Vehicle Audio Beamforming for Personalized Zone Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle entertainment systems fail to provide personalized audio content to multiple users, leading to situations where passengers are forced to listen to the same media content, often at inappropriate volumes, which can be uncomfortable and distracting.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle entertainment system that uses transceivers and sensors to determine the location of users within the vehicle, allowing it to select pre-defined zone configurations and output different audio content to each zone using beamforming techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If one piece of media content is output to all passengers, then system complexity is reduced, but user satisfaction deteriorates due to inability to personalize audio content and volume
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle interior is divided into multiple zones (e.g., front seat zone, rear seat zone) with each zone capable of receiving and processing independent audio content. The audio system segments the overall audio output into zone-specific streams, allowing different media content and volume levels for each zone while using a unified speaker array infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different audio characteristics (content, volume, spatial positioning) are applied to different spatial zones within the vehicle. Each zone receives audio tailored to the preferences and needs of passengers in that specific location, creating locally optimized audio experiences without requiring separate headphone systems for each passenger.
2Adaptability or versatility
If headphones are used for personalized audio, then audio personalization is achieved, but safety deteriorates due to distraction and isolation from driving environment
Solution Approach 1:
The speaker array system acts as an intermediary that delivers personalized audio content to passengers without requiring headphones. By using directional audio transmission and zone-based routing, the system provides the audio personalization function that headphones would provide while maintaining the safety benefits of headphone-free operation.
3Measurement precision
If volume is increased for one user, then that user's audio clarity is improved, but other users experience unpleasantly loud audio
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system segments volume control by zone, allowing independent volume adjustment for each vehicle zone. The front seat zone can have higher volume for the driver's safety information needs, while the rear seat zone maintains lower volume for passenger comfort, with each zone's volume controlled separately through the same speaker array.
4Adaptability or versatility
If zone configurations are created for each possible seating arrangement, then adaptability to user locations is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple pre-defined configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The zone configuration system transitions from static pre-defined configurations to dynamic, real-time zone creation. The system continuously monitors passenger presence through sensors and automatically creates or modifies zone configurations based on current seating arrangements, eliminating the need for multiple pre-programmed configurations while maintaining full adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables personalized audio experiences for each user, improving comfort and reducing distractions by allowing passengers to listen to their preferred content at optimal volumes, while also ensuring safety by minimizing the use of headphones while driving.
Implementation Method 1
The vehicle entertainment system may use a speaker array and beamforming techniques to focus the audio content so that the first piece of audio content is only discernable in the first zone.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided herein for providing personalized audio for different users in a vehicle. This may be accomplished by a vehicle entertainment system determining the positions of one or more users within the vehicle. The vehicle entertainment system may then select a zone configuration based on the determined positions and output audio according to the selected zone configuration. For example, a first user sitting in the back of the vehicle may be located in a first zone of the selected zone configuration and a second user sitting in the back of the vehicle may be located in a second zone of the selected zone configuration. The vehicle entertainment system may output a first piece of audio to the first zone and a second piece of audio to the second zone using one or more techniques (e.g., beamforming).