Vehicle-mounted emergency call audio system based on A2B bus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a vehicle-mounted emergency call audio system based on an A2B bus, which comprises a vehicle-mounted information entertainment system module, an audio power amplifier module and a vehicle-mounted communication terminal module, the vehicle-mounted information entertainment system module serves as an A2B main node, and an A2B bus physical switch is integrated in the vehicle-mounted information entertainment system module. The audio power amplifier module serves as a slave node, processes and drives the first loudspeaker module, and transmits A2B audio to the vehicle-mounted communication terminal module in a transparent mode. The vehicle-mounted communication terminal module multiplexes a second loudspeaker module to play A2B audio in a normal mode; and in the emergency mode, the A2B bus physical switch is switched off in response to the fault trigger signal, so that the audio power amplifier module is mute, and meanwhile, the vehicle-mounted communication terminal module performs emergency call. According to the utility model, through mixed triggering, hard wire isolation and independent conversation links, the reliability and response speed of vehicle-mounted emergency conversation are significantly improved, and effective reuse of the loudspeaker is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive audio technology, and in particular to an in-vehicle emergency communication audio system based on the A2B bus. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of intelligent and connected vehicles, in-vehicle infotainment systems (IVI) and vehicle communication terminals (TBox) have become standard features in modern cars. IVI systems typically handle multimedia playback and navigation, with audio played through in-vehicle speakers via an amplifier (AMP). TBoxes, on the other hand, handle remote vehicle communication, data reporting, and emergency call (eCall) functions.

[0003] In normal mode, the IVI's audio signal needs to be transmitted in high quality to all speakers in the vehicle, including those near the driver's seat, to provide a good listening experience. In emergency situations (such as a collision or user-triggered events), the vehicle needs to be able to quickly and reliably establish an emergency communication link. In this case, to ensure clear communication, other in-vehicle entertainment audio should be muted, and the emergency communication audio should be primarily played through the driver's seat speaker.

[0004] Existing in-vehicle audio systems face challenges in switching between normal and emergency modes, managing audio paths, and ensuring the reliability of emergency calls. For example, the TBox's microphone and speaker are dedicated to the eCall service, completely independent of the existing in-vehicle audio system, increasing overall costs. Furthermore, how to quickly switch to an independent call path in an emergency while muting other audio sources, and how to ensure the emergency call function remains available even if the IVI system malfunctions, are pressing issues that need to be addressed in this field. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides an in-vehicle emergency communication audio system based on an A2B bus, comprising:

[0006] The in-vehicle infotainment system module includes an IVI MCU, an A2B main controller connected to the IVI MCU, and an A2B bus physical switch connected to the A2B main controller.

[0007] An audio power amplifier module, comprising a first A2B slave node controller connected to the A2B bus via an A2B bus physical switch, a first DSP connected to the first A2B slave node controller, a first power amplifier chip connected to the first DSP, and a first speaker module connected to the first power amplifier chip.

[0008] The vehicle communication terminal module includes a TBox MCU, a second A2B slave controller connected to the first A2B slave controller via an A2B bus, an audio switch connected to the second A2B slave controller, a second power amplifier chip connected to the audio switch, a second speaker module connected to the second power amplifier chip, a cellular communication module connected to the TBox MCU, and a microphone module connected to the cellular communication module.

[0009] Preferably, the in-vehicle infotainment system module further includes a logic control circuit, the output of which is connected to the control terminal of the A2B bus physical switch; the input of the logic control circuit receives at least an IVI fault trigger signal from the fault detection logic inside the in-vehicle infotainment system module and / or a TBox fault trigger signal from the in-vehicle communication terminal module, and when any trigger signal is valid, the logic control circuit controls the A2B bus physical switch to open.

[0010] Preferably, the logic control circuit includes an OR gate chip, and the input terminals of the OR logic gate are respectively connected to the generation point of the IVI fault trigger signal and the receiving point of the TBox fault trigger signal.

[0011] Preferably, the vehicle communication terminal module includes an optocoupler-isolated output circuit. The TBox fault trigger signal is generated by the TBox MCU of the vehicle communication terminal module through the optocoupler-isolated output circuit when an emergency event is detected, and is connected to the corresponding input terminal of the logic control circuit via a hardwire.

[0012] Preferably, the vehicle communication terminal module includes a collision sensor and / or an emergency button, and the TBox MCU receives the emergency signal output by the collision sensor and / or the emergency button.

[0013] Preferably, the vehicle communication terminal module includes an ADC analog-to-digital converter connected to a microphone module and a second DSP connected to the ADC analog-to-digital converter. The second DSP is connected to a cellular communication module and a TBox MCU.

[0014] Preferably, the vehicle communication terminal module includes a power management module, which includes a backup power supply. The backup power supply is used to power the emergency call function of the vehicle communication terminal module when the vehicle's main power supply is interrupted.

[0015] Preferably, the in-vehicle infotainment system module includes an IVI CAN transceiver, and the in-vehicle communication terminal module includes a TBox CAN transceiver that interacts with the IVI CAN transceiver via a CAN bus to exchange status information.

[0016] Preferably, the audio power amplifier module includes an AMP MCU for configuring the first DSP and A2B.

[0017] Preferably, the first speaker module includes multiple speakers disposed in the passenger seat and rear seats of the vehicle, and the second speaker module includes a speaker disposed in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0018] Beneficial effects:

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model uses a dual-source hybrid triggering mechanism of IVI and TBox, and adopts hard-wired signal (optical isolation) to control the physical switch of the A2B bus to disconnect, so as to ensure that the system can be reliably switched to emergency mode in extreme cases such as IVI system software failure or CAN communication failure, and ensure the priority execution of the eCall function.

[0020] In normal mode, the TBox module can receive and play A2B audio from the IVI, enabling multiplexing of the driver's seat speaker. Simultaneously, the A2B bus ensures synchronized audio playback with the AMP-driven speakers. In emergency mode, the TBox module switches to a completely independent audio processing and communication link (microphone-ADC-DSP-cellular module-DSP-amplifier-speaker), unaffected by the IVI status, and has backup power support, ensuring the continuity and clarity of eCall calls.

[0021] The hard-wired trigger path and the rapid mute feature after the A2B slave node link is lost result in a small delay from system triggering to AMP mute and TBox switching of call path, meeting the real-time requirements of emergency situations. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The following figures are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of this invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts. For the sake of simplicity, the parts related to the present invention are shown schematically in each drawing and do not represent their actual structure as a product. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity and ease of understanding, in some drawings, components with the same structure or function are only schematically depicted, or only one is labeled.

[0025] In this utility model, "connection" can include direct connection, indirect connection, communication connection, and electrical connection, unless otherwise specified.

[0026] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. It will also be understood that, when used in the specification, the terms “comprising” and / or “including” mean the presence of the stated features, values, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, values, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items.

[0027] This utility model provides an in-vehicle emergency communication audio system based on the A2B bus, referring to... Figure 1 The system mainly includes an in-vehicle infotainment system module (IVI), an audio power amplifier module (AMP), and an in-vehicle communication terminal module (TBox). These modules are connected in a daisy chain via an A2B bus, with the IVI module as the A2B master node, the audio power amplifier module as slave node 1, and the in-vehicle communication terminal module as slave node 2.

[0028] The in-vehicle infotainment system module includes an IVI MCU, such as an NXP i.MX8 series processor or an automotive-grade microcontroller with equivalent performance. It is responsible for the overall operation of the IVI system, the generation of multimedia audio sources, the management of the A2B bus master controller, the monitoring of internal fault conditions, and the exchange of status information with the TBox module via the CAN bus. It also includes an A2B master controller, which is responsible for generating the A2B bus clock and synchronization signals, and encoding digital audio data (e.g., I2S format) from the IVI MCU into an A2B data stream for downstream transmission.

[0029] The A2B main controller is connected to the A2B bus physical switch. In this embodiment, the A2B bus physical switch is a solid-state relay, which is connected in series between the A2B bus output terminal of the A2B main controller and the A2B bus physical link connected to the audio power amplifier module, and is used to physically disconnect the A2B bus in emergency mode.

[0030] The in-vehicle infotainment system module also includes a logic control circuit, which comprises an OR gate chip, an IVI fault signal conditioning circuit, and a TBox fault trigger signal receiving and conditioning circuit. The IVI fault signal conditioning circuit includes an RC filter circuit and a Schmitt trigger chip. When the IVI MCU detects a serious fault (such as system crash or overheat protection threshold triggering), it outputs a high-level fault indication signal (e.g., 3.3V). This signal passes through an RC filter circuit consisting of a 1kΩ resistor and a 0.1μF capacitor, and is then input to an ON Semiconductor NL27WZ14 Schmitt trigger chip for shaping, ensuring a steep, jitter-free signal edge, before being sent to one input of the OR gate chip.

[0031] The TBox fault trigger signal receiving and conditioning circuit includes a TBox fault trigger signal (active high, e.g., 3.3V) input point connected to the optocoupler isolation output circuit of the vehicle communication terminal module via a hard wire. The TBox fault trigger signal is also shaped by an RC filter circuit and a Schmitt trigger chip before being sent to another input terminal of the OR gate chip.

[0032] The output of the OR gate chip is directly connected to the control input of the physical switch on the A2B bus. When any trigger signal is valid, the OR gate chip outputs a high level, driving the solid-state relay to disconnect.

[0033] The in-vehicle infotainment system module also includes an IVI CAN transceiver for communication between the IVI MCU and the vehicle's main CAN bus.

[0034] The audio power amplifier module includes a first A2B slave node controller, a first DSP, a first power amplifier chip, an AMPMCU, and a first speaker module. The first A2B slave node controller receives A2B data streams from the upstream in-vehicle infotainment system module (or its A2B bus physical switch) via the A2B input port. It decodes the A2B data streams into digital audio signals (e.g., I2S format) and transmits them to the downstream in-vehicle communication terminal module via the A2B output port.

[0035] The first DSP receives the I2S audio signal from the first A2B slave node controller and performs sound effect processing, such as equalization (EQ) adjustment and channel balancing, to optimize the listening experience of the first speaker module.

[0036] The first power amplifier chip receives the I2S audio signal processed by the first DSP, amplifies it, and drives the connected first speaker module (e.g., two 4Ω, 50W speakers). The first speaker module is located in the passenger seat and rear seat of the vehicle.

[0037] In this embodiment, the AMP MCU is an STM32 series automotive-grade microcontroller. The relevant registers of the first A2B slave node controller are configured via I2C or SPI bus, and the program and parameters of the first DSP are loaded and controlled.

[0038] When the first A2B slave node controller detects that the upstream A2B link is lost, its hardware will automatically or through the configuration of the AMPMCU will mute its audio output within 1ms, thereby causing the first power amplifier chip to have no signal input and thus mute the speaker.

[0039] The vehicle communication terminal module includes a TBox MCU, a second A2B slave node controller, an audio switching switch, a second power amplifier chip, a second speaker module, a cellular communication module, a microphone module, an ADC analog-to-digital converter, a second DSP, a power management module, a TBox CAN transceiver, and an optocoupler isolated output circuit.

[0040] TBox_MCU is responsible for the overall logic control of the vehicle communication terminal module, A2B slave node management, audio path switching, emergency event detection and judgment, eCall process management, interaction with the cellular communication module, and generating hard-wired trigger signals through optocoupler isolated output circuit.

[0041] The second A2B slave node controller receives the A2B data stream from the upstream audio power amplifier module through the A2B input port and decodes it into an I2S digital audio signal.

[0042] The microphone module is installed near the driver to capture the driver's voice. The ADC analog-to-digital converter uses a TIPCM1808 stereo audio ADC to convert the analog audio signal from the microphone module into an I2S digital audio signal.

[0043] In emergency call mode, the second DSP receives I2S digital audio from the ADC analog-to-digital converter, performs acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and noise suppression (NR) processing, and then sends the processed uplink voice data (I2S) to the cellular communication module. Simultaneously, it receives downlink far-end voice data (I2S) from the cellular communication module, performs necessary audio processing, and outputs it to the audio switching switch.

[0044] The audio switching switch uses a TI TS3A5017 analog audio SPDT switch (or digital audio MUX, depending on the DSP output and amplifier input type; in this example, it is assumed that the DSP output is I2S, and after switching, it is directly sent to the digital input of the amplifier or sent to the analog input after DAC). It is controlled by the TBox MCU. In normal mode, it selects the I2S audio signal from the second A2B slave node controller. In emergency mode, it selects the downlink remote voice signal processed by the second DSP.

[0045] The cellular communication module uses an eCall cellular module that supports VoLTE, which is responsible for establishing and maintaining the eCall wireless communication link and sending and receiving voice data (usually connected to a second DSP or TBox MCU via a PCM / I2S interface).

[0046] The second amplifier chip uses a TI TPA2012D Class D amplifier chip, which receives the audio signal selected by the audio switch, amplifies it, and drives the second speaker module (e.g., a 4Ω, 20W speaker). The second speaker module is located in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0047] The optocoupler-isolated output circuit uses an optocoupler. Its input is driven by the TBox MCU when an emergency event is detected, and its output is hardwired to the TBox fault trigger signal receiver in the logic control circuit of the in-vehicle infotainment system module. This enables the TBox to send an isolated, highly reliable hardwired trigger signal to the IVI.

[0048] The power management module includes a DC-DC converter, an LDO, and a 5V / 1F supercapacitor as a backup power source. This module draws mains power from the vehicle's constant power supply to power the components of the in-vehicle communication terminal module and manages the charging and discharging of the supercapacitor. In the event of a loss of mains power, the module automatically switches to the supercapacitor to power critical eCall paths such as the TBox MCU, cellular communication module, and second DSP for at least 2 minutes.

[0049] The TBox CAN transceiver is used for communication between the TBox MCU and the vehicle's main CAN bus.

[0050] The vehicle communication terminal module also includes a collision sensor and / or emergency button input interface, which is connected to the vehicle's collision sensor signal or the eCall emergency button in the cockpit, and the signal is input to the TBox MCU.

[0051] In normal mode, the IVI MCU generates audio (such as FM radio or USB music), which is encoded by the A2B master controller and then transmitted via the A2B bus physical switch (currently closed). The first A2B slave node controller of the audio power amplifier module receives the A2B audio, decodes it into I2S, and sends it to the first DSP for processing. The processed audio is then amplified by the first power amplifier chip and drives the first speaker module for playback. Simultaneously, the first A2B slave node controller completely transmits the A2B data stream to its A2B output port.

[0052] The second A2B slave node controller of the vehicle communication terminal module receives the A2B audio stream from the audio power amplifier module and decodes it into I2S. The TBox MCU controls the audio switching switch to select this I2S signal, which is then driven by the second power amplifier chip to play the audio from the second speaker module. At this time, the second speaker module and the first speaker module synchronously play the audio from the vehicle infotainment system module.

[0053] In emergency mode (taking a collision detection on the TBox side as an example), the TBox MCU receives a collision signal. The TBox MCU immediately performs the following actions:

[0054] a. Drive the optocoupler isolated output circuit to send a high-level hard-wired trigger signal to the vehicle infotainment system module.

[0055] b. Control the audio switching switch to switch the input source from the output of the second A2B slave node controller to the downlink voice output processed by the second DSP.

[0056] c. Activate the cellular communication module and start the eCall dialing process.

[0057] d. Enable the uplink voice processing link of the microphone module, ADC analog-to-digital converter, and second DSP.

[0058] The logic control circuit of the in-vehicle infotainment system module receives a hard-wired trigger signal from the in-vehicle communication terminal module, which is then conditioned and sent to the OR gate chip. The OR gate chip outputs a high level, driving the physical switch of the A2B bus to disconnect.

[0059] After the A2B bus interruption, the first A2B slave controller of the audio power amplifier module detects the loss of the upstream link and immediately (<1ms) mutes its audio output, and the first speaker module is also muted. The second A2B slave controller of the vehicle communication terminal module also detects the link loss, but since its audio switching switch has been toggled and it is no longer using A2B audio, it is unaffected.

[0060] The eCall call establishment process of the vehicle communication terminal module includes the driver speaking through the microphone module. The sound is converted into a digital signal by the ADC analog-to-digital converter, processed by the second DSP using AEC and NR, and then sent to the cellular communication module for uploading. The voice of the remote rescue center is received through the cellular communication module, processed by the second DSP, and then played by the second speaker module through the audio switch and the second power amplifier chip.

[0061] If the vehicle's main power supply is interrupted due to a collision, the power management module will automatically switch to supercapacitor power supply to maintain eCall communication.

[0062] If the emergency mode is triggered by the IVI side (e.g., the IVI MCU detects a serious fault), the IVI MCU will generate an internal fault signal, which will also drive the physical switch of the A2B bus to disconnect via the logic control circuit. The subsequent AMP mute process is similar to the above. The TBox can receive the IVI fault status via the CAN bus or detect the A2B link status to determine whether to actively initiate an eCall.

[0063] This embodiment, through the above structure and workflow, enables the reuse of the second speaker module and synchronous playback of the entire vehicle's audio in normal mode. In emergency situations, a highly reliable hybrid triggering mechanism quickly disconnects the A2B bus to mute the audio power amplifier module, while the vehicle communication terminal module switches to an independent eCall call path powered by a backup power supply, effectively improving the reliability and practicality of the vehicle emergency call system.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the form in this embodiment is not limited thereto, nor is the adjustment method limited thereto. It is understood that other improvements and variations directly derived or conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept of the present invention should be considered to be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An A2B bus-based vehicle emergency talk-through audio system, characterized by, include: The in-vehicle infotainment system module includes an IVI MCU, an A2B main controller connected to the IVI MCU, and an A2B bus physical switch connected to the A2B main controller. An audio power amplifier module, comprising a first A2B slave node controller connected to the A2B bus via an A2B bus physical switch, a first DSP connected to the first A2B slave node controller, a first power amplifier chip connected to the first DSP, and a first speaker module connected to the first power amplifier chip. The vehicle communication terminal module includes a TBox MCU, a second A2B slave controller connected to the first A2B slave controller via an A2B bus, an audio switch connected to the second A2B slave controller, a second power amplifier chip connected to the audio switch, a second speaker module connected to the second power amplifier chip, a cellular communication module connected to the TBox MCU, and a microphone module connected to the cellular communication module.

2. A vehicle-mounted emergency talkback audio system based on A2B bus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The in-vehicle infotainment system module also includes a logic control circuit. The output of the logic control circuit is connected to the control terminal of the A2B bus physical switch. The input of the logic control circuit receives at least an IVI fault trigger signal from the IVI MCU and / or a TBox fault trigger signal from the in-vehicle communication terminal module.

3. A vehicle-mounted emergency talkback audio system based on A2B bus as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The logic control circuit includes an OR gate chip, the input of which is connected to the generation point of the IVI fault trigger signal and the receiving point of the TBox fault trigger signal, respectively.

4. A vehicle-mounted emergency talkback audio system based on A2B bus as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The vehicle communication terminal module includes an optocoupler-isolated output circuit. The TBox fault trigger signal is generated by the TBox MCU of the vehicle communication terminal module through the optocoupler-isolated output circuit when an emergency event is detected, and is connected to the corresponding input terminal of the logic control circuit through a hard wire.

5. The vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on an A2B bus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle communication terminal module includes a collision sensor and / or an emergency button, and the TBox MCU receives the emergency signal output by the collision sensor and / or the emergency button.

6. A vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on A2B bus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted communication terminal module includes an ADC analog-to-digital converter connected to a microphone module and a second DSP connected to the ADC analog-to-digital converter. The second DSP is connected to a cellular communication module and a TBox MCU.

7. A vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on A2B bus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle-mounted communication terminal module includes a power management module, which includes a backup power supply. The backup power supply is used to power the emergency call function of the vehicle-mounted communication terminal module when the vehicle's main power supply is interrupted.

8. A vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on A2B bus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The in-vehicle infotainment system module includes an IVI CAN transceiver, and the in-vehicle communication terminal module includes a TBox CAN transceiver that interacts with the IVI CAN transceiver via a CAN bus to exchange status information.

9. A vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on A2B bus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The audio power amplifier module includes an AMP MCU for configuring the first DSP and A2B.

10. A vehicle-mounted emergency communication audio system based on A2B bus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first speaker module includes multiple speakers installed in the passenger seat and rear seats of the vehicle, and the second speaker module includes a speaker installed in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

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