IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,621,607
Granted Patent B2
US 12,621,607 · App. 18/550,383 · Granted May 5, 2026

Operating acoustic signal transmitters of a motor vehicle

Inventors: Tobias Moll (Ingolstadt, DE); Mark Bennemann (Falkensee, DE)
Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT; AUDI AG
H04R3/12G06F3/162H04R5/02H04S7/303H04R2499/13H04S2400/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,621,607
App. No.
18/550,383
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for operating a plurality of acoustic signal transmitters of a motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein booking information is obtained from an external computing unit by means of a control system of the motor vehicle. By means of the control system, a first part of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters is deactivated depending on the booking information. By means of the control system, a control signal is generated for each of the acoustic signal transmitters of a second part of acoustic signal transmitters to generate an acoustic output.

Claims (53)

1 . A method for operating a plurality of acoustic signal transmitters of a motor vehicle, comprising:

obtaining advance booking information from an external processor using a control system of the motor vehicle, wherein the advance booking information is in the context of reserving the motor vehicle and comprises passenger information;

deactivating a first part of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters depending on the advance booking information using the control system;

generating a control signal using the control system for each of the acoustic signal transmitters of a second part of acoustic signal transmitters of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, which includes at least two of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, to generate an acoustic output.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the control signals are generated depending on the advance booking information and/or depending on a preset sound profile.

3 . The method of claim 2 , comprising:

generating at least one sensor signal depending on a position and/or orientation of a seat of the motor vehicle using a sensor system of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the at least one sensor signal.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

generating at least one sensor signal depending on a position and/or orientation of a seat of the motor vehicle using a sensor system of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the at least one sensor signal.

5 . The method of claim 4 , comprising:

generating a rotary encoder signal depending on a rotational position of the seat by a rotary encoder of the sensor system; and

generating the control signals depending on the rotary encoder signal.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the rotational position corresponds to a rotational angle around a rotational axis, which is at least approximately parallel to a vehicle vertical axis of the motor vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

generating a seat occupancy sensor signal depending on a seat occupancy of the seat by a seat occupancy sensor of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the seat occupancy sensor signal.

8 . The method of claim 5 , comprising:

generating image data, which represents the seat at least partially, using a camera system of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the image data.

9 . The method of claim 5 , comprising:

generating image data, which represents the seat at least partially, using a camera system of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the image data.

10 . The method of claim 5 , comprising:

generating a seat occupancy sensor signal depending on a seat occupancy of the seat by a seat occupancy sensor of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the seat occupancy sensor signal.

11 . The method of claim 4 , comprising:

generating image data, which represents the seat at least partially, using a camera system of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the image data.

12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

generating a seat occupancy sensor signal depending on a seat occupancy of the seat by a seat occupancy sensor of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the seat occupancy sensor signal.

13 . The method of claim 4 , comprising:

generating a seat occupancy sensor signal depending on a seat occupancy of the seat by a seat occupancy sensor of the motor vehicle; and

generating the control signals depending on the seat occupancy sensor signal.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

generating a rotary encoder signal depending on a rotational position of the seat by a rotary encoder of the sensor system; and

generating the control signals depending on the rotary encoder signal.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the rotational position corresponds to a rotational angle around a rotational axis, which is at least approximately parallel to a vehicle vertical axis of the motor vehicle.

16 . A control system for a motor vehicle with a plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, wherein

the control system comprises a communication interface, which is configured to obtain advance booking information from an external processor, wherein the advance booking information is in the context of reserving the motor vehicle and comprises passenger information;

the control system comprises at least one controller, which is configured to deactivate a first part of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters depending on the advance booking information; and

the at least one controller is configured to generate a control signal for each of the acoustic signal transmitters of a second part of acoustic signal transmitters of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, which includes at least two of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, to generate an acoustic output.

17 . The control system of claim 16 , wherein

the control system comprises a sensor system, which is configured to generate at least one sensor signal depending on a position and/or orientation of a seat of the motor vehicle; and

the at least one controller-unit is configured to generate the control signals depending on the at least one sensor signal.

18 . A motor vehicle with a plurality of acoustic signal transmitters and a control system of claim 16 .

19 . A method for operating a plurality of acoustic signal transmitters of a motor vehicle, comprising:

obtaining booking information from an external processor using a control system of the motor vehicle;

deactivating a first part of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters depending on the booking information using the control system;

generating at least one sensor signal depending on a position and/or orientation of a seat of the motor vehicle using a sensor system of the motor vehicle; and

generating a control signal using the control system based on the at least one sensor signal for each of the acoustic signal transmitters of a second part of acoustic signal transmitters of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, which includes at least two of the plurality of acoustic signal transmitters, to generate an acoustic output.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2025
From: BENNEMANN, MARK
To: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 072034/0427 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2025
From: MOLL, TOBIAS
To: AUDI AG
Reel/Frame 072464/0603 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 106 702.2 · Mar 18, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250234131A1 · Jul 17, 2025
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