JP2017069806A - Speaker array device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a speaker array device for outputting a sound to be listened by crew members on a vehicle by an audio beam while utilizing a structure of a compartment.SOLUTION: In a compartment of a vehicle 100, a speaker array device 14 comprising a speaker array 145 with a plurality of speakers arranged therein is provided on a top face of a dashboard 133. Based on an inputted audio signal, the speaker array device 14 outputs from the speaker array 145 an audio beam with positions of crew members on the vehicle 100 defined as listening positions. The plurality of speakers in the speaker array 145 is arranged in such locations and directions that the audio beam is reflected on members (e.g., side windows 122) forming a compartment 120.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to installation of a speaker array that allows an occupant to listen to sound of an audio beam in a passenger compartment of an automobile or the like.

  A technique for outputting (radiating) a sound beam having directivity to a listening position using a speaker array in which a plurality of speakers are arranged is known. As techniques for facilitating setting of the directivity or output direction of an audio beam, there are techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

  Patent Document 1 describes storing a plurality of setting patterns in a memory and controlling the directivity of an audio beam to be output to an array speaker based on a setting pattern selected by a user. In Patent Document 2, a test sound beam is rotated from a speaker array and output, and an output angle of the sound beam is set based on a signal level of sound data of a sound picked up by a microphone installed at a listening position. It is described.

JP 2006-67218 A Japanese Patent No. 4175420

Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose techniques for setting the directivity or output direction of an audio beam with respect to a listening position set in a room such as an audio room.
However, in a room such as a house and a vehicle compartment such as an automobile, physical characteristics (for example, the shape and dimensions of the space, the material of the walls, floors, and ceiling that form the space) and articles placed in the space Accordingly, acoustic characteristics (for example, sound reflection characteristics and attenuation characteristics) are also different. For this reason, the system using the speaker array described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot be directly applied to the passenger compartment.
The present invention has been made under the above-described background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a speaker array device that outputs a sound to be heard by a vehicle occupant using a structure of a passenger compartment.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a speaker array device according to the present invention is provided in a vehicle compartment of a vehicle and forms a speaker array having a plurality of speakers and a predetermined audio signal in the speaker array. An audio beam control unit that outputs an audio beam that is reflected by a member and reaches the position of an occupant in the passenger compartment.
The speaker array device of the present invention may be provided on the dashboard of the passenger compartment.
The speaker array device of the present invention may be provided on a dashboard of the vehicle cabin, and the sound beam control unit may cause the speaker array to output the sound beam reflected by the windshield of the vehicle.
The speaker array device of the present invention may be provided behind a rear seat of the vehicle compartment, and the sound beam control unit may cause the speaker array to output the sound beam reflected by the rear glass of the vehicle.
The speaker array device of the present invention may be provided on a ceiling of the vehicle compartment so that the plurality of speakers are arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the speaker array apparatus which outputs the sound which a passenger | crew of a vehicle listens using a sound beam using the structure of a vehicle interior can be provided.

1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the compartment of the vehicle which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the compartment of the vehicle which concerns on the embodiment. It is the figure which planarly viewed the compartment of the vehicle concerning the embodiment from right above. It is a front view of the vehicle-mounted speaker array apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the control part of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the principle of the sound beam setting by the vehicle-mounted acoustic apparatus which concerns on the embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the relationship between the passenger | crew situation and acoustic characteristic data in the vehicle which concerns on the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from the speaker array apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment (when a passenger | crew is one person). It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from the speaker array apparatus which concerns on the embodiment (when there are two passengers). It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from a speaker array apparatus after the audio beam setting which concerns on the embodiment (when a passenger | crew is four persons). It is a perspective view which shows the vehicle interior of the vehicle which concerns on the modification of the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure regarding the sound beam setting of the control part which concerns on the modification. It is a perspective view which shows the compartment of the vehicle which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which expanded the periphery of the windshield which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from the speaker array apparatus based on the embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the compartment of the vehicle which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which planarly viewed the compartment of the vehicle concerning the embodiment from right above. It is the figure which expanded the periphery of the rear glass which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from the speaker array apparatus based on the embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the compartment of the vehicle which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the ceiling of the vehicle which concerns on the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the audio | voice beam output from the speaker array apparatus based on the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the vehicle interior of the vehicle which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the vehicle interior of the vehicle which concerns on 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process which the vehicle-mounted acoustic apparatus and communication terminal which concern on the embodiment perform. It is explanatory drawing of the other example of installation of the speaker array apparatus which concerns on the modification 1 of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The left and right expressions used in the following description mean left and right toward the front of the vehicle 100 unless otherwise specified.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The vehicle 100 is a four-door sedan type automobile. The vehicle 100 is, for example, an electric vehicle or a hybrid car equipped with an electric motor and an engine. The vehicle 100 includes a bonnet 101, four doors 102 serving as entrances and a trunk door 103, on the vehicle body.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a passenger compartment of the vehicle 100. FIG. 2 shows the vicinity of the driver's seat 111 and the passenger seat 112. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a passenger compartment of the vehicle 100. A door 102 is provided at a position indicated by a broken line in FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100 from directly above. The broken line shown in FIG. 4 means the position of the rear glass 124.

  In the vehicle 100, a vehicle interior 120 is formed inside the four doors 102 described in FIG. The vehicle compartment 120 is a space in the vehicle where an occupant who is in the vehicle 100 is present. In the passenger compartment 120, a driver's seat 111, a passenger seat 112, and a rear seat 113 are provided as seats on which passengers are seated. The rear seat 113 is divided into a right rear seat 113A behind the driver seat 111 and a left rear seat 113B behind the passenger seat 112. The position of the occupant in the passenger compartment 120 is determined by the position of the seat provided in the passenger compartment 120.

The vehicle 100 includes a windshield 121, four side windows 122, 123, 125, and 126, and a rear glass 124 as glass members that form the passenger compartment 120. Each of these glass members is formed with a substantially constant thickness.
The windshield 121 is provided in front of the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112 so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The rear glass 124 is provided behind the rear seat 113 so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. Each of the front glass 121 and the rear glass 124 has a planar shape or a curved shape with a central portion protruding in a direction outside the vehicle. Each of the side windows 122, 123, 125, 126 is a flat glass member provided on the door 102. The side window 122 is adjacent to the driver's seat 111, the side window 123 is adjacent to the right rear seat 113A, the side window 125 is adjacent to the left rear seat 113B, and the side window 126 is adjacent to the passenger seat 112.

  A handle 131 for adjusting the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 is provided in front of the driver seat 111. A rear package tray 132 is provided behind the rear seat 113. The rear package tray 132 is a plate-like member that is provided below the rear glass 124 and covers a partition wall that partitions the vehicle compartment 120 and the cargo compartment (trunk) from the vehicle compartment 120 side. In the present embodiment, the downward direction refers to a direction having a vertically downward component, and the upward direction refers to a direction having a vertically upward component.

  A dashboard 133 is provided in front of the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112 over the entire vehicle width direction of the passenger compartment 120 (width direction of the vehicle 100). The dashboard 133 is located below the windshield 121. The dashboard 133 is provided with the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. The on-vehicle acoustic device 10 is an acoustic device mounted on the vehicle 100. The in-vehicle acoustic device 10 includes a speaker array device 14 that outputs sound to the vehicle interior 120. Specifically, this sound is a sound beam generated in a beam shape by imparting directivity.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the speaker array device 14.
The speaker array device 14 includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing and a speaker array 145 disposed in front of the housing. The speaker array 145 includes a plurality of speakers (speaker units) arranged in a matrix (row direction and column direction). In the speaker array 145, a plurality of speakers are arranged in the order of the speakers 145A, 145B, 145C, ..., 145P along the row direction from the left end. The three speakers arranged in the column direction are represented by any one of the speakers 145A, 145B, 145C,.
Note that the arrangement of the speakers in the speaker array 145 is not limited to a matrix. In the speaker array 145, speakers may be arranged according to a predetermined rule such as a honeycomb shape or a line shape. Further, the number of speakers included in the speaker array 145 is not limited to the number shown in FIG.

  The speaker array device 14 is provided on the upper surface of the dashboard 133 at a position near the center in the vehicle width direction. The speaker array device 14 is fixed to the dashboard 133 using, for example, a fixing tool such as a screw, a magnet, or an adhesive. The speaker array device 14 is provided with the speaker array 145 facing the rear of the vehicle 100, and the output direction of the acoustic beam can be changed within a range of 0 to 180 degrees on the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the output direction of the sound beam is defined by “beam output angle”. Specifically, the beam output angle is specified by the angle formed by the surface that forms the front surface of the speaker array device 14 and the output direction of the sound beam. The speaker array device 14 can also change the output direction of the acoustic beam within a certain range in the vertical direction.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. The “in-vehicle camera 18” shown by a broken line in FIG.
The control unit 11 controls each unit of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. The control unit 11 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as an arithmetic processing device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a processor including a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a sound processing circuit exemplified by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). And a memory exemplified by EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable).

  The sound source 12 generates an audio signal. The sound source 12 includes, for example, a radio tuner, a television tuner, a disc media player, and a digital audio player, and generates a digital audio signal. The sound source 12 may further include an external audio input to which these devices are connected. The control unit 11 supplies the audio signal generated by the sound source 12 to the speaker array device 14 or the vehicle-mounted speaker device 15. The sound signal may represent any sound such as a musical sound or a human voice.

  The wireless communication unit 13 performs wireless communication with an external communication terminal. For example, the wireless communication unit 13 performs short-range wireless communication conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard with the communication terminal of the occupant.

The speaker array device 14 includes an input receiving unit 141, an audio beam control unit 142, D / A converters 143A, 143B,..., 143P, power amplifiers 144A, 144B,. 145B,..., 145P.
The input receiving unit 141 is an interface that receives an input of an audio signal supplied from the control unit 11. For example, the input receiving unit 141 receives an input of a 2-channel or multi-channel (for example, 5.1 channel) audio signal.

  The sound beam control unit 142 includes a plurality of delay circuits, and causes the speaker array 145 to output a predetermined sound signal input via the input reception unit 141 as a sound beam. Specifically, the sound beam control unit 142 generates sound for each speaker of the speaker array 145 so that sound beams are generated with the number, directivity, and beam output angle of the sound beams according to the setting by the control unit 11. Controls the timing of supplying a signal (that is, delay time). In the present embodiment, an audio signal is supplied to all the speakers of the speaker array 145.

The sound beam control unit 142 includes a beam pattern storage unit 1421 that stores a beam pattern in association with an occupant situation. The beam pattern is data indicating a sound beam pattern that defines, for example, the number of sound beams, directivity, and output direction. The occupant status is the status of the occupants in the passenger compartment 120, and in the present embodiment, the occupant status is specified by a combination of the number of occupants present in the passenger compartment 120 and the seats in which each occupant is seated. The sound beam control unit 142 reads a beam pattern corresponding to the occupant status from the beam pattern storage unit 1421 and causes the speaker array 145 to output a sound beam according to the read beam pattern. The specific relationship between the passenger situation and the beam pattern will be described in detail later.
Note that the beam pattern storage unit 1421 may be provided outside the audio beam control unit 142, for example, in the control unit 11.

The D / A converters 143A, 143B,..., 143P respectively convert the audio signals supplied from the audio beam control unit 142 from a digital format to an analog format.
The power amplifiers 144A, 144B,..., 144P amplify the audio signals supplied from the D / A converters 143A, 143B,.
Speakers 145A, 145B,..., 145P convert audio signals supplied from power amplifiers 144A, 144B,.

The in-vehicle speaker device 15 is a speaker device provided in the vehicle compartment 120 separately from the speaker array device 14. The in-vehicle speaker device 15 includes, for example, an omnidirectional speaker, and is provided on the front surface of a dashboard, a door, or the like.
The microphone 16 is, for example, an omnidirectional microphone and is a sound collection unit provided in the passenger compartment 120. The microphone 16 converts the sound collected in the passenger compartment 120 into an analog audio signal (that is, a collected sound signal).
The A / D converter 17 converts the collected sound signal supplied from the microphone 16 from an analog format to a digital format and supplies the converted signal to the control unit 11.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the principle of setting an audio beam by the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. In FIG. 8 and other drawings, a two-dot chain line arrow indicates a path and direction in which the sound beam propagates.

  The test audio signal generator 11A generates a test audio signal. The test audio signal is a test audio signal used for setting an audio beam to be output to the speaker array device 14. The test audio signal is an audio signal representing a sound having no periodicity centered at 4 kHz or a sound having no periodicity such as noise. For example, the test sound signal generation unit 11A generates a test sound signal in response to an operation received by the in-vehicle acoustic device 10.

  Based on the test sound signal supplied from the test sound signal generation unit 11A, the test beam control unit 11B causes the speaker array 145 to output while rotating the test beam using some or all of the speakers of the speaker array 145. . The test beam control unit 11B outputs the test beam sequentially or continuously while changing the beam output angle θ between 0 to 180 degrees.

  The sound of the test beam is picked up by the microphone 16. As shown in FIG. 8, the microphone 16 is provided, for example, near the center of the passenger compartment 120. However, the sound collection position by the microphone 16 may be determined at an arbitrary position in the passenger compartment 120. Further, the microphone 16 may be always provided in the passenger compartment 120, or may be provided only at the occasion when the sound beam is set. The microphone 16 collects the sound of the test beam that directly reaches from the speaker array device 14 or the sound of the test beam that is reflected from the passenger compartment 120. The latter test beam mainly reflects one of the glass members of the side windows 122, 123, 125, 126 and the rear glass 124 as a reflection surface.

  In the passenger compartment 120, spaces for the propagation of the sound beam are formed between the driver seat 111 and the side window 122, between the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112, and between the passenger seat 112 and the side window 126. Has been. In addition, a space for propagating the sound beam is also formed above the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112.

  The acoustic characteristic data storage unit 11C stores acoustic characteristic data. The acoustic characteristic data is data in which the correspondence relationship between the beam output angle θ and the sound level at the sound pickup position when the test beam is output from the speaker array device 14 at each beam output angle θ is determined for each occupant situation. It is. In the following description, as the occupant situation, when there is only one occupant (driver) in the driver's seat 111, there are two occupants in the driver's seat 111 and the passenger seat 112, and in the driver's seat 111 and the assistant Assume three ways when there are a total of four passengers in the seat 112, the right rear seat 113A, and the left rear seat 113B.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a correspondence relationship between the occupant situation and the acoustic characteristic data. The upper part of FIG. 9 shows the correspondence when there is one occupant, the middle part when there are two occupants, and the lower part when there are four occupants.
In the graph showing the acoustic characteristic data, the horizontal axis represents the beam output angle θ, and the vertical axis represents the sound level (gain) at the sound collection position. As shown in FIG. 9, the beam output angle θ at which the sound level at the sound collection position becomes the highest depends mainly on the shape of the room, and thus does not vary greatly regardless of the passenger situation. However, the curve indicating the relationship between the beam output angle θ and the sound level at the sound collection position varies depending on the occupant situation. This is because the acoustic characteristics (for example, sound beam reflection characteristics and attenuation characteristics) of the passenger compartment 120 change depending on the number of passengers in the passenger compartment 120 and the seated position. In other words, it is possible to determine the occupant situation by measuring the correspondence between the beam output angle θ and the sound level indicated by the collected sound signal using the test beam.
The acoustic characteristics of the passenger compartment 120 indicate, for example, characteristics specific to each vehicle or vehicle type. For this reason, it is only necessary that the acoustic characteristic data measured before the shipment of the vehicle 100 is stored as the acoustic characteristic data.

Returning to FIG.
The situation determination unit 11D compares the level of the test beam voice indicated by the collected voice signal from the microphone 16 with the level indicated by the acoustic characteristic data stored in the acoustic characteristic data storage part 11C, thereby determining the occupant situation. judge.
For this determination, the situation determination unit 11D stores the collected sound signal from the microphone 16 or the sound level obtained from the collected sound signal in association with the beam output angle θ. Then, the situation determination unit 11D compares the sound level of the test beam with the level indicated by the acoustic characteristic data prepared for each occupant situation, and determines the occupant situation based on the degree of similarity between the two. For example, the situation determination unit 11D calculates the similarity between the curve indicated by the acoustic characteristic data and the curve indicating the sound level of the test beam measured for a plurality of beam output angles θ using a known algorithm. The occupant status is determined based on the acoustic characteristic data having the highest similarity.

  The sound beam setting unit 11E sets a sound beam to be output to the speaker array device 14 based on the passenger situation determined by the situation determination unit 11D. For this setting, the sound beam setting unit 11E stores, for example, setting information of the number of sound beams, directivity, and beam output angle in association with each of a plurality of occupant situations. Then, the sound beam setting unit 11E sets the sound beam so that the position of the occupant existing in the passenger compartment 120 is the listening position and the sound beam is focused on each listening position. The sound beam control unit 142 of the speaker array device 14 performs control for outputting a sound beam according to this setting.

In addition, the sound beam setting unit 11E sets the number of times each sound beam is reflected by the glass member of the passenger compartment 120 to be 0 (that is, the sound beam reaches the listening position directly), once, or twice. Is desirable. For example, the sound beam setting unit 11E may reflect the sound beam by the number of times corresponding to the operation of the occupant or the sound signal (for example, a sound source) supplied to the speaker array device 14.
The setting of the sound beam described above may be performed at an arbitrary timing such as when the vehicle 100 is boarded.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an audio beam when there is one occupant.
10, the speaker array device 14 outputs an audio beam that directly reaches the driver's seat 111 using all the speakers of the speaker array 145. In this case, the occupant of the driver's seat 111 perceives the arrival of an audio beam from the front of himself / herself.

  10, the speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into two equal groups, the group G1 and the group G2, in the row direction. Then, the speaker array device 14 uses the group G1 speakers to reflect the sound beam reflected by the side window 122 and reach the driver's seat 111, and uses the group G2 speaker to directly reach the driver's seat 111. Is output. In this case, the occupant in the driver's seat 111 perceives the arrival of sound beams from his left and right.

  In the case shown in the lower part of FIG. 10, the speaker array device 14 uses the group G1 speakers to reflect the sound beam that is reflected by the side window 122 and reaches the driver's seat 111 using the group G2 speakers. And the sound beam reflected by the side window 123 and reaching the driver's seat 111 is output. In this case, the occupant of the driver's seat 111 perceives the arrival of sound beams from the front and rear of the driver's seat 111.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an audio beam when there are two passengers.
In the case shown in the upper part of FIG. 11, the speaker array device 14 uses a group G1 speaker to generate an audio beam that directly reaches the driver's seat 111, and an audio beam that directly reaches the passenger seat 112 using the group G2 speaker. Is output. In this case, each of the passenger in the driver's seat 111 and the passenger in the passenger seat 112 perceives the arrival of the sound beam from the front thereof.

  11, the speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into four equal groups G1 to G4 in the row direction. Then, the speaker array device 14 uses the group G1 speakers to reflect the sound beam reflected by the side window 122 and reach the driver's seat 111, and uses the group G2 speaker to directly reach the driver's seat 111. Is output. Further, the speaker array apparatus 14 uses the group G3 speakers to reflect the sound beam that directly reaches the passenger seat 112 by using the group G4 speaker and is reflected by the side window 126 to reach the passenger seat 112. Is output. In this case, each of the passenger in the driver's seat 111 and the passenger in the passenger seat 112 perceives the arrival of sound beams from the left and right sides of the passenger.

  In the case shown in the lower part of FIG. 11, the speaker array device 14 outputs the same sound beam as that explained in the middle part of FIG. 11 using the speakers of the groups G1 and G4. Further, the speaker array device 14 uses the group G2 speakers to reflect the sound beams that reach the driver's seat 111 after being reflected by the rear glass 124 and the side window 123, and the group G3 speakers. An audio beam that is reflected by the window 125 and reaches the driver's seat 111 is output. Each of the passenger in the driver's seat 111 and the passenger in the passenger seat 112 perceives the arrival of sound beams from the left and right sides of the passenger.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an audio beam when there are four passengers.
In the case shown in the upper part of FIG. 12, the speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into four groups G1 to G4, and uses the group G1 speakers to transmit the sound beam that directly reaches the driver's seat 111 to the group G1. The sound beam that directly reaches the passenger seat 112 using the G2 speaker, the sound beam that directly reaches the right rear seat 113A using the speaker of the group G3, and the left rear seat 113B using the speaker of the group G4. Output a sound beam that directly reaches In this case, each of the four occupants perceives the arrival of an audio beam from his front.

12, the speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into four groups G1 to G4 and reflects them at the side window 122 to reach the driver's seat 111 using the speakers of the group G1. The sound beam reflected by the side window 123 using the group G2 speaker and reaching the right rear seat 113A is reflected by the side window 125 using the group G3 speaker and left rear seat 113B. The sound beam reaching the front passenger seat 112 after being reflected by the side window 126 is output using the speaker of the group G4. In this case, each of the four passengers perceives the arrival of an audio beam from the direction of the side window adjacent to his seat.
Note that the speaker array device 14 may not output a sound beam that reaches the position of the occupant for some of the occupants. Further, the speaker array device 14 may generate a plurality of sound beams using all the speakers of the speaker array 145 without grouping the speakers of the speaker array 145 into groups. This content is the same in the following description.

Returning to FIG.
The audio signal supply unit 11 </ b> F supplies the audio signal generated by the sound source 12 to the speaker array device 14 or the vehicle-mounted speaker device 15. At this time, the audio signal supply unit 11F selects the speaker array device 14 as an audio signal supply destination after setting the audio beam.

  When the speaker array device 14 is selected, the audio signal supply unit 11F supplies an audio signal to the speaker array device 14 so that all passengers output an audio beam generated based on the same audio signal. Alternatively, the sound signal may be supplied to the speaker array device 14 so that a sound beam generated based on a different sound signal depending on the passenger is output. In the latter case, the sound beam control unit 142 of the speaker array device 14 supplies the input first sound signal to a part of the speakers of the speaker array 145, so that the sound reaching the position of the first occupant is obtained. By outputting a beam and supplying a second audio signal different from the input first audio signal to the remaining part or all of the speakers of the speaker array 145, a second different from the first occupant is obtained. The sound beam that reaches the position of the occupant is output.

  The audio signal supply unit 11 </ b> F may supply an audio signal obtained by downmixing a multi-channel audio signal to the speaker array device 14.

  As in the first embodiment described above, the speaker array device 14 uses the structure of the passenger compartment 120 to output a sound beam that allows the passenger of the vehicle 100 to listen. Furthermore, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 can output an audio beam that reaches the position of each occupant, either directly or reflected by the passenger compartment 120, depending on the occupant status. Since the setting of the sound beam is performed by a method using a test beam, no troublesome operation is imposed on the occupant regarding the setting of the sound beam.

<Modification of First Embodiment>
(1) The determination of the occupant status may be performed by a method other than the method using the test beam. For example, the control unit 11 may determine the occupant situation using an image of the passenger compartment 120 captured by the in-vehicle camera 18. As shown in FIG. 13, the in-vehicle camera 18 is provided at a position where at least each seat of the passenger compartment 120 can be imaged, and is provided on the upper surface of the speaker array device 14 here. However, the in-vehicle camera 18 may be provided at another position.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 relating to the setting of the sound beam according to this modification.
The situation determination unit 11G determines the occupant situation based on the image of the passenger compartment 120 captured by the in-vehicle camera 18. For example, the situation determination unit 11G recognizes the face of a person included in the image of the passenger compartment 120, and specifies the number of passengers present in the passenger compartment 120 and the position where each passenger is seated.

  The sound beam setting unit 11H sets a sound beam to be output to the speaker array device 14 based on the occupant situation determined by the situation determination unit 11G. This setting may be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

The determination of the occupant status may be performed by another method. The control unit 11 may perform pairing with a communication terminal used by an occupant via the wireless communication unit 13 and determine the number of communication terminals that have been paired as the number of occupants. And the control part 11 determines with either of the passenger | crew conditions demonstrated in FIG. 9 according to the number of passengers.
Moreover, the control part 11 may determine a passenger | crew situation based on operation received with the vehicle-mounted acoustic apparatus 10. FIG.

(2) The acoustic characteristics of the passenger compartment 120 change depending not only on the passenger situation but also on the arrangement of articles such as luggage. The state of the arrangement of the article is specified by, for example, one or more of the position, size, and number at which the article is arranged. Therefore, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may output an audio beam according to the situation of the passenger compartment 120 using the speaker array device 14. The condition of the passenger compartment 120 here includes at least one of the passenger situation and the situation of the arrangement of articles in the passenger compartment 120.

As described with reference to FIG. 8, the beam output angle θ at which the sound level at the sound collection position becomes the highest depends mainly on the shape of the room, and therefore does not vary greatly regardless of the condition of the vehicle interior 120. Therefore, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 can determine the state of the passenger compartment 120 by measuring the correspondence between the beam output angle θ and the sound level indicated by the collected sound signal using the test beam. is there. The configuration for this determination can be explained by replacing the “occupant status” in the first embodiment described above with “the status of the vehicle compartment 120”. For example, the acoustic characteristic data storage unit 11C, as the acoustic characteristic data, corresponds to the beam output angle θ and the sound level at the sound collection position when the test beam is output from the speaker array device 14 at each beam output angle θ. Data that defines the relationship for each situation of the passenger compartment 120 is stored. Then, the situation determination unit 11D compares the level of the test beam sound indicated by the collected sound signal from the microphone 16 with the level indicated by the acoustic characteristic data stored in the acoustic characteristic data storage unit 11C. The status of the chamber 120 is determined. The sound beam setting unit 11E sets a sound beam to be output to the speaker array device 14 based on the situation of the passenger compartment 120 determined by the situation determination unit 11D.
According to the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 of this modified example, it is possible to determine a more detailed situation of the passenger compartment 120 such as a luggage being placed in the rear seat 113.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the orientation of the speaker array 145 is different from that of the first embodiment described above.
In the present embodiment, elements denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment described above are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the passenger compartment 120 of the present embodiment. FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the windshield 121.
As shown in FIG. 15, the speaker array device 14 is provided with the speaker array 145 facing upward. For this purpose, the speaker array device 14 is provided with a housing inside the dashboard 133 such that the speaker array 145 is positioned at an opening formed in the dashboard 133, for example. The speaker array device 14 is installed such that the row direction in which the speakers of the speaker array 145 are arranged is along the vehicle width direction.

With this installation, the sound beam output from the speaker array device 14 is reflected by the windshield 121 as shown in FIG. Since the windshield 121 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the sound beam reflected by the windshield 121 propagates from the front of the vehicle 100 to the rear in the passenger compartment 120. In addition, the speaker array device 14 controls the output direction of the sound beam to output a sound beam that reaches the driver's seat 111 and the passenger seat 112 (see arrow R1 in FIG. 16), or reaches the rear seat 113. The sound beam can be output (see arrow R2 in FIG. 16).
Also in this embodiment, the setting of the sound beam is performed by the same method as in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an audio beam output from the speaker array device 14.
In the upper part of FIG. 17, an audio beam in the case of one occupant is shown. In this case, the speaker array device 14 outputs an audio beam that is reflected by the windshield 121 and reaches the driver's seat 111 using all the speakers.
The middle part of FIG. 17 shows an audio beam when there are two passengers. In this case, the speaker array device 14 bisects the speakers of the speaker array 145 into groups G1 and G2, and uses the group G1 speakers to reflect the windshield 121 and reach the driver's seat 111. Is output by using a speaker of group G2 to be reflected by the windshield 121 and reach the front passenger seat 112.
The lower part of FIG. 17 shows an audio beam when there are four passengers. In this case, the loudspeaker array device 14 divides the loudspeakers of the loudspeaker array 145 into four equal groups G1 to G4, and uses the loudspeakers of group G1 to reflect the sound beam that is reflected by the windshield 121 and reaches the driver's seat 111. The sound beam reflected from the windshield 121 using the group G2 speaker and reaching the right rear seat 113A is reflected from the windshield 121 using the group G3 speaker and reaches the left rear seat 113B. The sound beam reflected by the windshield 121 and reaching the front passenger seat 112 is output using the speaker of the group G4.

  According to the on-vehicle acoustic device 10 of the second embodiment described above, the sound beam that reaches the position of the occupant can be output using the reflection of the sound beam on the windshield 121. Further, if the windshield 121 has a curved shape with a central portion protruding in the direction outside the vehicle, there is a possibility that an audio beam with increased directivity can be generated using the shape of the windshield 121.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, the speaker array device 14 is provided behind the rear seat 113, more specifically, on the rear package tray 132. In the present embodiment, elements denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment described above are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing the passenger compartment 120 of the vehicle 100. FIG. 19 is a plan view of the passenger compartment 120 from directly above. FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the rear glass 124.
The speaker array device 14 is provided on the upper surface of the rear package tray 132 at a position near the center in the vehicle width direction. The speaker array device 14 is provided with the speaker array 145 facing upward. For this purpose, the speaker array device 14 is provided with a housing below the rear package tray 132 so that the speaker array 145 is positioned at an opening opened in the rear package tray 132, for example. The speaker array device 14 is installed such that the row direction in which the speakers of the speaker array 145 are arranged is along the vehicle width direction.

The sound beam output from the speaker array device 14 is reflected by the rear glass 124 as shown in FIG. Since the rear glass 124 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the sound beam reflected by the rear glass 124 propagates forward from the rear of the vehicle 100 in the passenger compartment 120. In addition, the speaker array device 14 can output the sound beam that reaches the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112 by controlling the output direction of the sound beam.
Also in this embodiment, the setting of the sound beam is performed by the same method as in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an audio beam output from the speaker array device 14.
The upper part of FIG. 21 shows an audio beam when there is one occupant. In this case, the speaker array device 14 outputs an audio beam that is reflected by the rear glass 124 and reaches the driver's seat 111 using all the speakers.
The lower part of FIG. 21 shows an audio beam when there are two passengers. In this case, the speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into two groups, the group G1 and the group G2, and uses the group G1 speakers to transmit the sound beam reflected by the rear glass 124 and reaching the driver's seat 111. The sound beam reflected by the rear glass 124 and reaching the front passenger seat 112 is output using the speaker of the group G2.
Although not shown, the speaker array device 14 can also output an audio beam that reaches the rear seat 113 by controlling the output direction of the audio beam.

  According to the on-vehicle acoustic device 10 of the third embodiment described above, the sound beam that reaches the position of the occupant can be output using the reflection of the sound beam on the rear glass 124. In addition, if the rear glass 124 has a curved shape with a central portion protruding in the direction outside the vehicle, there is a possibility that an audio beam with increased directivity can be generated using the shape of the rear glass 124.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the speaker array device 14 is provided on the ceiling of the passenger compartment 120. In the present embodiment, elements denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment described above are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically showing a passenger compartment of the vehicle 100. FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the ceiling of the vehicle 100. FIG. 23 shows a plan view of the ceiling of the vehicle 100 in the arrow Y direction (directly above).
The speaker array device 14 is provided on the ceiling 134. For example, the housing of the speaker array device 14 is provided in a space between the headlining and the roof panel. In the present embodiment, the speaker array device 14 is provided with the speaker arrays 145 downward one by one above the right rear seat 113A and above the left rear seat 113B. The speakers of the speaker array 145 are arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle 100. For this reason, the speaker array device 14 can control the output direction of the sound beam in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 100.
Also in this embodiment, the setting of the sound beam is performed by the same method as in the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an audio beam output from the speaker array device 14. FIG. 24 shows an audio beam output from the speaker array device 14 provided above the right rear seat 113A.
In the case of the upper part of FIG. 24, the speaker array device 14 uses all the speakers to reach the driver's seat 111 by being reflected by the sound beam (see arrow R3) directly reaching the driver's seat 111 or by the windshield 121. An audio beam (see arrow R4) is output. In the case of the voice beam indicated by the arrow R3, the occupant of the driver's seat 111 perceives that the voice beam has arrived from the rear. In the case of the voice beam indicated by the arrow R4, the occupant of the driver's seat 111 has received the voice beam from the front. I perceive that.

24, the speaker array device 14 bisects the speakers of the speaker array 145 into groups G1 and G2, and uses the group G1 speakers to directly reach the right rear seat 113A. Is output using a speaker of the group G2 to a sound beam that directly reaches the driver's seat 111 or a sound beam that is reflected by the windshield 121 and reaches the driver's seat 111.
The speaker array device 14 provided above the left rear seat 113B outputs an audio beam that reaches the passenger seat 112 and / or the left rear seat 113B in the same manner as described in FIG.

  According to the vehicle-mounted acoustic device 10 of the fourth embodiment described above, the sound beam that reaches the position of the occupant can be output using the speaker array device 14 provided on the ceiling 134. When the speaker array device 14 is provided on the ceiling 134, it is difficult for the article provided in the passenger compartment 120 to prevent the propagation of the sound beam.

[Fifth Embodiment]
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the fifth embodiment, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 causes the occupant to listen to the sound by control combining the speaker array device 14 and the in-vehicle speaker device 15. In the present embodiment, elements denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment described above are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

  FIG. 25 is a plan view of the vehicle compartment 120 from directly above. As shown in FIG. 25, the right rear speaker 151R and the left rear speaker 151L are provided on the headrest of the right rear seat 113A. Further, a right rear speaker 152R and a left rear speaker 152L are provided on the headrest of the left rear seat 113B. Each of these speakers is a non-directional speaker, for example, and outputs a sound toward the passenger seated in the seat. For this reason, the passenger seated in the right rear seat 113A or the left rear seat 113B can perceive the arrival of sound from the left and right rear.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 of the present embodiment.
When a multi-channel audio signal is input, the control unit 11 (audio signal supply unit 11F) outputs a rear-channel audio signal to the in-vehicle speaker device 15 and an audio signal of a channel different from the rear channel to the speaker array device 14. To supply. When a 5.1-channel multi-channel audio signal is input, the control unit 11 sends the rear left channel audio signal SL to the left rear speakers 151L and 152L, and the rear right channel audio signal SR to the right side. This is supplied to the rear speakers 151R and 152R. The control unit 11 supplies the center channel C, the front left channel audio signal FL, and the front right channel audio signal FR to the speaker array device 14 (audio beam control unit 142).

With reference to FIG. 25, the sound beam output from the speaker array apparatus 14 will be described.
The speaker array device 14 divides the speakers of the speaker array 145 into four groups G1 to G4. Then, the speaker array device 14 uses the group G speakers to transmit the sound beam reflected by the side window 123 and reaching the right ear of the occupant of the right rear seat 113A to the right rear seat using the group G2 speakers. The sound beam that directly reaches the left ear of the passenger of 113A is output. In addition, the speaker array device 14 reflects the sound beam that directly reaches the right ear of the occupant of the left rear seat 113B using the group G3 speaker and is reflected by the side window 125 using the group G4 speaker. An audio beam that reaches the left ear of the occupant of the seat 113B is output.

  Accordingly, the passenger seated in the rear seat 113 perceives the arrival of the front channel and center channel sounds from the front and the arrival of the rear channel sound from the rear. For this reason, according to the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 of the present embodiment, the speaker array device 14 and the in-vehicle speaker device 15 can be combined to allow the occupant to perceive multi-channel sound.

  The controller 11 may adjust the amplification factors of the power amplifiers 144A, 144B,..., 144P in the speaker array device 14 so as to compensate for the sound level at the listening position. Further, the right rear speaker and the left rear speaker described in the present embodiment may be provided in the headrest of the driver seat 111 or the passenger seat 112.

[Sixth Embodiment]
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the sixth embodiment, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 performs wireless communication with a communication terminal used by an occupant, and outputs an audio beam corresponding to data received from the communication terminal so as to reach the position of the occupant.
FIG. 27 is a plan view of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 100 from directly above. As shown in FIG. 27, the passenger seated in the right rear seat 113A is using the communication terminal 20 here. The communication terminal 20 is a smartphone here, but may be a communication terminal having a wireless communication function such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer. For example, when the communication terminal 20 makes a call, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 has a function of outputting the received voice related to the call from the speaker array device 14.

FIG. 28 is a sequence diagram illustrating processing performed by the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 and the communication terminal 20.
The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 pairs with the communication terminal 20 via the wireless communication unit 13 (step S1). When a call is started at the communication terminal 20 (step S2), the control unit 11 receives an audio signal representing the received voice from the communication terminal 20 via the wireless communication unit 13 (step S3). The control unit 11 supplies the received audio signal to the speaker array device 14, thereby causing the speaker array device 14 to convert the received voice into an audio beam (step S4). Here, the control unit 11 controls the speaker array device 14 so as to generate an audio beam that reaches the position of an occupant who uses the communication terminal 20. The position of the occupant who makes the call may be, for example, a predetermined position in the passenger compartment 120, or may be specified by an occupant's operation on the communication terminal 20 or the in-vehicle acoustic device 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 27, the speaker array device 14 causes the speaker array 145 to output the generated sound beam of the received voice so as to reach the position of the occupant (step S5).

  According to the on-vehicle acoustic device 10 of the sixth embodiment described above, a passenger using the communication terminal 20 can make a hands-free call using the communication terminal 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 27, since the call voice is made into a beam, the call voice is not easily heard by other passengers. In addition, for an occupant other than the occupant who is talking, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 can generate an audio beam based on another audio signal and listen to the audio.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the received voice is converted into a voice beam has been described. However, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may receive data other than the voice signal of the received voice from the communication terminal 20 and output the voice beam. For example, the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 receives data of content (for example, audio content) reproduced by the communication terminal 20, converts the audio of the content into an audio beam, and reaches the position of an occupant who uses the communication terminal 20. May be output.

[Modification]
The present invention can be implemented in a form different from the above-described embodiment. The present invention can also be implemented in the following forms, for example. Further, the following modifications may be combined as appropriate.
(Modification 1)
The position where the speaker array device 14 is provided and the direction of the speaker array 145 are not limited to the position and direction described in the above-described embodiment, and may be as described below, for example.
FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating another example of installation of the speaker array device 14.
The speaker array device 14 may be provided, for example, on a pillar that is a window pillar of the vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 29, the speaker array device 14 is provided in each of the front pillar 135 and the center pillar 136. In this case, the speakers of the speaker array 145 are arranged along the extension direction of the pillar. The in-vehicle acoustic device 10 uses, for example, the speaker array device 14 of the front pillar 135 to transmit the sound beam that reaches the driver's seat 111 or the passenger seat 112 to the rear seat 113 using the speaker array device 14 of the center pillar 136. Outputs the incoming sound beam.

  The speaker array device 14 may be provided on the handle 131. In FIG. 29, the speaker array device 14 is provided on a steering wheel (handle portion) having a substantially annular shape of the handle 131. The speakers of the speaker array 145 are arranged in an annular shape along the steering wheel. The in-vehicle acoustic device 10 outputs a sound beam that reaches the driver's seat 111 using the speaker array device 14 provided on the handle 131.

(Modification 2)
The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may cause the speaker array device 14 to output the sound beam while turning it. For example, when the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 has a car navigation function, the speaker array device 14 turns to the driver's seat 111 from the left to the right as viewed from the occupant when outputting an audio beam for guiding a right turn. Such a sound beam is output. Conversely, when outputting a sound beam for guiding a left turn, the speaker array device 14 outputs a sound beam that turns from right to left as viewed from the passenger toward the driver's seat 111. This makes it easier for the passenger in the driver's seat 111 to intuitively understand the content guided by voice.
Further, the control unit 11 may control the output of the sound beam of the speaker array device 14 so that the occupant perceives the arrival of the sound beam from the direction where the destination exists.

(Modification 3)
The control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may output an audio beam to the speaker array device 14 in cooperation with a video display device (for example, a liquid crystal monitor) provided in the vehicle interior 120. For example, an image display device for an occupant seated in the rear seat 113 may be provided behind the driver seat 111 and the passenger seat 112. In this case, the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 outputs an audio beam that reaches the right rear seat 113A based on the audio signal of the content used for video display on the video display device provided behind the driver's seat 111. The speaker array device 14 is controlled to output an audio beam that reaches the left rear seat 113B based on the audio signal of the content used for video display on the video display device provided behind the passenger seat 112. .

(Modification 4)
The configuration of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 described in the first to sixth embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate. For example, the speaker array device 14 may be provided at a plurality of positions in the passenger compartment 120.
The member that becomes the reflection surface that reflects the sound beam is not limited to the glass member provided in the vehicle 100. The in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may output a sound beam reflected by a member (a wall, a ceiling, a wall, an interior product, or the like) that forms the passenger compartment 120 other than the glass member, using the speaker array device 14.
The in-vehicle acoustic device 10 may output the sound beam using only some of the speakers, instead of outputting the sound beam using all the speakers included in the speaker array 145 of the speaker array device 14.

(Modification 5)
The vehicle of the present invention is not particularly limited in form (body shape) and type of power source. The vehicle of the present invention may be, for example, a vehicle without a roof or a vehicle that can open a roof. The vehicles of the present invention include vehicles that travel for the purpose of transporting passengers such as trains and buses, and vehicles that are not intended for transport of passengers such as playground equipment. The vehicle of the present invention includes a vehicle in which no seat is provided at a position where an occupant is present.

  The function realized by the control unit 11 of the in-vehicle acoustic device 10 according to the above-described embodiment can be realized by a combination of a plurality of programs or can be realized by linking a plurality of hardware resources. When the function of the control unit 11 is realized using a program, the program includes a magnetic recording medium (magnetic tape, magnetic disk (HDD (Hard Disk Drive), FD (Flexible Disk)), etc.), optical recording medium (optical disk). Etc.) may be provided in a state stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a magneto-optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory, or may be distributed via a network.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle-mounted acoustic apparatus, 11 ... Control part, 11A ... Test audio | voice signal generation part, 11B ... Test beam control part, 11C ... Acoustic characteristic data storage part, 11D, 11G ... Situation determination part, 11E, 11H ... Voice beam setting part 11F ... Audio signal supply unit, 12 ... Sound source, 13 ... Wireless communication unit, 14 ... Speaker array device, 15 ... In-vehicle speaker device, 151L, 152L ... Left rear speaker, 151R, 152R ... Rear rear speaker, 16 ... Microphone, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 17 ... A / D converter, 18 ... In-vehicle camera, 100 ... Vehicle, 111 ... Driver's seat, 112 ... Passenger seat, 113 ... Rear seat, 113A ... Right rear seat, 113B ... Left rear seat, 121 ... Windshield, 122 123, 125, 126 ... side window, 124 ... rear glass, 131 ... handle, 132 ... rear package Tray, 133 ... Dashboard, 134 ... Ceiling, 135 ... Front pillar, 136 ... Center pillar, 141 ... Input reception unit, 142 ... Audio beam control unit, 1421 ... Beam pattern storage unit, 143A, 143B, ..., 143P ... D / A converter, 144A, 144B, ..., 144P ... Power amplifier, 145 ... Speaker array, 145A, 145B, ..., 145P ... Speaker, 20 ... Communication terminal

Claims (5)

In the vehicle compartment,
A speaker array having a plurality of speakers;
A speaker array device comprising: an audio beam control unit configured to output a predetermined audio signal as an audio beam that is reflected by a member that forms the vehicle compartment on the speaker array and reaches a position of an occupant in the vehicle compartment. The speaker array device according to claim 1, wherein the speaker array device is provided on a dashboard of the passenger compartment. Provided in the dashboard of the passenger compartment,
The speaker array device according to claim 1, wherein the sound beam control unit causes the speaker array to output the sound beam reflected by a windshield of the vehicle. Provided behind the rear seat of the vehicle compartment,
The speaker array device according to claim 1, wherein the sound beam control unit causes the speaker array to output the sound beam reflected by a rear glass of the vehicle. The speaker array device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of speakers are provided on a ceiling of the passenger compartment so as to be arranged along a front-rear direction of the vehicle.

Images