In-vehicle sound system and in-vehicle sound control method

Abstract

An in-vehicle acoustic device according to the present embodiment comprises: a plurality of speakers 3 mounted on a vehicle 200; a plurality of microphones 2 mounted on the vehicle 200; and a controller 10 that controls the microphone 2 associated with the first sitting position of a first occupant and the speaker 3 associated with the second sitting position of a second occupant other than the first occupant in such a manner that causes the speech of the first occupant inputted from the microphone 2 to be heard by the second occupant via the speaker 3. On the basis of the positional relationship between the first sitting position and the second sitting position, the controller 10 controls the sound level of a reproduced speech outputted from the speaker 3 associated with the second sitting position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle audio device and an in-vehicle audio control method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an acoustic field control device that controls the acoustic field in a vehicle interior so that participants can talk easily while taking into account non-participants in a conversation (for example, Patent Document 1). The acoustic field control device described in Patent Document 1 detects the seating positions of the passengers in the vehicle, detects the speaker and the listener of the conversation conducted in the vehicle interior from among the passengers as participants, and when a conversation is conducted in the vehicle interior, controls the acoustic field by a plurality of speakers provided corresponding to the seating positions in the vehicle based on the seating positions of the participants and the seating positions of non-participants who are passengers but not participants. Then, the acoustic field control device controls the acoustic field so that the volume at the seating position of the non-participant does not become smaller and the volume at the seating position of the participant becomes smaller than before the control.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above conventional acoustic field control device has a problem that it cannot be applied to a conversation form in which passengers talk through a microphone and a speaker in the vehicle interior because the volume of the speakers provided corresponding to the seating positions of the conversation participants uniformly becomes smaller.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an in-vehicle audio device and an in-vehicle audio control method that enable passengers to talk smoothly through a microphone and a speaker in the vehicle interior.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention solves the above problem by controlling the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker corresponding to the second seating position, based on the positional relationship between the first seating position of the first occupant and the second seating position of the second occupant, when the voice of the first occupant input from a microphone is to be heard by a second occupant other than the first occupant via a speaker. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, occupants can have a smooth conversation through a microphone and speaker inside the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle sound system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the vehicle. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a plan view of the vehicle. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is a table illustrating the on / off states of the microphones / speakers in columns 1-3. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a table illustrating the on / off states of the microphones / speakers in columns 1-3. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is a table illustrating the on / off states of the microphones / speakers in columns 1-3. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a table illustrating the on / off states of the microphones / speakers in columns 1-3. [Figure 8B]Figure 8B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart of the control flow performed by the controller of the in-vehicle audio system according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the in-vehicle sound system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle sound system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The in-vehicle sound system comprises a power switch 1, a microphone 2, a speaker 3, an in-vehicle switch 4, a camera 5, a communication device 6, and a controller 10. The in-vehicle sound system is a system for controlling conversations between occupants, communication between occupants and users outside the vehicle, output of system sounds from the in-vehicle system, and / or the sound environment at a specific seat, through a speaker and / or microphone installed in the vehicle cabin. The device including at least the microphone 2, speaker 3, and controller 10 corresponds to the "in-vehicle sound device" of the present invention, and the control performed by the controller 10 corresponds to the "in-vehicle sound control method" of the present invention.

[0010] Power switch 1 is the main switch for vehicle 200 and is a system for starting the vehicle's power source and turning on the electrical system. The in-car sound system starts when power switch 1 is turned on. If vehicle 200 is equipped with an engine, power switch 1 corresponds to the ignition switch.

[0011] Multiple microphones 2 are provided in the vehicle 200, and they convert sounds such as the voices of the occupants into electrical signals and output them to the controller 10. Microphones 2 have a noise-canceling function. Multiple speakers 3 are provided in the vehicle 200, and they output the occupants' voices, the voices of external users, the system sounds of the in-vehicle system, and other music to each occupant of the vehicle 200.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the microphone 2 and speaker 3 are installed inside the vehicle 200 so as to correspond to the seating positions (seat positions) of the occupants. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the positions of the microphone 2 and speaker 3, and shows a plan view of the vehicle 200.

[0013] In the example shown in Figure 2, the vehicle 200 has six seats, arranged in three rows of two seats each. Microphone 2 consists of six microphones 21-26, and speaker 3 consists of sixteen speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 33a-33d, 34a-34d, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b. Microphone 21 and speakers 31a and 31b are positioned to correspond to the driver's seat (the seat on the right side of the first row). Microphone 22 and speakers 32a and 32b are positioned to correspond to the passenger seat (the seat on the left side of the first row). Microphone 23 and speakers 33a-33d are positioned to correspond to the seat on the right side of the second row, and microphone 24 and speakers 34a-34d are positioned to correspond to the seat on the left side of the second row. Microphone 25 and speakers 35a and 35b are positioned to correspond to the right-hand seat of the third row, while microphone 26 and speakers 36a and 36b are positioned to correspond to the left-hand seat of the third row. In other words, microphone 2 is assigned to the seat so that it is easier to receive the voice of a seated occupant when they speak. Similarly, speaker 3 is assigned to the seat so that it is easier for a seated occupant to hear the sound when they are listening.

[0014] Speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 33c, 33d, 34c, 34d are provided on the headrest, and speakers 33a, 33b, 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b are provided on the seat main body. Also, speakers 31a, 32a, 33a, 33c, 34a, 34c, 35a, 36a are provided on the right side of the corresponding seat so that sound can be heard from the right side of the passenger sitting on the seat. Speakers 31b, 32b, 33b, 33d, 34b, 34d, 35b, 36b are provided on the left side of the corresponding seat so that sound can be heard from the left side of the passenger sitting on the seat. Note that microphones 21 to 26 and speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 33a to 33d, 34a to 34d, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b do not need to be provided corresponding to one seating position, and may be provided corresponding to a plurality of seating positions. Also, the correspondence relationship between speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 33a to 33d, 34a to 34d, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b and the seating position is not limited to the position of the speaker with respect to the seating position, and the speaker and the seating position may be associated by changing the sound position of the sound output from the speaker under the control of the controller 10. In the following description, the microphones 2 and speakers 3 corresponding to the seating position of the passenger are also simply referred to as "the passenger's microphone" and "the passenger's speaker", and when described as the microphone of the speaker as a specific example of the passenger, it indicates the microphone corresponding to the seating position of the speaker. For example, in the case of the driver's microphone 2 and speaker 3, they correspond to microphones 21 and speakers 31a, 31b.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the in-vehicle switch 4 is a switch that sends an operation command for controlling the in-vehicle audio system. By operating the in-vehicle switch 4, the occupant can select the seat that is the target of conversation, the seat that blocks the surrounding sound, and the seat that blocks the sound input. For example, if the in-vehicle switch 4 is installed near the driver's seat and the driver operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to select the seat that blocks the sound input, the sound input from the microphone 2 of the selected seat is adjusted, and the voice of the occupant of the selected seat can be controlled so as not to reach the driver through the speaker. The in-vehicle switch 4 may be a touch panel in the navigation system, a switch around the dashboard, or a switch that reaches the hands of other occupants besides the driver.

[0016] The camera 5 is an imaging device that images the occupants inside the vehicle. The communicator 6 is a device that enables a call with a user outside the vehicle through a telephone line. Note that the communicator 6 may be connected to a mobile terminal such as a smartphone owned by the occupant and make a call with a user outside the vehicle via the mobile terminal. At this time, the call is made through the in-vehicle microphone 2 and speaker 3 instead of the microphone and speaker of the mobile terminal.

[0017] The controller 10 is the main controller of the vehicle 200, and controls various systems such as the drive system and navigation system of the vehicle 200. Also, as a processor for controlling the in-vehicle audio system, the controller 10 controls the microphone 2 of the speaker and the speaker 3 of the listener so that the voice of the speaker input from the microphone 2 is heard by the listener other than the speaker through the speaker 3. Further, the controller 10 controls the volume of the reproduced voice output from the speaker 3 of the listener based on the positional relationship between the seating position of the speaker and the seating position of the listener. In the example of FIG. 1, the control unit of the vehicle 200 is not limited to one controller 10 and may be composed of a plurality of control units. Also, when incorporating the in-vehicle audio system into the existing system of the vehicle 200, the controller 10 functions as a control unit for the in-vehicle audio system.

[0018] The controller 10 has functional blocks including a sound device setting unit 11, an audio control unit 12, a noise processing unit 13, a call control unit 14, and an in-vehicle equipment sound control unit 15. Programs for realizing each function in each functional block are stored in memory. The computer included in the controller 10 then executes the programs to realize each function of the functional block. Note that the number of functional blocks is not limited to five; there may be one to four or more functional blocks.

[0019] The sound device setting unit 11 sets the controllable sound devices in order to control the sound environment at each seat. The sound devices correspond to microphone 2 and speaker 3. Based on the operation commands of the in-vehicle switch 4, the images captured by the camera 5, and the external commands received by the communication device 6, the sound device setting unit 11 sets the controllable sound devices (controllable devices). For example, if a passenger in the third row operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to select a specific seat in order to converse with a passenger in the first row, the sound device setting unit 11 sets the microphone 2 and speaker 3 corresponding to the location of the seat being conversed as controllable devices. In addition, when the sound device setting unit 11 controls the sound environment according to the seating positions of the speaker and the listener in the vehicle, it sets the microphone 2 and speaker 3 of the speaker and listener as controllable devices. For example, in the example in Figure 2, if passengers are seated in all seats, all microphones 2 and speakers 3 become controllable devices.

[0020] The sound device setting unit 11 may also set the control target devices based on the image captured by the camera 5. For example, the sound device setting unit 11 detects an occupant who is talking from the face image included in the camera image and sets the detected occupant's microphone 2 and speaker 3 as control target devices. If the sound device setting unit 11 detects from the camera image that an occupant is sleeping, it sets the control target speaker to turn off the speaker 3 of the sleeping occupant. Furthermore, if the sound device setting unit 11 detects from the camera image that an occupant is a child and is making noise, it sets the control target speaker to turn off the child's microphone 2.

[0021] The sound device setting unit 11 sets the devices to be controlled based on external commands received by the communication device 6. For example, if the communication device 6 receives a telephone call command from outside the vehicle 200 addressed to the driver, the sound device setting unit 11 sets the driver's microphone 21 and speakers 31a and 31b as the devices to be controlled so that the driver can make a call through the microphone 21 and speakers 31a and 31b.

[0022] The audio control unit 12 controls the audio input and output from the controlled device set in the sound device setting unit 11. Audio control corresponds to adjusting the volume and / or pitch. The pitch may be adjusted by adjusting the volume of the speakers 3 installed in front of the seats (for example, speakers 31a and 31b in the driver's seat), or by adjusting the volume output from a single speaker 3. For example, when a third-row passenger converses with a first-row passenger through microphone 2 and speaker 3, the audio control unit 12 increases the volume from the third-row speaker 3 when outputting the voice of the first-row speaker from the third-row speaker 3.

[0023] The noise processing unit 13 generates a noise reduction sound to reduce the noise input from the microphone 2. The noise input to the microphone 2 includes road noise, engine noise, motor and inverter noise, etc. Noise processing involves, for example, using the noise detection function (noise canceling function) of the microphone 2 to detect noise through the microphone 2 and performing noise processing on the detected noise. Noise processing may involve, for example, strengthening the original sound that was masked by the noise and outputting it from the speaker 3. Alternatively, noise processing may involve, for example, superimposing a signal with the opposite phase to the detected noise waveform to cancel out sounds other than the original sound. In this way, the noise processing unit reduces noise in real time in accordance with changes in noise inside and outside the vehicle 200.

[0024] The call control unit 14 controls calls between an external user and an occupant using the communication device 6. When the communication device 6 receives a call from an external user, the call control unit 14 identifies the occupant who is the recipient of the call. The call control unit 14 identifies the occupant, for example, by facial recognition using the image captured by the camera 5, and / or by authentication using a key ID. The call control unit 14 transmits the identified occupant's information to the sound device setting unit 11. The sound device setting unit 11 sets the microphone 2 and speaker 3 of the occupant identified by the call control unit 14 as control target devices. Furthermore, during a call between an external user and an occupant, the call control unit 14 controls the call between the external user and the occupant.

[0025] The in-vehicle equipment sound control unit 15 outputs notification sounds from in-vehicle equipment through the driver's speakers 31a and 31b of the vehicle 200. These notification sounds are, for example, navigation system voice guidance. The information indicated by these notification sounds is necessary for the driver but not necessarily for other passengers. Therefore, when the in-vehicle equipment sound control unit 15 outputs notification sounds from the driver's speakers 31a and 31b, and not from the other speakers 32a, 32b, 33a-33d, 34a-34d, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b. The in-vehicle equipment sound control unit 15 may also change the output destination of the notification sounds depending on the type of information indicated by the notification sounds. For example, if the information indicated by the notification sound of the in-vehicle equipment is store information, and it is preferable to provide it to passengers other than the driver, the in-vehicle equipment sound control unit 15 may output the notification sound from other speakers 32a, 32b, 33a-33d, 34a-34d, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b.

[0026] Next, specifically example The control of the sound environment by controller 10 will be explained, along with the following points. The control of the sound environment when the occupants in the first row and the occupants in the third row are conversing will be explained. Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle 200, showing how the occupants in the third row hear the sounds emitted by the occupants in the first row and the occupants in the second row. In Figure 3, the icons representing the occupants' voices are shown as follows: solid lines represent the voices of the occupants in the first row, and dotted lines represent the voices of the occupants in the second row.

[0027] The sound device setting unit 11 of the controller 10 sets the microphones 22, 24, 26 and speakers 32a, 32b, 34a-34d, 36a, 36b of the passengers in the first to third rows located in the left-hand seats as control target devices. The audio control unit 12 of the controller 10 receives audio information from the passengers in the first and second rows through microphones 22 and 24. The audio control unit 12 outputs the playback audio of the passengers in the first row from speaker 36b and the playback audio of the passengers in the second row from speaker 36a. At this time, the audio control unit 12 outputs the playback audio of the passengers in the second row from speaker 36 b The volume of the sound will be played back by the passengers in the first row. audio Speaker 36 that outputs a The volume is increased. In other words, when the passengers in the third row hear the voices of the passengers in the first and second rows, the volume of the passengers in the second row is louder than the volume of the passengers in the first row. Thus, the controller 10 adjusts the playback volume as the distance between the seating position of the speaker and the seating position of the listener increases. audio The volume is reduced. This reduces the playback sound heard by the third-row passengers in this embodiment. audio The size of the seats can be used to create a sense of distance between them.

[0028] Next, we will explain how to control the sound environment when a passenger on the left side of the third row and a passenger on the right side of the first row are having a conversation. Figure 4 is a plan view of vehicle 200, showing how the passenger on the right side of the first row hears the sound coming from the passenger on the left side of the third row.

[0029] The sound device setting unit 11 of the controller 10 is the first row and 3 The microphones 21, 26 and speakers 31a, 31b, 36a, and 36b of the passengers in the third row are set as the devices to be controlled. The audio control unit 12 of the controller 10 receives audio information from the passenger on the left side of the third row through microphone 26. The audio control unit 12 outputs the playback audio from the passenger on the left side of the third row through speaker 31b, but not through speaker 31a. In other words, the audio control unit 1 2 This means that the playback volume of speaker 31b, which is closer to the seating position of the passenger on the left side of the third row, is controlled by the speaker 31a and 31b located on the right side of the first row, and the volume of speaker 31b located further away is controlled by the speaker 31a and 31b located further away. 1 To make the playback volume louder than that of speaker a, when the passenger on the left side of the third row speaks, the passenger on the right side of the first row can hear the sound from the left speaker 31b. In this way, the controller 10 increases the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker closest to the speaker's seating position among the multiple speakers 3. As a result, in this embodiment, a sense of direction can be created by the relative volume levels of the playback sounds output from the left and right speakers provided at each seat.

[0030] Next, referring to Figures 5A and 5B, we will explain how to control the sound environment when all occupants are conversing. Figure 5A is a table for explaining the on / off status of the microphones / speakers in rows 1-3, and Figure 5B is a table showing the correlation between the occupants' seating positions and the sounds they can hear.

[0031] The sound device setting unit 11 of the controller 10 sets the microphones 2 and speakers 3 of the passengers in the first to third rows as controllable devices. Alternatively, the sound device setting unit 11 may use a camera 5 or a seating sensor installed in the seat to detect whether or not a passenger is seated, and set only the microphones 2 and speakers 3 corresponding to the seat where the passenger is sitting as controllable devices. If passengers are seated in the seats in the first to third rows, the sound device setting unit 11 turns on the microphones 2 and speakers 3 of the passengers in the first to third rows. When the audio control unit 12 of the controller 10 receives audio information from one of the turned-on microphones, it controls the volume of the playback audio according to the positional relationship between the position of the receiving microphone and the position of the speaker 3 that outputs the playback audio. For example, as shown in Figure 5B, when the occupants in the first row hear the voices of the occupants in the second row and the occupants in the third row, the audio control unit 12 increases the volume of the speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, and 32b that output the reproduced voice of the occupants in the second row compared to the speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, and 32b that output the reproduced voice of the occupants in the third row (making the reproduced volume of the occupants in the second row high and the reproduced volume of the occupants in the third row low). Also, when the occupants in the third row hear the voices of the occupants in the first row and the occupants in the second row, the audio control unit 12 increases the volume of the speaker that outputs the reproduced voice of the occupants in the second row. 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b The volume of the speaker that outputs the audio played back by the passengers in the first row. 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b The volume is increased (the playback volume for the second-row passengers is set to a high level, and the playback volume for the first-row passengers is set to a low level). When the second-row passengers are listening to the voices of the first-row passengers and the third-row passengers, the audio control unit 12 outputs the playback voice of the first-row passengers to the speaker. 33a-33d, 34a-34d The volume and the speaker that outputs the playback audio for the third-row passengers. 33a-33d, 34a-34dSet the volume levels to the same level (set the playback volume for the first and third row passengers to normal level).

[0032] In other words, the controller 10 will reproduce the sound more effectively the greater the distance between the speaker's seating position and the listener's seating position. audio The volume is reduced. This allows for a sense of distance between each seat depending on the volume level. Also, for example, when passengers in the first and second rows are talking, passengers in the third row may feel left out if they cannot participate in the conversation. In this embodiment, passengers in the third row can easily hear the voices of passengers in the first and second rows through microphone 2 and speaker 3, allowing them to participate in the conversation smoothly.

[0033] Next, referring to Figures 6A and 6B, we will explain how to control the sound environment when you want to reduce the volume of a specific occupant's voice so that other occupants cannot hear it. Such a sound environment is useful in the following scenarios. For example, when a child in vehicle 200 is making noise and you want to cancel out the child's voice. Another example is when the second and third rows are having a lively conversation and speaking loudly, and the driver wants to concentrate on driving, or the passenger in the front seat wants to concentrate on listening to music. Figure 6A is a table for explaining the on / off status of the microphones / speakers in the first to third rows, and Figure 6B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sound that the occupant can hear.

[0034] The sound device setting unit 11 of the controller 10 identifies the seating position for reducing the volume of a specific occupant based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4 and / or the image captured by the camera 5. For example, suppose a child in the second row is making noise, and the driver wants to cancel the child's voice by operating the in-vehicle switch 4. In such a case, the driver operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to cancel the child's voice, and the sound device setting unit 11, based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4, sets at least the microphones 23 and 24 of the second-row occupants and the speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b of the first and third-row occupants as the speakers to be controlled. The audio control unit 12 then receives voice information from the second-row occupants through microphone 23 or microphone 24 and reduces the volume of the second-row occupants' voices when they are output from the first and third-row speakers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b. The control to reduce the volume includes controlling to lower the volume level or controlling to set the volume to zero.

[0035] Furthermore, the controller 10 is located between the first and third rows. in When occupants converse, the microphones 2 and speakers 3 corresponding to each seating position are controlled, similar to the sound environment control described above. As shown in Figure 6A, the speakers 3 in the first and third rows output the sound from each other's seats, but cancel out the sound from the second row seats. As shown in Figure 6B, occupants in the first and third rows can hear each other's voices, but cannot hear the voices of occupants in the second row. However, occupants in the second row can hear the voices of occupants in the first and third rows through speakers 33a-33d and 34a-34d. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation where occupants in the second row are unable to participate in conversations between occupants in the first and third rows and feel excluded.

[0036] Thus, the in-vehicle switch 4 has the function of adjusting the volume of a specific voice input from the microphone 2 corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle. The occupant operates the in-vehicle switch 4 and selects a seat in which they want to reduce the volume. Based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4, the controller 10 reduces the volume of the specific voice output from the speaker. Alternatively, the controller 10 may disable the microphone installed at a specific seat (for example, the microphone in the second row). This makes it possible to provide a sound environment in which the voice of a specific occupant cannot be heard by other occupants. Furthermore, since the sound environment is optimized for conversation between seats other than the specific seating position, conversation can be facilitated.

[0037] The controller 10 may reduce the volume of a specific occupant based not only on the operation commands of the in-vehicle switch 4, but also on the image captured by the camera 5. For example, the controller 10 may detect that a child is making noise from the image captured by the camera. In this case, the controller 10 may also detect that a child is making noise from the sound detected by the child's microphone 2. Then, when the child's voice input from the child's microphone 2 is output from the speaker 3, the controller 10 reduces the volume of the child's voice. This makes it possible to provide a sound environment in which the child's voice is not heard by other occupants.

[0038] As a modification of this embodiment, in the example shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the controller 10 controls the volume of the voice input from a specific seat occupant to decrease, but it may also control the volume of the voice output from the speaker corresponding to a specific seating position to increase. For example, in a conversation inside the vehicle, if a passenger wants to increase the volume of their own voice to make their voice heard by passengers in seats further away, the controller 10 may be controlled as in the modified example. Specifically, the in-vehicle switch 4 has the function of increasing the volume of the voice output from the speaker 3 corresponding to a specific seating position among the multiple seats in the vehicle. The occupant then operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to increase the volume of their own voice output from the speaker. At this time, the in-vehicle switch 4 may be used to select the speaker that outputs the increased volume of their own voice for each seat. When the controller 10 plays back the speaker's voice, it increases the volume of the played back voice output from the speaker 3 based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4. This makes it possible for a specific occupant to hear the voices of other occupants more easily by operating a switch.

[0039] Furthermore, in the above modified example, when the controller 10 plays back the speaker's voice, it increases the volume of the played-back voice output from the speaker 3 based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4. However, it is not limited to the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4; for example, it may detect the occupant whose voice should be amplified based on the image captured by the camera 5, and increase the volume of the detected occupant's voice when outputting it through the speaker 3 of another seat. Specifically, the sound device setting unit 11 performs image processing on the image captured by the camera 5 to detect, for example, an occupant wearing a mask, and sets at least the microphone 2 of the occupant wearing the mask and the speaker of another occupant conversing with that occupant as speakers to be controlled. Then, when the voice of the occupant wearing the mask is played back, the voice control unit 12 increases the volume of the played-back voice output through the speaker 3 of the other occupant. In this way, when the controller 10 outputs a specific voice input from the microphone 2 corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats through the speaker 3, it increases the volume of the specific voice. This makes it possible to make voices easier to hear, even if, for example, a crew member is wearing a mask and their voice is difficult to hear. The voice control unit 12 may also increase the sensitivity of the microphone 2 of a crew member wearing a mask.

[0040] Next, referring to Figures 7A and 7B, we will explain how to control the sound environment to prevent a specific occupant from hearing the voices of other occupants. Such a sound environment is applied, for example, when an occupant is sleeping and it is desired to reduce ambient noise. Figure 7A is a table explaining the on / off settings of the microphones / speakers in rows 1-3, and Figure 7B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear.

[0041] The sound device setting unit 11 of the controller 10 identifies the seating position for which the volume of a specific occupant should be reduced, based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4 and / or the image captured by the camera 5. For example, suppose an occupant in the second row is asleep, and another occupant wants to cancel the sound output from the second-row speakers by operating the in-vehicle switch 4. In such a case, the other occupant operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to cancel the sound output from the second row, and the sound device setting unit 11 sets at least the speakers 33a-33d and 34a-34d of the second-row occupant as the speakers to be controlled, based on the operation command of the in-vehicle switch 4. Then, the sound control unit 12 reduces the volume of the sound output from the second-row speakers 33a-33d and 34a-34d. Note that the control to reduce the volume includes control to lower the volume level or control to set the volume to zero. The controller 10 also controls the space between the first and third rows. in When occupants converse, the microphones 2 and speakers 3 corresponding to each seating position are controlled, similar to the sound environment control described above. As shown in Figure 7A, in the second row seats, speaker 3 is either turned down or off, while speakers 3 in the first and third rows output the voices of occupants in other seats. Microphone 2 is turned on in rows 1-3. As shown in Figure 7B, occupants in the second row cannot hear voices from speaker 3, while occupants in the first and third rows can hear the voices of occupants in other rows from speaker 3.

[0042] Thus, the in-vehicle switch 4 has the function of adjusting the volume of a specific voice input from microphone 2 corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle interior. The occupant then operates the in-vehicle switch 4 to select the seat in which they want to lower the volume. Figure 7 A, B In this example, microphone 2, which is the target of volume adjustment, is the microphone in the 1st and 3rd rows, and speaker 3, whose volume will be reduced, is the speaker in the 2nd row. (See Figure 7) A, BIn this example, the controller 10 reduces the volume of sound input from the microphones 21, 22, 25, and 26 of the first or third row occupants and output from the speakers 33a-33d and 34a-34d of the second row occupants. This makes it possible to provide a sound environment in which a specific occupant cannot hear the voices of other occupants.

[0043] The controller 10 may also determine whether the occupants in the vehicle are asleep based on the images captured by the camera 5. A well-known monitoring system can be used to determine whether or not the occupants are asleep. If the controller 10 determines that an occupant is asleep, it will reduce the volume of the audio played by other occupants, which is output from the speaker 3 of the sleeping occupant. This provides a comfortable environment for the occupants to sleep in.

[0044] As a variation of this embodiment, the noise processing unit 13 of the controller 10 may increase the noise reduction sound output from the sleeping occupant's speaker 3 when it determines that the occupant is asleep. By increasing the noise reduction sound, noise around the sleeping occupant is blocked, thus providing a comfortable environment for the occupant to sleep.

[0045] Next, with reference to Figures 8A and 8B, we will explain the control of the sound environment when receiving phone calls from users outside the vehicle. Figure 8A is a table for explaining the on / off status of the microphones / speakers in the first to third rows, and Figure 8B is a table showing the correlation between the occupant's seating position and the sounds the occupant can hear.

[0046] For example, if the communication device 6 receives a telephone call command from outside the vehicle 200 addressed to the driver, the sound device setting unit 11 sets the occupants' microphones 21 and speakers 31a and 31b as controllable devices so that the driver can communicate through microphone 21 and speakers 31a and 31b. The sound device setting unit 11 also sets microphones 23 to 26 and speakers 33a to 33d, 34a to 34d, 35a, 35b, 36a and 36b as controllable devices so that occupants in the second and third rows can communicate with each other. If the recipient of the telephone call from outside is an occupant other than the driver, the sound device setting unit 11 only needs to set the controllable devices so that the occupant being called can communicate with the external user through microphone 2 and speaker 3, and the other occupants can also communicate.

[0047] When the audio control unit 12 outputs audio from a phone call from an outside user, it controls the volume of speaker 3 so that the phone audio is output only from the speaker 3 of the occupant who is making the call. When a call is made to the driver, as shown in Figure 8A, the audio control unit 12 outputs the phone audio from the speaker in the first row but does not output the audio of the occupants in the second and third rows. Also, the audio control unit 12 outputs the audio of the occupants in the second and third rows from the speakers in the second and third rows but does not output the phone audio. Microphone 2 is turned on in the first to third rows. As shown in Figure 8B, the occupant in the first row can hear only the phone audio from speaker 3, and the occupants in the second and third rows can hear the audio of the other occupants in the second and third rows from speaker 3. This ensures that the audio of a phone call from outside the vehicle is provided only to the occupants who need it. It also provides a sound environment suitable for conversation in the seats of occupants who are not involved in the phone call.

[0048] The above is specific. exampleWhile the control of the sound environment by the controller 10 has been described, the following controls may be combined. When the driver is conversing with other occupants using the in-vehicle sound system according to this embodiment, and a notification sound is emitted from an in-vehicle device, the controller 10 may output the notification sound from the in-vehicle device in addition to the voice of the other occupants from the driver's speakers 31a and 31b. In this case, the controller 10 may make the volume of the notification sound from the in-vehicle device louder than the volume of the voice of the other occupants. Also, if the notification sound from the in-vehicle device is only relevant to the driver, the controller 10 may output the notification sound from the in-vehicle device only from the driver's speakers 31a and 31b. sound When outputting from speakers 31a and 31b, the volume of the occupant's voice may be reduced. This allows the driver to hear notification sounds from the in-vehicle equipment even while conversing with the occupant.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when outputting system sounds generated by the navigation system, the controller 10 may output the system sounds only from the driver's speakers 31a and 31b. The information presented by the navigation system is often necessary for the driver. Therefore, the system sounds of the navigation system may be output only from the driver's speakers 31a and 31b. This ensures that the system sounds are transmitted only to occupants who need the information from the navigation system.

[0050] In this embodiment, the noise processing unit 13 of the controller 10 may also perform noise processing when outputting the occupant's voice from the speaker 3. In this case, the voice control unit 12 may increase the volume of the playback sound that reproduces the occupant's voice as the volume of the noise reduction sound generated by the noise processing unit 13 increases. For example, if the frequency band of the noise reduction sound and the frequency band of the occupant's voice overlap, the volume of the occupant's voice may be reduced by the noise reduction sound. In such cases, increasing the volume of the playback sound according to the level of the noise reduction sound can provide a sound environment suitable for occupant conversation.

[0051] Next, with reference to Figure 9, the control flow performed by the controller 10 will be described. Figure 9 is a flow illustrating the procedure for the in-vehicle sound control method performed by the controller 10. - This is a chart.

[0052] In step S1, when the power switch 1 is turned on, the controller 10 activates the in-vehicle sound system (system ON). In step S2, the controller 10 sets the devices to be controlled based on the operation commands of the in-vehicle switch 4, the images captured by the camera 5, and the external commands received by the communication device 6. In other words, based on the operation commands of the in-vehicle switch 4, etc., the controller 10 determines which microphones 2 and speakers 3 will be controlled under the in-vehicle sound system in order to provide the optimal sound environment according to the occupants and / or the vehicle. For example, if occupants are talking inside the vehicle, the controller 10 sets at least the microphones 2 and speakers 3 of the occupants who are talking as the devices to be controlled.

[0053] In step S3, the controller 10 receives a signal containing the speaker's voice from the speaker's microphone 2 among the occupants who are having a conversation. In step S4, if the signal containing the speaker's voice contains noise, the controller 10 performs noise processing. In step S5, if the controller 10 is to allow other occupants to hear the speaker's voice, it controls the volume of the playback sound output from the other occupants' speakers 3 based on the positional relationship between the speaker's seating position and the seating positions of the other occupants listening to the sound. For example, the controller 10 controls the volume of the playback sound according to the distance between the speaker's seating position and the seating position of the other occupants listening to the sound, and / or the direction of the other occupants' seating positions relative to the speaker's seating position.

[0054] In step S6, the controller 10 outputs a signal including the controlled playback volume to the speakers 3 of the other occupants. In step S7, the controller 10 determines whether or not to turn off the in-vehicle sound system. For example, if the controller 10 receives an operation command to turn off the system or a command to turn off the power switch 1 by operating the in-vehicle switch 4, the controller 10 turns off the in-vehicle sound system, and the control flow shown in Figure 9 ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the in-vehicle sound system should not be turned off, the control flow returns to step S2, and the controller 10 executes the control flow from step S2 onward. As a result, the sound environment for each seat is optimized under the control of the in-vehicle sound system while the occupants are talking.

[0055] As described above, the in-vehicle audio system according to this embodiment includes a controller 10 that controls the microphone 2 corresponding to the speaker's seating position (corresponding to the "first occupant" in this invention) and the speaker 3 corresponding to the listener's seating position (corresponding to the "second occupant" in this invention), so that the voice of the speaker (corresponding to the "first occupant" in this invention) input from the microphone 2 can be heard by the listener (corresponding to the "second occupant" in this invention) via the speaker 3. The controller 10 controls the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker 3 corresponding to the listener's seating position based on the positional relationship between the speaker's seating position and the listener's seating position. This enables occupants to have a smooth conversation through the microphone and speaker in the vehicle.

[0056] In the specific examples explained with reference to Figures 3A, 3B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B, the control was described for each row from the 1st to the 3rd row for the sake of simplicity. However, even in these specific examples, the control of microphone 2 and speaker 3 may be controlled on a per-seat basis.

[0057] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiments is intended to include all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Power switch 2 microphones 3 speakers 4. In-car switches 5 Cameras 6. Communication device 10 Controllers 11. Sound Device Settings Section 12. Audio Control Unit 13. Noise Processing Unit 14. Call Control Unit 15. Automotive Sound Control Unit 200 vehicles

Claims

1. An in-vehicle sound system installed in a vehicle, Multiple speakers installed in the aforementioned vehicle, Multiple microphones are provided in the aforementioned vehicle, The system includes a controller that controls the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant and the speaker corresponding to the second seating position of the second occupant, so that the voice of the first occupant input from the microphone can be heard by the second occupant other than the first occupant via the speaker, and generates a noise reduction sound to reduce the noise input from the microphone, The aforementioned controller, Based on the positional relationship between the first seating position and the second seating position, the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker corresponding to the second seating position is controlled. An in-car sound system that increases the volume of the playback sound as the volume of the noise reduction sound increases.

2. The in-car sound device according to claim 1, The vehicle is equipped with an in-vehicle switch for adjusting the volume of a specific voice input from the microphone corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle interior. The controller is an in-car audio device that reduces the volume of the specific sound output from the speaker based on the operation command of the in-car switch.

3. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 2, The controller is an in-car sound device that increases the volume of sound when outputting sound input from the microphone corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle interior through the speaker.

4. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 2, The controller is an in-car sound device that reduces the volume of sound when outputting sound input from the microphone corresponding to the child's seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle interior through the speaker.

5. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned controller, Determine whether the occupants inside the vehicle are asleep or not. An in-vehicle sound system that, when it is determined that the occupant is asleep, reduces the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker corresponding to the seating position of the sleeping occupant.

6. An in-vehicle sound system installed in a vehicle, Multiple speakers installed in the aforementioned vehicle, Multiple microphones are provided in the aforementioned vehicle, A camera that films the occupants inside the vehicle, The system includes a controller that controls the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant and the speaker corresponding to the second seating position of the second occupant so that the voice of the first occupant input from the microphone can be heard by a second occupant other than the first occupant via the speaker, determines whether the occupant is asleep or not based on the image captured by the camera, and generates a noise reduction sound to reduce the in-vehicle noise input from the microphone, The aforementioned controller, Based on the positional relationship between the first seating position and the second seating position, the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker corresponding to the second seating position is controlled. An in-vehicle sound system that, when it is determined that the occupant is asleep, increases the noise reduction sound output from the speaker corresponding to the seating position of the sleeping occupant.

7. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 6, An in-car audio system equipped with an in-car switch for increasing the volume of the playback sound output from the speaker corresponding to a specific seating position among multiple seats in the vehicle.

8. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 6, The controller is an in-car audio device that, when outputting system sounds generated by the navigation system, outputs the system sounds only from the speaker corresponding to the driver's seat.

9. An in-vehicle sound device according to claim 1 or 6, The controller is an in-vehicle audio system that, when outputting audio from a phone call from a user outside the vehicle, outputs the phone audio only from the speaker corresponding to the seating position of the occupant on the other end of the call.

10. An in-vehicle sound control method, which controls in-vehicle sound by being executed by a processor, The aforementioned processor, Of the multiple microphones installed in the vehicle, a signal including the voice of the first occupant is received from the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant. When the voice of the first occupant input from the microphone is to be heard by a second occupant other than the first occupant via a speaker, the volume of the playback sound output from the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant and the speaker corresponding to the second seating position of the first occupant is controlled based on the positional relationship between the first seating position and the second seating position of the second occupant. A noise reduction sound is generated to reduce the noise input from the aforementioned microphone. The louder the noise reduction sound, the louder the playback sound will be. An in-vehicle sound control method for transmitting a signal including the controlled playback sound to the speaker corresponding to the second seating position.

11. An in-vehicle sound control method, which controls in-vehicle sound by being executed by a processor, The aforementioned processor, Of the multiple microphones installed in the vehicle, a signal including the voice of the first occupant is received from the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant. When the voice of the first occupant input from the microphone is to be heard by a second occupant other than the first occupant via a speaker, the volume of the playback sound output from the microphone corresponding to the first seating position of the first occupant and the speaker corresponding to the second seating position of the first occupant is controlled based on the positional relationship between the first seating position and the second seating position of the second occupant. A noise reduction sound is generated to reduce the noise input from the aforementioned microphone. Based on images captured by cameras that photograph the occupants inside the vehicle, it is determined whether or not the occupants inside the vehicle are asleep. If it is determined that the occupant is asleep, the noise reduction sound output from the speaker corresponding to the seating position of the sleeping occupant is increased. An in-vehicle sound control method for transmitting a signal including the controlled playback sound to the speaker corresponding to the second seating position.

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