SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE VOLUME OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
Systems and methods are provided for controlling the volume of a motor vehicle entertainment system. One motor vehicle includes a sound system, a motor having an idle speed, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine the speed of the motor and to adjust the volume of the sound system if the determined speed is less than or equal to the idle speed. An entertainment system coupleable to a combustion motor includes means for producing sound, means for determining the speed of the combustion motor, and means for adjusting the volume of the sound producing means if the determined speed is less than or equal to a threshold speed. One method includes the steps of determining the speed of the combustion motor and adjusting the volume of the entertainment system if the determined speed is less than or equal to a threshold speed.
1 . A motor vehicle, comprising:
a sound system having an adjustable volume;
a motor having an idle speed; and
a processor coupled to the sound system and the motor, the processor configured to determine a speed of the motor and to adjust the volume of the sound system if the determined speed is less than or equal to the idle speed.
2 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle is a hybrid motor vehicle and the processor is configured to decrease the volume if the speed is less than or equal to the idle speed.
3 . The motor vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to increase the volume if the speed increases above the idle speed.
4 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the volume to a pre-determined volume.
5 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the volume a pre-determined amount.
6 . The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to decrease the volume a pre-determined percentage.
7 . An entertainment system coupleable to a combustion motor, comprising:
means for producing sound;
means for determining a speed of the combustion motor; and
means for adjusting a volume of the sound producing means if the speed is less than or equal to a threshold speed.
8 . The entertainment system of claim 7 , wherein the adjusting means comprises means for decreasing the volume if the speed is less than or equal to the threshold speed.
9 . The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting means further comprises means for increasing the volume if the determined speed increases above the threshold speed.
10 . The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting means further comprises means for decreasing the volume to a pre-determined volume.
11 . The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting means further comprises means for decreasing the volume a pre-determined amount.
12 . The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting means further comprises means for decreasing the volume a pre-determined percentage.
13 . The entertainment system of claim 8 , wherein the threshold speed is an idle speed of the combustion motor.
14 . A method for controlling a volume of an entertainment system in a hybrid motor vehicle including a combustion motor, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a speed of the combustion motor; and
adjusting the volume of the entertainment system if the determined speed is less than or equal to a threshold speed.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting step comprises the step of decreasing the volume of the entertainment system if the determined speed is less than or equal to the threshold speed.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of increasing the volume of the entertainment system if the speed increases above the threshold speed.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the decreasing step comprises the step of decreasing the volume to a pre-determined volume.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the decreasing step comprises the step of decreasing the volume a pre-determined amount.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the decreasing step comprises the step of decreasing the volume a pre-determined percentage.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the threshold speed is an idle speed of the combustion motor.