Systems and methods for variable engine and electric motor sound control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9758096-B1
Application number	US-201615245331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

An audio system of a vehicle includes a total frequencies module that selectively varies a total number of output frequencies based on one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle. An allocation module, based on one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle, determines an allocation indicative of: (i) a first portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting first predetermined sounds for internal combustion engine operation; and (ii) a second portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting second predetermined sounds for electric motor operation. Based on the total number and the first and second portions, an audio driver module applies power to speakers of a passenger cabin of the vehicle to: (i) output first predetermined sounds at harmonic frequencies of the internal combustion engine; and (ii) output second predetermined sounds at harmonic frequencies of the electric motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio system of a vehicle, comprising:
a total frequencies module that selectively varies a total number of output frequencies based on a first one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle;
an allocation module that, based on a second one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle, determines an allocation indicative of:
(i) a first portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting first predetermined sounds for internal combustion engine operation; and
(ii) a second portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting second predetermined sounds for electric motor operation;

a harmonics setting module that:
(i) determines a first set of harmonic frequencies of the internal combustion engine based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the first portion of the total number of frequencies; and
(ii) determines a second set of harmonic frequencies of the electric motor based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the second portion of the total number of frequencies; and

an audio driver module that applies power to speakers of a passenger cabin of the vehicle to: (i) output the first predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the first set of harmonic frequencies; and (ii) output the second predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the second set of harmonic frequencies.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein:
the first set consists of a first number of harmonic frequencies;
the second set consists of a second number of harmonic frequencies; and
a sum of the first number and the second number is equal to the total number.

3. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined sounds are different than the second predetermined sounds.

4. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the allocation module, when the electric motor is disabled and the engine is in use, sets the first portion of the total number of output frequencies equal to the total number output frequencies and sets the second portion of the total number of output frequencies to zero.

5. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the allocation module, when the electric motor is in use and the engine is in shut down, sets the first portion of the total number of output frequencies to zero and sets the second portion of the total number of output frequencies equal to the total number output frequencies.

6. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the allocation module sets the allocation based on an accelerator pedal position.

7. The audio system of claim 6 wherein the allocation module sets the allocation using a predetermined default allocation when the accelerator pedal position is less than a predetermined accelerator pedal position.

8. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the total frequencies module sets the total number of output frequencies to a predetermined number of output frequencies when a driver selects a sleep mode of operation of the vehicle.

9. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the total frequencies module selectively sets the total number of output frequencies to a predetermined default number of output frequencies for outputting the first and second predetermined sounds.

10. The audio system of claim 9 wherein the total frequencies module selectively decreases the total number of output frequencies relative to the predetermined default number of output frequencies based on a driver selected mode of operation of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle audio system, comprising:
at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions;
at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to:
selectively vary a total number of output frequencies based on a first one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle;
based on a second one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle, determine an allocation indicative of:
(i) a first portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting first predetermined sounds for internal combustion engine operation; and
(ii) a second portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting second predetermined sounds for electric motor operation;

determine a first set of harmonic frequencies of the internal combustion engine based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the first portion of the total number of frequencies;
determine a second set of harmonic frequencies of the electric motor based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the second portion of the total number of frequencies; and
apply power to speakers of a passenger cabin of the vehicle to: (i) output the first predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the first set of harmonic frequencies; and (ii) output the second predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the second set of harmonic frequencies.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
selectively varying a total number of output frequencies based on a first one or more present operating parameters of a vehicle;
based on a second one or more present operating parameters of the vehicle, determining an allocation indicative of:
(i) a first portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting first predetermined sounds for internal combustion engine operation; and
(ii) a second portion of the total number of output frequencies allocated to outputting second predetermined sounds for electric motor operation;

determining a first set of harmonic frequencies of the internal combustion engine based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the first portion of the total number of frequencies;
determining a second set of harmonic frequencies of the electric motor based on (a) the total number of frequencies and (b) the second portion of the total number of frequencies; and
applying power to speakers of a passenger cabin of the vehicle to: (i) output the first predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the first set of harmonic frequencies; and (ii) output the second predetermined sounds at the harmonic frequencies of the second set of harmonic frequencies.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:
the first set consists of a first number of harmonic frequencies;
the second set consists of a second number of harmonic frequencies; and
a sum of the first number and the second number is equal to the total number.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the first predetermined sounds are different than the second predetermined sounds.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , the method further comprising, when the electric motor is disabled and the engine is in use:
setting the first portion of the total number of output frequencies equal to the total number output frequencies; and
setting the second portion of the total number of output frequencies to zero.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , the method further comprising, when the electric motor is in use and the engine is in shut down:
setting the first portion of the total number of output frequencies to zero; and
setting the second portion of the total number of output frequencies equal to the total number output frequencies.

17. The non-transitory computer r

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Valeri Frank C
• Reilly Scott M
• Close Richard A

Classifications

• B60Y2306/09

  Reducing noise · CPC title

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title

• H04R3/04

  for correcting frequency response · CPC title

• B60Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• F02D29/02 Primary

  peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers · CPC title