Audio Arbitration for Vehicle Media Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle infotainment systems struggle to allow multiple occupants to independently view and listen to different sets of content data simultaneously without causing audio interference.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle computer system that determines priority rankings for content data based on user identity, gaze direction, and vehicle state, and selectively outputs audio streams to specific audio devices, including options for muting or suppressing audio to minimize interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple audio streams are output simultaneously to all audio devices, then all occupants can access all content, but audio interference and confusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio output by assigning different audio streams to different audio devices based on user priority and content type. Each audio device receives a filtered subset of audio streams rather than all streams simultaneously, eliminating cross-talk and interference while maintaining content accessibility for authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the audio output characteristics to each specific audio device and its associated user. Different audio devices receive different audio streams based on the user's priority level, content preferences, and current vehicle state, ensuring each user receives appropriate audio content without interference from other users' content.
2Reliability
If audio priority is determined solely by content type, then important content can be prioritized, but user preferences and context are ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple priority determination factors including content type, user identity, user preferences, and vehicle state into a comprehensive priority ranking system. This combination allows the system to reliably prioritize important content while simultaneously adapting to individual user preferences and contextual conditions, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic priority determination where the priority ranking of audio streams is not fixed but adjusts in real-time based on changing user preferences, vehicle state, and content characteristics. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain reliable prioritization of critical content while adapting flexibly to user customization needs.
3Loss of information
If all audio streams are played at full volume, then all content is audible, but desired content cannot be distinguished from unwanted content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and outputs only the relevant audio streams to each audio device based on the user's priority ranking and associated content preferences. By taking out and filtering the audio streams rather than playing all streams simultaneously, the system maintains content completeness for authorized users while eliminating audio confusion from unwanted content.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the system suppresses audio for lower priority content, then audio interference is reduced, but users may miss important information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by determining user priority rankings and associating audio devices with specific users before audio playback begins. This pre-configuration ensures that when audio streams are prioritized and suppressed, the correct users receive the important information they need while audio interference is reduced for other users, maintaining information delivery reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
In a vehicle, a computer can receive a first content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream, and select a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on a priority determination that includes a priority of the first set of content data and/or a priority of the second set of content data, wherein the priority determination is based on a vehicle state.