Directional Audio Warnings Based on Occupant Gaze and Hazard Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles driven by visually impaired individuals or occupants wearing audio devices may fail to perceive collision risks due to negligence, leading to increased accident risks, especially for vulnerable road users.
Innovation Solution
A sound control method and device that adapts audio device warnings based on occupant gaze direction and hazard location, emitting sounds from specific directions and adjusting volume levels to indicate collision risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio devices output warning sounds to alert occupants of approaching hazards, then collision risk awareness is improved, but occupants wearing audio devices may become too focused on the audio output and fail to perceive the surroundings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing warning sounds to specific spatial locations based on hazard position and occupant gaze direction. The audio device outputs sounds from different directions (left/right channels) corresponding to the actual location of hazards, providing localized auditory information that guides occupant attention to specific areas of concern rather than general alerting, thus maintaining situational awareness while improving collision risk detection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the audio device as an intermediary that translates visual hazard information into directional auditory warnings. The system processes camera images to detect hazards and occupant gaze, then converts this information into spatially-encoded sound outputs that serve as a mediator between the external environment and the occupant's perception, allowing visually impaired or audio-focused occupants to perceive collision risks through their dominant sense
2Reliability
If the system provides comprehensive hazard warnings to all occupants, then safety is improved, but visually impaired individuals may not be able to see and respond to approaching objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the visual-mechanical perception system with an acoustic-information system. Instead of relying on visual detection and response mechanisms that are compromised in visually impaired individuals, the system substitutes audio-based hazard warning that leverages their intact auditory processing capabilities. The camera-based visual hazard detection is converted into directional audio warnings that can be perceived through hearing rather than sight
3Reliability
If the audio device outputs warning sounds in all directions, then hazard awareness is improved, but the ability to indicate specific collision directions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating asymmetric audio output patterns that correspond to the asymmetric spatial distribution of hazards relative to the occupant's gaze direction. Rather than symmetric omnidirectional warning sounds, the system generates asymmetric sound intensity and direction patterns where the left and right audio channels have different characteristics based on which side the hazard is located, enabling precise directional information encoding that maintains both hazard awareness and collision direction indication
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a method of controlling, by a sound control device for audio devices, sounds of an audio device worn by an occupant according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method includes: obtaining information on the occupant and a hazard from sensors provided in a vehicle; and outputting a warning sound through the audio device worn by the occupant to indicate a hazardous situation. A direction in which the audio device outputs the warning sound may be adaptively determined based on the information on the occupant and the hazard.