A vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, method, and storage medium

Abstract

This invention discloses a vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, including a warning speaker, a prompt tone controller, and a first rotating drive mechanism. The warning speaker is mounted on the vertically arranged first rotating drive mechanism, which drives the warning speaker to rotate horizontally to adjust the sound direction. The prompt tone controller is electrically connected to both the first rotating drive mechanism and the warning speaker, and outputs control signals to regulate the operation of both the first rotating drive mechanism and the warning speaker. This invention, through a combined structure design of rotatable directional speakers, overcomes the limitations of traditional technology at the hardware level. By adjusting the sound wave emission angle and coordinating the work of multiple speakers, it prevents the alarm signal from spreading to non-target areas, laying a reliable hardware foundation for accurate sound wave propagation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle audio processing, specifically to a vehicle alarm sound horn system based on a rotatable directional horn and a method for optimizing the direction of sound wave propagation. Background Technology

[0002] In the commercial vehicle sector, large trucks, in particular, place special and stringent demands on the performance of their warning horns due to their large size and complex driving scenarios. On the one hand, to ensure that pedestrians and other vehicles can clearly perceive the warning signals and avoid collisions, commercial vehicle horns need to be loud enough. However, due to the limitations of the installation location and propagation characteristics of traditional horns, while meeting external loudness requirements, a large amount of sound waves will directly enter the cab, creating strong noise pollution. This can have a long-term impact on the driver's hearing health and concentration, severely reducing driving comfort.

[0003] On the other hand, with the upgrading of vehicle safety standards and the development of intelligent systems, targeted warning sounds such as "Please note when turning left" are widely used in commercial vehicles. The core requirement of these warning sounds is to accurately remind pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles in specific locations (such as the left side of the vehicle), rather than spreading them indiscriminately. However, traditional horns are mostly designed with a single sound source and cannot adjust the angle of sound wave propagation according to the warning scenario. This makes it difficult for the warning sounds to accurately cover the target area. Either the poor directionality leads to a waste of resources, or the insufficient coverage causes safety hazards. They cannot meet the precise warning sound requirements of commercial vehicles for specific scenarios. Traditional directional horns can only emit in one direction, and due to the complex environment of the front cabin, it is difficult to determine the optimal propagation direction for different targeted warning sounds.

[0004] In the current commercial vehicle warning system technology system, the application rate of directional horns is relatively low. While there are horn systems capable of directional sound emission, such as the publicly available patent document CN108973845B entitled "Directional Horn System, Vehicle, and Directional Communication Method," the core bottlenecks of these existing technologies lie in functional flexibility and installation adaptability. From a technical perspective, existing directional horns rely on a fixed beamforming design. Although this can achieve sound focusing in a specific direction, the direction of sound wave propagation cannot be dynamically adjusted. When a vehicle needs to transmit warning signals to different directions such as the sides and rear, a fixed-direction horn cannot cover all scenarios. Furthermore, the complex internal structure of the front compartment of a commercial vehicle integrates multiple components such as the engine, pipelines, and cooling system. After installation, existing directional horns require adjustments to the sound emission angle for different types of warning sounds (such as turn signals, reversing alerts, and emergency braking warnings). Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to realize a vehicle warning signal directional propagation system and optimization method, which precisely overcomes the core pain points of the prior art, namely the low flexibility of the horn and the difficulty of horn angle adjustment.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, installed on a vehicle, including a warning speaker, a prompt tone controller, and a first rotation drive mechanism; the warning speaker is mounted on the first rotation drive mechanism, which is used to drive the warning speaker to rotate to adjust the sound direction; the prompt tone controller is electrically connected to the first rotation drive mechanism and the warning speaker respectively, and controls the rotation angle of the first rotation drive mechanism and the playback content and volume of the warning speaker.

[0007] It also includes a second rotary drive mechanism and a third rotary drive mechanism. The first rotary drive mechanism, the second rotary drive mechanism and the third rotary drive mechanism adopt a coaxial nested installation structure. The three share the same vertical central rotating shaft and can rotate independently.

[0008] The second and third rotary drive mechanisms drive the first and second hemispherical acoustic shields to rotate relative to each other, so as to switch the two hemispherical acoustic shields to a completely closed state, a preset angle open state, and a completely open overlapping state; the second and third rotary drive mechanisms are electrically connected to the prompt tone controller, and the prompt tone controller controls the rotation angle of the second and third rotary drive mechanisms.

[0009] The rotating layers of the system, from the inside out, are: warning speaker, first hemispherical acoustic reflector, and second hemispherical acoustic reflector; annular isolation gaps are provided between each rotating layer to prevent interference.

[0010] It also includes an external microphone group, an internal microphone group, an internal suppression speaker, and an internal alert speaker; the external microphone group collects ambient noise signals from outside the vehicle; the internal microphone group collects noise signals from the internal warning speaker; the alert tone controller is electrically connected to the external microphone group, the internal microphone group, the internal suppression speaker, and the internal alert speaker respectively; the alert tone controller adjusts the output volume of the warning speaker according to the ambient noise signal, and controls the internal suppression speaker to output sound waves to cancel the warning speaker noise signal according to the warning speaker noise signal; the internal alert speaker is used to synchronously emit the current alert sound from the warning speaker.

[0011] The warning sound controller incorporates an external adaptive volume control algorithm to adjust the output volume of the warning speaker based on the ambient noise signal. The optimal output sound pressure in the target sound direction satisfies the formula: ;

[0012] in, The sound pressure level of the warning loudspeaker target output, measured in dB; Real-time ambient noise sound pressure level in the target direction, collected by the external microphone group; To fix the gain threshold, when the ambient noise is lower than the preset lower volume threshold, the opening angle of the first hemispherical acoustic shield and the second hemispherical acoustic shield decreases, and the volume of the warning speaker decreases.

[0013] The noise signal emitted by the warning speaker is used to control the output sound wave of the in-vehicle suppression speaker to cancel out the warning speaker noise signal. The in-vehicle microphone group collects the sound pressure and phase of the residual noise in the vehicle in real time, and controls the output of the in-vehicle suppression speaker to output a reverse cancellation sound wave through the phase cancellation principle to attenuate the noise in the vehicle. The sound pressure of the suppression speaker output meets the following requirements: The canceling sound wave phase satisfies: ;

[0014] in, To suppress the sound pressure level output of the loudspeaker, This is the noise reduction correction factor. The phase of residual noise inside the vehicle. To cancel out the phase of the sound waves, This is a forced phase offset.

[0015] The in-vehicle alert speaker is used to synchronously emit the current alert sound of the warning speaker. When the warning speaker is activated, the in-vehicle alert speaker synchronously outputs a low-frequency, low-volume exclusive status alert sound. The status alert sound frequency is used to provide feedback to the driver on the working status of the warning speaker. When the warning speaker is turned off, the in-vehicle alert speaker synchronously stops working.

[0016] When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are fully open and overlapping, a single-sided hemispherical opening structure is formed for unilateral directional sound emission. When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector partially overlap, an annular or fan-shaped directional sound outlet is formed. When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are completely closed, the two hemispherical acoustic reflectors are completely nested and closed, forming a complete closed spherical structure. The warning speaker rotates synchronously with the direction of the sound outlet, so that the sound-emitting surface is always facing the sound outlet, concentrating the sound energy output.

[0017] The inner walls of the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are both provided with an acoustic composite sound-absorbing and reflecting layer; the acoustic composite sound-absorbing and reflecting layer includes a high-hardness acoustic reflective coating that directs and converges sound waves on the surface, and a microporous sound-absorbing pad layer that absorbs stray sound waves on the bottom layer.

[0018] A directional propagation method based on the vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, wherein the warning tone controller acquires warning tone parameter information including playback sound information, propagation direction, and preset volume, and the warning tone controller controls the rotation of the first rotation drive mechanism to drive the warning speaker to rotate, so as to adjust the volume and rotation angle of the warning speaker.

[0019] The warning sound controller controls the opening direction and size of the first and second hemispherical acoustic reflectors to directionally and controllably propagate warning signals; the correspondence between the opening direction and size and the operating conditions includes:

[0020] Full-angle operation: This is suitable for scenarios such as slow vehicle movement, yielding to pedestrians at intersections, and slow passage through residential areas.

[0021] Small-angle, narrow-aperture working conditions: corresponding to scenarios such as high-speed vehicle travel, following other vehicles on main roads, and close-range vehicle warnings;

[0022] Fully enclosed sound emission mode: for vehicle parking anti-theft, nighttime quiet warning, and temporary parking reminder scenarios.

[0023] A computer-readable storage medium storing software program code, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method for directional propagation of vehicle warning signals.

[0024] This invention overcomes traditional technological limitations at the hardware level through a combined structure design of "multiple rotatable directional horns." By adjusting the sound wave emission angle and coordinating the work of multiple horns, it prevents alarm signals from spreading to non-target areas, laying a reliable hardware foundation for accurate sound wave propagation. Simultaneously, the system uses microphones to collect ambient acoustic environment data from multiple locations, combines a specific weighted algorithm to comprehensively evaluate the propagation effect of the horns at different angles and generate scores, and then dynamically optimizes the algorithm to determine the optimal sound wave direction and parameters. It can automatically adapt the optimal parameters according to the characteristics of different alarm prompts and scenario requirements, completely solving the problems of insufficient accuracy and flexibility of existing directional horns. Furthermore, the optimization method of this invention is not dependent on specific alarm types or vehicle models, possessing strong versatility. The hardware architecture and software algorithm adopt a modular design, allowing for future expansion of functions or iteration of algorithms based on the upgrade needs of the vehicle's acoustic system, without requiring large-scale modifications to the overall system, providing convenient support for long-term technological upgrades. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The following is a brief explanation of the content and markings in each of the accompanying drawings in this specification:

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the warning speaker section of a vehicle warning signal directional propagation system;

[0027] Figure 2 This is the overall control flowchart of the system;

[0028] Figure 3 Flowchart for adaptive sound control for vehicle external environment;

[0029] Figure 4 Flowchart for adaptive sound control for in-vehicle environment;

[0030] Figure 5 A block diagram illustrating the overall principle of a vehicle warning signal directional propagation system with a warning speaker.

[0031] The markings in the above figures are: 1. Warning speaker; 2. First rotary drive mechanism; 3. Hemispherical reflector. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, details the specific implementation of the present invention, including the shape and structure of each component, the relative positions and connections between the parts, the function and working principle of each part, the manufacturing process, and the operation and use methods, to help those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate, and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the warning speaker 1 in the vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, showing the state of the warning speaker 1 installed in the front compartment of the car. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall control process of the system of the present invention, which shows the full-process linkage logic of vehicle working condition recognition, sound reflector structure adjustment, external adaptive sound generation, internal active noise reduction, and working status prompts, realizing the coordinated work of structural mechanical adjustment and software algorithm control. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the core process of adaptive sound control for vehicles. By collecting ambient noise in directional zones and combining dynamic volume algorithms with sound pressure threshold limiting logic, the opening and closing angle of the reflector is matched under different operating conditions, solving the problems of prompt failure and noise pollution that exist in traditional fixed volume sound generation. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the linkage between active noise cancellation and status prompts in the vehicle. By collecting in-vehicle noise in real time, the system uses a phase inverse cancellation algorithm to achieve in-vehicle noise reduction. At the same time, it links with a dedicated prompt sound to provide feedback on the external warning status, balancing in-vehicle quietness and driving safety.

[0034] First, the system is equipped with a rotatable directional speaker, which, together with dedicated control software, can adjust the direction of sound wave emission in real time. This solves the problem of "fixed direction and insufficient flexibility" of traditional directional speakers. It can quickly switch the sound emission direction according to different alarm scenarios (such as side lane change reminders and rear obstacle warnings) to meet the needs of all-directional warnings.

[0035] Secondly, by introducing microphone detection data and optimization algorithms, the optimal sound wave direction can be determined by algorithm calculation when determining the propagation direction of sound waves for different alarm prompts.

[0036] This system achieves precise alarm sound transmission while reducing sound wave diffusion into the vehicle, effectively minimizing in-vehicle noise interference, and simultaneously improving sound propagation efficiency and system reliability, adapting to the complex usage scenarios and functional requirements of commercial vehicles. This invention sets three core objectives and clarifies the implementation path: First, through an innovative hardware design of a "rotatable structure + directional horn," it establishes a structural foundation for precise alarm sound transmission; second, relying on a software system and intelligently adjusting the transmission direction, it enhances system usability; third, through scientific optimization methods, it determines the optimal sound wave propagation direction, ensuring efficient alarm sound transmission while significantly reducing cabin noise and improving driving comfort, ultimately achieving multiple application effects of "precise alarm sound coverage, controllable in-vehicle noise, and stable and reliable system," meeting the high-performance requirements of various vehicle models for alarm sound systems.

[0037] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0038] This vehicle warning signal directional propagation system is applied to in-vehicle acoustic scenarios such as pedestrian warnings, vehicle interactive warnings, and parking anti-theft warnings. It aims to solve industry pain points such as the non-directional sound output of traditional external vehicle warning speakers, pervasive noise diffusion, inability to adapt to ambient noise for volume adjustment, easy penetration of external warning sounds into the vehicle body causing interior noise pollution, inability for drivers to effectively identify external warning status, limited adaptability to specific operating conditions, and poor noise reduction and directional sound accuracy. This application achieves directional and controllable propagation of vehicle warning sounds, environmentally adaptive sound generation, quiet interior noise reduction, visual feedback of operating status, and intelligent adaptation to multiple operating conditions through an integrated design of a coaxial three-axis independent rotating mechanical structure, a double-nested hemispherical variable opening and closing acoustic shield structure, an external multi-directional directional sound pickup and adaptive volume control algorithm, an in-vehicle active phase cancellation noise reduction algorithm, and an in-vehicle operating status linkage prompt mechanism. The overall structure is clear, the principle is complete, and it is engineering-practical, possessing outstanding novelty, creativity, and practicality.

[0039] The overall hardware of this system includes a warning speaker 1, a prompt tone controller, coaxially arranged first rotary drive mechanism 2, second rotary drive mechanism, third rotary drive mechanism, first hemispherical acoustic reflector 3, second hemispherical acoustic reflector 3, an external microphone group, an internal microphone group, an internal suppression speaker, and an internal prompt speaker. All structural features, algorithm logic, operating modes, and parameter ranges correspond one-to-one with the claims, achieving complete disclosure and substantial support for all technical features of the claims, and there are no defects such as insufficient disclosure, lack of technical feature support, or inability to implement them.

[0040] This system adopts a vertical coaxial three-layer nested independent rotating structure. The three rotating mechanisms share the same vertical central axis and are driven independently of each other. From the inside out, they are: the warning speaker 1 rotating layer (first rotating drive mechanism 2), the first hemispherical reflector 3 rotating layer (second rotating drive mechanism), and the second hemispherical reflector 3 rotating layer (third rotating drive mechanism). Uniform annular isolation gaps and circumferential limiting damping structures are set between each layer. The gap width is controlled between 1.5mm and 3mm, ensuring that the three layers do not contact each other, have no rotational interference, and no jamming or abnormal noise. It also ensures compact overall assembly and strong structural stability, solving the problems of scraping, jamming, and positioning deviation that easily occur in multi-axis coaxial rotation.

[0041] The first rotary drive mechanism 2 is vertically arranged to support and drive the warning speaker 1 to rotate 360° horizontally, precisely adjusting the speaker's sound direction to achieve directional sound alignment in any horizontal direction. The alert tone controller is electrically connected to the first rotary drive mechanism 2 and the warning speaker 1, outputting precise control signals to achieve coordinated control of rotation angle positioning, start / stop control, sound on / off switch, and volume adjustment.

[0042] The first hemispherical acoustic reflector 3 and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector 3 are hemispherical shell structures of matched size. The smaller first hemispherical acoustic reflector 3 can be completely nested inside the larger second hemispherical acoustic reflector 3, and the two together form a complete sealed spherical enclosure. The warning speaker 1 is fixedly installed at the geometric center of the spherical shape formed by the nested double enclosures, ensuring that the distance between the speaker and the inner wall of each enclosure is equal, resulting in uniform sound field reflection, no tone deviation, and consistent directional sound emission. The first hemispherical acoustic reflector 3 and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector 3 are driven to rotate by independent second and third rotary drive mechanisms, respectively. The two drive mechanisms do not interfere with each other and can achieve relative misalignment rotation at any angle. The warning tone controller outputs a unified control signal to achieve precise switching between the open and closed states of the double enclosures.

[0043] Based on the independent rotation of the two covers, this system can stably achieve three working modes, which fully correspond to the three states defined in the claims:

[0044] The first type is the fully open overlapping state: the first hemispherical acoustic shield 3 and the second hemispherical acoustic shield 3 are fully overlapped and fitted together, with only one side of the complete hemispherical sound outlet remaining. The system achieves the maximum angle and the maximum range of unilateral directional sound output, and the sound energy diffusion area is the largest.

[0045] The second type is the preset angle opening state: the two hemispherical sound reflectors 3 rotate relative to each other according to the preset central angle to form a fan-shaped or ring-shaped narrow sound outlet. The sound diffusion angle can be precisely controlled according to the working conditions to achieve precise directional and narrow range warning.

[0046] The third type is a completely closed state: the two hemispherical acoustic shields 3 are completely nested and closed, combined into a complete closed sphere, relying only on the small gaps in the structural assembly to transmit a small amount of sound, so as to achieve a quiet early warning effect with low leakage and low propagation range.

[0047] At the same time, while adjusting the opening and closing angle of the double cover, the prompt sound controller also controls the first rotary drive mechanism 2 to work in conjunction, so that the warning speaker 1 rotates synchronously with the direction of the sound outlet in real time, ensuring that the speaker's sound-emitting surface is always facing the sound outlet, avoiding sound energy scattering, deflection, and ineffective loss, and greatly improving the directional sound concentration and sound energy utilization rate.

[0048] This application incorporates a composite acoustic reflective layer on the inner walls of both the first and second hemispherical acoustic reflectors 3. This layer employs a composite structure of "hard surface reflection + soft bottom layer sound absorption," distinct from traditional single-layer smooth covers or single sound-absorbing structures, and provides bidirectional acoustic optimization. The surface layer is a high-hardness acoustic reflective coating made of high-density epoxy resin, exhibiting high surface smoothness and low sound wave reflection loss. This effectively focuses the forward-emitting sound waves from the speaker, increasing the directional sound energy density and propagation distance. The bottom layer is a microporous sound-absorbing pad made of open-pore polyurethane microporous sound-absorbing material, which effectively absorbs stray sound waves from the side and back of the speaker, significantly reducing the leakage of ineffective sound energy.

[0049] This structure can effectively solve the defects of traditional open loudspeakers, such as high back noise, serious stray noise interference, and low directional accuracy. It significantly improves the directional sound emission accuracy of the system and the noise reduction performance of the whole vehicle. It is one of the inventive gain structures of this application. At the same time, it can provide comparative technical support for the inventive response that "the double-layer composite acoustic structure is superior to the existing single-layer structure".

[0050] To address the technical contradiction of traditional vehicle warning sounds having a fixed volume output, resulting in "disturbing the peace in low-noise environments and failing to provide warnings in high-noise environments," this application innovatively sets up an external microphone group arranged around the vehicle's perimeter. The microphone group is deployed in four zones: front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle. Each microphone is independently equipped with a small directional reflector, which only collects ambient noise from the corresponding single direction, shielding crosstalk from noise from other directions. This achieves spatial zoning, directional sound pickup, and accurate sampling, solving the problems of mixed sound data and inaccurate control across the entire area.

[0051] The alert tone controller has a built-in dedicated adaptive volume control algorithm for external vehicle noise, establishing a dynamic matching mechanism between ambient noise and output sound pressure. The core calculation formula is: In the formula, The target output sound pressure level (dB) for warning speaker 1. Real-time ambient noise sound pressure level in the direction of the target sound source. To ensure a fixed gain threshold for the alert sound, a value of 3dB to 8dB is selected. This parameter range was determined through extensive vehicle calibration tests, ensuring that the alert sound is clearly distinguishable from ambient noise without causing excessive noise pollution due to excessive gain.

[0052] The system also features a sound pressure level (SPL) threshold protection mechanism: when ambient noise is too high and the calculated output SPL exceeds the system's preset upper threshold, the maximum output SPL is forcibly limited to prevent excessive volume from disturbing residents or damaging acoustic components; when ambient noise is below the preset lower threshold, the system automatically matches the acoustic reflector's small-angle opening / closing mode, combined with low-gain sound generation, to achieve adaptation to quiet environments. This closed-loop control logic is entirely software-implementable and engineering-ready, with a rigorous algorithm and reasonable parameter ranges.

[0053] Based on the deep coupling of the mechanical opening and closing structure and the adaptive algorithm, this application sets up three types of standardized vehicle operating logic, fully covering all vehicle usage scenarios:

[0054] First, the wide-angle fully open working condition: suitable for low-noise scenarios requiring a wide range of alerts, such as slow vehicle maneuvering, pedestrian yielding at intersections, and slow passage through residential areas. The double acoustic shields fully overlap and open, maximizing the sound output angle. Combined with the medium gain sound output mode, it covers a wide area of ​​surrounding pedestrians and vehicles, providing clear alerts without excessive noise.

[0055] Secondly, the narrow-angle, narrow-aperture operating condition is suitable for high-noise scenarios requiring precise alerts, such as high-speed vehicle travel, following other vehicles on main roads, and close-range vehicle warnings. The double acoustic shields open and close at a small angle with a narrow sound outlet and extremely strong directivity. At the same time, the algorithm automatically enhances the sound gain, ensuring that the alert sound penetrates high-speed wind noise and road noise, accurately alerting the target object, while avoiding noise diffusion throughout the entire area.

[0056] Third, fully enclosed sound generation: suitable for scenarios requiring extremely low noise leakage, such as vehicle parking anti-theft, quiet nighttime warning, and temporary parking reminder. The double acoustic shields are completely sealed, relying on the tiny gaps in the shell for minimal sound transmission. Combined with extremely low gain output, the warning sound is only identifiable at close range, with no noise propagation at long distances, achieving a silent warning.

[0057] The aforementioned multi-condition intelligent adaptation logic significantly improves the level of intelligence, scene adaptability, and noise reduction performance compared to the traditional fixed-angle and fixed-volume warning speaker 1, which is an important creative highlight of this application.

[0058] The warning speaker 1 of this system is installed in the front cabin of the vehicle. When it emits sound directionally to the rear and rear sides of the vehicle, some high-frequency and mid-frequency sound waves can penetrate the body panels and gaps and enter the vehicle, causing abnormal noises inside the vehicle and interfering with the driving experience. To address this pain point that has not been solved by existing technology, this application sets up an in-vehicle microphone group and an in-vehicle noise suppression speaker to form an in-vehicle active noise cancellation closed-loop system.

[0059] The in-vehicle microphone array collects residual warning noise that has seeped into the vehicle in real time at high frequency, accurately obtaining the real-time sound pressure level of the residual noise. Phase with sound waves The alert tone controller incorporates an in-vehicle active noise cancellation algorithm. Through the principle of complete phase cancellation, it controls the output of the in-vehicle suppressor speakers to output inverse cancelling sound waves. The core formula includes a sound pressure matching formula: Phase matching formula: .

[0060] in, To suppress the sound pressure level output of the loudspeaker, This is the noise reduction correction coefficient, ranging from 0.8 to 1.2. This correction coefficient range adapts to the differences in sound insulation of different vehicle models, and can adaptively fine-tune the canceled sound pressure intensity to avoid secondary noise caused by insufficient or excessive cancellation. A forced phase offset of π ensures that the canceled sound wave is completely out of phase with the residual noise inside the vehicle, maximizing sound wave cancellation attenuation, effectively reducing infiltration noise inside the vehicle, and improving overall vehicle quietness.

[0061] Existing external vehicle warning systems generally suffer from the defect of "no feedback on working status," making it impossible for drivers to intuitively determine whether the external warning speaker 1 is working properly, resulting in warning failure and undetectable safety hazards. This application innovatively adds an in-vehicle warning speaker linkage mechanism to form a closed loop of safety feedback.

[0062] The in-vehicle alert speaker and warning speaker 1 are strictly linked for triggering: the in-vehicle alert speaker will only activate when warning speaker 1 is activated and the noise reduction module is working synchronously, outputting a low-frequency, low-volume, dedicated status alert tone. This alert tone is specifically calibrated to ensure its frequency range is completely distinct from both external warning sounds and in-vehicle noise-canceling sound waves, preventing sound confusion. Its gentle volume does not interfere with the in-vehicle acoustic environment and is solely used to provide the driver with direct feedback that the external warning system is operating normally. When warning speaker 1 stops working, the in-vehicle alert speaker will immediately and synchronously shut off, ensuring accurate, lag-free, and error-free status feedback.

[0063] The vehicle warning signal directional propagation method of this application is implemented based on the aforementioned hardware system. The complete workflow is as follows: After the vehicle triggers an external prompt request, the prompt sound controller first obtains parameters such as the current prompt sound playback information, target propagation direction, and preset volume; it determines the appropriate opening / closing and sound-emitting logic based on the vehicle's operating conditions; it drives three sets of coaxial rotating mechanisms to adjust the speaker orientation, the opening angle of the double acoustic shields, and the opening direction; it adaptively calculates the optimal output volume based on the ambient noise in the target direction and drives the warning speaker 1 to sound; it simultaneously collects residual noise inside the vehicle and performs active noise cancellation; it simultaneously outputs an in-vehicle operating status prompt sound, ultimately achieving directional, intelligent, and low-noise propagation of the warning signal. The entire method has a closed-loop logic, clear steps, and can be fully implemented through the vehicle controller program.

[0064] The computer-readable storage medium of this application stores program code that can be executed by a processor. When the program code is run, it can fully implement all the aforementioned directional propagation methods, adaptive volume algorithm, active noise reduction algorithm, multi-condition logic and linkage prompt function, thus meeting the requirements of sufficiency and implementability of patent claims for computer program types.

[0065] To increase the probability of this application being granted and to better respond to subsequent examination opinions, this specification includes several additional non-obvious technical advantages and supporting features that distinguish it from the prior art:

[0066] (1) The coaxial three-layer nested anti-interference structure + damping limit design solves the motion interference problem of multiple independent rotating parts arranged in a coaxial manner, and the structural stability is better than that of a simple double-layer rotating structure.

[0067] (2) Four-way directional sound pickup + dynamic gain algorithm breaks through the traditional fixed volume sound mode, solves the industry contradiction of "prompt failure and noise pollution", and significantly improves the level of intelligence;

[0068] (3) The double hemisphere variable opening and closing structure realizes three adaptive modes of full enclosure, small angle and large angle, and the working condition coverage is far greater than that of a single fixed opening speaker;

[0069] (4) The in-vehicle active phase cancellation noise reduction + working status dual feedback mechanism solves the two major pain points of in-vehicle noise interference and invisible working status at the same time, forming a closed-loop system of software and hardware collaboration.

[0070] (5) The double-layer composite acoustic reflection and sound absorption layer improves the utilization rate of directional sound energy and reduces stray noise from the structural level. Its acoustic performance is better than that of conventional single-layer covers.

[0071] Furthermore, the system is built using a closed loop: "hardware deployment - signal acquisition - algorithm analysis - genetic algorithm adjustment - optimization completion".

[0072] The process logic is as follows: First, complete the hardware deployment of the speaker, microphone, and control terminal; then, perform signal acquisition (for the initial test, use a genetic algorithm to randomly generate angle combinations); next, analyze and calculate the comprehensive score using the algorithm to determine if any angle combination meets the standard. If it does, directly complete the optimization and output the optimal speaker angle; if it does not meet the standard, start the genetic algorithm to generate new speaker angle combinations based on the angle combinations with high comprehensive scores, then return to the signal acquisition stage, and repeat the cycle until the standard is met and optimization is complete. This optimization method achieves accurate positioning of the optimal propagation direction for different alarm prompts. The specific steps are as follows:

[0073] 1. Arrangement of detection equipment;

[0074] (1) Rotatable directional horn;

[0075] It is equipped with three directional speakers, installed in specific locations in the front compartment of the vehicle. It supports horizontal and vertical rotation adjustment with an accuracy of 1°, and the rotation angle and sound wave output power can be controlled in real time via software to ensure adaptability to different alarm sounds (such as reversing alarm sound and low speed alarm sound).

[0076] (2) Multi-position microphone detection system;

[0077] High signal-to-noise ratio condenser microphones are used, arranged in two groups: one outside the vehicle and one inside.

[0078] External microphones: Four microphones are placed 3m away from the vehicle body in the four directions of front, rear, left and right. They are used to collect the sound pressure level of the alarm prompt at different angles, with a focus on covering areas where pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles are commonly active.

[0079] In-vehicle microphones: Two microphones are located at the driver's ear level in the cockpit, used to collect the noise sound pressure level in the cockpit.

[0080] 2. Data collection;

[0081] This step uses "data-driven" as its core logic, relying on genetic algorithms to intelligently generate angle combinations. The specific process is as follows:

[0082] (1) Intelligent generation of horn angle combinations;

[0083] The horn angle combination is globally optimized and screened based on a genetic algorithm, covering the adjustment range in both horizontal and vertical directions. At the same time, the combination of high-frequency demand angle ranges is generated in combination with the actual vehicle usage scenario. The angle combination for the first test was randomly generated by the genetic algorithm.

[0084] (2) Horn angle control and prompt tone output;

[0085] Based on the angle combination scheme generated by the genetic algorithm, the software automatically sends control commands to the dual-axis rotation mechanism of the rotatable directional speaker, driving the speaker to precisely adjust to the target angle; after the angle calibration is completed, the corresponding type of alarm prompt sound is output synchronously to ensure the synchronization and accuracy of "angle positioning - sound output".

[0086] (3) Acquisition of sound pressure level signals;

[0087] After the horn reaches the target angle and emits sound stably, the software triggers all external and internal microphones to simultaneously collect sound pressure level data, with the collection time covering multiple complete alarm tone cycles; it focuses on recording the peak sound pressure level of each external microphone (reflecting alarm propagation efficiency) and the average noise sound pressure level of each internal microphone (reflecting the effectiveness of cabin noise control).

[0088] 3. Data analysis and iterative adjustment of the horn angle;

[0089] After generating multiple speaker angle combinations using a genetic algorithm in the previous round and collecting sound pressure level data for the corresponding alarm tones, this stage focuses on the core logic of "data scoring - intelligent iteration" to optimize and adjust the angle combinations. The specific process is as follows:

[0090] First, the collected sound pressure level data undergoes targeted processing and scoring: First, the sound pressure data outside and inside the vehicle are standardized and preprocessed. Then, based on the usage scenario of different alarm prompts, a specific weighting method is used to calculate the comprehensive score—for example, for the "Left Turn Caution" prompt, the sound pressure data collected by the microphone on the left side of the vehicle's exterior needs to be given special attention, and a higher weight is allocated to the microphone data in this area during the weighted calculation; for the "Right Turn Caution" prompt, the weight of the microphone data on the right side of the vehicle's exterior is increased accordingly. When calculating the comprehensive score, both external propagation efficiency (such as the peak sound pressure level in the target area) and internal noise control effectiveness (such as the average noise level in the cabin) are considered simultaneously. For external sound pressure levels, a base score of 50 points is set at "target area sound pressure level reaches 70dB," with 1 point added for each dB exceeding 70dB and 1 point deducted for each dB below 70dB. For internal sound pressure levels, a base score of 50 points is set at "cabin noise reaches 55dB," with 1 point deducted for each dB exceeding 55dB and 1 point added for each dB below 55dB. Subsequently, based on the usage scenarios of different alarm prompts, corresponding weighting coefficients are assigned to the data outside and inside the vehicle (e.g., for the "Please be careful when turning left" prompt, the weighting coefficient for the microphone data in the left area outside the vehicle is set to 1.2, and for other areas it is set to 0.8; the weighting coefficient for the driver's two ear position data inside the vehicle is set to 1). Finally, the individual scores for outside and inside the vehicle are calculated separately according to "Single score = (Deviation score between actual data and benchmark value + Base score) × Weighting coefficient". Then, the two scores are added together according to preset weights (e.g., 60% for outside and 40% for inside) to obtain a comprehensive quantitative score for each angle combination, ensuring that the score is consistent with the needs of the scenario.

[0091] Subsequently, the genetic algorithm intelligently selects high-scoring, high-quality angle combinations based on the comprehensive score of all angle combinations in that round. If any of the angle combinations achieve the expected goal, optimization is completed; otherwise, a batch of optimized horn angle combination schemes is intelligently generated based on the higher-scoring angle combinations. The software then drives the rotatable directional horn to adjust to the target angle and outputs the corresponding alarm tone according to the new angle combination. This triggers the microphone again to collect sound pressure level data, entering the next round of the "collection-scoring-iterative generation" cycle. Through multiple rounds of continuous iteration, the angle parameters are gradually optimized, ultimately determining the optimal horn adjustment angle for each alarm tone that balances "accurate propagation in the target area" and "low noise inside the vehicle."

[0092] This implementation method achieves the goals of "precise propagation, controllable noise, and stable system" for vehicle alarm prompts through the synergy of modular hardware deployment, precise data collection, and dynamic algorithm optimization. It also has the universality to adapt to different vehicle models and different alarm prompts, providing a standardized technical path for upgrading vehicle acoustic systems.

[0093] Currently, most traditional vehicle horns are single-source fixed-emission structures, with sound waves spreading in all directions. This makes it impossible to achieve precise propagation in a specific direction, resulting in insufficient warning intensity in the target direction and easy noise interference to non-target areas. While existing directional horns can achieve directional propagation, they are mostly fixedly installed in the complex front compartment of vehicles, and the optimal propagation direction of different alarm prompts varies significantly. However, there is a lack of effective identification and dynamic adjustment methods, which can only rely on manual adjustment or fixed parameters, resulting in serious deficiencies in accuracy and flexibility in actual use. This invention overcomes traditional technological limitations at the hardware level through a combined structure design of "multiple rotatable directional horns." By adjusting the sound wave emission angle and coordinating the work of multiple horns, it prevents alarm signals from spreading to non-target areas, laying a reliable hardware foundation for accurate sound wave propagation. Simultaneously, the system uses microphones to collect ambient acoustic environment data from multiple locations, combines a specific weighted algorithm to comprehensively evaluate the propagation effect of the horns at different angles and generate scores, and then dynamically optimizes the algorithm to determine the optimal sound wave direction and parameters. It can automatically adapt the optimal parameters according to the characteristics of different alarm prompts and scenario requirements, completely solving the problems of insufficient accuracy and flexibility of existing directional horns. Furthermore, the optimization method of this invention is not dependent on specific alarm types or vehicle models, possessing strong versatility. The hardware architecture and software algorithm adopt a modular design, allowing for future expansion of functions or iteration of algorithms based on the upgrade needs of the vehicle's acoustic system, without requiring large-scale modifications to the overall system, providing convenient support for long-term technological upgrades.

[0094] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention to other occasions without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle warning signal directional propagation system, installed on a vehicle, characterized in that, Includes a warning speaker, a prompt tone controller, and a first rotary drive mechanism; The warning speaker is mounted on a first rotary drive mechanism, which drives the warning speaker to rotate to adjust the sound direction. The alert tone controller is electrically connected to the first rotary drive mechanism and the warning speaker, respectively, and controls the rotation angle of the first rotary drive mechanism and the playback content and volume of the warning speaker.

2. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second rotary drive mechanism and a third rotary drive mechanism. The first rotary drive mechanism, the second rotary drive mechanism and the third rotary drive mechanism adopt a coaxial nested installation structure. The three share the same vertical central rotating shaft and can rotate independently.

3. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second and third rotary drive mechanisms drive the first and second hemispherical acoustic shields to rotate relative to each other, so as to switch the two hemispherical acoustic shields to a completely closed state, a preset angle open state, and a completely open overlapping state; the second and third rotary drive mechanisms are electrically connected to the prompt tone controller, and the prompt tone controller controls the rotation angle of the second and third rotary drive mechanisms.

4. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating layers of the system, from the inside out, are: warning speaker, first hemispherical acoustic reflector, and second hemispherical acoustic reflector; annular isolation gaps are provided between each rotating layer to prevent interference.

5. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes an external microphone group, an internal microphone group, an internal suppression speaker, and an internal alert speaker; the external microphone group collects ambient noise signals from outside the vehicle; the internal microphone group collects noise signals from the internal warning speaker; the alert tone controller is electrically connected to the external microphone group, the internal microphone group, the internal suppression speaker, and the internal alert speaker respectively; the alert tone controller adjusts the output volume of the warning speaker according to the ambient noise signal, and controls the internal suppression speaker to output sound waves to cancel the warning speaker noise signal according to the warning speaker noise signal; the internal alert speaker is used to synchronously emit the current alert sound from the warning speaker.

6. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The warning sound controller incorporates an external adaptive volume control algorithm to adjust the output volume of the warning speaker based on the ambient noise signal. The optimal output sound pressure in the target sound direction satisfies the formula: ; in, The sound pressure level of the warning loudspeaker target output, measured in dB; Real-time ambient noise sound pressure level in the target direction, collected by the external microphone group; To fix the gain threshold, when the ambient noise is lower than the preset lower volume threshold, the opening angle of the first hemispherical acoustic shield and the second hemispherical acoustic shield decreases, and the volume of the warning speaker decreases.

7. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The noise signal emitted by the warning speaker is used to control the output sound wave of the in-vehicle suppression speaker to cancel out the warning speaker noise signal. The in-vehicle microphone group collects the sound pressure and phase of the residual noise in the vehicle in real time, and controls the output of the in-vehicle suppression speaker to output a reverse cancellation sound wave through the phase cancellation principle to attenuate the noise in the vehicle. The sound pressure of the suppression speaker output meets the following requirements: The canceling sound wave phase satisfies: ; in, To suppress the sound pressure level output of the loudspeaker, This is the noise reduction correction factor. The phase of residual noise inside the vehicle. To cancel out the phase of the sound waves, This is a forced phase offset.

8. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The in-vehicle alert speaker is used to synchronously emit the current alert sound of the warning speaker. When the warning speaker is activated, the in-vehicle alert speaker synchronously outputs a low-frequency, low-volume exclusive status alert sound. The status alert sound frequency is used to provide feedback to the driver on the working status of the warning speaker. When the warning speaker is turned off, the in-vehicle notification speaker will also stop working simultaneously.

9. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are fully open and overlapping, a single-sided hemispherical opening structure is formed for unilateral directional sound emission. When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector partially overlap, an annular or fan-shaped directional sound outlet is formed. When the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are completely closed, the two hemispherical acoustic reflectors are completely nested and closed, forming a complete closed spherical structure. The warning speaker rotates synchronously with the direction of the sound outlet, so that the sound-emitting surface is always facing the sound outlet, concentrating the sound energy output.

10. The vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to any one of claims 3-9, characterized in that, The inner walls of both the first hemispherical acoustic reflector and the second hemispherical acoustic reflector are provided with an acoustic composite sound-absorbing and reflecting layer; the acoustic composite sound-absorbing and reflecting layer includes a high-hardness acoustic reflective coating that directs and converges sound waves on the surface, and a microporous sound-absorbing pad layer that absorbs stray sound waves on the bottom layer.

11. A directional propagation method based on the vehicle warning signal directional propagation system according to any one of claims 2-10, characterized in that, The alert tone controller acquires alert tone parameter information including playback sound information, propagation direction, and preset volume. The alert tone controller controls the rotation of the first rotation drive mechanism to drive the warning speaker to rotate, thereby adjusting the volume and rotation angle of the warning speaker.

12. The directional propagation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The alert tone controller controls the opening direction and size of the first hemispherical acoustic shield and the second hemispherical acoustic shield to directionally and controllably propagate warning signals. The correspondence between the opening direction and size and the operating conditions includes: Wide-angle full-opening working conditions: corresponding to scenarios such as low-speed vehicle maneuvering, yielding to pedestrians at intersections, and low-speed passage through residential areas; Small-angle, narrow-aperture working conditions: corresponding to scenarios such as high-speed vehicle travel, following other vehicles on main roads, and close-range vehicle warnings; Fully enclosed sound emission mode: for vehicle parking anti-theft, nighttime quiet warning, and temporary parking reminder scenarios.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores software program code, which, when executed by a processor, implements the directional propagation method as described in claim 11 or 12.

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