Apparatus and method for generating sound of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11462206-B2
Application number	US-202117217304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2021
Priority date	Sep 16, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus of generating a sound of a vehicle includes a motor configured to generate a torque of a rotational component and a torque of a vibration component, based on a target driving current, a controller configured to generate the target current by synthesizing a first signal for generating the torque of the rotational component and a second signal for generating the torque of the vibration component, and determine the target driving current for driving the motor based on the target current, and a sound output device to generate a target sound due to the torque of the vibration component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of generating a sound of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a motor configured to generate a torque of a rotational component and a torque of a vibration component, according to a target driving current;
a controller connected to the motor and configured to generate a target current by synthesizing a first signal for generating the torque of the rotational component and a second signal for generating the torque of the vibration component, and to determine the target driving current for driving the motor according to the target current; and
a sound output device coupled to the motor and configured to generate a target sound by the torque of the vibration component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes:
a target signal processor configured to output the target current;
a proportional and integral (PI) controller engaged to the target signal processor and configured to perform a PI control operation for a value obtained by subtracting a feedback current, which is received from the motor, from the target current generated by the target signal processor;
a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller engaged to the PI controller and configured to change a pulse width of a current subject to the PI control operation; and
a motor driver engaged to the PWM controller and configured to determine the target driving current for driving the motor, according to the current having the changed pulse width, and to output the determined target driving current to the motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the target signal processor is configured to determine a target signal for controlling an operation of a wiper, according to wiper operating information, and to generate the first signal by extracting a direct current (DC) component from the target signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the target signal processor is configured to determine a target signal for controlling an operation of a cooling fan, according to cooling fan operating information, and to generate the first signal by extracting a direct current (DC) component from the target signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the target signal processor is configured to generate a variable sound signal for controlling the motor according to driving information, and to generate the second signal by extracting an alternating current (AC) component from the variable sound signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the target signal processor includes:
a basic sound signal forming device configured to set a driving variable, which is to be linked to a frequency of the target sound, of the driving information, to set a number of tone colors of the target sound to “n”, and to set a basic frequency and a basic size of each tone color; and
a diving variable-linked sound forming device configured to set frequency variable ratios for a minimum value and a maximum value of the driving variable, to form “n” target sound signals for the “n” tone colors, according to one of the frequency variable ratios, a sound volume weighting function depending on the driving variable, a sound volume weighting function depending on a torque change, and a sound volume weighting function depending on a degree of pressing an accelerator pedal, and to generate the variable sound signal by synthesizing the “n” target sound signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the driving variable includes:
one of a vehicle speed, an engine revolutions per minute (RPM), and a motor RPM.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when the vehicle speed is the driving variable, the frequency variable ratios to values between the minimum value and the maximum value of the driving variable are linearly mapped.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the motor operates a wiper or a cooling fan according to the torque of the rotational component.

10. A method of generating a sound of a vehicle, the method comprising:
generating, by a controller, a target current by synthesizing a first signal for generating a torque of a rotational component and a second signal for generating a torque of a vibration component;
determining, by the controller, a target driving current for driving a motor according to the target current; and
generating, by a sound output device, a target sound according to the torque of the vibration component among the torque of the rotational component and the torque of the vibration component, which are generated from the motor according to the target driving current.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating of the target current includes:
determining a target signal for controlling an operation of a wiper, according to wiper operating information; and
generating the first signal by extracting a DC component from the target signal.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating of the target current includes:
determining a target signal for controlling an operation of a cooling fan, according to cooling fan operating information; and
generating the first signal by extracting a DC component from the target signal.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating of the target current includes:
generating a variable sound signal for controlling the motor, according to driving information; and
generating the second signal by extracting an AC component from the variable sound signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the generating of the variable sound signal includes:
setting a driving variable, which is to be linked to a frequency of the target sound, of the driving information;
setting a number of tone colors of the target sound to “n”;
setting a basic frequency and a basic size of each tone color;
setting frequency variable ratios for a minimum value and a maximum value of the driving variable;
forming “n” target sound signals for the “n” tone colors, according to one of the frequency variable ratios, a sound volume weighting function set depending on the driving variable, a sound volume weighting function depending on a torque change, and a sound volume weighting function depending on a degree of pressing an accelerator pedal; and
generating the variable sound signal by synthesizing the “n” target sound signals.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the driving variable includes:
one of a vehicle speed, an engine RPM, and a motor RPM.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the vehicle speed is the driving variable, the frequency variable ratios to values between the minimum value and the maximum value of the driving variable are linearly mapped.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining of the target driving current includes:
performing a PI control operation for a value obtained by subtracting a feedback current, which is received from the motor, from the target current
changing a pulse width of a current subject to the PI control operation; and
determining the target driving current for driving the motor, according to the current having the changed pulse width.

18. The method of claim 10 , further including:
operating a wiper or a cooling fan due to the torque of the rotational component.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which a program for performing the method of claim 10 is recorded.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Chang Kyoung Jin

Classifications

• H04R7/04

  Plane diaphragms · CPC title

• G10K15/02 Primary

  Synthesis of acoustic waves (synthesis of speech G10L13/00) · CPC title

• H02P27/08

  with pulse width modulation · CPC title

• H02P21/0021

  using different modes of control depending on a parameter, e.g. the speed · CPC title

• H02P6/28

  Arrangements for controlling current (H02P6/10 takes precedence) · CPC title