Vehicle Audio Priority Management for Immersive Multi-Speaker Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicles equipped with multiple loudspeakers and sophisticated audio processing systems face challenges in managing and prioritizing numerous audio sources, leading to potential distractions and confusion for occupants, especially when multiple sounds are rendered simultaneously, requiring complex and resource-intensive updates to manage these systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A software-driven sound management system that utilizes attribute files, such as XML files, to determine relative priorities for rendering pre-stored sound files and audio streams, allowing dynamic distribution of sounds across multiple playback channels and enabling augmented reality and immersive audio experiences without requiring changes to executable code, thereby prioritizing important sounds for increased safety and entertainment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple audio sources are rendered simultaneously through multiple loudspeakers, then the immersive audio experience and situational awareness are improved, but the system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is segmented into independent audio sources, each with its own priority level and spatial characteristics. The audio manager divides the complex task of managing multiple simultaneous sounds into manageable units that can be independently controlled and prioritized, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining immersive capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
An audio manager component is introduced as an intermediary between audio sources and loudspeakers. This mediator handles the complex logic of prioritizing and routing multiple audio streams, shielding the rest of the system from complexity while enabling immersive simultaneous sound rendering
2Reliability
If critical sounds are prioritized over other audio streams, then safety and situational awareness are improved, but the flexibility in audio rendering is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The audio priority system is dynamic rather than static. Priority levels can be adjusted in real-time based on driving conditions, and the audio manager can dynamically reroute audio streams between loudspeakers to maintain safety while adapting to different situations, thus preserving flexibility alongside reliability
3Reliability
If complex audio management logic is implemented to handle multiple simultaneous sounds, then the audio prioritization and safety are improved, but the computational resources and processing time are increased
Solution Approach 1:
Audio sources are pre-configured with priority levels and spatial characteristics before runtime. This preliminary assignment of attributes allows the audio manager to make quick routing decisions without complex real-time calculations, reducing computational resource consumption while maintaining reliable prioritization
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses discrete priority parameters and spatial coordinates to characterize audio sources. By changing these parameters dynamically rather than recalculating entire audio mixes, the system achieves efficient resource utilization while maintaining effective audio prioritization and immersive rendering
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a plurality of loudspeakers, memory storing pre-stored sound files, encoding a sound for rendering by the loudspeakers, memory storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the sounds and associated with audio streams, the attributes defining parameters for rendering each of the sounds and audio streams. An audio manager is configured for receiving the pre-stored sound files, audio streams, and attributes from the attribute file, the received attributes corresponding to the received pre-stored sound files and audio files. The audio manager is configured for, based on the received attributes, determining relative priorities for rendering the received pre-stored sound files and audio streams. An audio mixer is configured for, based on the determined relative priorities, outputting signals to the loudspeakers to render the received pre-stored sound files and audio streams according to the determined relative priorities.