Electronic control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025247659-A1
Application number	US-202418923042-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2024
Priority date	Jan 30, 2024
Publication date	Jul 31, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic control device includes a controller, a sound output unit, and a sound input unit. The sound output unit electrically connects the controller to a speaker and the sound input unit electrically connects the controller to a microphone. The controller is configured to perform an operation check by outputting a sound pattern from the speaker through the sound output unit after converting the sound pattern into an inaudible pattern, and receiving the sound pattern from the microphone through the sound input unit. The sound pattern is at least one of sound patterns predetermined based on warning stages for a driver of a vehicle or vehicle models.

First claim

1 . An electronic control device comprising:
a controller; a sound output unit electrically connecting the controller to a speaker; and a sound input unit electrically connecting the controller to a microphone, wherein the controller is configured to perform an operation check by:
outputting a sound pattern from the speaker through the sound output unit after converting the sound pattern into an inaudible pattern, the sound pattern being at least one of sound patterns predetermined based on warning stages for a driver of a vehicle or vehicle models; and
receiving the sound pattern from the microphone through the sound input unit.

2 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound patterns have different volumes and frequency characteristics according to the warning stages for the driver or the vehicle models, and the at least one of the sound patterns for the operation check is:
a separated sound pattern of the sound patterns; or
a combined sound pattern composed of more than one of the sound patterns.

3 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to sequentially output the sound patterns for the operation check one by one.

4 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 ,
the sound patterns have different volumes and frequency characteristics and are commonly available for the vehicle models, and the electronic control device further comprising a memory configured to store
a separated sound pattern of the sound patterns, or
a combined sound pattern composed of more than one of the sound patterns, and
the at least one of the sound patterns for the operation check is the separated sound pattern or the combined sound pattern.

5 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 ,
the sound patterns are different among the vehicle models, the electronic control device further comprising a memory configured to separately store the sound patterns, wherein the at least one of the sound patterns for the operation check is selected according to a model of the vehicle.

6 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to: determine a timing of the operation check to be performed during the vehicle operating based on a situation of the driver or the vehicle, and perform the operation check using the sound pattern at the determined timing during the vehicle operating.

7 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a memory storing the sound pattern, wherein the controller is configured to compare the sound pattern input from the microphone with the sound pattern stored in the memory for the operation check.

8 . The electronic control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sound patterns are different among the vehicle models, the electronic control device further comprising a memory storing the sound patterns, wherein the controller is configured to perform the operation check by selecting the at least one of the sound patterns corresponding to a model of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Hirano Takahiro
• Nakamura Shigeki

Classifications

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W60/0053

  from vehicle to occupant · CPC title

• H04R29/004

  for microphones (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title

• H04R29/001 Primary

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title