EP4634686A1

EP4634686A1 - A method of detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in a vehicle, corresponding system and computer program product

Info

Publication number: EP4634686A1
Application number: EP23817535.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuliana ZENNARO; Fulvio Sommariva; Satish Babu PALLA
Original assignee: Centro Ricerche Fiat SCpA
Current assignee: Centro Ricerche Fiat SCpA
Priority date: 2022-12-12
Filing date: 2023-11-30
Publication date: 2025-10-22
Also published as: IT202200025383A1; WO2024127141A1

Abstract

In a method of detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in a vehicle, a portable electronic device whose position is unknown is selected (101), via a user terminal, from a stored list of portable electronic devices. A vehicle in which to look for the selected portable electronic device is selected (101), via the user terminal, from a stored list of vehicles. A connection (101) is established with the selected device to cause (107) sound emission of a ringtone by the selected device. A connection is established (104) with the selected vehicle, and a message is transmitted to the selected vehicle to activate a connectivity control unit of the vehicle and a control unit of a microphone inside the cabin of the vehicle. A sequence of audio data inside the cabin of the vehicle is acquired (108, 109) using the microphone. The sequence of audio data is processed (111) to determine (112) whether the sequence of audio data comprises the ringtone emitted by the selected device. A feedback message is transmitted (113) to the user terminal.

Description

A METHOD OF DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE IN A VEHICLE, CORRESPONDING SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

5

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of an electronic device (for example, a mobile phone or a smart phone) inside a vehicle (for example, a motor vehicle), in particular in the case 0 where the electronic device has been left behind in the vehicle by the owner.

Prior art

Some systems that enable detecting the presence of a portable electronic device inside the cabin of a vehicle are known in the art. For5 instance, document WO 2018/203910 A1 describes a system that detects the presence of an object that might be left behind by a user who is about to get out of the vehicle, and provides the user with indications to locate the object (for example, by activating lighting in the region of the cabin where the object has been detected) and thus prevent the object from being left0 behind in the cabin. Document KR 2021/0004556 A describes a system for detecting the presence of an object left behind in a vehicle by means of an artificial intelligence algorithm.

In known systems, detection of objects in the cabin is usually carried out using optical sensors, such as photographic/video cameras of the5 vehicle that look at the inside of the cabin. Consequently, detection is often imprecise or even impossible in the cases where the object is hidden from view: for example, the object may be put down in a glove box of the cabin, or else may lay on a seat of the vehicle and be covered by a garment, or may lay in a blind spot that the photographic/video camera is unable to see,0 as, for example, on the floor.

Therefore, improved systems and methods for detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in the cabin of a vehicle are desirable, which increase the capacity of detection and identify with higher reliability the presence of the device on board the vehicle. 5 Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is that of providing such improved methods and systems for detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in a vehicle, which are more robust than known systems and enable detection of the device also in the conditions where the device is hidden from view.

In addition, one or more embodiments enable detection of the presence of the device when the user has already left the vehicle and is at some distance from it.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method, possibly implemented by an electronic system, for detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in a vehicle. According to the method, a portable electronic device, whose position is unknown, is selected from a stored list of portable electronic devices via a user terminal. A vehicle in which to look for the selected portable electronic device is selected from a stored list of vehicles via the user terminal. A connection is established with the selected device to cause sound emission of a ringtone by the selected device. A connection is established with the selected vehicle, and a message is transmitted to the selected vehicle that activates a connectivity control unit of the selected vehicle and a control unit of a microphone inside the cabin of the selected vehicle. A sequence of audio data inside the cabin of the selected vehicle is acquired via the microphone. The sequence of audio data is processed to determine whether the sequence of audio data comprises the ringtone emitted by the selected device. A feedback message is transmitted to the user terminal. The feedback message indicates that the selected device is located in the selected vehicle if the sequence of audio data comprises the ringtone emitted by the selected device, or else that the selected device is not located in the selected vehicle if no ringtone emitted by the selected device is detected in the sequence of audio data.

As will emerge in greater detail from the ensuing description, the fundamental idea of the present invention is thus that of causing emission of a ringtone by the device that has been lost and attempting to locate the device inside a vehicle using the environmental microphones already present in the vehicle for performing other functions (e.g., for voice commands). In this way, the likelihood of a correct detection of the presence of the device in the vehicle increases, in so far as detection via emission of a ringtone is more robust than a detection based upon object recognition using cameras.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a corresponding system. The system comprises a user terminal, a remote server, and a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a connectivity control unit and a microphone inside the cabin controlled by a respective control unit. The user terminal is configured for: selecting a portable electronic device, whose position is unknown, from a stored list of portable electronic devices; selecting a vehicle in which to look for the selected portable electronic device from a stored list of vehicles; and establishing a connection with the selected device to cause sound emission of a ringtone by the selected device. The remote server is configured for establishing a connection with the selected vehicle and transmitting to the selected vehicle a message that activates the connectivity control unit of the selected vehicle and the control unit of the microphone inside the cabin of the selected vehicle. The microphone is configured for acquiring a sequence of audio data inside the cabin of the selected vehicle. At least one between the vehicle and the remote server is configured for processing the sequence of audio data to determine whether the sequence of audio data comprises the ringtone emitted by the selected device, and transmitting a feedback message to the user terminal. The feedback message indicates that the selected device is located in the selected vehicle if the sequence of audio data comprises the ringtone emitted by the selected device, or else that the selected device is not located in the selected vehicle if no ringtone emitted by the selected device is detected in the sequence of audio data.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a corresponding computer program product that can be loaded into the memory of at least one processing circuit (e.g., a computer) and comprises portions of software code for executing the steps of the method when the product is run on at least one processing circuit. As used herein, reference to such a computer program product is understood as being equivalent to reference to a computer-readable means that contains instructions for controlling the processing system in order to co-ordinate implementation of the method according to one or more embodiments. Reference to “at least one processing circuit” is intended to highlight the possibility of one or more embodiments being implemented in modular and/or distributed form (for example, resorting to the co-operation between an application executed locally by a processing unit of the vehicle and an application executed remotely, by a server or in cloud mode).

Detailed description of the invention

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the ensuing description with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates a flowchart of a method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and

- Figure 2 illustrates a state diagram that exemplifies operation of a vehicle during execution of the method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

In the figures annexed hereto, corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numbers.

As anticipated, one or more embodiments relate to a method, implemented by an electronic system (even in modular and/or distributed form), for detecting the presence of a portable electronic device inside the cabin of a vehicle. The present description will refer, by way of non-limiting example, to the detection of a mobile phone or a smart phone. In fact, it frequently happens that a user who cannot find his or her own smart phone wonders whether it has been left behind inside a vehicle, from which the user has in the meantime gone away. In this circumstance, it is useful to be able to verify remotely, without having to go back to the vehicle, whether the smart phone is actually located in the cabin of the vehicle. Consequently, the method according to the invention envisages using one or more sensors of the vehicle, located in the cabin, to detect the presence of the device and, in the case where the presence is actually detected, possibly identifying the position of the device inside the cabin (for example, distinguishing whether the device is located inside a glove box, or else whether it is lying on a seat, or whether it has perhaps fallen onto the floor of the cabin and/or underneath a seat).

The present invention finds major application in the case where the vehicle is stationary, with the doors closed and without any occupant inside, as in the case introduced previously, where the user has already moved away from the vehicle. On the other hand, it will be understood that the method may be used also in other situations, for example when the vehicle is in use, and also when the vehicle is travelling.

In brief, the invention is based on a software application (also referred to as “private service” in the present description) executed on a remote device (for example, an app for a smart phone or tablet, or a desktop application, or a web service accessible online), and a detection procedure executed by one or more control units of the vehicle. The software application, which the user can access via any device (smart phone, tablet, personal computer, etc.), includes a user interface that enables the user to: create his or her own personal profile that can be accessed with username and password; associate to his or her own profile (i.e. , register) one or more vehicles that are habitually available to of the user (e.g., vehicles owned by the user, vehicles in long-term use, etc.); associate to his or her own profile (i.e., register) one or more mobile devices (e.g., smart phones) for which it is desired to be able to detect the presence inside the vehicles registered in the profile itself; and start, when necessary, the detection procedure by choosing the mobile device to be searched and one or more vehicles in which to look for it (possibly, even all the vehicles associated to the profile). As described in greater detail in what follows, when the software application starts a detection procedure in one or more of the registered vehicles, the following functions are activated:

- the application makes a call or sets up a connection of some other type towards the mobile device that is being searched;

- the application forces the mobile device into a non-silent mode in such a way that the connection to the mobile device will result in emission of a ringtone by the device that has been lost; optionally, the application may force the device to reproduce a specific ringtone; optionally, the application may force the device to reproduce a vibration (possibly according to a specific pattern) and/or to reproduce a light effect on the screen of the device (possibly according to a specific sequence); - the application sends an SMS message or some other type of push notification to the vehicle (or vehicles) selected by the user, to activate one or more control units of the vehicle that manage connectivity of the vehicle and one or more sensors of the cabin of the vehicle useful for detecting the presence of the device and to set the aforesaid control units in a “search device” mode;

- when a certain detection interval elapses, the application receives from the one or more vehicles the information on whether the device has been detected or not inside the cabin of the vehicle.

Consequently, the present invention substantially envisages that a user who has lost his or her own smart phone can access, using another electronic device (e.g., the home or office PC, a tablet, a smart watch, a second smart phone, etc.), an application from which to launch the procedure of search for the lost device in one or more vehicles registered on the application by the user. A possible detection procedure is exemplified in the flowchart of Figure 1 .

In the initial condition 100, the vehicles associated to the private service (i.e., the vehicles previously registered by the user on his or her personal profile) are stationary and closed, the user is not in the vicinity of the vehicle, and the user has lost his or her own smart phone. Consider, for example, the case where the user has gone home after parking (his or her) vehicle in the street.

In the next step 101 , the user accesses his or her own personal profile via the private service (e.g., an app installed on a tablet, or a web app accessible via a device connected to the Internet, such as a personal computer) and starts the detection procedure by selecting the device to be searched from the list of registered devices and the vehicle (or vehicles) in which to make the search from the list of registered vehicles. Hence, in step 101 the private service starts a call to the selected device, or any other communication towards the device that can result in emission of a ringtone by the device. For instance, the private service can start a normal call by means of the cellphone network, or a web call by means of the data network (the Internet), or else any form of ping of the lost device that will produce emission of a ringtone. In some embodiments, it is envisaged that the user will previously install a dedicated app on the device for which he or she wishes to be able, whenever necessary, to detect the position and, when the private service starts the search procedure, sends a notification to the aforesaid app, which results in emission of a ringtone.

In the next step 102, the private service checks whether the lost device is reachable, i.e. , whether the ping of the device executed in step 101 has been successful. In the case where the ping is constituted by a call over a cellphone network, the aforesaid check may consist in detecting the presence or absence of the feedback ringtone of the call, reproduced by the calling device while the called device is ringing. In the case of some other types of ping carried out over a data network, the check may consist in a notification of success or failure of connection to the lost device.

In the case of negative outcome (N) from the verification step 102, i.e., if the lost device is unreachable, the private service communicates to the user, in step 103, that the lost device is unreachable and that consequently the detection procedure cannot be activated. After step 103, the detection procedure is interrupted and may return to step 101 (e.g., for subsequently making another attempt at connection to the lost device).

In the case of positive outcome (Y) from the verification step 102, i.e., if the lost device is reachable, the private service sends to the vehicle (or vehicles) selected by the user, in step 104, a wake-up message to set the vehicle in the “search device” mode and activate (e.g., wake up) the control units of the vehicle useful for this purpose, such as a control unit that manages connectivity towards the outside world and one or more control units that manage one or more sensors inside the cabin of the vehicle. The message sent by the private service to the vehicle to activate the detection procedure may be of various types according to the capacity of connection of the vehicle itself: it may be, for example, an SMS message, or a push message, conveyed over the cellphone network or the data network (the Internet).

In the next step 105, the private service checks whether the vehicle addressed is reachable, i.e., whether the ping of the vehicle executed in step 104 has been successful.

In the case of negative outcome (N) from the verification step 105, i.e., if the vehicle is unreachable, the private service communicates to the user, in step 106, that the vehicle is unreachable and that consequently the detection procedure cannot be activated. After step 106, the detection procedure is interrupted and may return to step 101 (e.g., for making another subsequent attempt at connection to the vehicle).

In the case of positive outcome (Y) from the verification step 105, i.e. , if the vehicle is reachable, in step 107 the private service starts a call - or any other communication, as described previously - to the lost device, and transmits a message that forces the lost device into a non-silent mode so as to guarantee emission of a ringtone. If possible (i.e., if the operating system of the device so enables), the message also forces the device to emit a specific ringtone, which can be selected on the basis of a particular recognizability. The fact of making a first call to the device to verify reachability thereof (in step 101 ) and then, only if the search procedure continues, making a second call to the device to cause emission of the ringtone (in step 107) is advantageous in so far as it enables safeguarding of the battery of the vehicle: in fact, if the lost device is not reachable (outcome N from block 102), no system is activated on board the vehicle (in so far as the possibility of identifying the device would in any case be precluded), which would lead to a useless consumption of the current of the vehicle battery.

In the next step 108, one or more sensors of the cabin of the vehicle concerned, in particular at least one microphone, are active in data- acquisition mode while the lost device is emitting the ringtone. Also the corresponding control units for controlling the sensors involved are active. Optionally, also other sensors inside the cabin can be activated in the same timeframe, such as one or more cameras that frame the cabin (e.g., cameras normally used for detecting the state of tiredness of the driver), one or more infrared cameras, and/or one or more radars inside the cabin.

In the next step 109, the control unit of the microphone samples a stream of audio data inside the cabin, for a limited period of time (e.g., an interval of the duration comprised between 5 and 30 seconds). Optionally, in the same period of time the other control units that control the other sensors can sample the respective data. For instance, the image data from one or more cameras may be sampled, also with the possibility of acquiring three-dimensional images (e.g., by means of stereoscopic cameras). Likewise, the position data inside the cabin may be sampled by one or more radars located inside the cabin, also with the possibility of acquiring three- dimensional point clouds that are indicative of vibrations detected and of the shape of the objects present inside the cabin.

In the next step 110, the data acquired by microphones, cameras, and/or radars are merged together to increase precision in detection of the presence and possibly in detection of the position of the lost device. It will be understood that step 110 is optional in so far as merging of the data is carried out only if the streams of sampled data come from a number of sensors (e.g., a number of microphones, or else a number of sensors of a different nature, such as a microphone and a camera).

In the next step 111 , the data sampled in step 109 and possibly merged in step 110 are processed by means of algorithms (e.g., artificialintelligence algorithms) by one or more electronic processing units of the vehicle. The algorithm identifies whether the lost device is located in the cabin of the vehicle. Optionally, the algorithm may also determine the position of the device in the cabin, for example by detecting that the device is located in the front glove box or else on the passenger seat, or underneath a seat, or else in the boot.

For instance, in the case where the algorithm uses only the audio data sampled by a microphone, detection of the device may be carried out by means of an audio-data processing algorithm that recognizes reproduction of a ringtone (optionally, a specific ringtone that has been set by the private service). If the device vibrates, the microphone can detect the noise produced by the vibration. If the microphone is directional, or else if the audio data come from a plurality of microphones, the algorithm can also locate the device in a particular point of the cabin (e.g., via triangulation). As a function of the intensity of the ringtone, the algorithm can determine that the device is located in a closed compartment, such as a glove box or the boot.

In the case where the algorithm uses data also coming from one or more cameras, the video data may enable detection of the presence and position of the device by identifying a lit-up region, which corresponds to the screen of the smartphone that lights up during the incoming call.

In the case where the algorithm uses data also coming from one or more radars, the radar data may enable detection of the presence and position of the device by identifying a movement corresponding to vibration of the device, even if it were underneath a seat or in the glove box or in any other closed compartment.

In the next step 112, the algorithm determines, on the basis of the processing operations carried out in step 111 , whether the mobile device has been detected (and optionally located) inside the vehicle or not.

In the next step 113, each vehicle that has executed the search procedure (e.g., all the vehicles initially selected by the user in the list available after access to the private service) sends, by means of its own connectivity control unit, a feedback to the private service. Such a communication may occur by means of different channels according to the capacities of connection of the vehicle (e.g., via SMS message conveyed by the cellphone network or via another type of message conveyed by the Internet data network). The feedback supplied by each vehicle to the private service indicates whether the device has been found in the vehicle, and optionally its position inside the cabin.

In the next step 114, all the vehicles return to the initial idle state by deactivating the “search device” mode and switching off the control units previously activated for this purpose (in step 104).

Figure 2 is a state diagram that exemplifies operation of the vehicle during execution of the procedure described with reference to Figure 1 . In particular, the vehicle may initially be in an idle state S1. The vehicle remains in the idle state until the conditions P0 and U1 are satisfied, where P0 indicates that the position of the lost smartphone is unknown, and U1 indicates that the user has not yet started any procedure for looking for the device. In the state S1 , the vehicle is in key-off mode (i.e. , with the key out and the dashboard off), and the on-board sensors are deactivated. The connectivity control unit is active in order to activate the search mode, if requested by the user by means of the private service. The vehicle does not know whether the lost device is in the cabin or not. The vehicle passes to a search mode S2 when the conditions P0 and UO are satisfied, where UO indicates that the user has started the search procedure. In the state S2, the on-board sensors are activated, and the vehicle executes the search procedure. The vehicle remains in the state S2 up to the end of execution of the search procedure, and then passes to a feedback state S3 when the conditions P1 and UO are satisfied, where P1 indicates that the vehicle is able to provide a (positive or negative) feedback as regards detection of the device. In the state S3, the vehicle communicates to the private service, by means of the connectivity control unit, the response of the search procedure (smartphone found or not, and in the case of smartphone found, its possible position in the cabin). Once the feedback has been supplied to the private service, the vehicle returns to the idle state S1 , there now being satisfied the conditions P1 and U1 (feedback supplied and search not active).

In some embodiments as described previously, the processing steps 110 to 113 (i.e., from the possible merging of the sampled data to the detection and optional location of the device) are carried out by one or more processing units of the vehicle itself, and the vehicle returns as feedback to the private service directly the information on presence/absence and possible location of the device. In other embodiments, instead, the processing steps 110 to 113 are carried out by the private service (i.e., by the web app or by the application being run on the local terminal of the user), and the vehicle returns as feedback to the private service the streams of raw data sampled in step 109. In other embodiments still, execution of steps 110 to 113 may be distributed between the vehicle and the private service, even with execution in parallel of some tasks.

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of implementation and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the annexed claims.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the presence of a portable electronic device in a vehicle, comprising:

- selecting (101 ) from a stored list of portable electronic devices, via a user terminal, a portable electronic device whose position is unknown;

- selecting (101 ) from a stored list of vehicles, via said user terminal, a vehicle in which to look for said selected portable electronic device;

- establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause (107) sound emission of a ringtone by said selected device;

- establishing a connection (104) with said selected vehicle and transmitting to said selected vehicle a message that activates a connectivity control unit of said selected vehicle and a control unit of a microphone inside the cabin of said selected vehicle;

- acquiring (108, 109), via said microphone, a sequence of audio data inside the cabin of the selected vehicle;

- processing (111 ) said sequence of audio data to determine (112) whether said sequence of audio data comprises said ringtone emitted by the selected device; and

- transmitting (113) a feedback message to said user terminal, wherein said feedback message indicates that the selected device is located in the selected vehicle if said sequence of audio data comprises said ringtone emitted by the selected device, or else that the selected device is not located in the selected vehicle if no ringtone emitted by the selected device is detected in said sequence of audio data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said message transmitted (104) to said selected vehicle activates a control unit for controlling a camera inside the cabin of said selected vehicle and/or a control unit for controlling a radar sensor inside the cabin of said selected vehicle, the method comprising:

- establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause (107) light emission of a sequence of light effects by said selected device and/or cause (107) vibration of said selected device according to a vibration pattern;

- acquiring (108, 109), via said camera, a sequence of video data of the inside of the cabin of the selected vehicle and/or acquiring (108, 109), via said radar sensor, a sequence of position data inside the cabin of the selected vehicle; and

- processing (110, 111 ) said sequence of video data and/or said sequence of position data jointly with said sequence of audio data to determine whether said sequence of video data comprises said sequence of light effects produced by the selected device and/or whether said sequence of position data comprises said vibration pattern produced by the selected device; wherein said feedback message indicates that the selected device is located in the selected vehicle if said sequence of video data comprises said sequence of light effects produced by the selected device and/or said sequence of position data comprises said vibration pattern produced by the selected device, or else that the selected device is not located in the selected vehicle if no sequence of light effects produced by the selected device is detected in said sequence of video data and no vibration pattern produced by the selected device is detected in said sequence of position data.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said microphone comprises a directional microphone and/or a plurality of microphones arranged in different points of the cabin of the selected vehicle, wherein the method comprises processing (111 ) said sequence of audio data to determine a position of said selected device in the cabin of said selected vehicle, and wherein said feedback message moreover indicates the position of said selected device in the cabin of said selected vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising processing (111 ) said sequence of video data and/or said sequence of position data to determine a position of said selected device in the cabin of said selected vehicle, wherein said feedback message moreover indicates the position of said selected device in the cabin of said selected vehicle.

5. The method of any of the previous claims, comprising:

- providing a user interface via which a user can enter identification data of one or more portable electronic devices and identification data of one or more vehicles; and

- storing, as a function of the data entered by the user, said list of portable electronic devices and said list of vehicles.

6. The method of any of the previous claims, wherein the step of establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause sound emission of a ringtone comprises:

- making a phone call to said selected device via a telephone network; and/or

- establishing a connection with said selected device via a data connection network.

7. The method of any of the previous claims, comprising:

- in the event of unsuccessful connection (102) with said selected device, transmitting to said user terminal a message of unsuccessful connection (103) with the selected device.

8. The method of any of the previous claims, wherein the step of establishing a connection (104) with said selected vehicle and transmitting a message to said selected vehicle comprises:

- transmitting an SMS message to said selected vehicle via a cellphone network; and/or

- establishing a connection with said selected vehicle via a data connection network.

9. The method of any of the previous claims, comprising:

- in the event of unsuccessful connection (105) with said selected vehicle, transmitting to said user terminal a message of unsuccessful connection (106) with the selected vehicle.

10. The method of any of the previous claims, wherein the step of establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause (107) sound emission of a ringtone comprises forcing the selected device into a non-silent operating mode, and optionally setting reproduction of a specific ringtone.

11. The method of any of the previous claims, wherein the step of establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause (107) sound emission of a ringtone by said selected device comprises:

- establishing a first connection (101 ) with said selected device to verify the reachability (102) of said selected device; and

- establishing a second connection (107) with said selected device to cause said sound emission; the method further comprising:

- in the event of failure of said first connection (102) with said selected device, terminating the detection procedure and transmitting to said user terminal a message of unsuccessful connection (103) with the selected device.

12. A system comprising a user terminal, a remote server, and a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a connectivity control unit and a microphone inside the cabin controlled by a respective control unit; wherein the user terminal is configured for:

- selecting (101 ) a portable electronic device, whose position is unknown, from a stored list of portable electronic devices;

- selecting (101 ) a vehicle in which to look for said selected portable electronic device from a stored list of vehicles; and

- establishing a connection (101 ) with said selected device to cause (107) sound emission of a ringtone by said selected device; wherein said remote server is configured for establishing a connection (104) with said selected vehicle and transmitting to said selected vehicle a message that activates the connectivity control unit of the selected vehicle and the control unit for controlling the microphone inside the cabin of the selected vehicle; wherein said microphone is configured for acquiring (108, 109) a sequence of audio data inside the cabin of the selected vehicle; and wherein at least one between said vehicle and said remote server is configured for:

13. A computer program product that can be loaded into the memory of at least one processing device and comprises portions of software code configured to cause said at least one processing device to operate according to the method of any of claims 1 to 11 as a result of the program product being run on said at least one processing device.