GB2340094A

GB2340094A - Audible information system in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2340094A
Application number: GB9816732A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Stephen Osborn
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-01
Filing date: 1998-08-01
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Also published as: GB9816732D0

Description

2340094 A Vehicle This invention relates to vehicles and in particular to

a vehicle including a subsystem, such as for example an interior lamp.

It is known to provide a vehicle with a "lights on buzzer" to warn a user when he leaves the vehicle with one or more of the exterior lamps turned on.

This buzzer acts purely as a warning to prevent the battery from being drained and consequently the sound it emits is often deliberately arranged to be irritating so that it is difficult for a user to ignore it.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle including a sounder means and at least one sub-system, wherein each time the or each subsystem is turned on, the sounder means is arranged to emit an audible signal which is coded to operation of the or each subsystem respectively.

The or each audible signal may be retained in a memory of a sound controller. A plurality of audible signals may be retained in said memory for selective association with the or each subsystem. The or each audible signal may be alterable.

4Z Said subsystem may comprise a lighting system, which may comprise an exterior lighting system or an interior lighting system. Said subsystem may comprise a wiper system or may comprise a gear shift system.

The invention also provides a controller for a subsystem of a vehicle according to the invention and a programming means for altering an audible signal retained in a memory of such a controller.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to the invention.

Referring to the figure, a vehicle 10 includes an interior lamp 12 and a map light 14 which are under the control of an interior lamp controller 16. The lamp controller 16 is arranged to turn the lamps 12, 14 on and off in response to an interior lamp switch 120 and a map light switch 140 respectively.

The controller 16 is also connected to a sounder in the form of a speaker 18. The controller 16 is also connected to a memory 20 which is used to store a different audible signal for each of the interior lamps 12, 14. When one of the interior lamps 12, 14 is turned, on the controller 16 retrieves its dedicated audible signal and plays it through the speaker 18. The memory 20 also includes further audible signals which are dedicated to indicate a combination of more than one interior lamp 12, 14.

The audible signals stored in the memory 20 can be altered by a programming means (not shown) in order to enable a user of the vehicle 10 to customise the audible signal output by the controller 16 for each of the interior lamps 12, 14 or for any combination of these or further interior lamps (no others shown).

In this way a subsystem, such as the interior lamps, of a vehicle 10 becomes associated with a particular sound customised by the user in a programmable, selectable and controllable manner. For example, a particular user may decide that they wish to hear a sound simulating a camera shutter or a precision electric motor whenever they turn on the map light 14.

In a further example, a basic selection of audio signals may be preprogrammed into the memory 20 by the manufacturer and it may be possible to have a catalogue of sounds in the memory 20 so that a user can change the audio signal associated with one or more particular interior lamps.

In a modification to the invention, the association of a sound with the operation of a subsystem is expanded to subsystems other than the interior lights. For example, the exterior lamps could have their own sound which is played when they are turned on. In addition the windscreen wipers could play music as they wipe, with a different piece or tempo being employed for different wiping programs. A gear-shift mechanism could be customised to cause a sound to be played, for example on each shift of ratio, with perhaps a different sound for each ratio.

Claims

-5CLAIMS

1. A vehicle including a sounder means and at least one sub-system, wherein each time the or each subsystem is turned on, the sounder means is arranged to emit an audible signal which is coded to operation of the or each subsystem respectively.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the or each audible signal is retained in a memory of a sound controller.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 2 wherein the plurality of audible signals is retained in said memory for selective association with the or each subsystem.

4. A vehicle according to any preceding claim wherein the or each audible signal is alterable.

5. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein said subsystem comprises a lighting system.

6. A vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein said subsystem comprises an exterior lighting system.

7. A vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein said subsystem comprises an interior lighting system.

8. A vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein said subsystem comprises a wiper system.

9. A vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein said subsystem comprises a gear shift system.

10. A vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

11. A controller for a subsystem of a vehicle according to any preceding claim.

12. A programming means for altering an audible signal retained in a memory of a controller according to Claim 11.