Vehicle Voice Masking System for Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles, passengers other than the intended recipient often unintentionally overhear phone conversations made via Bluetooth communication, violating personal privacy due to the lack of effective sound isolation technologies.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system comprising a voice signal receiver, a frequency converter, and speakers that generate a masking sound to inhibit information transmission within specific frequency bands, allowing only a designated passenger to hear voice communications by outputting the masking sound and voice signal to predetermined regions of the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If voice communication is output to the indoor space of the vehicle, then passengers can listen to the communication, but other passengers may overhear and privacy is violated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by generating masking sounds with specific frequency characteristics that are tailored to mask voice signals in particular spatial regions. The masking sound has different frequency band characteristics depending on the region, allowing voice communication to be clearly heard in the target region while being masked in other regions, thus achieving spatially differentiated sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces masking sound as an intermediary element between the voice signal and the passengers. This masking sound acts as a mediator that selectively blocks voice information from reaching passengers in certain regions while allowing it to reach the intended recipient, thereby solving the privacy issue without completely blocking the communication.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sound isolation technology is used to isolate sound output region, then only designated passenger can listen, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sound isolation structures with an acoustic field-based solution. Instead of using physical barriers, partitions, or isolated chambers to prevent sound leakage, the system uses frequency-based masking sounds that acoustically interfere with the voice signal in unauthorized regions, achieving sound isolation through wave interference rather than mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency parameters of the sound field by introducing masking sounds with specific frequency characteristics. The controller adjusts the frequency band of the masking sound to match or overlap with the voice signal frequency, creating constructive or destructive interference patterns that selectively mask the voice in certain regions while leaving it clear in the target region.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If frequency conversion and masking sound generation is implemented, then voice signal privacy is protected, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency spectrum of the voice signal by performing frequency conversion and dividing it into different frequency bands. The masking sound is generated by selectively amplifying or attenuating specific frequency components, creating a segmented frequency profile that masks certain parts of the voice signal while preserving others, thereby protecting privacy through frequency-domain segmentation.
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
Effectively protects passenger privacy by ensuring only the intended recipient can listen to voice communications, preventing others from overhearing sensitive information.
Implementation Method 1
a frequency converter configured to perform frequency conversion of the received voice signal
Implementation Method 2
The controller may amplify a magnitude of the voice signal having a predetermined frequency band or higher on the basis of the frequency band of the converted voice signal, thereby generating the masking sound
Implementation Method 3
at least one speaker provided in the vehicle and configured to output the voice signal
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a vehicle relates to a voice masking technology for allowing only a specific passenger among passengers in the vehicle to listen to a voice communication signal such as a dial tone, and the technology inhibits the remaining passengers other than the specific passenger from listening to the voice communication signal. The vehicle includes a voice signal receiver to receive a voice signal, a speaker provided in the vehicle to output the voice signal, and a controller to perform frequency conversion of the received voice signal. In particular, the controller generates a masking sound for inhibiting transmission of information contained in the voice signal on the basis of a frequency band of the converted voice signal, and generates a control signal in a manner that the generated masking sound is output to a predetermined region of an indoor space of the vehicle.