IP Library Granted Patent US 10,448,150
Granted Patent B2
US 10,448,150 · App. 15/613,076 · Granted Oct 15, 2019

Method and apparatus to detect and isolate audio in a vehicle using multiple microphones

Inventors: Luke Michael Ekkizogloy (Mountain View, CA); Sethu Hareesh Kolluru (Fremont, CA); Yunwei Liu (Alameda, CA); Michael Lambertus Hubertus Brouwer (Los Gatos, CA)
Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
H04R1/406G10L15/22G10L15/26H04R3/005G01S3/80G10L21/028G10L2021/02166H04R2499/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,448,150
App. No.
15/613,076
Granted
Oct 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Certain embodiments may include methods and systems for receiving first audio data from a plurality of microphones disposed in a cabin of a vehicle, calculating phase differences between the first audio data received from different ones of the plurality of microphones, determining a location of a source of the first audio data based on the calculated phase differences, isolating second audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the source, and controlling a function of the vehicle based on the isolated second audio data. Some embodiments can further include detecting voice data in the second audio data based on audio characteristics of the second audio data, and determining a voice command in the voice data, where the controlling the function of the vehicle is based on the voice command in the voice data in the second audio data.

Claims (70)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, first audio data from a plurality of microphones disposed in a cabin of a vehicle;

calculating, by the processor, phase differences between the first audio data received from different ones of the plurality of microphones;

determining, by the processor, that a location of a source of the first audio data is located in a driver's seat based on the calculated phase differences;

isolating, by the processor, second audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the source;

detecting, by the processor, voice data in the second audio data based on audio characteristics of the second audio data;

determining, by the processor, a voice command in the voice data;

generating a user profile associated with the voice data;

detecting changes to driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle;

associating the detected changes with the user profile;

detecting subsequent audio data having audio characteristics corresponding to the voice data;

determining that a location of a source of the subsequent audio data is located in the driver's seat; and

applying the detected changes to the driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle;

controlling a function of the vehicle based on the voice command in the voice data in the second audio data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a location of a second source of third audio data received from the different ones of the plurality of microphones;

isolating, by the processor, fourth audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the second source; and

controlling a second function of the vehicle based on the isolated fourth audio data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of passenger seats, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the processor, which of the plurality of passenger seats corresponds to the determined location of the source of the first audio data; and

associating a priority to the second audio data based on the determined corresponding passenger seat.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is a driver's seat, the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a highest priority, and wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is not the driver's seat the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a lower priority.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein isolating the second audio data includes adjusting a directional focus of the plurality of microphones toward the determined location of the source of the first audio data.

6. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving, by a processor, first audio data from a plurality of microphones disposed in a cabin of a vehicle;

calculating, by the processor, phase differences between the first audio data received from different ones of the plurality of microphones;

determining, by the processor, that a location of a source of the first audio data is located in a driver's seat based on the calculated phase differences;

isolating, by the processor, second audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the source;

controlling a function of the vehicle based on the isolated second audio data;

detecting, by the processor, voice data in the second audio data based on audio characteristics of the second audio data;

determining, by the processor, a voice command in the voice data,

wherein the controlling the function of the vehicle is based on the voice command in the voice data in the second audio data,

generating a user profile associated with the voice data;

detecting changes to driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle;

associating the detected changes with the user profile;

detecting subsequent audio data having audio characteristics corresponding to the voice data;

determining that a location of a source of the subsequent audio data is located in the driver's seat; and

applying the detected changes to the driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

determining, by the processor, a location of a second source of third audio data received from the different ones of the plurality of microphones;

isolating, by the processor, fourth audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the second source; and

controlling a second function of the vehicle based on the isolated fourth audio data.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of passenger seats, and wherein the system further comprises instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

determining, by the processor, which of the plurality of passenger seats corresponds to the determined location of the source of the first audio data; and

associating a priority to the second audio data based on the determined corresponding passenger seat.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is a driver's seat, the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a highest priority, and wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is not the driver's seat the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a lower priority.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein isolating the second audio data includes adjusting a directional focus of the plurality of microphones toward the determined location of the source of the first audio data.

11. A system comprising:

means for receiving first audio data from a plurality of microphones disposed in a cabin of a vehicle;

means for calculating phase differences between the first audio data received from different ones of the plurality of microphones;

means for determining that a location of a source of the first audio data is located in a driver's seat based on the calculated phase differences;

means for isolating second audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the source;

means for detecting voice data in the second audio data based on audio characteristics of the second audio data;

means for determining a voice command in the voice data,

means for generating a user profile associated with the voice data;

means for detecting changes to driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle;

means for associating the detected changes with the user profile;

means for detecting subsequent audio data having audio characteristics corresponding to the voice data;

means for determining that a location of a source of the subsequent audio data is located in the driver's seat;

means for applying the detected changes to the driver-controlled performance characteristics of the vehicle; and

means for controlling a function of the vehicle is based on the voice command in the voice data in the second audio data.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

means for determining a location of a second source of third audio data received from the different ones of the plurality of microphones;

means for isolating fourth audio data received from the plurality of microphones, taking into account the determined location of the second source; and

means for controlling a second function of the vehicle based on the isolated fourth audio data.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of passenger seats, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for determining which of the plurality of passenger seats corresponds to the determined location of the source of the first audio data; and

means for associating a priority to the second audio data based on the determined corresponding passenger seat.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is a driver's seat, the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a highest priority, and wherein when the determined corresponding passenger seat is not the driver's seat the associated priority of the second audio data is assigned a lower priority.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2024
From: FARADAY&FUTURE, INC.
To: SENYUN INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 069048/0676 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
To: FF SIMPLICY VENTURES LLC
Reel/Frame 061176/0756 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 050234/0069 Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FF EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC
Reel/Frame 060314/0263 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 057019/0140 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2020
From: ROYOD LLC
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 054076/0157 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ROYOD LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 052102/0452 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2019
From: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FE EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 050234/0069 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2019
From: SEASON SMART LIMITED
To: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
Reel/Frame 048069/0704 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2017
From: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
To: SEASON SMART LIMITED
Reel/Frame 044969/0023 →