding audio transducer for each of the plurality of seats, and wherein the processor is further configured to send the notification to the passenger by beamforming the output signal of a first audio transducer of the plurality of audio transducers based on the determined passenger head position.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audio transducers are located at two or more locations within the vehicle, and wherein the processor is further configured to send the notification by selecting two or more audio transducers from the plurality of audio transducers such that the corresponding output signals from the two or more audio transducers constructively interfere at locations corresponding to the determined passenger head position.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the position of the passenger's head based on data from an ultrasonic sensor or a camera.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the notification is a first notification, and wherein the processor is further configured to: The passenger is determined to be asleep based on their head position; and The response determines that no second notification will be sent.

12. A method for providing notifications to vehicle passengers, comprising: The vehicle processor determines passenger seats from a plurality of seats, the passenger seats corresponding to passengers with predetermined destinations; The notification is determined based on the predetermined destination; as well as Based on the determined passenger head position, the notification is sent to the passenger through two or more of a plurality of audio transducers; The signal from each of the two or more audio transducers is inaudible, while the combined signal obtained by the constructive interference of the signals from the two or more audio transducers is audible.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: The passenger seat is determined based on electronic coupling with a mobile device corresponding to the passenger, wherein the passenger seat is determined based on the determined position of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: The passenger seat is determined based on electronic coupling with the mobile device corresponding to the passenger, wherein the predetermined destination is received from the mobile device corresponding to the passenger.

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