System and method for target communication

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method for target communication. A system for directional communication is disclosed. The system may include an ultrasound beamforming device, a sensor, and a processor. The ultrasound beamforming device may be configured to transmit an ultrasound carrier. The processor may be configured to obtain an input from a detection unit located in a geographic area, and to detect the presence of an object in the geographic area based on the input. The processor may also be configured to determine an object location in the geographic area based on the input. The processor may additionally determine an optimal sound frequency for modulating the ultrasonic carrier. Further, the processor may cause the ultrasound beamforming device to transmit the ultrasound carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency toward the object location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system and method for targeted communication using a directional speaker installed in a garage. Background Art

[0002] Many users have workshops in their garages or prefer to work in their vehicles parked in the garage. When working in the garage, some users may want to listen to music or receive important messages, such as from a walkie - talkie or other communication systems. Typically, users wear headphones or earbuds when in their garage to hear the music or messages.

[0003] While headphones enable users to hear music / messages, it may be inconvenient for users to wear headphones for long periods while working in the garage. Additionally, many modern headphones have noise - cancelling features that may prevent users from hearing other sounds originating from the garage. For example, users may not hear the sounds of their children, pets, etc. who may also be present in the garage. Users may want to hear such sounds to be aware that their children, pets, etc. are comfortable in the garage.

[0004] Users can also use garage or vehicle speakers to hear music or messages. However, the sound waves emitted from the garage or vehicle speakers may also be heard by other users who may be near the garage, causing them inconvenience.

[0005] There may also be scenarios where users may want to startle or warn strangers or wild animals that may be attempting to enter the garage. In such cases, when a stranger or wild animal attempts to enter the garage, the user may want the vehicle or garage infrastructure to output an alarm signal. While such an alarm signal may scare away strangers or wild animals, the alarm signal may also be heard by other users (e.g., the user's neighbors), which may cause them inconvenience.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a system that enables sound emission in a garage without causing inconvenience to users who may be near the garage. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure describes a system and method for directional or targeted communication. The system can be disposed in or outside the garage and can include an ultrasonic beamforming device configured to transmit an ultrasonic carrier wave. In some aspects, the ultrasonic beamforming device can be hypersonic TMSpeaker. The ultrasonic beamforming device can be configured to transmit directional or targeted sound focused on a target object (e.g., a person or an animal), such that only the target object hears the sound and others / animals in the vicinity of the target object do not hear the sound. The system can be configured to cause the ultrasonic beamforming device to emit an ultrasonic carrier modulated at an optimal sound frequency, such that the target object can conveniently hear the sound delivered via the modulated ultrasonic carrier. Specifically, based on the object type (e.g., whether the object is a person or an animal), the system can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device to emit an ultrasonic carrier modulated at a frequency within the hearing frequency range associated with the object type, so that the object can hear the sound delivered via the modulated ultrasonic carrier.

[0008] In some aspects, the system can be configured to obtain input from one or more detection units that can be disposed outside the garage (e.g., on the outer wall of the garage (or in the garage)), and determine the object position near the garage (e.g., near the outer wall of the garage) based on the obtained input. The detection units can be, for example, system cameras and / or microphones, cameras and / or sensors installed in a vehicle parked outside the garage, one or more cameras / sensors installed outside the garage, etc. In response to determining the object position near the garage, the system can define a target area including the object position, such that other users / animals that may be present near or in the garage can be excluded from the target area.

[0009] The system can also determine the object type based on the input obtained from the detection units, and determine the optimal sound frequency for modulating the ultrasonic carrier based on the object type. The optimal sound frequency can be within the hearing frequency range associated with the object type. In response to determining the optimal sound frequency, the system can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device to emit an ultrasonic carrier modulated at the determined optimal sound frequency in the target area, such that the object in the target area can hear the sound delivered via the modulated ultrasonic carrier.

[0010] In additional aspects, the system can change the sound pressure level (SPL) or volume of the sound delivered via the modulated ultrasonic carrier based on the object type. As an example, when an unknown person or a stray animal may be located near the garage (e.g., near the outer wall of the garage), the system can increase the sound SPL / volume to startle or scare away the unknown person or the stray animal and prevent them from entering the garage. Additionally, when an acquaintance or a pet animal may be approaching the garage or may be present in the garage, the system can decrease the sound SPL / volume.

[0011] The present disclosure discloses a system for directional communication that can deliver sound to a target object inside or outside a garage without delivering it to other users / animals, thus not disturbing other users / animals. The system can also determine the optimal sound frequency within the hearing frequency range of the object to deliver the sound so that only the target object can hear the sound. For example, if both a dog and a person are in the beam of an ultrasonic speaker, the system can select to modulate at an ultrasonic frequency above human hearing, so that the dog hears the target beamforming alert but the person does not. If the alert for the dog is intended to be at a high SPL to scare the dog away, this two-level sound delivery is convenient. The system can also modify the sound SPL / volume based on the object. For example, if a user is known to have a hearing impairment, the system can increase the sound SPL / volume of the sound delivered to the user via the ultrasonic beamforming device. The system can enable a user to conveniently hear music or a message without disturbing other users. The system can also scare and / or scare away unknown persons or stray animals that may approach or enter the garage by delivering a target sound / message to the person / animal without disturbing other persons / animals.

[0012] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals may indicate like or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout the present disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably.

[0014] Figure 1 An example environment is depicted in which the techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0015] Figure 2 A block diagram of a directional communication system in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0016] Figure 3 An example snapshot of one or more animals present near a garage in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0017] Figure 4 A snapshot of a user and a pet animal present near a garage in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0018] Figure 5 A flowchart of an example method for directional communication in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and are not intended to be limiting.

[0020] Figure 1 Example environment 100 is depicted in which the technologies and architectures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented. Environment 100 can include a geographic area 102 and a vehicle 104 that can be parked outside the geographic area 102, as Figure 1 shown. In some aspects, the geographic area 102 can be a garage associated with a vehicle user's residence or hotel / motel. In other aspects, the geographic area 102 can be an area outside the garage. Hereinafter, the geographic area 102 is referred to as garage 102.

[0021] Vehicle 104 can take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, e.g., such as a sedan, work vehicle, crossover vehicle, truck, van, minivan, taxi, bus, etc. Additionally, vehicle 104 can be a manually driven vehicle, and / or be configured to operate in a fully autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode or a partially autonomous mode, and can include any powertrain, e.g., such as a gasoline engine, one or more electric actuators, a hybrid system, etc.

[0022] Environment 100 can also include a user 106, who can be, for example, a vehicle owner, a garage user / owner, or someone known to the vehicle or garage owner (i.e., an "acquaintance"). In other aspects, user 106 can be a stranger or someone unknown to the vehicle or garage owner (i.e., an "unknown person"). User 106 can be located near the garage 102 (e.g., near the garage outer wall or garage door), as Figure 1 shown, or inside the garage 102 (not shown).

[0023] Environment 100 can also include a directional communication system 108 (or system 108), which can be configured to use a narrow column of ultrasonic waves as a carrier beam to deliver audible signals or sounds only to a specific target (or more than one target), which can be modulated to generate audible sounds (for humans and animals) or ultrasonic waves (detectable only by certain animals at certain frequencies). For example, system 108 can be configured to transmit / deliver sounds only to user 106 and not to any other users or animals ( Figure 1 not shown in) that may be present near or inside the garage 102. Since system 108 transmits sounds only targeted at user 106, other users / animals present near the garage 102 may not be disturbed by the sounds.

[0024] In some aspects, system 108 can include, for example, a hypersonic TMThe ultrasonic beamforming device 110 of the loudspeaker. The ultrasonic beamforming device 110 can be configured to transmit an ultrasonic carrier wave with a frequency higher than the audible frequency range of humans or animals. For example, the frequency of the ultrasonic carrier wave can be in the range of 100 kHz to 125 kHz. The system 108 can modulate the ultrasonic carrier wave so that audible sound can be delivered to the user 106. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the carrier wave can be modulated by performing amplitude modulation or frequency modulation. According to the present disclosure, the system 108 modulates the ultrasonic carrier wave emitted by the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 by performing frequency modulation so that the ultrasonic carrier wave can be modulated at an optimal sound frequency, and the optimal sound frequency can be within the audible frequency range of the intended target (e.g., the user 106).

[0025] Exemplary use cases of the system 108 are described below. The use cases described below should not be construed as restrictive, and the system 108 can also be used in other ways different from those described below without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0026] As a first exemplary use case, when the user 106 can be a vehicle owner or a garage owner, the user 106 can transmit a request to the system 108 to receive predefined sound (e.g., music) from the ultrasonic beamforming device 110. The user 106 can transmit the request to the system 108 via a vehicle human-machine interface ("HMI", shown as HMI 216 in Figure 2 or a user device (shown as user device 202 in Figure 2 that can be communicatively coupled to the system 108). In response to receiving the request from the user 106 (via the vehicle HMI or the user device), the system 108 can extract the requested music data from the system memory (shown as system memory 222 in Figure 2 ), the user device (which can be communicatively coupled to the system 108), or the vehicle 104. In response to extracting the music data, the system 108 can modulate the ultrasonic carrier wave to a frequency within the audible frequency range of humans (e.g., between 20 Hz and 20 kHz), and transmit / deliver the music data to the user 106 (specifically to the user's head) via the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave.

[0027] The modulated ultrasonic carrier can be focused on the user's head and can be transmitted as a narrow column of ultrasonic waves such that it reaches only user 106 and not any other users / animals that may be present in the garage 102. Specifically, in response to receiving a request to receive music from user 106, the system 108 can determine the location of the user near (or in) the garage 102. In some aspects, the system 108 can determine the location of the user near the garage 102 by obtaining inputs from the system camera 112, vehicle detection units (e.g., vehicle cameras, vehicle sensors, etc.), one or more garage cameras or sensors (not shown), etc. In response to determining the location of the user near the garage 102, the system 108 can define a target area 114 that includes the user's head based on the determined user location (as Figure 1 shown). The target area 114 can be a narrow area or column such that only user 106 (specifically, the user's head) can be present in the target area 114 and any other users / animals present near or in the garage 102 can be excluded from the target area 114. In response to defining the target area 114, the system 108 can cause the ultrasonic beam shaping device 110 to transmit / deliver music in the target area 114 to user 106 via the modulated ultrasonic carrier such that the music can reach only user 106 and may not interfere with other users / animals present in or near the garage 102.

[0028] The system 108 can further "track" or monitor the movement of the user near the garage 102 based on the inputs obtained from the above cameras / sensors. In some aspects, the system 108 can obtain data feeds (e.g., images, videos, sensor data, etc.) from multiple sources based on the respective fields of view (FOVs) of the multiple sources (cameras / sensors) to monitor the movement of the user near the garage 102. For example, when user 106 may be within the FOV 116 of a vehicle detection unit as Figure 1 shown, the system 108 can monitor the movement of the user based on the inputs / data feeds obtained from the vehicle detection unit. Similarly, when user 106 may be within the FOV 118 of the system camera, the system 108 can monitor the movement of the user based on the inputs / data feeds obtained from the system camera 112. The system 108 can obtain inputs / data feeds from multiple sources simultaneously or can obtain inputs / data feeds from one source at a time.

[0029] When the system 108 detects that the user 106 may be moving near the garage 102, the system 108 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to also move (e.g., mechanically and / or electrically) and follow the movement of the user near the garage 102, such that when the user 106 moves near the garage 102, the user 106 continues to receive the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave (and thus the music). In this way, the system 108 enables the user 106 to hear music without disturbing other users / animals in or near the garage 102. Additionally, by using the system 108, when the user 106 may be working in the garage 102 and prefers to privately hear music but also wishes to still hear other sounds in their surroundings, the user 106 may not need to wear headphones or earbuds, thus enhancing user convenience.

[0030] In some aspects, when the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 may be moving to follow the user, the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave emitted by the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 may be scattered or blocked by objects or artifacts present outside or inside the garage 102. To prevent the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave from being scattered or blocked and ensure that the user 106 receives uninterrupted music, the system 108 (specifically, the ultrasonic beamforming device 110) can be mounted near the top portion of the garage wall (e.g., the top portion of the exterior garage wall), such that the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave can reach the user 106 unobstructed.

[0031] As a second exemplary use case, when the user 106 may be someone known to the vehicle / garage owner (e.g., a spouse, a child, etc.), when the system 108 detects the presence of the user near the garage 102 (e.g., when the user 106 may be approaching the garage 102) or in the garage 102, the system 108 can transmit a preset message to the user 106. In some aspects, the system 108 can detect the presence of the user near the garage 102 based on the input obtained from the aforementioned camera / sensor. In response to detecting the presence of the user, the system 108 can determine the user's position near the garage 102 and define a target area 114 based on the determined user position, as described above. Then, the system 108 can extract (e.g., from the system memory) the preset message associated with the user 106. In some aspects, the preset message can be pre-stored in the system memory by the vehicle / garage owner. As an example, the current message can be "Mr. Smith will be home at 4 PM". In response to extracting the preset message, the system 108 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit / deliver the message in the target area 114 to the user 106 via the modulated ultrasonic carrier wave, such that the message only reaches the user 106 and does not reach any other users / animals that may be present near the garage 102 (e.g., approaching the garage 102).

[0032] As a third exemplary use case, when user 106 may be a person unknown to the vehicle / garage owner (e.g., an unknown person / stranger), system 108 may transmit a preset message to user 106 in the same manner as described above; however, the preset message may be different from the exemplary messages described above. For example, in the case of an unknown person / stranger, the preset message may be "Please leave the premises immediately" or "Your image on our property is being recorded". The message may also be sent in different languages common to the premises and alternated between languages.

[0033] In some aspects, system 108 may determine whether user 106 is an acquaintance or an unknown person based on the input obtained from the cameras described above and facial recognition technology. Specifically, system 108 may compare the facial features of user 106 recognized from the image / video obtained from the camera with the facial features of acquaintances that may be pre-stored in the system memory. When the user facial features match the stored facial features, system 108 may determine that user 106 may be an acquaintance, and when the user facial features do not match the stored facial features, it may determine that user 106 may be an unknown person.

[0034] As a fourth exemplary use case, when an animal may be present near garage 102 (e.g., approaching garage 102 via the garage front door), system 108 may determine the position of the animal around or near garage 102 and determine the animal type based on the input obtained from the cameras / sensors described above. The animal type may be, for example, a dog, a cat, a raccoon, a wolf, a coyote, etc. System 108 may further determine whether the animal present near garage 102 is likely to be a pet animal associated with the vehicle / garage owner (e.g., by comparing the captured animal image with the pet animal images pre-stored in the system memory), or whether it is likely to be a stray animal that has approached or entered garage 102.

[0035] In response to determining the animal type (e.g., a dog), system 108 may modulate the ultrasonic carrier wave emitted by ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to an optimal sound frequency, which may be within the audible frequency range associated with the determined animal type (e.g., up to 45 kHz for a dog). System 108 may also define a target area including the animal position (in the same manner as system 108 defines target area 114), and cause ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit the ultrasonic carrier wave modulated to the optimal sound frequency towards the target area, such that the animal can receive the wave and hear the sound (and any other animals near or in garage 102 may not be disturbed by the sound).

[0036] In some aspects, when the animal may be a stray animal, the sound delivered via the ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency may startle and / or scare away the animal and keep it away from the garage 102. In the same aspect, if a pet animal may also be present in the target area 114, the system 108 may deliver a preset message (stored in the system memory by the vehicle / garage owner) to the pet animal in human speech via the ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency. The preset message may be, for example, "No, Scott", "Come here, Scott", etc. In this case, two messages may be delivered simultaneously; one for startling and / or scaring away the stray animal, and one for commanding the pet animal to stay. Since the message for the pet animal can be delivered in the voice of the vehicle / garage owner (and thus known to the animal), the pet animal can stay near or in the garage 102 and will not attempt to chase the stray animal.

[0037] Further details of the system 108 and additional use cases are described below in conjunction with Figure 2 the description.

[0038] The vehicle 104 and the system 108 implement and / or perform the operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any actions taken by the user 106 based on the messages or notifications provided by the vehicle 104 and / or the system 108 should comply with all rules specific to the location (e.g., federal, state, country, city, etc.) and operation of the vehicle 104. The messages or notifications provided by the vehicle 104 and / or the system 108 should be considered as suggestions and should only be followed in accordance with any rules specific to the location and operation of the vehicle 104.

[0039] Figure 2 A block diagram of the directional communication system 108 according to the present disclosure is depicted. Further details will be described in conjunction with Figure 3 and Figure 4 as follows. Figure 2

[0040] The system 108 may be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 104, the user device 202, and one or more servers 204 (or servers 204) via one or more networks 206 (or network 206). The user device 202 may be associated with the vehicle / garage owner and may include, for example, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a computer, a tablet computer, a smart or display key fob, a wearable device, or any other similar device with communication capabilities. The server 204 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that delivers services to the vehicle 104 and / or the garage 102 (and other vehicles and / or garages ( Figure 2(not shown in the figure) provides digital data services. In another aspect, the server 204 may be configured to store music data, multiple preset messages provided by the vehicle / garage owner, facial features / images of the vehicle / garage owner and people known to the vehicle / garage owner, images of pet animals associated with the vehicle / garage owner, and so on. The server 204 may transmit the above information to the system 108 at a predefined frequency or when the system 108 transmits a request for obtaining information to the server 204.

[0041] The network 206 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the connection devices discussed in various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate. The network 206 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name just a few examples.

[0042] The vehicle 104 may include a plurality of units, which include but are not limited to a vehicle transceiver 208, a vehicle detection unit 210, a vehicle memory 212, a vehicle processor 214, and a vehicle human-machine interface 216 (HMI 216). The vehicle detection unit 210 may include a vehicle camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, a vehicle microphone (with or without audio recording features), and so on. The vehicle detection unit 210 may be configured to capture images (and / or audio signals) of the geographical area near the vehicle 104.

[0043] The HMI 216 may be configured to receive user input to control vehicle operations and / or user requests to control system operations. As an example, the vehicle / garage owner may input a request to receive music from the system 108 on the HMI 216.

[0044] The vehicle transceiver 208 may be configured to transmit signals / information / data to and receive signals / information / data from external systems and devices via the network 206. For example, the vehicle transceiver 208 may transmit the information / signals / data obtained from the vehicle detection unit 210 to the system 108 via the network 206. As another example, the vehicle transceiver 208 may transmit the user request received from the HMI 216 to the system 108 via the network 206.

[0045] The vehicle processor 214 can be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., the vehicle memory 212 and / or Figure 2 one or more external databases not shown) that are configured to communicate with corresponding computing systems. The vehicle processor 214 can utilize the vehicle memory 212 to store programs in code and / or store data to perform various aspects in accordance with the present disclosure. The vehicle memory 212 can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores program code that enables the vehicle processor 214 to perform operations in accordance with the present disclosure. The vehicle memory 212 can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and can include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0046] In some aspects, the vehicle processor 214 can be configured to analyze images and / or audio signals captured by the vehicle detection unit 210 and control vehicle operations based on the analysis. For example, when the vehicle processor 214 detects the possible presence of a person or animal near the vehicle 104 based on image / audio signal analysis, the vehicle processor 214 can cause the vehicle exterior lights to turn on or flash and / or cause the vehicle exterior speaker to output a predefined notification / alert. The vehicle processor 214 can also be configured to control the operation of one or more vehicle components (e.g., vehicle exterior lights, speakers, etc.) based on command signals obtained from the system 108 (via the vehicle transceiver 208 and the network 206).

[0047] The system 108 can include a system transceiver 218, a system processor 220, a system memory 222, a pointing device 224, an ultrasonic beamforming device 110, and a system camera 112. The system transceiver 218 can be configured to transmit signals / information / data to and receive signals / information / data from external systems and devices (including the vehicle 104, the user device 202, and the server 204) via the network 206.

[0048] The system processor 220 can be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., the system memory 222 and / or Figure 2communicate with one or more external databases (not shown), and the one or more memory devices are arranged to communicate with a corresponding computing system. The system processor 220 can utilize the system memory 222 to store programs in code form and / or store data to perform various aspects in accordance with the present disclosure. The system memory 222 can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores program code that enables the system processor 220 to perform operations in accordance with the present disclosure. The system memory 222 can include any one or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and can include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0049] In some aspects, the system memory 222 can include a plurality of databases, including but not limited to a message database 226 and a user information database 228. The message database 226 can store preset messages provided to the system 108 by the vehicle / garage owner via the user device 202 and / or the HMI 216, which are associated with acquaintances, unknown persons, pet animals, stray animals, etc. In other aspects, the preset messages can be provided to the system 108 by the server 204 and thus provided to the message database 226 for storage purposes. The vehicle / garage owner or the server 204 can provide the preset messages to the message database 226 for storage purposes so that when the system 108 detects a user / animal in the garage 102, the system 108 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to output the preset message associated with the detected user / animal. In some aspects, the message database 226 and the user information database 228 can be shared with adjacent systems 108 or remote family members who also have the system 108.

[0050] The user information database 228 can store images and / or facial features associated with the vehicle / garage owner or a person known to the vehicle / garage owner. The user information database 228 can also store images of pet animals associated with the vehicle / garage owner. The user information database 228 can obtain the above images / facial features from the user device 202, the HMI 216, or the server 204 via the network 206.

[0051] The pointing device 224 can be an indicator of the position to which the ultrasonic speaker can point, and can be configured to emit infrared light or red light in the direction of the object position when the system 108 detects that a person or animal may be approaching or may have entered the garage 102. In some aspects, the pointing device 224 emits infrared light or red light to implement a closed-loop system, where the camera can see the position to which the ultrasonic speaker points and remain "locked" to the target position (i.e., the position of an unknown person or a stray animal), so that the system camera 112 can follow the infrared light or red light (from the ultrasonic beamforming device 110) to track / monitor the target movement of a person or animal approaching or near the garage 102. The pointing device 224 can be disposed near the system camera 112 and / or the ultrasonic beamforming device 110, as Figure 3 shown.

[0052] As described above, the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 can be configured to transmit an ultrasonic carrier wave, which can have a frequency, for example, in the range of 100 kHz to 125 kHz. For example, the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 can be a hypersonic TM speaker. In addition, the system camera 112 can be, for example, a red-green-blue (RGB) camera, an infrared camera, a thermal camera, etc.

[0053] The system 108 can also include Figure 2 one or more additional components not shown in the figure. For example, the system 108 can include a system microphone, one or more system sensors, mechanical connection points for implementing system connection and angular movement (lateral and / or vertical movement) on the garage wall, a standard speaker for wide-area / wide-angle sound broadcasting, etc.

[0054] In operation, the system transceiver 218 can receive inputs from the vehicle detection unit 210, the system camera 112, the system microphone, the system sensors, one or more garage sensors / cameras / microphones, etc. that can be installed on the outer wall of the garage 102 or in the garage 102 (collectively referred to as "detection units" located outside or in the garage 102). In some aspects, the system transceiver 218 can also receive inputs from cameras or microphones in a house / building that can be installed near the garage 102 and / or other vehicles that can be parked near the garage 102. The received inputs can be, for example, images and / or audio signals captured by the detection units. The system transceiver 218 can transmit the received inputs to the system processor 220.

[0055] The system processor 220 can obtain inputs from the system transceiver 218 and detect the presence of an object (e.g., a person or an animal) near (or in) the garage 102 based on the obtained inputs. For example, the system processor 220 can detect an acquaintance (e.g.,Figure 1 User 106 shown in Figure 4 Stranger 402 shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 Pet animal 302 or 404 shown in Figure 3 or a stray animal (e.g., stray animal 304 shown in

[0056] may be present / located near garage 102 (e.g., near the front door or outer wall of the garage) or in garage 102.

[0057] In some aspects, system processor 220 may be an artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML)-based processor, which may additionally be configured to determine the object location near garage 102 and determine the object type based on the input obtained from system transceiver 218 in response to detecting the presence of an object near or in garage 102. The object type may be, for example, a vehicle / garage owner, an acquaintance, an acquaintance with hearing impairment, an unknown person or a stranger, a pet animal, a stray animal, etc. If the object is an animal (pet animal or stray animal), the object type may further include information associated with whether the animal is a dog, a cat, a raccoon, a wolf, a coyote, a sheep, a rabbit, etc. In some aspects, system processor 220 may determine the object type by comparing the object features and / or images identified according to the input obtained from the detection unit with the images / facial features of the vehicle / garage owner, acquaintances, pet animals, and other animals that may be stored in user information database 228 and / or server 204. In some aspects, system processor 220 may determine the object type by using facial recognition technology (e.g., in the case of an acquaintance and a vehicle / garage owner).

[0057] In response to determining the object location near garage 102, system processor 220 may define a target area near garage 102 (e.g., target area 114 shown in Figure 1 or target area 306 shown in Figure 3 ), including the object location, particularly the head portion of the detected object. For example, as shown in Figure 1 , target area 114 may include the head portion of user 106, and as shown in Figure 3 , target area 306 may include the head portion of stray animal 304. In some aspects, the defined target area may exclude any other user / animal that may be approaching garage 102 or located near (or in) garage 102. For example, as shown in Figure 3 , target area 306 does not include pet animal 302.

[0058] In addition, in response to determining the object type, the system processor 220 may determine an optimal sound frequency based on the determined object type to modulate an ultrasonic carrier wave that can be transmitted by the ultrasonic beamforming device 110. The optimal sound frequency may be within the audible frequency range associated with the determined object type. For example, when the system processor 220 determines that the object type is a human (e.g., Figure 1 the user 106 shown in Figure 3 ), the system processor 220 may determine that the optimal sound frequency is in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Similarly, when the system processor 220 determines that the object type is a dog (e.g.,

[0059] the stray animal 304 shown in Figure 3 ), the system processor 220 may determine that the optimal sound frequency is in the range of 50 Hz to 45 kHz.

[0060] In response to defining the target area and determining the optimal sound frequency, the system processor 220 may cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit an ultrasonic carrier wave modulated at the determined optimal sound frequency in the target area. Since the ultrasonic carrier wave is modulated at the optimal sound frequency and transmitted in the target area, only the intended or target recipient of the wave receives the sound, and no other person or animal receives the sound. For example, as

[0061] Figure 3 shown, when the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 transmits an ultrasonic carrier wave in the target area 306, the ultrasonic carrier wave only reaches the stray animal 304 and does not reach the pet animal 302, thus ensuring that the pet animal 302 is not disturbed.

[0060] The system processor 220 may be configured to deliver auditory information or sound to an object via an ultrasonic carrier wave modulated at the optimal sound frequency. For example, if the user 106 is a vehicle / garage owner, the system processor 220 may extract music data requested or preferred by the user 106 from the system memory 222, the vehicle memory 212, or the user device 202, and deliver the music to the user 106 via the ultrasonic carrier wave transmitted in the target area 114. In some aspects, to deliver auditory information to an object, the system processor 220 may first determine the auditory information to be delivered based on the object type. The system processor 220 may determine the auditory information by using a mapping of auditory information provided by the vehicle / garage owner and pre-stored in the user information database 228 to different object types.

[0061] For example, when the object type is an unknown person (e.g., User 106), the system processor 220 can determine the auditory information to be provided to the unknown person based on the mapping of the auditory information stored in the user information database 228 to different object types. In this case, whenever the system processor 220 determines that the unknown person may be approaching the garage 102 or may have entered the garage 102, the auditory information can be a preset message that the vehicle / garage owner may wish to output to the unknown person. In response to determining the auditory information / preset message associated with the unknown person, the system processor 220 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit the preset message to the unknown person via an ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency within the human hearing frequency range. The preset message can be, for example, "Leave the premises immediately."

[0062] In another aspect, when the object type is an unknown person, the system processor 220 can transmit a command signal to the vehicle transceiver 208 (via the system transceiver 218) to cause the vehicle processor 214 to turn on (e.g., blink) the vehicle exterior lights and / or output an audible alarm via the vehicle exterior speaker or horn. The blinking of the vehicle exterior lights and / or the output audible alarm may startle and scare away the unknown person. In a similar manner, when the system processor 220 detects an unknown person near the garage 102, the system processor 220 can cause multiple vehicles (not shown) located near the system 108 to turn on their respective exterior lights and / or output an audible alarm.

[0063] As another example, when the object type is an acquaintance, the preset message can be, for example, "No one is home right now." As yet another example, when the object type is the vehicle / garage owner, the auditory information can be music data requested or preferred by the vehicle / garage owner, as described above. As yet another example, when the object type is a pet animal, the preset message can be, for example, "Come here, Scott," "No, Scott," etc.

[0064] In another aspect, the system processor 220 can deliver the auditory information to the object at the optimal sound pressure level (SPL) or volume based on the object type. For example, if the object type is an unknown person or a stray animal (e.g., Stray Animal 304), the system processor 220 can deliver the auditory information to the object at a higher SPL (e.g., 60 dB or higher) to startle and scare away the unknown person or the stray animal. As another example, if the object is an acquaintance with a hearing impairment or a physical condition, the system processor 220 can deliver the preset message to the object at a higher SPL so that the person can conveniently hear the message. As yet another example, if the object is an acquaintance with a hearing impairment or a physical condition, the system processor 220 can deliver the preset message to the object at a low SPL that gradually increases to a higher SPL so that the person is not startled by the message that immediately reaches their ears.

[0065] To determine the optimal SPL, the system processor 220 can use the mapping of SPLs to different object types that can be provided by the vehicle / garage owner and pre-stored in the user information database 228. The system processor 220 can associate the mapping with the determined object type to determine the optimal SPL at which the auditory information / preset message can be delivered to the object. In response to determining the optimal SPL, the system processor 220 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to deliver the auditory information to the object at the optimal SPL via an ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency.

[0066] In some aspects, when an object approaches or enters the garage 102, the system processor 220 can "track" or monitor the movement of the object near (or in) the garage 102, as described above in connection with Figure 1 the description. The system processor 220 can monitor the object movement by using the system camera 112 and ensure that the ultrasonic wave is locked onto the target by causing the pointing device 224 to emit infrared light or red light 308 to "lock" the sound visually onto the object (e.g., the stray animal 304) in the garage 102, as Figure 3 shown. The system processor 220 can cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to continue transmitting the ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency in the target area 306 when the stray animal 304 approaches or moves into the garage 102, so as to ensure that the stray animal 304 continues to receive the auditory information even when the stray animal 304 may be moving. In some aspects, when the object may be the vehicle / garage owner, an acquaintance, or an unknown person or a pet animal, the system processor 220 can follow a similar process to "lock" the object by using the light 308 emitted from the pointing device 224 such that the object can continue to receive the auditory information during the object movement.

[0067] The system processor 220 may implement one or more additional processes by using the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to startle and scare away unknown persons or stray animals 304 from the garage 102. For example, the system processor 220 may cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to oscillate or move the ultrasonic carrier beam back and forth or in multiple directions, so that the ultrasonic carrier is reflected from one or more surfaces present in or near the garage 102, and change the auditory information / sound packet frequency or SPL based on the distance from the garage wall on which the system 108 may be mounted or the distance from the system 108, the duration that the object spends near the garage 102, etc. For example, when the stray animal 304 may be approaching the garage 102 including the system 108, the system processor 220 may cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to increase the SPL. In some aspects, if the pet animal 302 enters the target area 306, the system processor 220 may reduce the SPL to ensure that the pet animal 302 does not receive high-volume sounds.

[0068] The system processor 220 may also cause a standard speaker included in the system 108 to emit / broadcast a predefined alert notification (e.g., in human voice) when the unknown person or stray animal 304 still does not leave the garage 102 or stay near the garage 102 even after receiving the ultrasonic carrier beam emitted from the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 for a duration greater than a predefined threshold duration. In some aspects, when the system 108 does not include a standard speaker, the system processor 220 may transmit a command signal to the vehicle 104 via the system transceiver 218, so that the vehicle 104 emits an alert notification via the vehicle external speaker (and / or lights). In this case, the system 108 may be used to emit sounds that only the intended recipient can hear using the ultrasonic carrier beam, and the vehicle external speaker may be used to broadcast alert notifications that other users can also hear.

[0069] Although the above description describes aspects in which the system processor 220 causes the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit the ultrasonic carrier beam towards the detected user / animal, in some aspects, the system processor 220 may additionally or alternatively cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit the ultrasonic carrier beam towards other users or animals to warn them of the detected user / animal, especially when the detected user / animal may be an unknown person or a stray animal. For example, as Figure 4As shown, when a stranger 402 may be present near the garage 102, the system processor 220 may cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit an ultrasonic carrier beam towards the pet animal 404 to warn and wake up the pet animal 404. In this case, the system processor 220 may first determine the pet position near or within the garage 102 based on the input obtained from the detection unit. In response to determining the pet animal position, the system processor 220 may define a target area 406 that includes the pet animal position, as described above. Then, the system processor 220 may cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit an ultrasonic carrier beam modulated at a frequency within the audible frequency range of the pet animal 404 in the target area 406, such that the pet animal 404 can hear the sound / wake-up alert. In response to receiving the sound / wake-up alert from the ultrasonic beamforming device 110, the pet animal 404 may wake up and respond to the stranger 402 to startle or scare away the stranger 402 (e.g., bark at the stranger 402).

[0070] The system 108 may also be used for one or more additional use cases, as described below. For example, when multiple people may be having a party or gathering in the garage 102 (or any other location), the system 108 may be used to transmit a message to a specific person in the party. As another example, when more than one person may be sitting or sleeping on the couch, the system 108 may be used to transmit a message to a specific person on the couch. The system 108 may also be used to transmit a TV signal to a specific person.

[0071] As another example, when the user locks the vehicle door using the key fob, such as when the user may have parked outside or may be entering the garage 102 late at night (or entering a hotel / motel late at night), the system 108 may generate a vehicle lock chirp or alert and direct it to the user to confirm vehicle locking. In this way, the vehicle lock alert can only be heard by the user and not by other users / neighbors near the garage 102. When the user inadvertently triggers the vehicle alarm or the key fob emergency alarm, the system 108 may similarly direct the alarm signal to the user.

[0072] The system 108 may additionally be used as a sounder that may be configured to direct sound to a specific person or group of people who may be near or approaching a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 104). The sound may convey the presence or position of the vehicle to the people, rather than using a standard speaker or amplifier that may interfere with other unintended users.

[0073] In another aspect, system 108 can be configured to direct sound to more than one target user. In this case, the system processor 220 can determine the optimal width of the target area based on the count of target users identified according to the input obtained from the detection unit. In response to determining the optimal target area width, the system processor 220 can define the target area based on the optimal target area width and cause the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit an ultrasonic carrier modulated at a frequency within the human hearing frequency range in the target area. The optimal target area width can be such that all target users can be included in the target area, and other users different from the target users can be excluded from the target area.

[0074] System 108 can also focus the modulated ultrasonic carrier at a sound reflection location or object (e.g., a hard and smooth surface for reflection), which can cause the sound to be reflected and heard by the target user. In this case, system 108 can focus the modulated ultrasonic carrier at the sound reflection location or object by using infrared light or red light (e.g., light 308), as described above.

[0075] Figure 5 A flowchart depicting an exemplary method 500 for directional communication according to the present disclosure is shown. The description may continue with reference to the previous figures. Figure 5 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Additionally, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than those shown or described herein and may include those steps in a different order than the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0076] Method 500 begins at step 502. At step 504, method 500 may include the system processor 220 obtaining an input from the detection unit. At step 506, method 500 may include the system processor 220 detecting the presence of an object near or in the garage 102 (e.g., the presence of a person or an animal) based on the input obtained from the detection unit. At step 508, method 500 may include, in response to detecting the presence of an object near the garage 102, the system processor 220 determining the position of the object near the garage 102 based on the input obtained from the detection unit. At step 510, method 500 may include the system processor 220 determining the optimal sound frequency for modulating the ultrasonic carrier that can be emitted by the ultrasonic beamforming device 110. At step 512, method 500 may include the system processor 220 causing the ultrasonic beamforming device 110 to transmit the ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency towards the determined object position.

[0077] At step 514, method 500 can stop.

[0078] In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the foregoing disclosure, and which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "example embodiment", etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Additionally, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments.

[0079] Additionally, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Throughout the specification and claims, certain terms are used to refer to particular system components. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that differ in name but perform the same function.

[0080] It should also be understood that the term "example" as used herein is inherently intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive. More specifically, the term "example" as used herein indicates one of a number of examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is given to the particular example described.

[0081] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0082] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring in accordance with a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced with the steps described in a different order than that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of the processes herein is provided for purposes of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0083] Accordingly, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but rather should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the entire scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will evolve in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In summary, it should be understood that this application is capable of modification and change.

[0084] Unless expressly stated to the contrary herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless the claims recite a clear limitation to the contrary, the use of the singular articles such as "a," "the," and "said" should be construed to recite one or more of the indicated elements. Conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "could," "might," or "may," is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments can include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not include certain features, elements, and / or steps, unless otherwise specifically stated or understood otherwise within the context in which it is used. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments necessarily require each feature, element, and / or step.

[0085] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: defining a target area in the geographical area that includes the object location; and in response to defining the target area, causing the ultrasonic beamforming device to transmit in the target area the ultrasonic carrier modulated with the optimal sound frequency.

[0086] In one aspect of the present invention, the target area excludes any other object outside the target area.

[0087] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: determining an object type based on the input; and determining the optimal sound frequency based on the object type.

[0088] In one aspect of the present invention, the optimal sound frequency is within the hearing frequency range associated with the object type.

[0089] According to the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain an input from a detection unit located in a geographic region; detect the presence of an object in the geographic region based on the input; determine the location of the object in the geographic region based on the input in response to detecting the presence; determine an optimal sound frequency for modulating an ultrasonic carrier wave emitted by an ultrasonic beamforming device in response to detecting the presence; and cause the ultrasonic beamforming device to transmit the ultrasonic carrier wave modulated at the optimal sound frequency towards the object location.

Claims

1. A system for directional communication, the system comprising: an ultrasonic beamforming device configured to transmit an ultrasonic carrier wave; and a processor communicatively coupled to the ultrasound beamforming device, wherein the processor is configured to: obtaining input from detection units located in the geographic area; detecting the presence of an object in the geographic area based on the input; determining a location of an object in the geographic area based on the input in response to detecting the presence; determining an optimal sound frequency for modulating the ultrasonic carrier in response to detecting the presence; and The ultrasound beamforming device is caused to transmit the ultrasound carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency toward the object location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: defining a target zone in the geographic area that includes the location of the object; and In response to defining the target zone, the ultrasound beamforming device is caused to transmit the ultrasound carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency in the target zone.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the target zone excludes any other objects outside the target zone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining an object type based on the input; and The optimal sound frequency is determined based on the object type.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the object type is one of an acquaintance, an unknown person, a pet animal, or an animal different from the pet animal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the optimal sound frequency is within a hearing frequency range associated with the subject type.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining auditory information to be delivered to the subject based on the subject type; and The ultrasound beamforming device is caused to deliver the auditory information to the subject via the ultrasonic carrier wave modulated at the optimal sound frequency.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining an optimal sound pressure level associated with the auditory information based on the object type; and The ultrasound beamforming device is caused to deliver the auditory information to the subject at the optimal sound pressure level via the ultrasonic carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pointing device configured to emit light toward the object location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining a location of a pet animal in the geographic area based on the input; and The ultrasonic beamforming device is caused to transmit the ultrasonic carrier wave modulated at the optimal sound frequency toward the location of the pet animal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is at least one of a red-green-blue (RGB) camera, an infrared camera, a thermal camera, a microphone, and one or more sensors disposed in the geographic area.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is associated with a vehicle located in the geographic area.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound beamforming device is a hypersonic TM speaker.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the ultrasound beamforming device to oscillate in multiple directions to cause the ultrasound carrier wave to reflect from one or more surfaces present in the geographic area.

15. A method for directional communication, the method comprising: obtaining, by a processor, input from detection units located in a geographic area; detecting, by the processor, a presence of an object in the geographic area based on the input; determining, by the processor, a location of an object in the geographic area based on the input in response to detecting the presence; determining, by the processor, in response to detecting the presence, an optimal acoustic frequency for modulating an ultrasonic carrier wave transmitted by an ultrasonic beamforming device; and The ultrasound beamforming device is caused by the processor to transmit the ultrasound carrier modulated at the optimal sound frequency toward the object location.

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