US-12625671-B2 - Audio arbitration for multiple media streams

Abstract

In a vehicle, a computer can receive a first content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream, and select a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on a priority determination that includes a priority of the first set of content data and/or a priority of the second set of content data, wherein the priority determination is based on a vehicle state.

Inventors

• Brian Nash
• Kevin Lee Helpingstine
• Brendan Francis DIAMOND

Assignees

• FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240524

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system, comprising a computer for a vehicle, the computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, including instructions to: receive a first set of content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second set of content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream; determine a vehicle state of the vehicle selected from a list of potential vehicle states; dynamically adjust a priority determination based on a change in the determined vehicle state, the priority determination including at least one of a priority of the first set of content data or a priority of the second set of content data; and select a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on the priority determination.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first graphical component is output by a first display and the second graphical component is output by a second display.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle state is a normal moving state, and the priority is determined according to the normal moving state.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle state is a parked state, and the priority is determined according to the parked state.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising instructions to receive a third content data including a third graphical component and a third audio stream and having a priority based on the vehicle state.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first audio output mode and/or the second audio output mode includes muting or suppressing audio.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein selecting the audio output mode includes selecting an audio device to output the audio stream.
8. 8 . The system of claim 1 , the instructions including further instructions to determine whether an audio device is capable of audio isolation, and to select the output mode based on whether the audio device is capable of audio isolation.
9. 9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the priority of the first and second sets of content data is based on an identity of a user associated with the first or second sets of content data.
10. 10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the priority of the first and second sets of content data is based on a content type of the first and second sets of content data.
11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the priority of the first and second sets of content data is based on a gaze direction of a user.
12. 12 . A method comprising: receiving a first set of content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second set of content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream; determining a vehicle state of the vehicle selected from a list of potential vehicle states; dynamically adjusting a priority determination based on a change in the determined vehicle state, the priority determination including at least one of a priority of the first set of content data or a priority of the second set of content data; and selecting a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on the priority determination.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first graphical component is output by a first display and the second graphical component is output by a second display.
14. 14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle state is a normal moving state, and the priority is determined according to the normal moving state.
15. 15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle state is a parked state, and the priority is determined according to the parked state.
16. 16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving a third content data including a third graphical component and a third audio stream and having a priority based on the vehicle state.
17. 17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first audio output mode and/or the second audio output mode includes muting or suppressing audio.
18. 18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein selecting the audio output mode includes selecting an audio device to output the audio stream.
19. 19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining whether an audio device is capable of audio isolation, and selecting the output mode based on whether the audio device is capable of audio isolation.
20. 20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the priority of the first and second sets of content data is based on an identity of a user associated with the first or second sets of content data.

Description

BACKGROUND Computers included in a vehicle can output sets of content data to display devices and audio devices for vehicle occupants to view, listen to, and interact with. A content data can include a wide range of content such as vehicle data, vehicle service notices, navigation maps, entertainment data such as cable TV, movies, video games, and the internet via web browsers, and/or cellular telephone data such as text messages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example vehicle system. FIG. 2 is a top diagrammatic view of the vehicle with the passenger cabin exposed for illustration. FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example dual view display. FIG. 4 is a flowchart diagram of an example process to output audio data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The infotainment system described herein provides a way for multiple occupants of a vehicle to independently view, listen to, and interact with different sets of content data simultaneously. The infotainment system outputs the graphical components from two or more sets of content data to a display screen simultaneously. Each user may have an associated audio device, e.g., speakers directed at a user's position or location in the vehicle, i.e., a location in a vehicle cabin at which the user is sitting (hereinafter referred to as a user's “cabin position”), or wireless headphones associated with that user. A content data typically has an audio stream. For respective audio devices, the infotainment system determines a priority ranking for the associated user and selects an audio stream to output to the audio device according to that priority ranking. A priority ranking specifies, for an associated user, a relative priority of the content data 300, 302. The infotainment system selects the audio stream from the content data ranked highest in the priority ranking for that user. The infotainment system determines the priority ranking for a user based on the content types of the content data and on the gaze direction of the user. The content type is a categorization of the content data, e.g., navigation, podcast, streaming video, etc. The gaze direction may indicate which graphical component the user is viewing. Thus, the infotainment system enables the vehicle computer to output audio streams from sets of content data to specific audio devices such that only those users who desire to listen to the content data may listen to the content data. Accordingly, included in the present disclosure is a system comprising a computer for a vehicle, the computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, including instructions to: receive a first set of content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second set of content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream, and select a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on a priority determination that includes a priority of the first set of content data and/or a priority of the second set of content data, wherein the priority determination is based on a vehicle state. The first graphical component may be output by a first display and the second graphical component may be output by a second display. The vehicle state may be a normal moving state, and the priority may be determined according to the normal moving state. The vehicle state may be a parked state, and the priority may be determined according to the parked state. The computer may receive a third content data including a third graphical component and a third audio stream and having a priority based on the vehicle state. The first audio output mode and/or the second audio output mode may include muting or suppressing audio. Selecting the audio output mode may include selecting an audio device to output the audio stream. The computer may determine whether an audio device is configured for audio isolation, and to select the output mode based on whether the audio device is configured for audio isolation. The priority of the first and second sets of content data may be based on an identity of a user associated with the first or second sets of content data. The priority of the first and second sets of content data may be based on a content type of the first and second sets of content data. The priority of the first and second sets of content data may be based on a gaze direction of a user. A method comprises: receiving a first set of content data including a first graphical component and a first audio stream and a second set of content data including a second graphical component and a second audio stream, selecting a first audio output mode for the first audio stream and a second audio output mode for the second audio stream based on a priority determination that includes a priority of the first set of content data and/or a priority of the second set of content data, wherein the p