Patent ID: 8121307
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: H03G,H04R,H04S

Abstract:
1. An in-vehicle sound control system structured so that a plurality of sound sources having respective sound source signals, a vehicle speed detection unit for detecting a vehicle running speed, and an acoustic reproduction apparatus are connected to an in-vehicle communications network, the acoustic reproduction apparatus is connected to a plurality of speakers and at least one microphone, and the system controls reproduction of the sound sources in accordance with a vehicle speed signal transmitted from the vehicle speed detection unit or a noise level detected by the microphone, wherein the acoustic reproduction apparatus includes: a sound source signal distribution section for distributing at least one of the sound source signals inputted from among the plurality of sound sources to a plurality of channels; a sound control section for adjusting a frequency characteristic and a volume of the at least one of the sound source signals distributed to the plurality of channels responsive to the vehicle speed signal or the noise level, to produce a reproduction signal for each of the channels; a reproduction signal selection section for extracting at least one of the reproduction signals from among the plurality of channels outputted through the sound control section based on media information of the at least one of the sound source signals; a microphone signal extraction section for extracting a signal inputted from the microphone; a signal level comparator for comparing a level of the at least one of the reproduction signals outputted from the reproduction signal selection section with a level of the signal from the microphone signal extraction section to produce the noise level; and a microcontroller for controlling the sound source signal distribution section, the sound control section, the reproduction signal selection section, and the microphone signal extraction section, wherein the microcontroller selects between the vehicle speed signal and the noise level and determines a control amount for adjusting the frequency characteristic and the volume provided to the sound control section responsive to the selection, the microcontroller selecting the vehicle speed signal when an output from the signal level comparator is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, and the reproduction signals for the respective plurality of channels are provided to the plurality of speakers.