Use of active noise system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060310-B2
Application number	US-201515504876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to an active noise system, a controller for an active noise system, a method and a hybrid electric vehicle. The invention relates to use of an active noise system for providing noise when an ICE is not active.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A controller for an active noise system, the controller comprising one or more electronic processors and at least one computer-readable storage medium including instructions, the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least:
receive a signal indicative of noise in an internal combustion engine (ICE) exhaust system of a vehicle equipped with an ICE to obtain a reading of the noise;
control the active noise system to modify the noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on said reading of noise;
receive a signal indicative that the ICE is inactive; and
switch from controlling the active noise system to modify noise in the ICE exhaust system to controlling the active noise system to generate noise in the ICE exhaust system when the ICE is inactive while the vehicle is in motion or at a standstill, in dependence on said signal indicative that the ICE is inactive, wherein the noise is generated by the active noise system in dependence on one or more of: vehicle acceleration and vehicle pedal position.

2. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein controlling the active noise system to generate noise is independent of said reading of noise in the ICE exhaust system.

3. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein modifying noise in the ICE exhaust system comprises cancelling or enhancing all or part of the noise in the ICE exhaust system.

4. A controller as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions are configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least receive one or more signals indicative of one or more ICE operating parameters and to control the active noise system to modify noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on said one or more ICE operating parameters.

5. A controller as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ICE operating parameters comprise engine speed and/or torque.

6. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions are configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least control the active noise system to generate noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on vehicle speed.

7. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle configured for electrically powered motion and the noise is generated by the active noise system while the vehicle is in motion under electrical power.

8. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the noise is generated by the active noise system while the vehicle is in motion without applied electrical power.

9. An active noise system adapted for use with an ICE exhaust system of a hybrid electric vehicle, wherein the active noise system comprises the controller of claim 1 , and one or more speakers controlled by the controller to emit sound to modify the noise in the ICE exhaust system and to generate the noise in the ICE exhaust system.

10. An active noise system as claimed in claim 9 comprising a noise sensor configured to pick up noise generated by the ICE exhaust system and transmit the signal indicative of the noise to provide the reading of said noise to the controller.

11. A hybrid elective vehicle capable of electrically powered motion, said vehicle comprising:
an internal combustion engine (ICE);
an ICE exhaust system; and
a controller comprising one or more electronic processors and
at least one computer-readable storage medium including instructions, the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least:
receive a signal indicative of noise in an internal combustion engine (ICE) exhaust system of a vehicle equipped with an ICE to obtain a reading of the noise;
control the active noise system to modify the noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on said reading of noise;
receive a signal indicative that the ICE is inactive; and
switch from controlling the active noise system to modify noise in the ICE exhaust system to controlling the active noise system to generate noise in the ICE exhaust system when the ICE is inactive while the vehicle is in motion or at a standstill, in dependence on said signal indicative that the ICE is inactive, wherein the noise is generated by the active noise system in dependence on at least one of: vehicle acceleration and vehicle pedal position.

12. A hybrid electric vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , comprising a noise sensor and speakers acoustically connected to the ICE exhaust system.

13. A method of use of an active noise system adapted for use with an internal combustion engine (ICE) exhaust system of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
obtaining a reading of noise in the ICE exhaust system comprising receiving a signal indicative of the noise;
modifying the noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on said reading of noise,
receiving a signal indicative that the ICE is inactive;
controlling the active noise system to switch from modifying noise in the ICE exhaust system to generating noise in the ICE exhaust system when the vehicle is in motion or at a standstill and the ICE is inactive, in dependence on said signal indicative that the ICE is inactive, wherein the noise is generated by the active noise system in dependence on at least one of: vehicle acceleration and vehicle pedal position.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is configured for electrically powered motion and the noise is generated while the vehicle is in motion under electrical power.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the noise is generated when the vehicle is in motion with no motive power applied.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the noise generated by the active noise system when the ICE is inactive is replicative of noise that is generated by the vehicle ICE and/or ICE exhaust system when the ICE is active.

17. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle.

18. A controller as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions are configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least generate idling noise in the ICE exhaust system when the ICE is inactive and the vehicle is at a standstill.

19. A controller for an active noise system, the controller comprising one or more electronic processors and at least one computer-readable storage medium including instructions, the at least one computer-readable storage medium and the instructions being configured to, with the one or more electronic processors, cause the controller to at least:
receive a first signal indicative of noise in an internal combustion engine (ICE) exhaust system of a vehicle equipped with an ICE to obtain a reading of the noise;
control the active noise system to modify the noise in the ICE exhaust system in dependence on said reading of the noise;
receive a second signal indicative that the ICE is inactive;
determine that the vehicle is in an electric vehicle (EV) mode and/or in an eco-stop condition; and
switch from controlling the active noise system to modify noise in the ICE exhaust system to controlling the active noise system to generate noise in the ICE exhaust system if said second signal indicates that the ICE is inacti

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Petley Dean
• Fletcher Simon

Classifications

• F01N1/065 Primary

  by using an active noise source, e.g. speakers · CPC title

• G10K11/178

  by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase · CPC title

• G10K2210/12822

  Exhaust pipes or mufflers · CPC title

• G10K11/1788

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60Q5/008 Primary

  for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching · CPC title