Method and apparatus for user-based noise cancellation

Abstract

Methods and systems are described herein for vehicle systems that provide built-in noise cancellation functionality for a vehicle and automatic detection of auxiliary seats (e.g., baby car seats) that may be located in the vehicle. In one or more embodiments, a method for controlling a noise cancellation system includes determining a presence of an auxiliary seat in an area of a vehicle and, in response to the presence of the auxiliary seat, activating a noise cancellation device to adjust a noise level in the area of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for an audio environment of a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle audio systems typically include speakers distributed throughout the interior of the vehicle to provide sound. Advanced vehicle audio systems often include large subwoofers with dedicated amplifiers. The cabin of a vehicle may include multiple zones that may be occupied by users. The speakers of a vehicle audio system may be dedicated to a zone, or may be shared by more than one zone of the vehicle. For some users, such as children or infants, an auxiliary carrier (e.g., an infant car seat, a child booster seat, etc.) may be positioned in a zone of the cabin of the vehicle to assist in positioning the child or infant in the corresponding zone. Summary of the invention

[0003] A vehicle ecosystem includes an audio system that provides an auditory experience, such as playing music, to the vehicle's occupants regardless of their age. For younger occupants (such as children and infants) whose ear canals may not yet be fully developed, noise levels in excess of 60 decibels may result in decreased hearing efficiency and may cause ruptured eardrums. Additionally, older occupants (e.g., 65 years and older) may be sensitive to noise levels above 65-70 decibels, and exposure to noise levels above 65-70 decibels may cause discomfort to the elderly. On average, the noise level of a vehicle ecosystem exceeds 75 decibels. Systems and methods of vehicle systems are expected to enable vehicle occupants to engage in an auditory experience at decibel levels that are expected for their respective ages.

[0004] Methods and systems for a vehicle ecosystem are described herein that provide noise cancellation functionality for a vehicle and / or an auxiliary carrier (e.g., an infant car seat) that may be placed in a vehicle. A method for user-based noise cancellation includes detecting the presence and age of a user; determining an ambient sound level; and in response to the presence of the user and determining that the ambient sound level exceeds a sound level threshold for the age of the user, outputting sound via a speaker to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. Specifically, when implemented in the vehicle of the vehicle ecosystem, the method includes detecting a zone of the vehicle in which the user and / or the auxiliary carrier are located, and outputting sound via one or more speakers of the vehicle based on the zone in which the user and / or the auxiliary carrier are located. The auxiliary carrier may be located in the vehicle, may be moved into or out of the vehicle, or may be located outside the vehicle. The method performed by the auxiliary carrier of the vehicle system includes: when the ambient sound level exceeds a first sound level threshold, outputting sound via a speaker of the auxiliary carrier located in a first zone of the vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level; and when the auxiliary carrier is located in a second zone of the vehicle and the ambient sound level exceeds a second sound level threshold, outputting sound via a speaker of the second zone of the vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. A method for user-based noise cancellation may also include detecting a position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle, and outputting sound via a speaker of the vehicle or a speaker of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level based on the position of the auxiliary carrier. The method also includes reducing the ambient sound level to a first level when the age of the user is within a first age range, and reducing the ambient sound level to a second level different from the first level when the age of the user is within a second age range different from the first age range.

[0005] It should be understood that the above summary is provided to introduce a series of concepts further described in the detailed description in a simplified form. It is not meant to identify the key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is uniquely defined by the claims following the detailed description. In addition, the claimed subject matter is not limited to embodiments that address any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present disclosure may be better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 A block diagram showing an onboard computing system and one or more external devices;

[0008] Figure 2A schematic diagram showing a vehicle compartment divided into a plurality of zones;

[0009] Figure 3 A diagram showing noise cancellation by a speaker of a vehicle;

[0010] Figure 4 a diagram showing noise cancellation by a speaker of an auxiliary carrier; and

[0011] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C A flow chart of a method for adjusting noise cancellation within a vehicle system including a vehicle and an auxiliary vehicle is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following description relates to systems and methods for user-based noise cancellation in vehicle systems, and specifically, in response to detecting the presence of a user in a corresponding zone of a vehicle's cabin, the age of the user being within a noise-sensitive age range (e.g., an infant or an elderly person), and the ambient sound level exceeding a sound level threshold for the corresponding age range, activating noise cancellation in the corresponding zone and / or an auxiliary carrier. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level may include the audio output of the vehicle's speakers, and in other embodiments, the ambient sound level may additionally or alternatively include background noise, such as conversations, notification sounds, vehicle operating noise, etc. In this way, the volume (e.g., ambient sound level) around an infant or an elderly person may be automatically reduced, which may reduce hearing loss and / or user discomfort of a riding infant or an elderly person due to excessive volume levels. The noise levels of other vehicle zones of the vehicle (e.g., other vehicle seats) may not be affected by noise cancellation, thereby allowing other occupants of the vehicle to continue to listen to audio at a desired level. The methods and systems described herein may further reduce degradation of the speakers of the vehicle and / or an auxiliary carrier, because some but not all speakers of the respective systems may be used for noise cancellation.

[0013] Figure 1 An exemplary onboard computing system of a vehicle is shown, where the onboard computing system may include and / or be communicatively coupled to elements of the vehicle and an auxiliary carrier (eg, an infant car seat, a child booster seat). Figure 2 A vehicle (which may be Figure 1 The arrangement of the vehicle area within the compartment of a vehicle (a vehicle in a vehicle). Figure 3 shows a vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 to Figure 2 Illustration of noise cancellation performed by speakers in a zone of a vehicle). Figure 4 A diagram showing noise cancellation by a loudspeaker of an auxiliary carrier, which may be located within the vehicle, moved into or out of the vehicle, or located outside the vehicle, for example. Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C A flow chart showing a method for adjusting noise cancellation in a vehicle system comprising Figure 4 The auxiliary carrier and Figures 1 to 3 In short, about FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C The described method illustrates different ways of performing noise cancellation in response to a user being located in different zones of the vehicle, in response to the age of the user, and in response to the presence and / or position of an auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle.

[0014] Figure 1 A block diagram of an onboard computing system 109 configured and / or integrated within a vehicle 102 is shown. The onboard computing system 109 may perform one or more of the methods described herein in some embodiments. In some examples, the onboard computing system 109 may be a vehicle infotainment system configured to provide information-based media content (audio and / or visual media content, including entertainment content, navigation services, etc.) to a vehicle user to enhance the operator's in-vehicle experience. The onboard computing system 109 may include or be coupled to various vehicle systems, subsystems, hardware components, and software applications and systems that are integrated or integrable into the vehicle 102 to enhance the in-vehicle experience of the driver and / or passengers. The onboard computing system 109 may also be coupled to elements of an auxiliary carrier, such as those related to the vehicle. Figure 4 Further described.

[0015] The vehicle computing system 109 may include one or more processors, including an operating system processor 114 and an interface processor 120. The operating system processor 114 may execute an operating system on the vehicle computing system 109 and control input / output, display, playback, and other operations of the vehicle computing system 109. The interface processor 120 may interface with a vehicle control system 130 via an inter-vehicle system communication module 122.

[0016] The inter-vehicle system communication module 122 can output data to one or more other vehicle systems 131 and one or more other vehicle control elements 161, while also receiving data input from other vehicle systems 131 and other vehicle control elements 161, for example, through the vehicle control system 130. When outputting data, the inter-vehicle system communication module 122 can provide a signal corresponding to the output of any state of the vehicle, the vehicle's surrounding environment, or any other information source connected to the vehicle via the bus. The vehicle data output can include, for example, analog signals (such as current speed), digital signals provided by separate information sources (such as clocks, thermometers, position sensors such as global positioning system (GPS) sensors, etc.), digital signals propagated through vehicle data networks (such as engine controller area network (CAN) buses through which engine-related information can be transmitted, climate control CAN buses through which climate control-related information can be transmitted, and multimedia data networks through which multimedia data can be transmitted between multimedia components in the vehicle). For example, the on-board computing system 109 can retrieve the current speed of the vehicle estimated by the wheel sensor, the power state of the vehicle obtained via the vehicle's battery and / or power distribution system, the ignition state of the vehicle, etc. from the engine CAN bus. Additionally, other docking arrangements such as Ethernet may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0017] A storage device 108 may be included in the vehicle computing system 109 to store data such as instructions that can be executed by the operating system processor 114 and the interface processor 120 in a non-volatile form. The storage device 108 can store application data, including pre-recorded sounds, to enable the vehicle computing system 109 to run applications to connect with a cloud-based server and / or collect information for transmission to a cloud-based server. The application can retrieve information collected by vehicle systems / sensors, input devices (e.g., user interface 118), stored in one or more storage devices (such as volatile memory 119A or non-volatile memory 119B), devices that communicate with the vehicle computing system (e.g., via data in the mobile device connected by the link). is a registered trademark of the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. of Kirkland, Washington.) The onboard computing system 109 may also include volatile memory 119A. The volatile memory 119A may be random access memory (RAM). Non-transitory storage devices, such as non-volatile storage devices 108 and / or non-volatile memory 119B, may store instructions and / or code that, when executed by a processor (e.g., operating system processor 114 and / or interface processor 120), controls the onboard computing system 109 to perform one or more of the actions described in the present disclosure.

[0018] The microphone 103 may be included in the vehicle computing system 109 to: receive voice commands from a user; measure background noise in the vehicle; determine whether the audio from the vehicle's speakers is tuned to the vehicle's acoustic environment, etc. The voice processing unit 104 may process voice commands, such as those received from the microphone 103. In some embodiments, the vehicle computing system 109 may also be capable of using a microphone included in the vehicle's audio system 132 to receive voice commands and sample surrounding vehicle noise. Figures 2 to 3 As further described, the cabin of the vehicle may include more than one microphone 103. In short, the cabin may be divided into a plurality of zones, and each of the plurality of zones may have a microphone located therein to measure background noise within the corresponding zone.

[0019] One or more additional sensors may be included in the sensor subsystem 110 of the onboard computing system or 109. For example, the sensor subsystem 110 may include a camera, such as a rearview camera for assisting a user in parking a vehicle and / or a cabin camera for identifying a user (e.g., using facial recognition and / or user gestures). As further described herein, the cabin camera may be used to detect the relative age of the user. The sensor subsystem 110 may also include, for example, one or more pressure sensors and / or attachment sensors in one or more zones of the cabin to detect the presence of a user in the corresponding zone. In some embodiments, the sensor subsystem 110 includes an auxiliary carrier sensor, which is, for example, integrated in a zone of the cabin of the vehicle and configured to detect the positioning and / or connection of an auxiliary carrier in the zone. The sensor subsystem 110 of the onboard computing system 109 may communicate with and receive input from various vehicle sensors and may further receive user input. For example, inputs received by the sensor subsystem 110 may include transmission gear position, transmission clutch position, accelerator pedal input, brake input, transmission selector position, vehicle speed, engine speed, mass air flow through the engine, ambient temperature, intake temperature, etc., as well as inputs from climate control system sensors, audio sensors that detect voice commands issued by a user, remote control key sensors that receive commands from a vehicle's remote control key and optionally track the geographic location / proximity of the remote control key, and the like.

[0020] While certain vehicle system sensors may communicate solely with the sensor subsystem 110, other sensors may communicate with both the sensor subsystem 110 and the vehicle control system 130, or may communicate indirectly with the sensor subsystem 110 via the vehicle control system 130. The navigation subsystem 111 of the onboard computing system 109 may generate and / or receive navigation information, such as location information (e.g., via a GPS sensor and / or other sensors from the sensor subsystem 110), route guidance, traffic information, point of interest (POI) identification, and / or provide other navigation services to the driver.

[0021] The external device interface 112 of the onboard computing system 109 may be connectable to and / or communicate with one or more external devices 150 located outside the vehicle 102. For example, in some embodiments, the auxiliary carrier may include an auxiliary carrier controller that includes a processor and a memory. The external device interface 112 may enable communication between the onboard computing system 109 and the carrier controller, as described herein with respect to Figure 4 Although the external devices are shown as being located outside the vehicle 102, it should be understood that they may be temporarily placed in the vehicle 102, such as when a user is operating the external device while operating the vehicle 102, or when an auxiliary carrier is located in the vehicle's cabin. In other words, the external device 150 is not integral to the vehicle 102. The external device 150 may include the mobile device 142 (e.g., via NFC, or other wireless connection) or alternative support Device 152. ( is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, Austin, Texas.)

[0022] The mobile device 142 may be a mobile phone, a smart phone, a wearable device / sensor, or other portable electronic device that can communicate with the vehicle-mounted computing system via wired and / or wireless communications. Other external devices include one or more external services 146. For example, the external device may include an off-vehicle device that is separate from the vehicle and located outside it. Still other external devices include one or more external storage devices 154, such as a solid-state drive, a pen drive, a universal serial bus (USB) drive, etc. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the external device 150 may communicate with the vehicle-mounted computing system 109 wirelessly or via a connector. For example, the external device 150 may communicate with the vehicle-mounted computing system 109 through the external device interface 112 through a network 160, a USB connection, a direct wired connection, a direct wireless connection, and / or other communication links.

[0023] The external device interface 112 may provide a communication interface to enable the vehicle computing system to communicate with a mobile device associated with the driver's contacts. For example, the external device interface 112 may enable a phone call to be established with the mobile device associated with the driver's contacts and / or a text message (e.g., short message service (SMS), multimedia message service (MMS), etc.) to be sent to the mobile device (e.g., via a cellular communication network). The external device interface 112 may additionally or alternatively provide a wireless communication interface to enable the vehicle computing system to communicate with the driver's contacts via a cellular communication network. The data is synchronized with one or more devices in the vehicle (eg, the driver's mobile device), as described in more detail below.

[0024] One or more applications 144 may be operated on the mobile device 142. As an example, the mobile device application 144 may be operated to aggregate user data about the user's interaction with the mobile device. For example, the mobile device application 144 may aggregate data about the following: a music playlist that the user listens to on the mobile device, a phone call log (including the frequency and duration of phone calls received by the user), location information (including locations frequented by the user and the amount of time spent at each location), etc. The collected data may be transmitted by the application 144 to the external device interface 112 via the network 160. In addition, a specific user data request may be received from the onboard computing system 109 via the external device interface 112 at the mobile device 142. The specific data request may include a request to determine the user's geographic location, the background noise level and / or music genre at the user's location, the ambient weather conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) at the user's location, etc. The mobile device application 144 may send control instructions to components (e.g., microphones, amplifiers, etc.) of the mobile device 142 or other applications (e.g., navigation applications) to enable the collection of the requested data or the requested adjustments to the components on the mobile device. The mobile device application 144 may then relay the collected information back to the onboard computing system 109 .

[0025] Likewise, one or more applications 148 may operate on external services 146. As an example, external service applications 148 may be operated to aggregate and / or analyze data from multiple data sources. For example, external service applications 148 may aggregate data from one or more social media accounts of a user, data from an onboard computing system (e.g., sensor data, log files, user input, etc.), data from Internet queries (e.g., weather data, POI data), etc. The collected data may be transmitted to another device and / or analyzed by the application to determine the context of the driver, vehicle, and environment and perform actions based on the context (e.g., requesting / sending data to other devices).

[0026] The vehicle control system 130 may include controls for controlling aspects of various vehicle systems 131 involved in different in-vehicle functions. These may include, for example, controlling aspects of the vehicle audio system 132 for providing audio entertainment to vehicle occupants, aspects of the climate control system 134 for meeting the cabin cooling or heating needs of vehicle occupants, and aspects of the telecommunications system 136 for enabling vehicle occupants to establish telecommunication connections with others.

[0027] The audio system 132 may include one or more sound reproduction devices, including electromagnetic transducers, such as one or more speakers 135. The vehicle audio system 132 may be passive, or active, such as by including a power amplifier. In some examples, the onboard computing system 109 may be the only audio source for the sound reproduction devices, or there may be other audio sources (e.g., external devices such as mobile phones) connected to the audio reproduction system. The connection of any such external devices to the audio reproduction devices may be analog, digital, or any combination of analog and digital technologies. As described with respect to FIG. Figure 2 As further described, the cabin of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 102) may be divided into different zones. Each zone may have a dedicated set of one or more speakers 135 located therein to produce audio output for the corresponding zone. Additionally or alternatively, one or more speakers 135 of the audio system 132 may be shared by two or more zones, for example, by being placed between zones and producing audio output for both zones.

[0028] The vehicle control system 130 may also include controls for adjusting settings of various vehicle control elements 161 (or vehicle controls, or vehicle system control elements) associated with the engine and / or auxiliary elements within the vehicle's cabin, such as one or more steering wheel controls 162 (e.g., steering wheel mounted audio system controls, cruise controls, windshield wiper controls, headlight controls, turn signal controls, etc.), instrument panel controls, microphones, accelerator / brake / clutch pedals, shift levers, door / window controls located in the driver's door or passenger door, seat controls, cabin light controls, audio system controls, cabin temperature controls, etc. The vehicle control elements 161 may also include internal engine and vehicle operating controls (e.g., engine controller modules, actuators, valves, etc.) configured to receive instructions via the vehicle's CAN bus to change the operation of one or more of the engine, exhaust system, transmission, and / or other vehicle systems. The control signals may also control the audio output at one or more speakers 135 of the vehicle audio system 132. For example, the control signal may adjust audio output characteristics such as volume, balance, audio image (e.g., an audio signal configuration that produces an audio output that appears to a user to be originating from one or more defined locations), audio distribution between multiple speakers, etc. Figures 2 to 5B As further described, in response to determining that a user within a predetermined age range (e.g., an infant or an elderly person) is located in a zone of the vehicle, the audio output characteristics of the zone of the vehicle can be adjusted. Similarly, the control signal can control the vents, air conditioner, and / or heater of the climate control system 134. For example, the control signal can increase the delivery of cooling air to a specific section of the vehicle cabin.

[0029] Control elements located outside the vehicle (e.g., controllers for safety systems) may also be connected to the onboard computing system 109, such as via the inter-vehicle system communication module 122. The control elements of the vehicle control system 130 may be physically and permanently located on and / or in the vehicle for receiving user input. In addition to receiving control instructions from the onboard computing system 109, the vehicle control system 130 may also receive input from one or more external devices 150 operated by a user, such as from a mobile device 142. This allows various aspects of the vehicle system 131 and the vehicle control elements 161 to be controlled based on the user input received from the external device 150.

[0030] The onboard computing system 109 may also include one or more antennas 106. The onboard computing system may obtain broadband wireless Internet access via the antennas 106, and may further receive broadcast signals such as radio, television, weather, traffic, etc. The onboard computing system 109 may receive positioning signals such as GPS signals via the antennas 106. The onboard computing system may also receive wireless commands via radio frequency (RF) (such as via the antennas 106) or via infrared or other means through appropriate receiving devices. In some embodiments, the antenna 106 may be included as part of the audio system 132 or the telecommunications system 136. In addition, the antenna 106 may provide AM / FM radio signals to an external device 150 (such as, to a mobile device 142) via the external device interface 112.

[0031] The user may control one or more elements of the onboard computing system 109 via the user interface 118. The user interface 118 may include a graphical user interface presented on a touch screen and / or display screen, and / or user-actuated buttons, switches, knobs, dials, sliders, etc. For example, the user-actuated elements may include steering wheel controls, door and / or window controls, dashboard controls, audio system settings, climate control system settings, etc. The user may also interact with one or more applications of the onboard computing system 109 and the mobile device 142 via the user interface 118. In addition to receiving the user's vehicle setting preferences on the user interface 118, the vehicle settings selected by the onboard control system 130 may also be displayed to the user on the user interface 118. Notifications and other messages (e.g., received messages) and navigation assistance may be displayed to the user on a display of the user interface. User preferences / information and / or responses to presented messages may be executed via user input to the user interface.

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a vehicle 200 is shown with a compartment 202 divided into a plurality of zones. The vehicle 200 may be Figure 1 102, and thus includes elements of an onboard computing system 109, and may be coupled to one or more external devices 150 (e.g., an auxiliary carrier, such as a Figure 4 ) and / or capable of communicating with the one or more external devices. Figure 2 Other embodiments of vehicle 200 may include more Figure 2 More or fewer zones may be shown, and the number of zones may depend on the size and shape of the vehicle. In some embodiments, each zone includes a seat 204 or other area in which a user may be located when the vehicle is stationary or moving. In other embodiments, some but not all of the multiple zones may include seats or areas where a user may be located. For example, Figure 2 Zone 2 as shown may include a gear shifter, storage bin, armrest, or other structure not intended for receiving a user. The corresponding number or other identifier for each zone and information about where the zone is located in the vehicle cabin 202 may be stored in the vehicle's memory (e.g., volatile memory 119A or non-volatile memory 119B). For example, zone 1 may be a region of the vehicle that includes drive controls 206 (e.g., steering wheel controls, dashboard controls, accelerator / brake / clutch pedals, gear shifter, etc.) that may be actuated by a user to control the driving of the vehicle.

[0033] As about Figure 1Briefly described, the zone of the vehicle's compartment may include sensors of the sensor subsystem 110. The user sensor 208 located in one or more zones of the compartment and / or used by one or more zones of the compartment may be configured to detect the presence of the user in the corresponding zone, and in some cases detect the relative age of the user. In other embodiments, the user sensor 208 may detect the presence of the auxiliary carrier in addition to detecting the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier. In some embodiments, the user sensor may be used for one or more of the multiple zones. Each zone may include one, more or no exemplary user sensors described herein. For example, zone 4, zone 5, and zone 6 may each include the same or different types of user sensors configured to detect the presence of the user. The user sensor 208 may be a pressure sensor and / or an attachment sensor configured to detect the presence of the user in the corresponding zone. The pressure sensor may be configured to detect the presence of the user based on a weight deviation (e.g., a weight deviation greater than a positive, non-zero weight deviation threshold may indicate the presence of the user in the corresponding zone). The attachment sensor may detect the engagement of a safety belt, a clip, or other attachment means that assists in positioning the user and / or the auxiliary carrier in the zone of the compartment 202. A pressure sensor, a seat belt or other attachment sensor, or another type of user sensor may also be used to detect the presence of an auxiliary carrier (such as an infant car seat), as described herein with respect to Figures 4 to 5B In another example, the user sensor may be a cabin camera 210, for example, located in zone 2 and used to identify a user in any of zones 1-9. A second similarly configured cabin camera 212 may be positioned in zone 8 to identify a user in any of zones 1-9 from an angle different from cabin camera 210. As further described herein, the cabin camera may be used to detect the relative age of the user as well as the presence of the user. In some embodiments, a user sensor configured for use in a noise cancellation method (e.g., as described with respect to Figures 3 to 5C The noise cancellation system may be integrated in each zone (e.g., each vehicle seat). In other embodiments, the noise cancellation system may be integrated in some of the zones, such as zones 4, 5, and 6. One or more zones of the cabin 202 may also include an ambient sound sensor 216, such as a microphone configured to detect the ambient sound level within the corresponding zone.

[0034] The cabin 202 of the vehicle 200 may include a plurality of sound reproduction devices including electromagnetic transducers, such as one or more speakers (e.g., Figure 1 Each zone may have one or more speakers located therein that produce audio outputs specific to the corresponding zone. Additionally or alternatively, one or more speakers may be shared by two or more zones, for example, by being placed between zones and / or producing audio outputs for both zones. For example, in Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, a first speaker 214a is located in zone 1 and produces audio output for zone 1. A second speaker 214b is located between zone 1 and zone 4 and produces audio output for zone 1 and zone 4. As described herein, the audio output of the first speaker 214a and the first speaker 214a is dedicated to zone 1, while the audio output of the second speaker 214b and the second speaker 214b is shared by zone 1 and zone 4. A third speaker 214c is located in zone 4 and produces audio output for zone 4. A fourth speaker 214d and a fifth speaker 214e are located in zone 7 and produce audio output for zone 7. A sixth speaker 214f ​​is located in zone 8 and produces audio output for zone 8. A seventh speaker 214g and an eighth speaker 214h are located in zone 9 and produce audio output for zone 9. A ninth speaker 214i is located in zone 6 and produces audio output for zone 6. A tenth speaker 214j is located between zone 6 and zone 3 and produces audio output for zones 6 and 3. The eleventh speaker 214k is located in zone 3 and generates audio output for zone 3. The twelfth speaker 214m is located between zones 1, 2, and 3 and generates audio output for zones 1, 2, and 3. The thirteenth speaker 214n is located in zone 2 and generates audio output for zones 2 and 5. Figure 2 As shown: Zone 1, Zone 3, Zone 4, and Zone 6 each have both a dedicated speaker and at least one shared speaker; each of Zone 7, Zone 8, and Zone 9 has a dedicated speaker; and Zone 5 has a dedicated speaker located in Zone 2. In other embodiments of the vehicle's cabin, the speakers may be positioned and / or configured as the same or different dedicated or shared speaker configurations. In this way, some speakers of the cabin 202 are dedicated to a certain zone, while other speakers of the cabin 202 are shared between two or more zones. The noise cancellation method as further described herein may include determining whether a user and / or an auxiliary carrier is located in a first zone of the cabin or in a second zone of the cabin, the first zone having one or more speakers shared with another zone of the cabin, and the second zone not having any speakers shared with another zone of the cabin.

[0035] As about Figures 3 to 5C As further described, the sound level of audio output from the one or more speakers can be at least partially reduced by outputting sound via one or more speakers in response to detecting a user in a zone, where the age of the user is within a predetermined age range (e.g., indicating that the user is an infant or an elderly person) and the sound level is greater than a threshold sound level for the corresponding age range. For example, the sound level can be reduced to below the threshold sound level for the corresponding age range. The speakers that output sound to at least partially reduce the sound level can be based on which speakers are outputting audio. For example, in response to detecting a user in a zone with all dedicated speakers (e.g., Figure 2In another example, in response to identifying a user located in a zone having at least one dedicated speaker and at least one shared speaker as an infant or an elderly person, one or more of the at least one dedicated speakers may output sounds to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In another example, if the auxiliary carrier is located in a zone that shares one or more speakers with another zone, the speakers of the auxiliary carrier (e.g., as described with respect to Figure 3 The additional information about the sound output to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level may be related to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C Give a description.

[0036] Go to Figure 3 , a diagram 300 is shown that illustrates noise cancellation performed by one or more speakers of a vehicle 310. The diagram 300 includes a user 306 located in a zone 302. The vehicle 310 may be Figure 1 Vehicle 102 and / or Figure 2 An example of a vehicle 200, and zone 302 may be Figure 2 An example of a zone of vehicle 200 . Figure 3 A coordinate system 350 is provided for reference in FIG. In one example, the y-axis can be a vertical axis (e.g., parallel to the gravity axis), the x-axis can be a lateral axis (e.g., a horizontal axis), and the z-axis can be a longitudinal axis. However, in other examples, the axes can have other orientations. Figure 3 In the example of , the zone includes four speakers. One or more of the four speakers may be dedicated to the zone, as described in relation to Figure 2 In some embodiments, one or more of the four speakers may be shared by zone 302 and another zone of vehicle 310 .

[0037] Figure 3 The arrangement of four speakers shown includes a first speaker 304a and a second speaker 304b located on the left side of the zone 302, and a third speaker 304c and a fourth speaker 304d located on the right side of the zone 302. The first speaker 304a and the third speaker 304c may be referred to herein as front speakers (e.g., located near the front end 352 of the vehicle 310), while the second speaker 304b and the fourth speaker 304d may be referred to herein as rear speakers (e.g., located near the rear end 354 of the vehicle 310). In different embodiments, the user 306 may be positioned in different orientations within the zone 302. For example, when the user 306 and / or the auxiliary carrier in which the user 306 is located is a first size, the user 306 may be positioned as follows: Figure 3302, wherein the user's feet are toward the front end 352 of the vehicle 310, and the user's head is toward the rear end 354 of the vehicle 310. In other embodiments, when the user 306 and / or the auxiliary carrier where the user 306 is located is a second size smaller than the first size, the user 306 can be positioned so that the user's feet are toward the rear end 354 of the vehicle 310, and the user's head is toward the front end 352 of the vehicle 310. Each of the four speakers can have the same configuration in terms of power and volume output range. Each of the first speaker 304a, the second speaker 304b, the third speaker 304c and the fourth speaker 304d can be at a distance 312 from the user 306, wherein the distance 312 of each of the four speakers can be the same or can be different. The sound from the speaker in the four speakers is represented by a solid wave 314 or a dotted wave 316 from the corresponding speaker to the user 306. The sound can be the same volume, and can be the same type of sound (e.g., music, podcasts, audiobooks, phone calls, etc.).

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, and about FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C Further described, the noise cancellation method includes controlling one or more vehicle amplifiers (e.g., speakers) so that sound from the left side of the user 306 arrives at the location of the user 306 delayed by half a wavelength relative to sound from the right side. For example, delaying the sound by half a wavelength can be implemented using off-the-shelf digital signal processing (DSP) or field programmable gate array (FPGA) chips, one or more of which can be included in the vehicle computing system. Approximately half of the speakers in the zone may output sound. In an embodiment including an even number of speakers (e.g., such as Figure 3 ), half of the speakers can output sound. In an embodiment including an odd number of speakers, the integer number of speakers closest to half of the total number of speakers can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In another embodiment with an odd number of speakers, the output of certain speakers of the array can be stopped to reduce the number of speakers with output to an even number, and half of the speakers with output can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. As shown in diagram 320, the solid line wave 314 from the first speaker 304a and the second speaker 304b and the dotted line wave 316 from the third speaker 304c and the fourth speaker 304d offset (e.g., delay) the sound from the left and right sides of zone 302, thereby achieving noise cancellation 318. Noise cancellation in this manner can be further described with respect to Formula 1 and Formula 2:

[0039] In = v / f (1)

[0040] Δt=(Dl-Dxr+λ / 2) / v (2)

[0041] Where v is velocity, f is frequency, λ is wavelength, D is distance, Δt is time delay, x is the position of the speaker (eg, front or back), l is left, and r is right.

[0042] As about FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C As further described, the noise cancellation method includes detecting the presence of a user 306 within zone 302 via a user sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor, an attachment sensor, and / or a camera); determining that the age of user 306 is within an age range indicating that the user may be sensitive to noise; and determining that the ambient sound level within zone 302 is greater than a sound threshold for the corresponding age range. For example, the user sensor can be a camera equipped with facial detection capabilities and capable of detecting the location and age of the user. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level can include sound output by a speaker in zone 302 and can be detected by a controller of the vehicle (e.g., the onboard computing system 109) as a commanded volume output level. In other embodiments, the ambient sound level can also include background noise, such as conversations of other users of the vehicle and road / vehicle noise, which can be detected by a microphone located in zone 302 (e.g., Figure 1 The method further comprises outputting a sound via one or more dedicated speakers (e.g., a third speaker 304c and a fourth speaker 304d) of the zone to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. For example, when the ambient sound level includes the sound output by the speakers of the zone 302, the method may include outputting the same sound at the same volume level from each of the first speaker 304a, the second speaker 304b, the third speaker 304c, and the fourth speaker 304d, wherein the sound output by the third speaker 304c and the fourth speaker 304d is delayed by half a wavelength relative to the sound output by the first speaker 304a and the second speaker 304b. When the ambient sound level also includes additional background noise (e.g., from other users, road noise, vehicle noise), the sound output by at least one speaker of the zone may include reflections of the ambient sound detected by the microphone. In this way, local noise cancellation may be provided for a certain zone of the vehicle cabin without adjusting the volume levels of all speakers of the vehicle cabin.

[0043] Go to Figure 4, a diagram 400 is shown showing noise cancellation performed by one or more speakers of an auxiliary carrier 410. The auxiliary carrier 410 includes a seat 402 in which a user 406 can be located. The seat 402 can be at least partially located within a quiet zone 404 of the auxiliary carrier 410. The auxiliary carrier 410 also includes a microphone array 412 and a speaker array 416, which are located in and / or around the quiet zone 404 and are configured to perform noise cancellation within the quiet zone 404 (e.g., at least partially reduce the ambient sound level within the quiet zone 404 to below a threshold sound level), as described herein and with respect to FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C 406 in the seat 402. The auxiliary carrier 410 may include one or more user sensors 418, the one or more user sensors being configured to detect the presence of the user 406 in the seat 402. The auxiliary carrier 410 may include one or more position sensors 420, the one or more position sensors being configured to detect the auxiliary carrier 410 relative to the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102, Figure 2 The position of vehicle 200).

[0044] In some embodiments, the auxiliary carrier 410 includes an auxiliary carrier computing system 409 configured to perform one or more of the methods described herein. The auxiliary carrier computing system 409 may include or be coupled to various auxiliary carrier systems, subsystems, hardware components, and software applications and systems that are integrated or integrable into the auxiliary carrier 410 to enhance the user experience of the auxiliary carrier. For example, a microphone array 412 and a speaker array 416 may be included in and / or coupled to the auxiliary carrier computing system 409, and may thus be controlled to operate in a noise cancellation capability, as further described herein. The auxiliary carrier computing system 409 may include one or more user sensors 418 and one or more position sensors 420, as further described herein. The auxiliary carrier computing system 409 may also be communicatively coupled to elements of the vehicle system, such as a wireless connection, via a wireless connection. Figure 1 The in-vehicle computing system 109.

[0045] The auxiliary carrier computing system 409 may include one or more processors, including an operating system processor 414, which may execute an operating system on the auxiliary carrier computing system 409 and control input / output, playback, and other operations of the auxiliary carrier computing system 409. The communication module 422 may output data to one or more elements of the auxiliary carrier computing system 409, while also receiving data input therefrom. The communication module 422 may also enable the auxiliary carrier to be communicatively connected to other components including the auxiliary carrier 410 and the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 The communication module 422 may provide a signal corresponding to the output of any state of the auxiliary carrier, the auxiliary carrier surroundings, or any other information source connected to the auxiliary carrier via the bus when outputting data. The auxiliary carrier data output may include, for example, analog signals (such as current speed) and digital signals provided by various information sources (e.g., position sensors 420, such as global positioning system (GPS) sensors). For example, the auxiliary carrier computing system 409 may retrieve the position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle in which the auxiliary carrier may be located from the position sensor 420, and may retrieve an indication of the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier 410 from the user sensor 418. The user sensor 418 may be one or more of a camera, a pressure sensor, an attachment sensor, and / or other types of sensors configured to detect the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier. The position sensor 420 may be one or more of a GPS or an attachment sensor configured to detect the connection of the auxiliary carrier 410 to the vehicle (e.g., the connection to the seat of the vehicle 102 via a latch).

[0046] A storage device 408 may be included in the secondary carrier computing system 409 to store data, such as instructions, in a non-volatile form that may be executed by the operating system processor 414. For example, the storage device 408 may be a non-transitory storage device that may store instructions and / or code that, when executed by a processor (e.g., the operating system processor 414), controls the secondary carrier computing system 409 to perform one or more of the actions described in the present disclosure.

[0047] The communication module 422 of the auxiliary carrier computing system 409 can be connected to and / or communicate with one or more external devices located outside the auxiliary carrier. For example, the communication module 422 can implement Figure 1 The communication module 422 may enable communication with an external device outside the vehicle, such as a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a wearable device / sensor). FIG. 5A to FIG. 5CAs further described, the communication between the auxiliary carrier computing system 409 and the vehicle computing system 109 may enable the auxiliary carrier 410 or the vehicle to perform noise cancellation, depending on the position of the auxiliary carrier 410 relative to the vehicle. In short, when the auxiliary carrier 410 is located in the vehicle, the speakers of the area of ​​the vehicle where the auxiliary carrier 410 is located may output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level of the area. When the auxiliary carrier 410 is located outside the vehicle, the speakers of the speaker array 416 of the auxiliary carrier 410 may output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level within the quiet zone 404 of the auxiliary carrier 410.

[0048] The microphone array 412 may include one or more microphones to detect the ambient sound level within the quiet zone 404 of the auxiliary carrier 410. For example, the ambient sound level may include people talking, outdoor noise, vehicle noise, music, etc. The speaker array 416 may include one or more sound reproduction devices, wherein the one or more sound reproduction devices include electromagnetic transducers, such as one or more speakers, wherein each of the one or more speakers has the same or different configurations. The operating system processor 414 may receive audio input from the one or more microphones of the microphone array 412 and execute instructions stored on the storage device 408 (e.g., the instructions described herein). FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C The method described herein can be used to generate and output control signals to control the audio output at one or more speakers of the speaker array 416. For example, the control signal can adjust audio output characteristics such as volume, balance, audio distribution between multiple speakers, etc. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C As further described, the audio output characteristics of the speaker array 416 of the auxiliary carrier 410 can be adjusted in response to determining that the user is located in the auxiliary carrier 410 and the ambient sound level (e.g., detected by one or more microphones in the microphone array 412) is greater than a threshold sound level. Sound can be output through one or more speakers of the speaker array 416 to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level (e.g., at least below the threshold sound level). The ambient sound is Figure 4 404. The sound output by one or more speakers of the speaker array 416 is shown as a solid line wave 424 entering the auxiliary carrier 410 and its quiet zone 404. The sound output by one or more speakers of the speaker array 416 is shown as a dashed line wave 426. The sound enters the quiet zone 404 and is offset by half a wavelength from the ambient sound, which results in noise cancellation. For example, delaying the sound by half a wavelength can be achieved by using one or more of a DSP chip and an FPGA chip, which can be included in the auxiliary carrier computing system 409. This manner of noise cancellation can be further described with respect to Formula 3:

[0049] Δt=λ / 2 / v(3)

[0050] Where v is velocity, λ is wavelength, and Δt is time delay. In this way, noise cancellation confined to a quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier can be provided when the auxiliary carrier is in different environments. Elements of the auxiliary carrier can provide noise cancellation when the auxiliary carrier is located inside a vehicle, outside a vehicle, and / or moving in or out of a vehicle.

[0051] In some embodiments, noise cancellation performed by one or more speakers of an auxiliary carrier may be performed by a system that is selectively coupled to the auxiliary carrier. For example, a system for an auxiliary carrier may be selectively coupled to an auxiliary carrier that does not have a microphone array and / or a speaker array. The system for the auxiliary carrier may include information about Figure 4 The elements described include an auxiliary carrier computing system 409, a microphone array 412, and a speaker array 416. When coupled to an auxiliary carrier, the auxiliary carrier system can provide a quiet zone, similar to the Figure 4 The described quiet zone 404. For example, a system for an auxiliary carrier may include: a position sensor selectively coupled to the auxiliary carrier, the position sensor configured to detect a relative position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle; a user sensor configured to detect the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier; a microphone array configured to receive a sound input; a speaker array configured to output a sound in a direction toward the auxiliary carrier; and a controller having computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to identify the position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle via the position sensor; identify the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being located in the vehicle and the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier being detected, detect the sound input via the microphone array and output the sound via the speaker array to at least partially reduce the volume level of the sound input.

[0052] Go to Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C , a high-level flow chart of a method 500 is shown for automatically adjusting the volume of an area occupied by a user to reduce the volume to a volume range expected for the age range in response to the user's age being within a certain age range. The method 500 described herein may be implemented in a vehicle system including a vehicle and an auxiliary carrier selectively positionable in the vehicle (e.g., as described with respect to Figures 1 to 4 The method 500 may be implemented by one or more of the above systems, including Figure 1 In-vehicle computing system 109, Figure 4 Auxiliary carrier computing system 409, or Figures 1 to 4Other embodiments of the system described. Thus, method 500 may be stored as executable instructions in a non-transitory memory (e.g., non-volatile storage device 108 and / or non-volatile memory 119B, storage device 408) and executed by a processor (e.g., operating system processor 114 and / or interface processor 120, operating system processor 414). As further described herein, in some embodiments, the operations of the method may be performed by a first element of a vehicle system (e.g., a vehicle) and / or a second element of a vehicle system (e.g., an auxiliary carrier).

[0053] At 502, method 500 includes monitoring a vehicle cabin condition of a cabin of a vehicle (e.g., cabin 202 of vehicle 200). This may include using sensors of the vehicle (e.g., sensors of sensor subsystem 110) and elements of a vehicle control system to detect the presence of one or more users in the cabin of the vehicle. For example, a user sensor (such as a pressure sensor) located in a seat (e.g., seat 402) of the cabin may indicate to a processor that a weight deviation (e.g., an increase in weight due to a user sitting on the seat) is detected, which the processor may interpret as detecting the presence of a user in the corresponding seat. In another example, a cabin camera may use facial recognition to detect the presence of one or more users in the cabin of the vehicle. Monitoring the vehicle cabin condition may also include identifying an ambient sound level in the cabin, wherein the ambient sound level is the ambient volume in the cabin of the vehicle. The ambient sound level may include audio output of a speaker of the cabin, audio output of an external device (e.g., a mobile phone, a portable speaker) located in the cabin, operating sounds of the vehicle (e.g., engine and / or motor noise), etc. The ambient sound level may be detected by one or more microphones (eg, microphone 103 ) located in the cabin of the vehicle and / or by reference to a set speaker audio output level (eg, set via a user interface).

[0054] At 504, method 500 includes determining whether the vehicle detects an auxiliary carrier. The auxiliary carrier may be configured to receive an infant and / or a young child, and may be, for example, Figure 4 410 in the auxiliary carrier. For example, the auxiliary carrier can be detected by the vehicle's position sensor and / or attachment sensor. When the auxiliary carrier is located inside the vehicle's compartment, a user sensor of a certain area (such as a pressure sensor, a camera, an attachment sensor, etc.) can be used to detect the presence of the auxiliary carrier. The auxiliary carrier can alternatively move into or out of the vehicle's compartment, which can be detected by the auxiliary carrier's position sensor sending a signal to the vehicle's controller (e.g., an onboard computing system) indicating that the auxiliary carrier is moving into or out of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle can also detect the auxiliary carrier when the auxiliary carrier is located outside the vehicle. If the vehicle does not detect the auxiliary carrier, method 500 continues to 506.

[0055] At 506, method 500 includes determining whether a user is present in the vehicle cabin. The presence of one or more users in the vehicle cabin may be detected using vehicle sensors, as described with respect to operation 502. For example, the user sensor may be a camera equipped with a facial detection function and capable of detecting the location and age of the user. If it is determined that no user is present in the vehicle cabin, the method returns to 502. If it is determined that at least one user is present in the vehicle cabin, method 500 proceeds to 508.

[0056] At 508, method 500 includes detecting the zone in which the user is located and the age of the user. Operation 508 may be performed for each user in the cabin of the vehicle. For example, at operation 506, it may be determined that there is more than one user in the cabin. At operation 508, the zone in which each user is located and the age of each user may be detected, wherein the information about the location and age of the user is associated for later use together in method 500. Figure 2 As described above, the cabin of the vehicle may be divided into a plurality of zones, each of which may include an area in which a user may be located. In some embodiments, each zone may be configured to receive one user, while in other embodiments, each zone may be configured to receive more than one user. Figures 1 to 3 As described, the cabin (including one or more zones of the cabin) may include sensors configured to detect the age of a user. For example, the cabin may include a cabin camera configured to detect the presence of a user (as described above), as well as the zone of the cabin in which the user is located and the age of the user. The cabin camera and / or other sensors of the vehicle configured to detect the age of the user may determine the integer age of the user and / or may identify a possible age range within which the user's age falls.

[0057] At 510, method 500 includes determining whether the age of the user is within a first age range, a second age range, or neither within the first age range nor within the second age range. Each of the first age range and the second age range can define a separate, different age range within which the user may be sensitive to loud noise (e.g., greater than 60 dB). The first age range may include infants and young children, such as three years old and below. The second age range may include the elderly, such as sixty-five years old and above. In some embodiments, as further described herein, the first age range and the second age range may define age ranges that may be sensitive to different non-zero volume levels (e.g., the maximum expected sound level of an infant is less than the maximum expected sound level of an elderly person). If it is determined that the age of the user is not within the first age range or the second age range, method 500 returns to operation 502 to monitor the vehicle compartment condition.

[0058] If it is determined that the age of the user is within the first age range, the method 500 proceeds to 512. At 512, the method 500 includes determining whether the ambient sound level is greater than the first sound level threshold. The first sound level threshold is associated with the first age range and is the maximum sound level (e.g., volume) expected by users within the first age range. For example, when the first age range is three years old and below, the first sound level threshold may be 60dB. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level may be the level detected at operation 502. In other embodiments, the ambient sound level may be detected at operation 512 and may be the ambient sound level within the zone where the user is located. For example, a microphone (e.g., ambient sound sensor 216) of the onboard computing system may be located in the zone and configured to detect the ambient sound level within the zone. The ambient sound level within the zone may include the sound from the speakers of the zone, and in some embodiments, also includes the sound from the speakers of the surrounding zones. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is not greater than the first sound level threshold, the method 500 maintains the vehicle cabin condition at 560 and returns to the start. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is greater than the first sound level threshold, method 500 proceeds to 514 .

[0059] At 514, method 500 includes outputting sound via one or more speakers in the zone where the user is located to reduce the ambient sound level to below a first sound level threshold. As described herein, when the first age range includes ages three years old and younger, the first sound level can be 60 dB. As described herein, the ambient sound level can be reduced to below 60 dB. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level can be reduced to 90%, 80%, 70%, etc. of the first sound level, where the percentage reduction can be automatically determined based on the age and / or size of the user, and / or in response to user input. As described with respect to Figures 2 to 3 As described, a certain area of ​​the vehicle's cabin may include one or more dedicated speakers, and in some embodiments may include one or more shared speakers. Sound may be output through one or more of the one or more dedicated speakers so as to focus noise cancellation on the area where the user is located. The sound output by one or more dedicated speakers may be the same as the sound output by other dedicated speakers and shared speakers in the area. For example, the ambient sound level may include music, audiobooks, navigation instructions, or other sound outputs. The sound output by one or more dedicated speakers to reduce the ambient sound level may be the same sound, and may be output with a delay of half a wavelength relative to the ambient sound level, thereby offsetting the ambient sound. For example, delaying the sound by half a wavelength may be achieved using one or more of a DSP chip and an FPGA chip. For example, approximately half of the speakers in the area may output sound. In an embodiment including an even number of speakers (e.g., such as Figure 3In an embodiment including an odd number of speakers, the integer number of speakers closest to half of the total number of speakers can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In another embodiment with an odd number of speakers, the output of certain speakers of the array can be stopped to reduce the number of speakers with output to an even number, and half of the speakers with output can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level.

[0060] Returning to operation 510, if it is determined that the age of the user is within the second age range, the method 500 proceeds to 516. At 516, the method 500 includes determining whether the ambient sound level is greater than the second sound level threshold. The second sound level threshold is associated with the second age range and is the maximum sound level (e.g., volume) desired by users within the second age range. For example, when the second age range is sixty-five years old and above, the second sound level threshold may be 65dB. As described herein, the ambient sound level may be reduced to less than 65dB. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level may be reduced to 90%, 80%, 70%, etc. of the second sound level, wherein the percentage reduction may be automatically determined based on the age and / or size of the user, and / or in response to user input. In some embodiments, the ambient sound level may be the level detected at operation 502. In other embodiments, the ambient sound level may be detected at operation 516 and may be the ambient sound level within the zone where the user is located. For example, a microphone (e.g., ambient sound sensor 216) of the vehicle-mounted computing system may be located in the zone and configured to detect the ambient sound level within the zone. The ambient sound level in the zone may include sound from speakers in the zone, and in some embodiments, also includes sound from speakers in surrounding zones. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is not greater than the second sound level threshold, method 500 returns to the start. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is greater than the second sound level threshold, method 500 proceeds to 518.

[0061] At 518, method 500 includes outputting sound via one or more speakers in the zone where the user is located to reduce the ambient sound level to below the second sound level threshold. Figures 2 to 3As described, a certain area of ​​the vehicle's cabin may include one or more dedicated speakers, and in some embodiments may include one or more shared speakers. Sound may be output through one or more of the one or more dedicated speakers so as to focus noise cancellation on the area where the user is located. The sound output by one or more dedicated speakers may be the same as the sound output by other dedicated speakers and shared speakers in the area. For example, the ambient sound level may include music, audiobooks, navigation instructions, or other sound outputs. The sound output by one or more dedicated speakers to reduce the ambient sound level may be the same sound, and may be output with a delay of half a wavelength relative to the ambient sound level, thereby offsetting the ambient sound. For example, delaying the sound by half a wavelength may be achieved using one or more of a DSP chip and an FPGA chip. For example, approximately half of the speakers in the area may output sound. In an embodiment including an even number of speakers (e.g., such as Figure 3 In an embodiment including an odd number of speakers, the integer number of speakers closest to half of the total number of speakers can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In another embodiment with an odd number of speakers, the output of certain speakers of the array can be stopped to reduce the number of speakers with output to an even number, and half of the speakers with output can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level.

[0062] Therefore, about Figure 5A The described method 500 shows a method for canceling noise when a user is located in a zone of a vehicle's cabin and the vehicle does not detect an auxiliary carrier. Noise cancellation is achieved by canceling ambient sound by outputting a sound that is offset by half a wavelength from the ambient sound by a speaker in the zone of the vehicle where the user is located. In this way, noise cancellation is performed in a localized area (e.g., the zone where the user is located) and is performed in response to vehicle cabin conditions exceeding a parameter based on the age of the user (e.g., the ambient sound level exceeds a corresponding sound level threshold).

[0063] Returning to operation 506, if the vehicle detects an auxiliary carrier (e.g., Figure 4 ), the method 500 proceeds to 520, as described with respect to Figure 5B In some embodiments, method 500 may be initiated at operation 522 by a controller of an auxiliary carrier (e.g., an auxiliary carrier computing system) independently of a controller of the vehicle performing operations 502-504. In some embodiments, operation 522 and subsequent operations of method 500 may be performed by a controller of the vehicle, unless otherwise specified herein. Figure 4As described, the auxiliary carrier computing system and the onboard computing system may be communicatively coupled and may thus operate as a single computing system including the auxiliary carrier and the vehicle system of the vehicle. For example, signals detected by sensors of the auxiliary carrier may be relayed to the onboard computing system during execution of method 500, as further described herein.

[0064] exist Figure 5B At 522, method 500 includes monitoring auxiliary carrier conditions. For example, the auxiliary carrier conditions include the ambient sound level within the quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier (e.g., as described in relation to Figure 4 The ambient sound level may be detected by one or more microphones (e.g., microphone array 412) of the auxiliary carrier. The ambient sound level may include sounds from the environment in which the auxiliary carrier is located (e.g., inside or outside the vehicle), audio output by cabin speakers, audio output by external devices located in the cabin (e.g., mobile phones, portable speakers), operating sounds of the vehicle (e.g., engine and / or motor noise), etc. The ambient sound level may be detected by one or more microphones (e.g., microphone 103) located in the cabin of the vehicle and / or by reference to a set speaker audio output level (e.g., set via a user interface). Monitoring the status of the auxiliary carrier may also include detecting the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier using one or more user sensors of the auxiliary carrier. For example, a user sensor such as a pressure sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor) located in a seat (e.g., seat 402) of the auxiliary carrier. Figure 4 A user sensor 418 of the auxiliary carrier may indicate to the processor that a weight deviation (e.g., an increase in weight due to a user sitting on the seat) is detected, which the processor may interpret as a detection of the user's presence in the seat. In another example, the user sensor may be a camera configured to use facial recognition to detect the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier.

[0065] At 524, method 500 includes determining whether the user is present in the auxiliary carrier. If it is determined that the user is not present in the auxiliary carrier, method 500 returns to operation 522 to monitor the auxiliary carrier status. If it is determined that the user is present in the auxiliary carrier, method 500 proceeds to 526.

[0066] At 526, method 500 includes determining a position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be a vehicle that performs the operations of method 500 described above (e.g., operations 502-520). In other embodiments, a controller of the auxiliary carrier may perform method 500, and the vehicle may be a vehicle configured with noise cancellation elements and instructions (e.g., Figure 2The auxiliary carrier may be located in the vehicle, outside the vehicle, or moving in or out of the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position is stationary and within the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is located in the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position is stationary and does not overlap with the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is outside the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position changes and moves in a direction that overlaps with the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving into the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position changes and moves away from a direction that overlaps with the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving out of the vehicle.

[0067] At 528, method 500 includes determining whether the auxiliary carrier is in the vehicle. If the auxiliary carrier is not in the vehicle, method 500 proceeds to 540 to continue to Figure 5C If the auxiliary carrier is in the vehicle, method 500 proceeds to 530 .

[0068] At 530, method 500 includes detecting a zone in which the auxiliary carrier is located and an ambient sound level within the zone. Figure 2 As described, the compartment of the vehicle is divided into a plurality of zones, each of which may include one or more user sensors and / or sound detectors. The zone where the auxiliary carrier is located may be detected using sensors of the compartment, sensors of the zone, and / or sensors of the auxiliary carrier. In addition, the ambient sound level in the zone may be detected using a sound sensor of the zone (e.g., an ambient sound sensor 216) and / or a sound sensor of the auxiliary carrier (e.g., a microphone array 412). In some embodiments, in addition to detecting the ambient sound level in the zone or as an alternative to detection, the ambient sound level in the quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier may also be detected.

[0069] At 532, method 500 includes determining whether the ambient sound level detected at operation 532 is greater than a sound level threshold. The sound level threshold may be, for example, a maximum expected volume level for an age range for which the auxiliary carrier is designed. For example, if the auxiliary carrier is designed to accommodate infants and children three years old and younger, the sound level threshold may be 60 dB. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is not greater than the sound level threshold, method 500 returns to operation 522 to monitor the auxiliary carrier condition. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is greater than the sound level threshold, method 500 proceeds to 534.

[0070] At 534, method 500 includes determining whether one or more speakers of the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located are shared with another zone. Figure 2 As described, in some embodiments, one or more speakers may be shared between one or more zones of a vehicle cabin, and thus provide sound output to each of the zones that share the speakers. To localize noise cancellation, it is desirable to determine which speakers are shared between zones, and in some embodiments, perform noise cancellation on speakers that are not shared between multiple zones, as further described herein. Thus, noise cancellation can be localized to a desired zone.

[0071] If it is determined that one or more speakers of the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located are shared with one or more additional zones, the method 500 proceeds to 536. At 536, the method 500 includes outputting sound via the speakers of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. For example, the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier can output sound to reduce the ambient sound level in the quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier to below the sound level threshold by outputting sound delayed by half a wavelength than the sound received by the speaker array. For example, delaying the sound by half a wavelength can be achieved by using one or more of a DSP chip and an FPGA chip.

[0072] If it is determined at 534 that one or more speakers of the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located are not shared with another zone, method 500 proceeds to 538. At 538, method 500 includes outputting sound via the speakers of the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level in the zone. Since the speakers of the zone are not shared with other zones, outputting sound via the speakers of the zone can reduce the ambient sound level in the zone to below the sound level threshold without affecting the ambient sound levels of other zones of the vehicle's cabin. For example, approximately half of the speakers in the zone may output sound. In an embodiment including an even number of speakers (e.g., such as Figure 3 In an embodiment including an odd number of speakers, the integer number of speakers closest to half of the total number of speakers can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In another embodiment with an odd number of speakers, the output of certain speakers of the array can be stopped to reduce the number of speakers with output to an even number, and half of the speakers with output can output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level.

[0073] Returning to operation 528, if it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is not positioned in the vehicle, the method 500 proceeds to 540 to continue to Figure 5C .exist Figure 5CIn operation 542 of , method 500 includes determining whether the auxiliary carrier is moving. If it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is not moving, method 500 proceeds to 544. As briefly described above, if the auxiliary carrier is not positioned within the vehicle and is not moving, then the auxiliary carrier is determined to be in a stationary (e.g., not moving in or out of the vehicle) position outside the vehicle. Once it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is outside the vehicle, execution of method 500 may be fully transitioned to execution by the control system of the auxiliary carrier.

[0074] At 544, method 500 includes detecting an ambient sound level. The auxiliary carrier may be positioned in a room, outdoors, or in other environments that include ambient environmental noise, such as people talking, music, natural noise, etc., which may exceed a sound level threshold. The ambient sound level may be detected using a sound sensor (e.g., microphone array 412) of the auxiliary carrier, which may detect ambient sound levels within a quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier (e.g., sounds from the environment in which the auxiliary carrier is located that reach the quiet zone, thereby reaching the user, and thereby reaching the user).

[0075] At 546, method 500 includes determining whether the ambient sound level is greater than a sound level threshold. As described above, the sound level threshold may be the maximum expected volume level for the age range for which the auxiliary carrier is designed. For example, if the auxiliary carrier is designed to accommodate infants and children three years old and younger, the sound level threshold may be 60 dB. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is not greater than the sound level threshold, method 500 maintains the auxiliary carrier condition at 562 and returns to operation 522 to monitor the auxiliary carrier condition. If it is determined that the ambient sound level is greater than the second sound level threshold, method 500 proceeds to 548.

[0076] At 548, method 500 includes outputting sound via a speaker of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. For example, the sound may be output through a speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to reduce the ambient sound level within the quiet zone of the auxiliary carrier to below a sound level threshold.

[0077] Returning to operation 542, if it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving, the method 500 proceeds to 550. At 550, the method 500 includes detecting whether the auxiliary carrier is moving into or out of the vehicle. As described above, one or more of the position sensors of the auxiliary carrier and the vehicle may be used to determine the movement of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position changes and moves toward a direction that overlaps with the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving into the vehicle. When the auxiliary carrier position changes and moves away from a direction that overlaps with the vehicle position, it may be determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving out of the vehicle. If it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving out of the vehicle, the method 500 proceeds to 556.

[0078] At 556, the method determines whether the speaker of the vehicle outputs sound. For example, the auxiliary carrier may be located in the compartment of the vehicle, and the speaker of the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located may output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound in the zone. In response to removing the auxiliary carrier from the vehicle, the noise cancellation performed by the speaker of the zone of the vehicle may no longer be expected. For example, a user who is not in an age range sensitive to noise or a user in a different age range with different noise sensitivity can enter the zone previously occupied by the auxiliary carrier and the user therein. For example, the first age range may include ages three and below that are sensitive to a first sound level threshold, and the first sound level threshold may be sensitive to sounds above 60dB. The second age range may include elderly people, such as sixty-five and above, who are sensitive to a second sound level, and the second sound level may be sensitive to sounds above 65dB. Therefore, if it is determined that sound is being output through the speaker of the vehicle, the method proceeds to 558. At 558, method 500 includes stopping the sound output of the speaker of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the sound used to reduce the ambient sound level can be stopped. In other embodiments, all sounds from the zone's speakers may be stopped, including sounds used to reduce ambient sound levels and other sounds (e.g., music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.) output by the zone's speakers.

[0079] Returning to operation 556, if it is determined that the speakers of the vehicle are not outputting sound when the auxiliary carrier is removed from the vehicle, the method 500 proceeds to operation 544 to detect the ambient sound level, as described above. In this way, when the auxiliary carrier is removed from the vehicle, the noise cancellation provided by the auxiliary carrier can be activated and / or switched from the noise cancellation provided by the vehicle.

[0080] Returning to operation 550, if it is determined that the auxiliary carrier is moving into the vehicle, the method 500 proceeds to 552. At 552, the method includes determining whether sound is output by a speaker of the auxiliary carrier. For example, when the auxiliary carrier is located outside the vehicle, the speaker of the auxiliary carrier may provide ambient noise cancellation by outputting sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level, as described herein. In some embodiments, when the auxiliary carrier is located outside the vehicle, the auxiliary carrier may not perform noise cancellation. For example, the ambient sound level outside the vehicle may be below a sound level threshold. If no sound is output by the speaker of the auxiliary carrier when the auxiliary carrier moves into the vehicle, the method 500 maintains the auxiliary carrier condition at 564 and proceeds to Figure 5B Operation 530 is performed to detect the zone of the vehicle cabin where the auxiliary carrier is located, and further detect the ambient sound level in the zone and perform noise cancellation.

[0081] If it is determined at 522 that sound is being output by the speaker of the auxiliary carrier, the method proceeds to 554. At 554, method 500 includes stopping the output of sound by the speaker of the auxiliary carrier. Figure 5B As described, in some embodiments, noise cancellation may be performed by the vehicle (e.g., sound output by speakers in the zone where the auxiliary carrier is located). Therefore, when the auxiliary carrier moves into the vehicle, noise cancellation performed by the auxiliary carrier may be stopped, and method 500 may proceed to determine whether noise cancellation is desired, and whether noise cancellation is desired to be performed by the auxiliary carrier or the vehicle.

[0082] In this way, localized noise cancellation can be provided based on the age of the auxiliary carrier and / or the user in the vehicle. Switching between the speakers of the auxiliary carrier and the speakers of the zone of the vehicle to provide noise cancellation based on the location of the auxiliary carrier and the configuration of the speakers in the zone enables the noise cancellation to be focused on the location of the noise-sensitive user. Automatically detecting the user's age, location, and the presence of the auxiliary carrier can reduce the complexity of noise cancellation and improve the responsiveness of noise cancellation (e.g., reducing the time between user detection and noise cancellation activation).

[0083] The present disclosure also provides support for a method for an auxiliary carrier, comprising: when an ambient sound level exceeds a first sound level threshold, outputting sound via a speaker array of the auxiliary carrier located in a first zone of a vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level; and when the auxiliary carrier is located in a second zone of the vehicle and the ambient sound level exceeds a second sound level threshold, outputting sound via a speaker of the second zone of the vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level. In a first example of the method, one or more speakers of the first zone of the vehicle are shared with another zone of the vehicle, and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier located in the first zone includes outputting the same sound as the sound output by the speaker of the first zone, delayed by half a wavelength relative to the sound output by the speaker of the first zone. In a second example of the method (optionally including the first example), the speaker of the second zone of the vehicle is not shared with another zone of the vehicle, and outputting sound via the speaker of the second zone includes outputting sound via a first half of the speakers of the second zone, the sound being the same as the sound output by the second half of the speakers of the second zone and delayed by half a wavelength relative to the sound output by the second half of the speakers of the second zone. In a third example of the method (optionally including one or both of the first and second examples), the method further includes: determining whether the auxiliary carrier is in the vehicle, is moving into or out of the vehicle, or is outside the vehicle; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being outside the vehicle, detecting the ambient sound level using the microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level to below a third sound level threshold. In a fourth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to third examples), the method further includes: when the auxiliary carrier moves into the vehicle, stopping the output of sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier. In a fifth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to fourth examples), determining whether the auxiliary carrier is moving into or out of the vehicle includes comparing the position of the auxiliary carrier with the position of the vehicle. In a sixth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to fifth examples), the method further includes: when the auxiliary carrier moves out of the vehicle, stopping the output of sound via the speaker of the second zone of the vehicle. In a seventh example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to sixth examples), the method further includes: detecting the ambient sound level using the microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level to below a fourth sound level threshold.In an eighth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to seventh examples), the method further includes: detecting a zone of the vehicle in which the auxiliary carrier is located; in response to the auxiliary carrier being located in the first zone, detecting the ambient sound level using a microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via a speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being located in the second zone, detecting the ambient sound level using a command volume output level of the speaker of the zone.

[0084] The present disclosure also provides support for a method for a vehicle system, comprising: detecting the presence of a user in a vehicle; detecting the age of the user; detecting a zone of the vehicle in which the user is located; detecting an ambient sound level within the zone of the vehicle in which the user is located; and in response to the ambient sound level within the zone of the vehicle exceeding a sound level threshold when the user is located in the zone of the vehicle, outputting a sound via a speaker of the zone to reduce the ambient sound level to at least a first level when the age of the user is within a first age range, and reducing the ambient sound level to at least a second level when the age of the user is within a second age range different from the first age range. In a first example of the method, one or more of a camera, a pressure sensor, and / or an attached sensor of the vehicle are used to detect the presence of the user. In a second example of the method (optionally including the first example), one or more of a camera, a pressure sensor, and / or an attached sensor of the vehicle are used to detect the zone of the vehicle in which the user is located. In a third example of the method (optionally including one or both of the first and second examples), detecting the ambient sound level within the zone of the vehicle in which the user is located includes detecting the volume of the sound output by the speaker of the zone. In a fourth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to third examples), outputting sound via the speakers of the zone includes outputting sound from approximately half of the speakers of the zone. In a fifth example of the method (optionally including one or more or each of the first to fourth examples), the method further includes: detecting whether the user is located in an auxiliary carrier having a microphone array and a speaker array, the speaker array being configured to output sound to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level; in response to the user being located in the auxiliary carrier, determining whether one or more speakers of the zone are shared with another zone of the vehicle; in response to one or more speakers of the zone being shared with another zone of the vehicle, stopping the sound output of the speakers of the zone; outputting sound via speakers of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level.

[0085] The present disclosure also provides support for a system for an auxiliary carrier, comprising: a position sensor selectively coupled to the auxiliary carrier; a user sensor configured to detect the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier; a microphone array configured to receive a sound input; a speaker array configured to output a sound in a direction toward the auxiliary carrier; and a controller having computer-readable instructions, which when executed cause the controller to identify the position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle via the position sensor; identify the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being in the vehicle and detecting the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier, detect the sound input via the microphone array and output the sound via the speaker array to at least partially reduce the volume level of the sound input. In a first example of the system, the position sensor is further configured to detect a zone of the vehicle in which the auxiliary carrier is located. In a second example of the system (optionally including the first example), the user sensor is further configured to detect the age of the user. In a third example of the system (optionally including one or both of the first and second examples), the controller is further configured to, in response to the age of the user being within a first range, output a sound to reduce the volume level of the sound input to a first level, and in response to the age of the user being within a second range, output a sound to reduce the volume level of the sound input to a second level different from the first level. In a fourth example of the system (optionally including one or more or each of the first to third examples), the controller is further configured to: identify the presence of the user in the seat; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being outside the vehicle and detecting the presence of the user, detect the sound input via the microphone array; and in response to the sound input exceeding a sound level threshold, output a sound via the speaker array to at least partially reduce the volume level of the sound input.

[0086] The description of the embodiment has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It can be performed in view of the above description or can obtain suitable modifications and changes to the embodiment by practicing the method. For example, unless otherwise specified, one or more of the described methods can be performed by suitable devices and / or device combinations. These methods can be performed by using one or more logic devices (for example, processors) in combination with one or more additional hardware elements (such as storage devices, memories, hardware network interfaces / antennas, switches, actuators, clock circuits, etc.) to perform stored instructions. In addition to performing in the order described in this application, in parallel and / or simultaneously, the described methods and associated actions can also be performed in various orders. The described system is exemplary in nature and may include additional elements and / or omit elements. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed various systems and configurations and other features, functions and / or properties.

[0087] As used in this application, an element or step described in the singular and followed by the word "one" or "a" should be understood not to exclude a plurality of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is stated. In addition, reference to "one embodiment" or "an example" of the present disclosure is not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of another embodiment that also incorporates the described features. The terms "first", "second", and "third" etc. are used only as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or specific positional order on their objects. The attached claims specifically point out the subject matter that is considered novel and non-obvious from the above disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a carrier, comprising: outputting sound via a speaker array of the auxiliary carrier located in a first zone of the vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level when the ambient sound level exceeds a first sound level threshold; as well as When the auxiliary carrier is located in a second zone of the vehicle and the ambient sound level exceeds a second sound level threshold, sound is output via a speaker of the second zone of the vehicle to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more speakers of the first zone of the vehicle are shared with another zone of the vehicle, and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier located in the first zone includes outputting sound that is the same as sound output by the speakers of the first zone, delayed by half a wavelength relative to the sound output by the speakers of the first zone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the speakers of the second zone of the vehicle are not shared with another zone of the vehicle, and outputting sound via the speakers of the second zone comprises outputting sound via a first half of the speakers of the second zone that is the same as and delayed by half a wavelength from the sound output by a second half of the speakers of the second zone.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the auxiliary carrier is in the vehicle, is being moved into or out of the vehicle, or is external to the vehicle; and in response to the auxiliary carrier being located outside the vehicle, detecting the ambient sound level using the microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level to below a third sound level threshold. 5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising ceasing to output sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier when the auxiliary carrier is moved into the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the auxiliary carrier is moving into or out of the vehicle comprises comparing a position of the auxiliary carrier to a position of the vehicle. 7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising stopping outputting sound via a speaker of the second zone of the vehicle when the auxiliary carrier is moved out of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising detecting the ambient sound level using a microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level to below a fourth sound level threshold.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: detecting a zone of the vehicle in which the auxiliary carrier is located; responsive to the auxiliary carrier being located in the first zone, detecting the ambient sound level using a microphone array of the auxiliary carrier and outputting sound via the speaker array of the auxiliary carrier to at least partially reduce the ambient sound level; and In response to the auxiliary carrier being located in the second zone, the ambient sound level is detected using a command volume output level of the speaker of the zone.

10. A system for assisting a carrier, comprising: a position sensor selectively coupled to the auxiliary carrier and configured to determine a position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle; a user sensor configured to detect the presence of a user in the auxiliary carrier; a microphone array configured to receive sound input; a speaker array configured to output sound in a direction toward the auxiliary carrier; as well as a controller having computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to identify, via the position sensor, a position of the auxiliary carrier relative to the vehicle; identifying the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier; And in response to the auxiliary carrier being located in the vehicle and detecting the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier, detecting the sound input via the microphone array and outputting sound via the speaker array to at least partially reduce a volume level of the sound input.

11. The system for an auxiliary carrier according to claim 10, wherein the position sensor is further configured to detect a zone of the vehicle in which the auxiliary carrier is located.

12. The system for an auxiliary carrier according to claim 10, wherein the user sensor is further configured to detect the age of the user.

13. A system for an auxiliary carrier according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to output sound to reduce the volume level of the sound input to a first level in response to the age of the user being within a first range, and to output sound to reduce the volume level of the sound input to a second level different from the first level in response to the age of the user being within a second range.

14. The system for assisting a carrier according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to: identifying the presence of the user in the auxiliary carrier, and in response to the auxiliary carrier being located outside the vehicle and detecting the presence of the user, detecting the voice input via the microphone array; and In response to the sound input exceeding a sound level threshold, sound is output via the speaker array to at least partially reduce the volume level of the sound input.

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