System for automatic recognition of vehicle operating noises
A system automatically recognizes a vehicle operating condition through a microphone positioned within the vehicle. The microphone detects acoustic signals. A database stores speech templates and operating noise templates. A feature extracting module receives microphone signals and extracts a set of operating noise feature parameters or speech feature parameters from the microphone signals. A speech and noise recognition module may determine an operating noise template that best matches a set of extracted operating noise feature parameters and/or a speech template. The speech template best matches the set of extracted speech feature parameters.
1 . A system for automatic recognition of vehicular noises comprising:
at least one microphone installed within a vehicle cabin, the microphone adapted to detect acoustic signals within the cabin and to generate corresponding microphone signals;
a database comprising speech templates and operating noise templates;
a feature extracting module configured to receive the microphone signals and to extract at least one of a set of operating noise feature parameters and a set of speech feature parameters from the microphone signals; and
a speech and noise recognition module configured to determine one of an operating noise template having operating noise feature parameters, and a speech template having speech feature parameters, that best matches either the extracted set of operating noise feature parameters or the extracted set of speech feature parameters.
2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the speech and noise recognition module to determine a best matching operating noise template when a set of noise feature parameters has been extracted from the microphone signal, or a best matching speech template when a set of noise feature parameters has been extracted from the microphone signal.
3 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the speech and noise recognition module and the feature extracting module such that the feature extracting module extracts at least one set of operating noise feature parameters when the controller controls the speech and noise recognition module to determine a best matching operating noise template and at least one set of speech feature parameters when the controller controls the speech and noise recognitions module to determine a best matching speech template.
4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the speech and noise recognition means to determine at least one operation noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of noise feature parameters when the acoustic signals do not include speech for at least a predetermined time period.
5 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a push-to-talk switch, and a controller for controlling the speech and noise recognition module and the feature extracting module, the controller configured to control the speech and noise recognition module to determine at least one operating noise template that best matches at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters when the push-to-talk switch is placed in a first position, and at least one speech template that best matches at least one extracted set of speech feature parameters when the push-to-talk switch is placed in a second position.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one output application configured to perform one or more operations based on at least one determined best matching speech template or at least one determined best matching operating noise template.
7 . The system of claim 6 , where the at least one output application comprises a warning device configured to output at least one of an acoustic, visual, or haptic warning when the speech and noise recognition module is controlled to determine at least one operating noise template that best matches at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and the difference between one or more extracted noise feature parameters and corresponding operating noise feature parameter associated with the best matching operating noise template exceeds a predetermined level.
8 . The system of claim 6 , where at least one output application comprises a warning device configured to output at least one of an acoustic, visual, or haptic warning when the speech and noise recognition module is controlled to determine at least one operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and the determined operation noise template is indicative of an operating fault.
9 . System according to one of the claim 6 , where the at least one output application comprises a wireless communication device configured to transmit data including at least one of the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of noise feature parameters and the generated microphone signals.
10 . The system of claim 9 , where the wireless communication device is configured to automatically transmit data when one of the difference between an extracted operating noise feature parameter and an operating noise feature parameter associated with an operating noise template determined to best match an extracted set of operating noise feature parameters exceeds a predetermined level and the operating noise template determined to best match an extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is indicative of an operating fault.
11 . The system of claim 6 where the at least one output application comprises a speech output, configured to output a verbal warning, when one of the difference between one or more extracted operating noise feature parameters and corresponding operating noise feature parameters associated with the best matching operating noise template exceeds a predetermined level, and the operating noise template determined to best match an extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is indicative of an operating fault.
12 . The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle component sensor configured to generate sensor signals, the speech and noise recognition module configured to determine the at least one operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of noise feature parameters partly on the basis of the generated signals.
13 . The system of claim 1 comprising a microphone array that include a first microphone adapted for usage in a speech recognition systems, speech dialog systems, or vehicle hands-free sets, and a second microphone capable of detecting acoustic signals with frequencies outside the frequency range detected by the first microphone.
14 . The system of claim 13 , where the at least one microphone array comprises at least one directional microphone.
15 . The system of claim 14 , where the at least one microphone array includes a plurality of directional microphones pointing in different directions.
16 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising an adaptive beamformer configured to obtain beamformed microphone signals.
17 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data recorder for recording the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameter, or the microphone signals.
18 . A method for recognizing vehicle operating noise, the method comprising:
providing a speech recognition system that includes a database storing speech templates and operating noise templates;
extracting at least one of a set of operating noise feature parameters and a set of speech feature parameters from microphone signals generated from acoustic signals by at least one microphone installed in a vehicle cabin; and
determining one of an operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and a speech template that best matches the at least one extracted set of speech feature parameters.
19 . The method of claim 18 , where at least one set of operating noise feature parameters is extracted and at least one operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is determined when the acoustic signals do not include speech for at a predetermined period of time.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing a switch, where at least one set of operating noise feature parameters is extracted and at least one operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is determined when the switch is placed in a first position, and at least one set of speech feature parameters is extracted and at least one speech template that best matches the at least one extracted set of speech feature parameters is determined when the switch is placed in a second position.
21 . The method of claim 18 , in further comprising providing an output warning when the difference between the extracted operating noise feature parameters and the noise feature parameters associated with the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters exceeds a predetermined level.
22 . The method of claim 18 further comprising providing an output warning when the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is indicative of an operating fault.
23 . The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting via a wireless communication device at least one of the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and the generated microphone signals.
25 . The method of claim 23 , whereat least one of the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameter, and the generated microphone signals are automatically transmitted when the difference between at least one extracted operating noise feature parameters and operating noise feature parameters associated with the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters exceeds a predetermined level.
26 . The method of claim 23 where at least one of the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters; and the generated microphone signals are automatically transmitted when the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters indicative of an operating fault.
27 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising generating a verbal warning when the difference between the an extracted operating noise feature parameters and an operating noise feature parameter associated with the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters exceeds a predetermined level.
28 . The method of claim 18 further comprising generating a verbal warning when the operating noise template determined to best match the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is indicative of an operating fault.
29 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising storing at least one of the best matching operating noise template, the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and the microphone signals.
30 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing at least one vehicle component sensor configured to generate sensor signals, where operating noise template best matching the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters is determined partly based on the sensor signals.
31 . The method of claim 18 further comprising providing a microphone array for generating the microphone signals, the microphone array including a first microphone adapted for use in at least one of a speech recognition systems, a speech dialog system and a vehicle hands-free set, and a second microphone capable of detecting acoustic signals with frequencies outside the frequency range detected by the first microphone.
32 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing a microphone array for generating the microphone array including at least are one directional microphone.
33 . The method of claim 32 , where the microphone array includes a plurality of directional microphones pointing in different directions.
34 . The method claim 32 , further comprising providing an adaptive beamformer for beamforming the microphone signals before the at least one of a set of noise feature parameters and a set of speech feature parameters are extracted from the microphone signals.
35 . A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for providing a speech recognition system that includes a database storing speech templates and operating noise templates; extracting at least one of a set of operating noise feature parameters and a set of speech feature parameters from microphone signals generated from acoustic signals by at least one microphone installed in a vehicle cabin; and determining one of an operating noise template that best matches the at least one extracted set of operating noise feature parameters and a speech template that best matches the at least one extracted set of speech feature parameters.