Location-Based Cabin Sound Control for External Hazard Audibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sound systems either fail to block outside sounds effectively or arbitrarily control their output, leading to undesirable situations where important external sounds may not be heard when they should be, or vice versa.
Innovation Solution
An in-vehicle device that uses GPS location information and metadata to determine whether to output outside sounds, employing microphones and speakers to selectively allow or block external noise based on predefined conditions, ensuring appropriate sound control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If outside sound is always outputted into the vehicle cabin, then danger sounds can be heard immediately, but the vehicle loses its sound blocking capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of outside sound output by switching between different output states (output/not output) based on real-time location information and predefined conditions. The control unit dynamically adjusts the sound output state as the vehicle moves through different geographic locations, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sound blocking capability and ensuring danger sound alertness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sound output state based on location parameters. By using GPS location information and comparing it with predetermined location data, the system adjusts whether outside sound should be outputted. This parameter-based control allows the vehicle to maintain sound blocking in most locations while automatically enabling sound output when approaching locations where danger sounds should be heard.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If outside sound output is controlled arbitrarily, then sound blocking capability is maintained, but important external sounds may not be heard when they should be
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining location information and sound output conditions before the vehicle reaches those locations. The system stores predetermined location data and associated sound output conditions in advance, so that when the vehicle approaches a predefined location, the control unit can immediately determine whether to output outside sound without arbitrary decision-making. This ensures important external sounds are not missed while maintaining sound blocking capability.
3Ease of operation
If location-based control is implemented, then appropriate sound output is achieved, but device complexity increases due to GPS and metadata processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by making the control unit perform multiple functions: it processes GPS location information, compares it with predetermined location data, determines sound output conditions, and controls the audio output. This multi-functional approach consolidates the location-based sound control system into a single control unit, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining appropriate sound output control.
Data Source
AI summary
To control appropriately whether or not outside sound will be outputted into the vehicle cabin. An in-vehicle device wherein a microphone for inputting sound from outside of the vehicle is connected so as to communicate with a speaker for outputting sound into the cabin of the vehicle identifies, from location control information that is information for expressing the location for each of one or more locations and including metadata for each location, a location that is included within a predetermined range from the current location of the vehicle, identified based on a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal. The onboard apparatus controls whether or not to output, through the speaker, the outside sound that is inputted through the microphone, based on whether or not the location metadata satisfies an outside sound outputting or outside sound non-outputting condition.