MICROPHONE DIAGNOSTIC METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE SAME

1 . A microphone diagnostic method, comprising:

generating an analog tone signal;

receiving the analog tone signal at a microphone;

converting, via a processor operatively associated with the microphone, the analog tone signal into a digital tone signal;

comparing the digital tone signal to a reference digital tone signal having associated therewith a predetermined amplitude range and a predetermined frequency range; and

i) generating a diagnostic trouble code signal when the digital tone signal falls outside of the predetermined amplitude range, or ii) determining that the microphone is functioning properly when the digital tone signal falls within the predetermined amplitude range.

2 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the microphone is operatively disposed in a vehicle, and wherein prior to generating the analog tone signal, the method further comprises:

obtaining at least one of an error message or a diagnostic trouble code that the microphone is malfunctioning; and

requesting, from a call center, to generate the analog tone signal.

3 . The method as defined in claim 2 , further comprising sending the generated analog tone signal from the call center to i) a telematics unit operatively disposed in the vehicle, or ii) a vehicle audio component operatively disposed in the vehicle.

4 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to generating the analog tone signal, the method further comprises:

storing a plurality of analog tone signals in a telematics unit operatively disposed in a vehicle, the plurality of analog tone signals having different frequencies;

obtaining an error message that the microphone is malfunctioning; and

retrieving one of the plurality of analog tone signals from the telematics unit.

5 . The method as defined in claim 4 , further comprising sending the retrieved analog tone signal from the telematics unit to a vehicle audio component.

6 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the analog tone signal is a swept sine wave tone signal, a white noise signal, a spoken speech pattern, or combinations thereof.

7 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein after the converting, the method further includes applying a fast Fourier transform function on the digital tone signal to determine a frequency of the digital tone signal.

8 . The method as defined in claim 7 wherein determining that the microphone is functioning properly includes determining that the amplitude of the digital tone signal falls within the predetermined amplitude range, and wherein the method further comprises re-setting the diagnostic trouble code signal.

9 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein when the diagnostic trouble code signal is generated, the method further comprises repeating the converting, the comparing, and the generating as a continuous loop process until i) the digital tone signal falls within the predetermined amplitude range, ii) a predetermined number of loops have been completed, or iii) combinations thereof.

10 . The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the comparing of the digital tone signal and the generating of the diagnostic trouble code signal is accomplished via the processor operatively associated with microphone.

11 . The method as defined in claim 10 wherein prior to comparing the digital tone signal to the reference digital tone signal, the method further comprises sending the digital tone signal to a call center, and wherein the comparing of the digital tone signal and the generating of the diagnostic trouble code signal is accomplished at the call center.

12 . A microphone diagnostic system, comprising:

means for generating an analog tone signal;

a microphone configured to receive the analog tone signal; and

a processor operatively associated with the microphone, the processor including:

computer readable code for converting the analog tone signal into a digital tone signal;

computer readable code for comparing the digital tone signal to a reference tone signal having associated therewith a predetermined amplitude range and a predetermined frequency range; and

computer readable code for generating a diagnostic trouble code when the digital tone signal falls outside of the predetermined amplitude range.

13 . The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the means for generating the analog tone signal includes a call center, a telematics unit, or combinations thereof

14 . The system as defined in claim 13 , further comprising a vehicle audio component operatively associated with the telematics unit, the vehicle audio component configured to receive the generated analog tone signal from at least one of the telematics unit or the call center.

15 . The system as defined in claim 13 wherein the telematics unit includes a plurality of stored analog tone signals, and wherein the telematics unit is configured to retrieve one of the plurality of stored analog tone signals to generate the analog tone signal.

16 . The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the processor further includes computer readable code for applying a fast Fourier transform function on the digital tone signal for determining a frequency of the digital tone signal.

17 . A microphone diagnostic system, comprising:

means for generating an analog tone signal;

a microphone configured to receive the analog tone signal, the microphone having associated therewith a processor including computer readable code for converting the analog tone signal into a digital tone signal;

a telematics unit operatively connected to the microphone and configured to receive the digital tone signal therefrom; and

a call center in selective operative communication with the telematics unit, the call center having associated therewith an other processor configured to receive the digital tone signal from the telematics unit, the other processor including:

computer readable code for comparing the digital tone signal to a reference tone signal having associated therewith a predetermined amplitude range and a predetermined frequency range; and

computer readable code for generating a diagnostic trouble code when the digital tone signal falls outside of the predetermined amplitude range.

18 . The system as defined in claim 17 wherein the call center further includes means for transmitting the diagnostic trouble code to the telematics unit when the digital tone signal falls outside of the predetermined amplitude range.

19 . The system as defined in claim 17 wherein the other processor further includes computer readable code for applying a fast Fourier transform function on the digital tone signal for determining a frequency of the digital tone signal.

20 . The system as defined in claim 17 wherein the means for generating the analog tone signal includes the call center, the telematics unit, or a combination thereof, and wherein the system further comprises a vehicle audio component operatively associated with the telematics unit, the vehicle audio component configured to receive the generated analog tone signal from at least one of the telematics unit or the call center.