UT Automotive Introduces 'Hands-Off' Cabin Communications System
18 September 1997
UT Automotive Introduces 'Hands-Off' Cabin Communications System
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 18 -- UT Automotive, a United
Technologies company, today unveiled an operational prototype cabin
communications system at the company's newly opened Idea Center in Dearborn,
Mich.
The communications system, one of the first safety and convenience vehicle
applications of its kind, uses headliner-mounted microphones and proprietary
digital signal processing to enhance spoken communication among automotive
passengers.
"This system is an innovative approach to addressing our customers' needs
for safety and convenience applications on next-generation vehicles --
particularly minivans and full-sized vans," said Masa Sone, UT Automotive's
vice president of Advanced Technology. "We think this technology may be found
in vehicle applications within the next five years. It also can transcend
industries because it's applicable to a large variety of both automotive and
non-automotive needs."
The cabin communications technology is being showcased in a minivan
application at the grand opening of UT Automotive's new $3 million Idea
Center.
The system is being developed and refined by UT Automotive's advanced
engineering group in cooperation with the United Technologies Research Center
(UTRC) in Hartford, Conn. UTRC has been developing the base technology for
potential applications at other United Technologies operations, including
Sikorsky (helicopters), Hamilton Standard (commuter aircraft) and Otis
(elevators).
UT Automotive has worked with UTRC to refine the technology for automotive
applications.
The system on display at the Idea Center -- one of the first working
prototypes of its kind in the automotive industry -- incorporates the use of
headliner-mounted microphones; a state-of-the-art digital signal processing
(DSP) microcomputer; and the minivan's existing audio system.
During operation, the microphones pick up passenger and driver
conversation and feed it to the microcomputer. The computer then processes
these signals and amplifies the speech portion for output to the vehicle's
speakers.
As a result, front passengers' speech is output through the rear speakers
and vice versa. The system ensures clear, understandable spoken conversation
throughout a vehicle's cabin and eliminates the need for shouting.
"This system is especially important for drivers because it minimizes the
need for taking their eyes off the road," Sone said. "You simply speak in a
normal tone of voice while watching the road, so the safety aspects are
especially significant."
Processing eliminates feedback, filters noise
The system incorporates the use of "echo cancellation" to eliminate the
chance of audio feedback from speakers to microphones.
"The microphones feed passenger voices and ambient noise to the DSP, which
in turn minimizes the undesired sounds," said Ron Reich, UT Automotive program
manager of the system's development team. "The DSP is essentially a
microprocessor that takes acoustical information from the microphones,
processes it, amplifies the passengers' voices and outputs them to the
appropriate speakers."
While the cabin communications system at UT Automotive is displayed on a
minivan, Reich said automotive applications for the system don't stop there.
"We've always envisioned this system to be part of our modular headliner
efforts and we expect that its initial applications will most likely be on
minivans," Reich said. "But it's very easy to picture this system in a
variety of configurations for luxury passenger cars, school buses, limousines,
airport vans ... you can go on and on. It has very flexible design and is
applicable to virtually any vehicle setting or interior acoustic condition."
Reich said future development will focus on combining the system with
cellular car phones, using it as an input medium for voice control systems and
integrating it with an acoustic active noise control system.
"We envision a day when this system may enhance hands-free cellular phone
performance to a new level," Reich said. "It also may provide true
'conferencing on wheels' because it will allow all passengers in the vehicle
to participate in conversations and cellular calls."
Incorporating active noise control technology
According to Reich, the system has the potential to provide all passengers
with access to voice-activated controls. For example, through a voice
command, a passenger in the rear of a minivan could adjust radio volume in
his/her portion of the vehicle.
Perhaps the most advanced use of the system will include incorporation
with active noise control technology.
"There could be a day when the DSP system measures the noise in the cabin
through the microphones, and then sends out canceling noise frequencies
through the speakers," Reich said.
UT Automotive is a $3 billion tier-one supplier of electrical, electronic
and interior trim systems and components to car and light truck manufacturers.
Based in Dearborn, Mich., the company has 40,000 employees and 90
manufacturing plants in 18 countries throughout North and South America,
Europe and Asia.
UT Automotive is a subsidiary of Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies
Corp. , which provides a broad range of high-technology products
and services to the aerospace, building systems and automotive industries.
SOURCE UT Automotive
