Audio processing for vehicle sensory systems

Abstract

Audio-derived information is provided to a vehicle control system of a vehicle by attaching a microphone externally to a vehicle to generate an analog signal in response to sound waves external to the vehicle. An enclosure containing sound-attenuating material mechanically filters low frequency sounds from reaching the microphone transducer. An analog-to-digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal. A vehicle data bus transfers the digital signal to the vehicle control system.

1 . A system for providing audio-derived information to a vehicle operator or vehicle control system of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 (a) a plurality of analysis modules, each associated with a microphone configured to capture sound external to the vehicle, and each connected to a vehicle data bus, wherein each analysis module is configured to:
 i) identify an external sound of interest and produce a digital signal comprising positive identification of the sound of interest and, optionally, amplitude information of the external sound of interest; 
 ii) communicate the digital signal to the vehicle operator or vehicle control system through the vehicle data bus. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises circuitry that combines the digital signals of the plurality of analysis modules to produce a combined signal, and presents the combined signal to a single node of the vehicle data bus. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one microphone is integrated with a housing of a light assembly of the vehicle and/or with a side mirror of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an amplifier operatively connected to each microphone for amplifying an analog signal produced by the microphone. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic filter operatively connected to each microphone for filtering frequencies of the analog signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle data bus operates in accordance with a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol or a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus protocol. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each analysis module comprises a time counter, the system further comprising a central console configured to periodically send a synchronization pulse to all the analysis modules connected on the vehicle data bus, where the synchronization pulse causes each analysis module to reset the time counter to synchronize the microphones to the same time reference. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein each analysis module is configured to include a time stamp in the digital signal, and the central console is configured to determine a direction of a target sound based on the timestamps. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the digital signal includes amplitude information of the external sound of interest, and the system further comprises a central console configured to compare the amplitudes of the external sound of interest determined by different analysis modules, to determine a direction of the external sound of interest. 
     
     
         10 . A method for providing audio-derived information to a vehicle operator or a vehicle control system of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) using a plurality of externally facing microphones mounted on the vehicle, each microphone generating an analog signal in response to sound waves external to the vehicle,   (b) converting each analog signal to a digital representation of sound with an analysis module bundled with each microphone, identify an external sound of interest if present, and produce a digital signal which comprises positive identification of the sound of interest, and not any digital auditory data, wherein each analysis module is connected to a vehicle data bus;   (c) communicating each digital signal to the vehicle operator or vehicle control system through the vehicle data bus; and   (d) determining amplitude information of each analog signal, and transferring the amplitude information to the vehicle control system via the vehicle data bus.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of combining the digital signals of the plurality of analysis modules to produce a combined signal, and presenting the combined signal to a single node of the vehicle data bus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of amplifying the analog signal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of electronically filtering frequencies of the analog signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle data bus operates in accordance with a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol or a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising the further step of periodically sending a synchronization pulse to all the analysis modules connected on the bus, where the synchronization pulse causes each analysis module to reset a time counter to synchronize the microphones to the same time reference. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of determining a direction of the external sound of interest based on a timestamp or a time reference included in each analysis module digital signal, upon receiving confirmations of detection of a sound of interest from at least two analysis modules. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of determining a direction of the external sound of interest based on a comparison of the amplitudes of the external sound of interest determined by at least two analysis modules.