Abstract: A system, for implementation at a vehicle of transportation, having multiple arrangements of occupant-zone-specific acoustic equipment in the vehicle. Each arrangement is positioned at a respective occupant-specific acoustic zone of the vehicle. Each arrangement is configured to communicate with a hardware-based processing unit that, when executing code of a hardware-based storage device in operation of the system, interacts, via the arrangement, primarily only with a vehicle occupant occupying a corresponding occupant-specific acoustic zone. In some implementations, along with or instead of the acoustic equipment, the system includes multiple arrangements of occupant-zone-specific acoustic equipment in the vehicle. In various embodiments, based on identification of occupants at respective vehicle zones in operation of the vehicle, operations are performed, such as provision of media, vehicle-occupant conversation, and customized HVAC delivery.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing speech of a speech system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, relative information comprising graph data from at least one relative data datasource; processing, by a processor, the graph data of the relative information to determine at least one of an association and a relationship associated with an element defined in the speech system; and storing, by a processor, the at least one of association and relationship as relative slot data for use by at least one of a speech recognition method and a dialog management method.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing speech for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a processor, context data generated by the vehicle; determining, by a processor, a dialog delivery method based on the context data; and selectively generating, by a processor, a dialog prompt to the user via at least one output device based on the dialog delivery method.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for recovering from an error in a speech recognition system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, a first command recognized from a first speech utterance by a first language model; receiving, by the processor, a second command recognized from the first speech utterance by a second language model; determining, by the processor, at least one of similarities and dissimilarities between the first command and the second command; processing, by the processor, the first command and the second command with at least one rule of an error model based on the similarities and dissimilarities to determine a root cause; and selectively executing a recovery process based on the root cause.

Abstract: A system and method perform object detection-based directional control of light transmission or sound transmission from a moving platform. The method includes receiving information about one or more objects that are proximate to the platform, and processing the information to obtain processed information, the processed information including a location of each of the one or more objects. Determining an importance and urgency among the one or more objects with regard to the light transmission or the sound transmission is based on the processed information. Controlling a light source or a sound source of the platform to respectively perform the light transmission or the sound transmission is based on the importance and the urgency.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for receiving desired sounds. The system includes a position sensor configured to determine an occupant position of an occupant engaging in speech within a defined space and transmit the speaking occupant position. A plurality of microphones are configured to receive sound from within the defined space and transmit audio signals corresponding to the received sound. A processor, in communication with the position sensor and the microphones, is configured to receive the speaking occupant position and the audio signals, apply a beamformer to the audio signals to direct a microphone beam toward the occupant position, and generate a beamformer output signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing speech for a vehicle having at least one autonomous vehicle system. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, context data generated by an autonomous vehicle system; receiving, by a processor, a speech utterance from a user interacting with the vehicle; processing, by a processor, the speech utterance based on the context data; and selectively communicating, by a processor, at least one of a dialog prompt to the user and a control action to the autonomous vehicle system based on the context data.

Abstract: Systems and processes for implementation at an autonomous-driving vehicle of transportation. exemplary processes include obtaining, by a tangible human-machine interface, an autonomous-vehicle-passenger communication, and obtaining, by a hardware-based processing unit, context data comprising learned-passenger data based on prior activity of an autonomous-vehicle-passenger. Processes also include determining, based on the autonomous-vehicle-passenger communication and the context data, at least one of (i) an appropriate autonomous-driving function, (ii) appropriate assistance to provide to the autonomous-vehicle-passenger, and (iii) appropriate information to provide to the autonomous-vehicle-passenger.

Abstract: A system for identifying a location of a vehicle user following a collision event and a method of using the system that includes the steps of: receiving an indication of the vehicle collision event at a backend system, wherein the indication is displayed as a graphical user interface; receiving a command at the backend system using the graphical user interface, wherein the command is associated with identifying the location of the vehicle user at a vehicle; and transmitting the command to the vehicle for the vehicle to carry out the command.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided interfacing a speech system with a new application. In one embodiment a method includes: maintaining a registration data datastore that stores registration data from the new application and one or more other applications; receiving, at a router module associated with the speech system, a result from a speech recognition module; processing, by the router module, the result and the registration data to determine a possible new application; and providing the possible new application to the speech system.

Abstract: A vehicle apparatus includes a seat and a transducer configured to vibrate such that a vibration is felt by a person sitting in the seat. A transducer control signal that is transmitted to the transducer is based on output from a sensor of the apparatus configured to measure data including parameters indicative of at least one of a vehicle system function, a vehicle environment, and driver state, or on output from the vehicle system indicating parameters related to the vehicle system, vehicle environment, or driver state.

Abstract: A system and method of regulating automatic speech recognition (ASR) playback of audible prompts includes: generating an audible prompt via a speaker; detecting ambient sound during the audible prompt via a microphone; obtaining a speech recognition confidence value for speech recognition performed on the ambient sound; and reducing a volume level of the audible prompt based on the speech recognition confidence value while continuing to generate the audible prompt.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling noise in a compartment. The audio system includes an error microphone configured to receive sounds and generate an error signal corresponding to the received sounds. A processor in communication with the error microphone is configured receive the error signal from the error microphone and generate a noise-canceling signal based at least in part on the error signal and an acoustic transfer function. The audio system also includes a loudspeaker in communication with the processor to receive the noise-canceling signal and produce a noise-canceling sound wave based on the noise-canceling signal. The processor is also configured to receive at least one audio signal different from the error signal and to modify the acoustic transfer function utilizing the at least one audio signal.

Abstract: A vehicle including a passenger compartment having a rear seating area is described. A method for monitoring the rear seating area of the passenger compartment includes monitoring a vehicle operating state comprising one of a key-on state and a key-off state and monitoring the rear seating area. A presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area is detected based upon the monitoring, and a control routine is executed based upon the vehicle operating state and the presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area.

Abstract: A system and method of adjusting digital audio sampling used with wideband audio includes: performing audio sampling on an analog audio signal at an initial sampling rate and an initial bit rate over a wideband audio frequency range; generating a digital audio signal based on the audio sampling; detecting a qualitative error rate between the analog audio signal and the digital audio signal; and decreasing the initial sampling rate, the initial bit rate, or both for sampling subsequent analog audio when the qualitative error is below a threshold.

Abstract: Sound related vehicle information representing one or more sounds may be received in a processor associated with a vehicle. The sound related vehicle information may or may not include an audio signal. An audio signal output to a passenger may be modified based on the sound related vehicle information.

Abstract: A vehicle including a passenger compartment having a rear seating area is described. A method for monitoring the rear seating area of the passenger compartment includes monitoring a vehicle operating state comprising one of a key-on state and a key-off state and monitoring the rear seating area. A presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area is detected based upon the monitoring, and a control routine is executed based upon the vehicle operating state and the presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for arbitrating spoken dialog services include determining a capability catalog associated with a plurality of devices accessible within an environment. The capability catalog includes a list of the plurality of devices mapped to a list of spoken dialog services provided by each of the plurality of devices. The system arbitrates between the plurality of devices and the spoken dialog services in the capability catalog to determine a selected device and a selected dialog service.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for filtering sound. A position sensor determines positions of a plurality of occupants in a defined space. Multiple microphones receive sound and generate corresponding audio signals. A processor in communication with the microphones and the position sensor receives the positions of the occupants and the audio signals. The processor determines which of the occupants are engaging in speech and applies a temporal-spatial filter to the audio signals to generate a plurality of output signals corresponding respectively to each occupant of the defined space.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing driver distraction and situation non-awareness related to a dialogue of an automated dialogue system in a vehicle. For a dialogue policy learning session, driver distraction is introduced as an input into a penalty assigner that assesses dialogue quality, and dialogue acts are extended to include dialogues and dialogue act presentation styles which reduce driver workload related to dialogues. The automated dialogue system policy is developed during the learning process by optimizing the penalties, an that automated dialogue workload is reduced in response to increased workload or anticipated workload on the driver. Methods and systems are presented for responding to both actual workload in regular vehicles as well as anticipated workload in autonomous vehicles.