Vehicle Sound Input Output Device with Awakeness-Based Seat Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-vehicle conversation systems may disturb occupants with low levels of awakeness, such as sleeping individuals, when providing information about the vehicle or its surroundings, as they require interactive operations to obtain this information.
Innovation Solution
A sound input/output device equipped with sound collecting and outputting portions, an awakeness degree judging section, and an output control section that outputs information only to occupants with a higher degree of awakeness, and optionally uses reverse phase sound for those with lower awakeness, allowing information about the vehicle or its periphery to be obtained by speaking without disturbing others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If sound output is provided to all occupants when vehicle information is requested, then information accessibility is improved, but disturbance to sleeping occupants increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing sound output selectively to specific seats based on the detected awakeness state of occupants in those seats. The output control section identifies which seats contain awake occupants and directs information output only to those seats, rather than broadcasting to all seats uniformly. This resolves the contradiction by providing information locally to those who need it while avoiding disturbance to those who don't.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the awakeness detection system and control logic - that mediates between the information output request and the actual sound delivery. This intermediary detects the state of each seat's occupant and acts as a gatekeeper, allowing sound output only when appropriate. This resolves the contradiction by adding intelligent mediation between information provision and occupant comfort.
2Reliability
If interactive operations are required to obtain vehicle information, then system control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling occupants to obtain vehicle information through simple speech without requiring complex interactive operations. The system automatically detects the information need through voice input, processes the request, and delivers the appropriate information. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to serve itself in processing the information request, eliminating the need for cumbersome interactive sequences while maintaining reliable information delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical interaction (buttons, switches, complex voice commands) with natural speech recognition. Instead of requiring structured interactive operations, the system accepts natural language input and automatically processes it. This resolves the contradiction by substituting a more natural, easier interface while maintaining the system's ability to accurately understand and respond to information requests.
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
Ensures the comfort of vehicle occupants by preventing disturbance to those who are asleep or lightly awake, while effectively transmitting information to those who wish to receive it, and enables quick learning of the vehicle's position and surrounding topography.
Implementation Method 1
outputting portions that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound or images to respective seats
Implementation Method 2
causes reverse phase sound to be outputted from each outputting portion that corresponds to a seat in which a vehicle occupant, whose degree of awakeness is lower than the predetermined value, sits
Data Source
AI summary
A sound input/output device for a vehicle includes: sound collecting portions that are provided within a vehicle cabin and that collect voices of vehicle occupants; outputting portions that are provided within the vehicle cabin, and that output sound or images to respective seats; an awakeness degree judging section that judges degrees of awakeness of the vehicle occupants; and an output control section that, in a case in which it is judged, based on a voice collected by the sound collecting portion, that content relating to the vehicle or a vehicle periphery has been spoken, causes information relating to the vehicle or the vehicle periphery to be outputted from each outputting portion that corresponds to a seat in which a vehicle occupant, whose degree of awakeness is higher than a predetermined value, sits.