Vehicle with device for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine and associated methods

Abstract

A vehicle comprising a device for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, a given drive (100), and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold (104), wherein the exhaust manifold (104) has free manifold pipes, the device comprising a control unit (110) and loudspeakers (112) communicatively coupled to the control unit (110), wherein one of the loudspeakers (112) is installed on each of the free manifold pipes such that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker (112), the control unit (110) being configured to reproduce an operating noise at each installed loudspeaker (112) based on a current engine load parameter of the given drive (100), which corresponds to the actual operating noise perceptible at a manifold pipe associated with the loudspeaker (112) when the desired internal combustion engine is operating with the current engine load parameter.which is connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of automotive engineering and the field of computer-controlled sound simulation.

[0002] The propulsion system of a motor vehicle, particularly an internal combustion engine, generates a complex and characteristic soundscape during operation, specific to a particular vehicle make or model. This soundscape is unique to the model-specific or even vehicle-specific design and configuration of the internal combustion engine and the entire drivetrain. This includes, in particular, all technical components, attachments, and the moving or rotating parts that enable operation, potentially including fluid or air-conducting components. This individual soundscape can significantly contribute to a vehicle's aesthetic value. This is especially true for high-priced sports cars, luxury vehicles, tuned cars, and virtually all classic car segments of the automotive market, as well as large parts of the motorcycle market.

[0003] With the increasing prevalence of electromobility in the form of purely electric and hybrid vehicles, the demand for converting vehicles originally equipped with combustion engines to a purely electric drive is also rising. Such a conversion typically involves removing the original combustion engine along with the now-unnecessary transmission, exhaust system, and other peripheral components of the combustion engine, such as fuel and oil pumps, alternator, engine cooling system, etc. However, this results in the loss of the characteristic operating sounds, especially those of the original engine and peripheral components, which contribute significantly to the value and brand identity of many vehicles.

[0004] DE 20 2009 012 358 U1 discloses a device for generating engine noise in / on an electrically powered motor vehicle, characterized in that the engine noise is artificially generated by means of specially specified electronics, which is similar to that of an internal combustion engine and is clearly audible inside and outside the electric motor vehicle.

[0005] WO 2016 / 026 889 A1 discloses an active sound system, a control for an active sound system, a method and a hybrid electric vehicle and relates to the use of an active sound system to provide sound when an internal combustion engine is not active.

[0006] US Patent 2014 / 0 177 866 A1 discloses a vehicle sound generator system configured to produce a signal that drives one or more loudspeakers to generate sound waves simulating noises associated with a desired engine type. The signal is based on one or more operating conditions of a vehicle. The vehicle sound generator system is configured to select noises from a variety of sounds based on the vehicle's operating conditions. Each noise corresponds to a simulated engine sound operating in a corresponding gear. The vehicle sound generator system can generate a signal to drive the loudspeakers to produce selected noises to simulate shifting between the respective gears.

[0007] German patent DE 102016 118 742 A1 discloses an engine sound enhancement system comprising a line communicating with at least one intake manifold and one exhaust manifold of an engine. At least one interface is arranged within a channel and between an inlet of the channel and the at least one intake manifold and the exhaust manifold. The interface responds to pulses within the at least one of the intake manifolds and the exhaust manifold, and the interface is configured to transmit the pulses into the channel.

[0008] DE 10 2017 120 694 A1 discloses methods and systems for determining knock sensor impairment in an engine. In one example, a method can include sending an excitation signal to an actuator to generate vibrations in the absence of engine combustion, as well as determining knock sensor impairment in the engine by comparing the knock sensor output with the excitation signal.

[0009] In contrast, this invention is based on the objective of providing a technical solution that makes it possible to reproduce the sound of a desired internal combustion engine, such as a previously removed original engine, as faithfully, characteristically and distinctively as possible in a motor vehicle without an internal combustion engine.

[0010] The problem underlying the invention is solved by the features of the independent claims. Embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0011] To solve the problem, according to one aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided which has a device for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, a given drive system, and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold, wherein the exhaust manifold has free manifold pipes, wherein the device has a control unit and loudspeakers communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein one of the loudspeakers is installed on each of the free manifold pipes such that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker, wherein the control unit is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each installed loudspeaker based on a current engine load parameter of the given drive system, which corresponds to the actual operating noise that is perceptible at a manifold pipe associated with the loudspeaker when the desired internal combustion engine is operating with the current engine load parameter.which is connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine. For example, the operating noise in the connection plane between the cylinder outlet and the manifold could be emitted into the free manifold pipe. The reproduced operating noise could, for example, be designed such that each of the loudspeakers reproduces the respective undamped, "raw," "ugly" combustion / operating noises of the respective cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine at the corresponding cylinder outlet. Preferably, the loudspeakers are designed to generate a correspondingly highly dynamic, true-to-life sound pressure level, which, as with the original internal combustion engine, could be dampened by the exhaust system.

[0012] Furthermore, the original number of cylinders of the desired combustion engine could be replaced by the same number of loudspeakers. In one example, one or more of the loudspeakers are positioned at the same angle as the exhaust port of the respective cylinder of the desired combustion engine. To further approximate the simulation to the original sounds, the position and angle of the loudspeakers could correspond to the original sound sources in terms of position and angle, thus reproducing the original sound characteristics as realistically as possible. The firing order of the desired combustion engine being simulated could also be maintained when the operating sounds are played back to the respective loudspeakers via the control unit. In this way, a characteristic, brand-defining overall sound could be generated, the audible sound characteristics of which only emerge in conjunction with the exhaust system and, if applicable, other peripheral components of the desired combustion engine.This sound characteristic could therefore be considerably more realistic and true to the original than a total sound reproduced, recorded or synthetically generated via a free loudspeaker.

[0013] The vehicle has a given engine and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold. However, the exhaust system is not necessarily directly related to the engine; that is, the exhaust system is not necessarily directly connected to the engine. If the engine emits exhaust gases, these can, for example, be discharged through a dedicated exhaust system of the engine, or the exhaust system may additionally have one or more connected manifold pipes that are hydraulically connected to exhaust outlets of the engine. In this example, the vehicle could be configured to generate a combined sound from the engine via the connected manifold pipes and, with the aid of loudspeakers, via the unconnected manifold pipes.

[0014] The term "free exhaust manifold" is used here to refer to any exhaust manifold that is not connected to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of conveying exhaust gases. A free exhaust manifold, therefore, does not necessarily have to be fitted with a loudspeaker; depending on the desired sound, it can be closed, for example, with a blanking plate or a resonator, or left completely or partially open. The free exhaust manifolds of the exhaust system can be designed for installation on an original internal combustion engine, which, however, does not have to be installed in the vehicle. The exhaust system typically features a series pipe design that is hydraulically coupled to the exhaust manifolds. Thus, the exhaust system could provide a sound channel for sound waves emitted by the installed loudspeakers.Ideally, the entire exhaust system could be technically tailored to the desired combustion engine, whose original combustion engine sound is to be simulated. Alternatively, a standard, characteristic, brand-specific exhaust system from a tuning sector associated with the vehicle could preferably be reused in its entirety for the simulation.

[0015] The vehicle's powertrain could, for example, include a non-internal combustion engine (such as, but not limited to, an electric motor) and / or an engine whose noise differs significantly in volume and / or timbre from that of the desired internal combustion engine. In particular, the powertrain could include an internal combustion engine that differs from the desired internal combustion engine in its design. Without limitation, this includes, but is not limited to, a different manufacturer, different materials and / or dimensions, a different number of cylinders, and / or a different design for a specific fuel. The powertrain may include one or more engines; in particular, it could be a hybrid powertrain, which might, for example, include an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.Regardless of the type of drive, it is assumed here that the vehicle can provide the simulation device with electrical energy to the extent required for the operation of the control unit and the loudspeakers.

[0016] Embodiments could use the given drive as the drive, but could advantageously be enabled, by means of the device installed therein for simulating the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine (hereinafter also referred to as the "simulation device"), to generate the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine. For this purpose, the control unit could use electronics that translate the current engine load parameter into an operating noise, based on a predefined relationship, that the desired internal combustion engine emits when operated at a load corresponding to the current engine load parameter of the given drive.

[0017] The current engine load parameter is understood here to mean, for example, the physical load acting on the main shaft of the given drive and opposing the torque provided by the running engine; furthermore, for example, any measurable quantity that has a correlation coefficient of at least 50% with the aforementioned physical load; and for example, any logical level representing the load and / or one or more of the aforementioned quantities, such as a digital numerical value. Without limitation, the current engine load parameter could be a measured load torque, a pedal position such as the position of an accelerator, brake, or clutch pedal, the actuation state of a transmission clutch, an engine speed, a change in engine speed, and / or a designation for an engaged transmission gear, a transmission gear change, or a load change.The term engine load parameter includes both steady-state conditions and load changes or load fluctuations of the given drive system.

[0018] The control unit can have an input through which it can receive the current engine load parameter. The current engine load parameter can be provided, for example, by a transducer (also referred to here as a sensor) pre-installed in the vehicle or by logic connected to such a transducer; similarly, such a transducer and, if applicable, such logic can be part of the simulation device. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit can receive signals from several different transducers and, based on a mathematical formula, convert these signals into the current engine load parameter.

[0019] The control unit typically has a processor and memory in which audio samples could be stored for each audio channel, i.e., each installed loudspeaker or each corresponding cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine to be simulated. These samples could represent, for example, a recording of the actual operating noise of each individual cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine, as it is perceived in the original directly at the respective cylinder outlet (e.g., in the connection plane between the cylinder outlet and the manifold) and emitted into the open manifold pipe. For example, there could be an audio sample for each of a predefined number of load or load change stages of the desired internal combustion engine, containing the operating noise at that specific stage.In this case, on a given channel, the operating noise for a given value of the current load parameter of the given drive could be read from the audio sample for the load stage corresponding to this value and played back on the loudspeaker assigned to this channel.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, the operating noise could be read from a large audio sample containing the operating noise of the desired combustion engine in response to a variable load input, such as a linear ramp. In this case, the value of the current load parameter would correspond to a specific time coordinate of the large audio sample, which would then be selected by the control unit and, for example, played back in a loop at a constant load until the current load parameter assumes a different value. The selection of the sample or time coordinate to be played back could be accomplished, for example, using a suitable database, table, or index file.

[0021] When implementing the control unit with short-duration audio samples, the sample length or sampling rate could be variable or constant. The audio samples are preferably short enough that the output operating noise responds to load and / or speed changes in real time. For example, a variable sample length could encompass the duration of a full engine cycle, i.e., one complete revolution of the engine shaft, or a single ignition event of the respective cylinder. This could then be recorded for all speed ranges, possibly with fine increments, for different load conditions within the same speed ranges, since combustion noises at the same speed can sound different depending on the load conditions and / or load changes, such as cylinder filling and fuel-air mixture flow velocities.An alternative sample length could correspond to a full cycle of the firing sequence, or a constant sample duration could, for example, be unlimited, ranging from 100 µs to 100 ms. For playback, the audio samples could be queued. Before a new sample begins, the previous sample could be played in its entirety, or alternatively, if the load changes, the playback of an incomplete sample could be interrupted, and then the next sample could be played, ideally without interruption, either from the beginning or starting at the time where the previously played sample was interrupted.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the control unit is additionally configured to superimpose the operating noise of the desired combustion engine with additional noise, wherein the additional noise includes the sound of a misfire from the desired combustion engine and / or the operating noise of an alternative component. Misfires could be simulated by one or more of the loudspeakers and / or by additional loudspeakers in the exhaust system, e.g., at the original point of origin in the exhaust system near the combustion engine, air mixtures with excess fuel, and the resulting misfires. For the simulation of misfires, the control unit could, for example, include a random number generator to simulate the misfires with a realistic frequency, and / or load- or load-change-dependent behavior of the misfires could be simulated by appropriately designing the playback, e.g.,by looking up a load-dependent misfire frequency in a given table.

[0023] An alternative component could be any part that replaces a model-specific component, such as a standard or original part, and thereby alters the sound of the modified vehicle compared to the vehicle with the original component. In particular, it could be a tuning component intentionally installed to manipulate the sound. Without limitation, an alternative component for the Porsche 964 could be a copper pipe, which is typically installed in the exhaust system as a replacement for a standard pre-muffler to reduce back pressure within the exhaust system and amplify the engine noise both inside and outside the vehicle.In this example, the additional noises of the copper pipe could preferably be reproduced by an additional loudspeaker at the installation location of the copper pipe in the exhaust system in order to achieve the most realistic simulation possible of the copper pipe operating noise.

[0024] Similarly, for any other alternative component, a simulation of characteristic operating noises could be achieved by playing back corresponding additional noises using auxiliary loudspeakers installed at the typical installation location of the alternative component. In one example, the additional noises simulated by the control unit using an auxiliary loudspeaker are the shifting noises of a transmission. In a more specific example, the alternative component is a sequential manual transmission (SMG). The SMG could be an exemplary representative of a class of alternative components that, when in operation as a physical component, could retrospectively influence the operating noise of the desired combustion engine.In this case, to achieve the most realistic simulation possible, it could be advantageous to design the control unit to reproduce the operating noises influenced by the alternative component instead of the operating noises generated by, for example, the standard equipment of the vehicle.

[0025] In the example of the SMG transmission, the desired combustion engine could operate with modified ignition and / or injection, which could, for example, result in a louder, more intrusive operating noise. To enable the simulation of such a modified operating noise, the control unit could, for example, be programmed at the factory or during installation in the vehicle with audio samples of the modified operating noise of the desired combustion engine, so that these samples can be accessed during vehicle operation to simulate the modified operating noise.The audio data of the modified operating noise could be part of a larger, generic audio dataset containing, for example, the operating noise of the desired combustion engine, the operating noise of various alternative components, and the operating noise of the desired combustion engine modified by these alternative components. From this dataset, the desired soundscape could be selected via the control unit's configuration. A further advantage could be realized if the stored audio data also contained multiple modified operating noises of the desired combustion engine, either alternatively or additionally. This would cover the scenario where the operating noise of several alternative components is to be simulated. These alternative components belong to the aforementioned class of alternative components, which, as physical components during operation, could retroactively influence the operating noise of the desired combustion engine.

[0026] The hardware configuration to be simulated, consisting of the desired combustion engine and one or more alternative components, could be taken into account, for example, by programming the control unit's memory to store only audio data for the desired configuration. This could allow for efficient memory utilization or the use of a control unit with a smaller memory capacity. Programming with a generic data set that accommodates multiple configurations could, in turn, have the advantage that the desired hardware configuration to be simulated can be changed more easily by, for example, updating a configuration file describing the hardware to be simulated in the control unit's memory to reflect the desired selection. This would eliminate the need to save a complete audio data set every time the hardware configuration to be simulated is changed.

[0027] Advanced techniques for real-time synthesis of engine operating noise in response to a variable parameter are also known, for example, from the development of computer games.

[0028] For the relationship between the engine load parameter to which the desired combustion engine to be simulated was set when recording the operating noise, and the actual engine load parameter of the given drive, a simple 1:1 relationship can be assumed, meaning that no conversion of the load parameters would be necessary in this case. However, it is also possible that the two load parameters are not equivalent for technical reasons, e.g., due to acquisition with different transducers, and must be converted into each other, e.g., using a formula. In this case, it could be advantageous to store the converted load values ​​directly in the control unit's memory when saving the audio samples, thus sparing the control unit the need for a constant real-time conversion of the current engine load parameter.

[0029] Embodiments could provide that loudspeakers of the simulation device are installed on free manifold pipes of the exhaust manifold, so that each free manifold pipe fitted with a loudspeaker forms a sound channel into which the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine, reproduced via the loudspeaker, can propagate. Individual control of the loudspeakers could achieve a particularly authentic sound reproduction, taking into account that the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine perceptible at a free manifold pipe depends on the position of the cylinder connected to the free manifold pipe, for example, due to structure-borne sound propagating through the engine block. The loudspeakers should be designed to reproduce the operating noise in the same frequency range and at the same volume as that of the desired internal combustion engine.

[0030] Furthermore, using the individual free manifold pipes as sound channels could result in the exhaust system shaping the operating noise: The exhaust system could influence the reproduced operating noise as if the free manifold pipes were connected to the cylinders of the desired internal combustion engine. The operating noise perceptible at the vehicle could thus exhibit, firstly, that the sound source (i.e., the loudspeakers reproducing the audio samples) approximates the acoustic properties of the desired internal combustion engine at each simulated cylinder with maximum accuracy; secondly, the sound waves generated by the loudspeakers could travel the same path through the exhaust system that the engine noise of the desired internal combustion engine would take during regular operation as the vehicle's propulsion system.

[0031] As a result, the perceived operating noise of the vehicle could represent a largely faithful simulation of the operating noise that would be perceptible if the desired combustion engine were used as the vehicle's regular drive system. In particular, this would allow the operating noise of the removed original combustion engine to be authentically recreated when converting the vehicle's drive system from an original combustion engine (which in this case would be the desired combustion engine) to, for example, an electric motor (the current drive system).

[0032] The choice of the original combustion engine as the source of the simulated operating noise is entirely unrestricted. Therefore, it might also be possible to simulate the operating noise of a desired combustion engine designed to power a vehicle of a different model, brand, or type. The number of cylinders of the desired combustion engine does not necessarily have to match the number of free manifold pipes on the exhaust manifold. If a desired combustion engine with fewer cylinders than the number of free manifold pipes is chosen, it may be possible to close off excess free manifold pipes, for example, with a cover or flap, or to reproduce the operating noise for some cylinders on more than one speaker and assign the redundant speakers to the excess free manifold pipes, or even to remove the excess free manifold pipes altogether.If, however, a desired internal combustion engine with a greater number of cylinders than the number of free manifold pipes is chosen, it may be possible to forgo the reproduction of operating sounds for extra cylinders, to install more than one loudspeaker in some of the free manifold pipes, or to extend the exhaust manifold with additional free manifold pipes in order to install loudspeakers corresponding to the extra cylinders.

[0033] To maximize the authenticity of the sound reproduction, it could be advantageous to use original exhaust manifold and exhaust system models, the same ones one would use if the desired combustion engine were functionally installed in the vehicle. Any deviation of the exhaust system from the desired combustion engine could lead to a loss of sound quality or a deviation from the original sound characteristics. Currently, for example, aftermarket exhaust systems are used, which usually result in a subjective improvement in the sound characteristics or an increase in volume.

[0034] In one example, the vehicle is a Porsche 964, which can typically be modified with a suitable Scart stainless steel tuning exhaust system to achieve the sound typical of the tuner. To achieve the highest possible fidelity to the original sound reproduction, the stainless steel exhaust system could preferably be installed in the vehicle in the same way as it would be if the Porsche 964 had an original combustion engine.

[0035] In another example, the desired combustion engine is a V8, but the existing engine replaces a previously removed boxer engine. In this case, modifying or replacing the existing exhaust system, which is designed for the boxer engine, could be advantageous. This is because the existing exhaust system has curved manifolds due to space constraints, whereas a V8 manifold typically has significantly longer, straight sections. The existing exhaust system could therefore significantly distort the sound characteristics of the V8 engine, negatively impacting the desired, familiar, and expected sound.

[0036] Using a modified or atypical exhaust system could also be useful if, after installing the given drive system, there is insufficient space in the engine compartment for the desired, typical exhaust system model.

[0037] Preferably, the control unit is configured to address the loudspeakers during playback of the operating noise in the firing order of the desired internal combustion engine. Thus, the temporal sequence of the reproduced operating noises could correspond to the same temporal sequence in which they actually occur in the desired internal combustion engine. Such synchronous playback of the operating noises, achieved with the individual cylinders of the desired internal combustion engine, could enable an even more realistic simulation of the overall operating noise.

[0038] For a more realistic sound reproduction, it could also be advantageous to connect the speakers to the exhaust manifold at an angle corresponding to the angle of the respective cylinder exhaust plane of the desired combustion engine. This would prevent distortion of the reproduced operating noise by pipe elements or other components that would not be part of the configuration if the desired combustion engine were present (justified symptoms -> DTM exhaust curvature -> dBA sound measurement).

[0039] According to one embodiment, the vehicle additionally features a sensor, the sensor being designed to detect the current engine load parameter of the given drive system. Such a sensor could make it possible to detect the current engine load parameter using a physical quantity that is not already provided for another technical installation of the vehicle (e.g., engine control unit, on-board computer) or for which the vehicle does not provide a sensor.

[0040] According to one embodiment, each free manifold pipe fitted with a loudspeaker is closed off at one end by the loudspeaker. This could prevent sound waves coupled into the respective free manifold pipe from escaping the inlet opening, thus increasing the efficiency of the sound coupling. Furthermore, closing off the free manifold pipes could reproduce with high fidelity the acoustic boundary condition typical of a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine: a free manifold pipe closed at one end (due to its connection to a cylinder of the internal combustion engine). Additionally, a resonance system could be installed, similar to that used in bass resonance boxes, which could reproduce the sound emission of the massive engine block.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the vehicle additionally features a vehicle peripheral device, in particular a vehicle peripheral device necessary for operating the desired internal combustion engine, wherein the control unit is additionally configured to control the vehicle peripheral device based on the current engine load parameter. A vehicle peripheral device could, for example, but not necessarily, be an internal combustion engine peripheral device. Here, an internal combustion engine peripheral device is understood to be any device that specifically performs a technical function outside the powertrain when an internal combustion engine is used as a drive. Thus, in a theoretical scenario where the vehicle is powered by the desired internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine peripheral device would interact technically with the desired internal combustion engine. This could be a device required for the operation of the internal combustion engine, such as...This could include an engine oil pump as well as optional equipment such as an exhaust gas turbocharger. In particular, an internal combustion engine peripheral device can be, without limitation, an engine oil pump, an exhaust gas turbocharger, a fuel pump, a cooling fan, an alternator, a valve control device, or a carburetor.

[0042] Internal combustion engine peripherals may lose their technical function related to the internal combustion engine when the vehicle is converted to a non-internal combustion engine as its drive system (given drive system), but they can still contribute to the operating noise of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Controlling one or more internal combustion engine peripherals via the control unit in the vehicle with the given drive system could therefore faithfully reproduce the acoustic contribution of the internal combustion engine peripherals to the overall operating noise of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. This would allow for the superposition of the sound waves generated by the internal combustion engine peripherals during operation with the sound waves emitted into the exhaust system by the loudspeakers, resulting in an even more realistic sound image.

[0043] Alternatively or additionally, the simulation device could control another vehicle peripheral device that generates operating noise and is not necessary for the operation of the desired combustion engine. This additional noise-generating vehicle peripheral device could, in particular, be a device that is not present, or not typically present, in the vehicle when the desired combustion engine is propelled. It could therefore also be a device designed to simulate vehicle operating noises that might occur when the desired combustion engine is propelling the vehicle, but which originate spatially separate from the desired combustion engine and / or whose occurrence is not sufficiently correlated with the state or load of the desired combustion engine.

[0044] In one example, the vehicle peripheral device features a flamethrower installed at an exhaust outlet for the visual simulation of an exhaust flame. Such a flamethrower could, for example, include a fuel cartridge sealed with a controllable valve, a distributor or atomizer, and an ignition device. When the valve is actuated, a pressurized fuel contained in the fuel cartridge, such as a flammable gas (including gas compressed into the liquid state), e.g., from the alkane group (e.g., methane, ethane, propane, butane, or a mixture thereof), or a liquid fuel such as ethanol, could be directed into the distributor or atomizer, ignited by the ignition device, and fed into the exhaust outlet, for example, through a channel opening at an acute angle near the outlet, to generate an exhaust flame.Depending on the geometry of the atomizer or gas distributor and / or the channel, the exhaust flame thus generated could, for example, emit a perceptible noise due to turbulence occurring in the exhaust pipe, which could make a simultaneous simulation of exhaust flame noises using an additional loudspeaker described herein unnecessary.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the internal combustion engine peripheral device includes a pump with an inlet and an outlet, designed to pump a fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The vehicle also includes a bypass line installed on the pump, directly hydraulically connecting the outlet and inlet sides. Both the pump and the bypass line are filled with the fluid. This could enable reliable pump operation, generating the characteristic operating noise, even when the pump's intended purpose (e.g., cooling or lubricating the internal combustion engine) is no longer being fulfilled. The bypass line could, for example, include one or more hoses and other components necessary for the safe pumping of the fluid, such as...It includes a reservoir, a pressure equalization tank, a vent valve, a filler neck, etc. It provides a direct hydraulic coupling between the inlet and outlet sides; that is, no additional device is coupled to the bypass line, allowing the fluid to flow through the internal combustion engine's peripheral components in the uninterrupted sequence of outlet side - bypass line - inlet side.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises an additional loudspeaker, wherein the control unit is additionally configured to reproduce an operating noise at the additional loudspeaker based on the current engine load parameter, which corresponds to the actual operating noise, which: - is perceptible on the vehicle peripheral device when operating it, and / or - is perceptible at a transmission downstream of the desired combustion engine when operating with the current engine load parameter, and / or - is perceptible on the engine block of the desired combustion engine when the desired combustion engine is operating with the current engine load parameter.

[0047] Analogous to the reproduction of the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine at the loudspeakers of the simulation device, the operating noise of a vehicle peripheral device and / or the downstream transmission could thus be reproduced with high fidelity, without the need for the internal combustion engine peripheral device or the transmission to be installed in the vehicle to generate the operating noise. By superimposing the sound waves generated by the additional loudspeaker with the sound waves emitted by the loudspeakers into the exhaust system, an even more realistic sound image could be created. Using an additional loudspeaker, the simulation device could, for example, simulate the operating noise of an oil pump, a fan, and / or other internal combustion engine peripheral device, including, but not limited to, the examples listed herein.

[0048] Simulating the operating noise of a transmission, such as a gear change with a manual gearbox, could thus account for the fact that the vehicle might not require a dedicated transmission for its specific drive system, or that a transmission required for the given drive system might be designed differently than one specifically tailored to the desired combustion engine. By reproducing operating noises perceptible at the engine block, the acoustic properties of the engine block could be additionally or alternatively considered, and the structure-borne sound propagating through the engine block could be realistically simulated. The vehicle can be equipped with multiple auxiliary speakers controlled by the control unit to simulate several operating noise sources outside the open exhaust manifolds.

[0049] Alternatively or additionally, the existing drive could be directly flanged to and operated via an adapter, for example, a transmission already present in the vehicle and matched to the desired combustion engine. Such a transmission could, for instance, be engaged in neutral to continue generating the characteristic operating noise of a transmission. In one example, a Porsche 964 RS or 964 tuning mode might feature a lightened flywheel, which produces a different operating noise than a typical dual-mass flywheel for the Porsche 964 model.

[0050] The provision of a transmission specifically tailored to the desired combustion engine could even extend to allowing the existing transmission to be used in the drivetrain during operation with the given powertrain, including idling, clutch engagement, gear changes, etc. While this might be atypical for vehicle operation with the given powertrain—for example, if the powertrain is an electric motor, since electric drives typically bypass the combustion engine's transmission to achieve higher efficiency and it is unnecessary due to the electric motor's performance characteristics—a combination of a combustion engine transmission with, for example, an electric motor could precisely enhance the desired realism in the simulation. In this case, the powertrain's performance characteristics could be adapted to this specific operating scenario.

[0051] However, it would also be possible to simulate operating noises from one or more vehicle peripherals not required for the operation of the desired combustion engine, such as the flamethrower described earlier. An application example of this could be the simulation of operating noises that might occur when a rev limiter is engaged for the desired combustion engine. For instance, the operating noise of such a rev limiter could be simulated using an additional loudspeaker installed close to the engine. However, with certain hardware configurations, it could happen that when the vehicle is powered by the desired combustion engine with its rev limiter engaged, flame propagation occurs into the exhaust system, potentially producing a visible and audible exhaust flame.Alternatively or in addition to a flamethrower as described above, the sound of an exhaust flame could therefore be simulated, for example, as an enhancement or replacement for the sound of a visible exhaust flame, using an additional loudspeaker installed at an outlet opening of the exhaust system.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the device additionally features a resonance element acoustically coupled to one or more of the loudspeakers. This could enable a true-to-life simulation of load-dependent acoustic resonance effects occurring in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The selection of the resonance element depends on the perceptible sound of the specific resonance effect to be simulated.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the number of free manifold pipes in the exhaust manifold corresponds to the number of cylinders in the desired internal combustion engine. Compared to a desired internal combustion engine with fewer cylinders than the number of free manifold pipes in the vehicle's exhaust system, a number of free manifold pipes corresponding to the number of cylinders could have the advantage that the available free manifold pipes can contribute optimally to shaping the final operating sound, i.e., that no free manifold pipes remain unused, and thus no sound artifacts arise from the propagation of sound waves generated by the loudspeakers into free manifold pipes not used for sound shaping.Conversely, by matching the number of free manifold pipes to the number of cylinders, distortions of the overall operating noise could be avoided in a desired combustion engine with a higher number of cylinders than the number of available free manifold pipes, due to the omission of the operating noise of individual cylinders or the use of multiple loudspeakers in individual free manifold pipes.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the given drive system features an electric motor. In this case, many vehicle components originally designed for a conventional combustion engine, such as the exhaust system, combustion engine peripherals like a fuel pump, and / or a transmission installed in the original drivetrain between the original combustion engine and the wheels, could become obsolete for the vehicle's operation. The simulation device installed in the vehicle could thus utilize the exhaust system and potentially other obsolete components to simulate the operating noise of the vehicle equipped with the original components as faithfully as possible. Such original components could include, in particular, a transmission designed for the desired combustion engine, which, in addition to achieving the closest possible approximation to the original sound, would also be beneficial from the perspective of the original driving feel, e.g.,through coupling and shifting, could be advantageous.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the given drive has a given internal combustion engine, wherein: the exhaust system has additional connected manifold pipes, each of the connected manifold pipes being hydraulically connected to a cylinder of the given internal combustion engine, the free manifold pipes and the connected manifold pipes being hydraulically connected to a common exhaust outlet, optionally the loudspeakers being separated from the hydraulic connection between the cylinders of the given internal combustion engine and the common exhaust outlet by a diaphragm; and / or the vehicle additionally has a parallel exhaust system, wherein a manifold pipe of the parallel exhaust system is hydraulically connected to a cylinder of the given internal combustion engine and / or wherein one of the loudspeakers is installed on a manifold pipe of the parallel exhaust system in such a way that the manifold pipe of the parallel exhaust system forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker.

[0056] In this way, the operating noise of the existing combustion engine could be approximated to the characteristic soundscape of the desired combustion engine. In particular, but not necessarily, the existing combustion engine could be an alternative design of the desired combustion engine and / or have a different number of cylinders. Depending on the structural compatibility of the components to be connected, the desired fidelity of the sound reproduction, the available space, etc., various options are conceivable for implementing the exhaust system.

[0057] In one example, the existing combustion engine might have fewer cylinders than the desired engine. In this case, some of the exhaust manifold's exhaust pipes could be connected to the existing engine, and one or more of the remaining free exhaust manifold pipes could each be fitted with a loudspeaker. This would allow the exhaust system noises represented by the loudspeakers to be superimposed on the operating noises of the existing engine. If the existing and desired engines have the same design except for the number of cylinders, this method could simulate the overall sound of the larger engine, even though the vehicle only has the smaller version. This could be advantageous, for example, if there is insufficient space in the engine compartment to install the larger engine.

[0058] In one application example, a Jaguar F-Type with a 4-cylinder engine could be used, but the 8-cylinder engine of the Jaguar F-Type could be simulated by means of loudspeakers on four additional exhaust manifolds, or by using a parallel exhaust system with four manifolds on the 4-cylinder engine and four loudspeakers on the four exhaust manifolds of the exhaust system. When using the parallel exhaust system, the Jaguar F-Type could thus have four exhaust tailpipes instead of the regular two.

[0059] In another example, the existing combustion engine might produce a noticeably quieter operating noise than the desired combustion engine. In this case, superimposing the operating noise of the existing combustion engine with the simulated operating noise of the desired combustion engine could cause the operating noise of the existing engine to be drowned out by the operating noise of the desired engine, falling below a certain perception threshold. This could create the impression that the vehicle is being powered not by the existing engine, but by the desired engine.

[0060] In another example, the number of manifold pipes provided by the exhaust manifold might be less than or equal to the number of cylinders in the given internal combustion engine. In this case, it could be advantageous to extend the exhaust system by installing additional unused manifold pipes so that these could be fitted with speakers to, for example, acoustically simulate the presence of a larger number of cylinders.

[0061] In another example, a parallel exhaust system could be installed in addition to the existing exhaust system to discharge the exhaust gases emitted from one or more of the cylinders of the given internal combustion engine and / or to house one or more loudspeakers. The distribution of the loudspeakers and cylinder outlets between the exhaust system and the parallel exhaust system could be determined, for example, by the available space in the engine compartment and / or the acoustic characteristics of the different exhaust systems. For instance, the parallel exhaust system could have a smaller cross-section than the exhaust system, so that, for example,The space in the engine compartment in the immediate vicinity of the given combustion engine could be used more efficiently by exclusively connecting the parallel exhaust system to the given combustion engine, while the exhaust system, thanks to its larger cross-section, could enable a sonic enhancement of the simulated operating noise.

[0062] To acoustically match the parallel exhaust system to the main exhaust system, and / or in cases of particularly limited space, it might be advantageous to equip one group of loudspeakers with the exhaust manifold pipes of the main exhaust system and a second group of loudspeakers with the exhaust manifold pipes of the parallel exhaust system. Similarly, in specific structural situations or to achieve desired acoustic effects, it might be advantageous to route the exhaust gases from the first group of cylinders of the given internal combustion engine through the main exhaust system and the exhaust gases from the second group of cylinders of the same engine through the parallel exhaust system.

[0063] If the same exhaust system (i.e., either the exhaust system or the parallel exhaust system) is used to discharge exhaust gases from the given internal combustion engine and simultaneously to convey sound waves generated by the loudspeakers, i.e., both the loudspeakers of the simulation device and the cylinders of the given internal combustion engine are connected to the same outlet ("exhaust pipe") of the respective exhaust system, it could be advantageous to protect the loudspeakers by means of a diaphragm from vapors, condensates and / or particles contained in the exhaust stream of the given internal combustion engine and / or a high temperature of the exhaust stream, which, on their own (e.g., thermal wear, dust deposits) or in combination with each other (e.g., through chemical reaction after condensation on the loudspeakers), could functionally impair or damage the loudspeakers.In this case, a membrane made of a gas-permeable material could prevent the potentially harmful substances in the exhaust stream from coming into contact with the loudspeakers, while the sound waves emitted by the loudspeakers could pass through the membrane virtually undamped.

[0064] A gas-impermeable membrane, on the other hand, could have the advantage of better protecting the loudspeakers from gases and vapors. In this case, the membrane could be made of an elastic material that allows the transmission of sound waves from the loudspeaker side to the exhaust side with minimal attenuation. A gas-impermeable membrane could also seal off the air column between the loudspeakers and the membrane, so that some of the sound waves emitted by the loudspeakers into the exhaust manifold would be reflected by the membrane, thus creating a standing wave.In this way, the volume of the reproduced operating noise could be increased, or, if such an increase is undesirable, the loudspeaker could be driven with a lower power in order to reproduce the operating noise at the desired volume, taking into account the amplification caused by the diaphragm, and thus to operate the simulation device more energy-efficiently.

[0065] Several installation locations for the diaphragm are conceivable, e.g., for several loudspeakers in a section of the exhaust manifold that branches from the diaphragm upwards of the sound channel to the individual loudspeakers, and / or directly in front of a single loudspeaker, so that the exhaust manifold no longer branches between the diaphragm and the loudspeaker. Suitable materials for the diaphragm(s) may be sufficiently known from the prior art, whereby materials that do not produce any perceptible inherent noise, such as crackling or rattling, when the diaphragm moves due to the sound pressure generated by the loudspeakers and / or due to pressure fluctuations in the exhaust flow, could be advantageous. Furthermore, the diaphragm should have the lowest possible acoustic impedance to minimize the risk of distorting the simulated operating noise and, if applicable, the potential for other noises.to minimize the operating noise of the given combustion engine by generating standing sound waves. Furthermore, it could be advantageous to make the diaphragm(s) replaceable or to design them in a mounting device that facilitates diaphragm replacement, in order to counteract an increase in acoustic impedance due to deposits of particles from the exhaust stream, e.g., during maintenance.

[0066] The given combustion engine could, for example, function as the sole drive of the vehicle or alternatively be part of a given drive with several engines, i.e. a hybrid drive.

[0067] In a further aspect, the invention provides a device for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine (hereinafter also referred to as the simulation device), wherein the device comprises a control unit and loudspeakers communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each loudspeaker based on a current engine load parameter, which corresponds to the real operating noise that is perceptible at a free manifold pipe associated with the loudspeaker and connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine when the desired internal combustion engine is operated with the current engine load parameter.

[0068] Possible embodiments of the simulation device may correspond to the embodiments of the simulation device installed in the vehicle described above, including, but not limited to, a configuration of the control unit for controlling an internal combustion engine peripheral device; a configuration of the control unit for reproducing an operating noise corresponding to the real operating noise perceptible at the internal combustion engine peripheral device during operation and / or perceptible at a transmission downstream of the desired internal combustion engine during operation of the desired internal combustion engine with the current engine load parameter and / or perceptible at the engine block of the desired internal combustion engine during operation of the desired internal combustion engine with the current engine load parameter, on an additional loudspeaker of the simulation device based on the current engine load parameter;an additional equipment of the simulation device with one or more of the loudspeakers acoustically coupled resonance part; and / or a configuration of the control unit to address the loudspeakers when reproducing the operating noise at the loudspeakers in the firing sequence of the desired internal combustion engine.

[0069] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for converting a vehicle's drive system from an original internal combustion engine to a replacement drive system, wherein the vehicle has an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold, wherein, prior to the conversion, each cylinder of the original internal combustion engine is connected to a manifold pipe of the exhaust manifold, wherein the method comprises: - Removing the original combustion engine from the vehicle, while leaving the exhaust system in the vehicle; - Installing the replacement drive in the vehicle; and - Installing the device according to an embodiment into the vehicle, wherein the installation includes coupling the control unit of the device to the substitute drive so that the control unit can receive the engine load parameter, wherein the installation additionally includes installing one of the loudspeakers on each of one or more free manifold pipes of the exhaust manifold, so that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker.

[0070] In this way, the operating noise of the original combustion engine could be faithfully simulated as described herein, even though the original combustion engine is no longer present in the converted vehicle. Removing the original combustion engine renders the exhaust manifolds previously connected to it as free manifolds. Installing the simulation device means that at least one of these free manifolds is fitted with a loudspeaker for the simulation. Optionally, one or more of the free manifolds could be reused to discharge exhaust gases from the replacement exhaust system, so that, unlike the free manifolds, they would again be counted as connected manifolds. Alternatively, the converted vehicle could have an additional exhaust system for the replacement exhaust system, alongside the exhaust system with the free manifolds.It is not necessary for all free manifold pipes to be fitted with a loudspeaker after the conversion.

[0071] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for detecting operating noises of a desired internal combustion engine, wherein a manifold pipe is connected to each cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine, the method comprising: - Operating the desired internal combustion engine by varying an engine load parameter of the desired internal combustion engine; - During operation, recording an audio sample of the operating noise perceptible at the respective connected manifold pipe; - Storing the audio samples in the control unit of the device according to one embodiment.

[0072] This could enable the recording of the cylinder-specific operating noise of the desired combustion engine, so that, for example, the corresponding operating noise for each cylinder could be emitted by the respective loudspeaker of the simulation device into the sound channel formed by the free manifold pipe on which the loudspeaker is installed. In this way, particularly through the source-specific and cylinder-specific recording of the operating noise, a faithful reproduction of the real operating noise could be achieved. For example, the operating noise could be recorded directly at the engine exhaust or at the point where the sound from the combustion engine housing is emitted directly into the respective installed manifold pipe.

[0073] To carry out the method for recording the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, it could be advantageous to generate the operating noise to be recorded using a device that is acoustically modified compared to a vehicle in which the desired internal combustion engine is properly installed as a functional component of the powertrain, in order to optimize acoustic conditions during the recording of the operating noise. For example, it could be advantageous to use highly sound-insulated manifold pipes instead of original manifold pipes to reduce both acoustic losses and intrusive extraneous noise during the recording process.In another example, the original or highly sound-insulated manifold pipes and the desired combustion engine hydraulically connected to them could be additionally acoustically encapsulated so that, when recording the audio samples, as few extraneous noises as possible are recorded, except for example those of the respective cylinder to be sampled of the desired combustion engine.

[0074] Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the audio samples played into the control unit can be generated electronically. This could be advantageous, for example, if capturing the operating noise is difficult at certain recording positions due to space constraints or challenging acoustic conditions (e.g., microphone or audio signal saturation).

[0075] Electronically generated audio samples could, for example, be used in their original, unaltered form for playback within the process of simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine in a vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, however, it could be advantageous to overlay, filter, adjust, augment, and / or enhance an acoustically captured original sample with a corresponding electronically generated audio sample to approximate the desired sound ideal as closely as possible. For example, supplementing an acoustically captured audio sample with an electronically generated audio sample could be advantageous to simulate the original sound of the desired internal combustion engine, e.g., after the subsequent implementation of additional tuning elements. Similarly, an acoustically captured audio sample could be overlaid with an electronically generated modification sample to simulate the altered sound resulting from, for example, the modification of the original sample.This occurs when installing a high-performance camshaft, changing the ignition timing, altering the air-fuel mixture, modifying the intake tract (e.g., by installing a sports filter), installing a supercharger or turbocharger, changing the engine displacement, etc.

[0076] In a further aspect, the invention provides a method for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a device for simulating the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine, a given drive system, and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold, wherein the exhaust manifold has free manifold pipes, wherein the device comprises a control unit and loudspeakers communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein one of the loudspeakers is installed on each of the free manifold pipes such that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker, and wherein the control unit is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each installed loudspeaker based on a current engine load parameter of the given drive system, which corresponds to the actual operating noise.which is perceptible at the manifold pipe when the desired combustion engine is operated with the current engine load parameter, wherein the method has: - Operating the given drive; - During operation of the given drive, the control unit detects the current engine load parameter of the given drive and, for each of the installed loudspeakers, plays back the audio sample detected for the current engine load parameter at the manifold pipe assigned to the installed loudspeaker.

[0077] In this way, the operating noise of the original combustion engine could be simulated faithfully as described herein, even if the given drive has an operating noise that differs significantly from that of the desired combustion engine.

[0078] It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention described above can be combined with each other in any way, as long as the combined embodiments do not exclude each other.

[0079] Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the attached drawing. This shows: Fig. 1 a diagram showing a device installed on the exhaust manifold of a vehicle for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine.

[0080] The selection and compilation of the in Fig. The features shown in section 1 are merely an example intended to illustrate a specific implementation. In addition to the features shown in section 1, the following features are also shown: Fig. In addition to the example shown, numerous other implementations are possible that do not exceed the content and scope of this disclosure.

[0081] The diagram in Fig. Figure 1 illustrates the installation of a device for simulating the operating noise of a desired six-cylinder internal combustion engine in a vehicle with a given drive 100, an engine control unit 102, and two exhaust manifolds 104, each having three free manifold pipes designed for connection to the cylinders of a six-cylinder internal combustion engine. The device includes a control unit 110 and, for example, six loudspeakers 112. Each loudspeaker 112 is mounted on the open end of one of the free manifold pipes, so that the free manifold pipe is closed off at one end by the mounted loudspeaker 112, forming a sound channel for sound waves generated by the loudspeaker 112.

[0082] Regarding the exemplary nature of the presentation of the Fig. Point 1 also includes the requirement that all unused manifold pipes are fitted with loudspeakers. This is not always the case; for example, the exhaust manifold might have eight unused manifold pipes, but only six of them might have loudspeakers installed, perhaps to simulate the operating noise of a desired six-cylinder combustion engine. In such a case of under-fitting, it can be useful to seal the unused manifold pipes, for example with a cover, to prevent or dampen the free escape of sound waves generated by the loudspeakers in the area of ​​the exhaust manifold.

[0083] The control unit 110 is communicatively connected to the loudspeakers 112, so that audio signals output by the control unit 110 via an interface can be reproduced by the loudspeakers 112. Preferably, the control unit 110 is designed for simultaneous, individual control of the loudspeakers 112. The control unit also has an input for receiving a current motor load parameter, e.g., from the motor controller 102, and can also be communicatively connected to it for this purpose. The motor controller 102 can, for example, be communicatively connected to a sensor system coupled to the given drive 100, so that it can receive signals from the sensor system characterizing the current state of the given drive 100 and, based on the received signals, control the operation, in particular the power, of the drive 100.Without restriction, the sensor elements could include a tachometer 208, an acceleration sensor 210, and / or other sensors that detect the current position of, for example, an accelerator pedal 206, a brake pedal 204, and / or a clutch pedal 202. The correspondingly detected acceleration, speed, and / or position of the accelerator pedal 206, brake pedal 204, and / or clutch pedal 202 could then be identified with the engine load parameter or, for example, used in a calculation of the engine load parameter.

[0084] The control unit 110 can implement general computer functions and therefore has a processor 111 and a memory 109. To improve the parallel real-time playback of audio signals to the six loudspeakers 112, the control unit can have additional units such as one or more sound cards (not shown). The memory 109 stores one or more audio samples for each loudspeaker 112, each containing a recording of an operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine, perceptible at a free manifold pipe connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine when the engine is running.

[0085] The audio samples allow for the individual assignment of cylinders of the desired combustion engine to the individual loudspeakers 112 and, for each loudspeaker 112, allow, for example, the synthesis of an operating noise of the desired combustion engine by the processor 111 when an engine load corresponding to the current engine load parameter received by the control unit 110 is applied. The assignment of the audio samples to the loudspeakers 112 and the value range of the current engine load parameter is controlled, for example, by means of a database, table, index, or the like, also stored in the memory 109.

[0086] Memory 109 is preferably designed for the permanent storage of the data it contains (audio samples, mapping database, operating system if applicable, etc.), but can be reprogrammed via a dedicated communication interface of the control unit 110 (not shown) to receive and store, for example, audio samples of a different desired combustion engine, an operating system update, or similar information. Alternatively or additionally, memory 109 can include a removable storage medium that allows for the individual selection of the desired combustion engine by inserting a removable storage medium containing the corresponding audio samples.

[0087] When the vehicle is in operation, the motor control unit 102 and the control unit 110 are supplied with electrical energy, and the control unit 110 receives the current motor load parameter from the motor control unit 102, for example, with a constant cycle time in the range between 100 µs and 100 ms. For each received value of the current motor load parameter, the processor 111 determines, for example, using the database, a group of suitable audio samples stored in memory 109, queues these samples, for example, for each loudspeaker 112, and plays them back via the assigned loudspeakers 112, or initiates playback, for example, by means of a dedicated sound card.The operating noises reproduced by the loudspeakers 112 propagate through the exhaust manifolds 104 into the downstream exhaust system of the vehicle and could thus assume a timbre and volume that closely approximates the overall operating noise of a vehicle powered by the desired internal combustion engine. In the illustration of the . Fig. 1 An exemplary exhaust system could have in succession a set of first exhaust pipes 120, a catalytic converter 122, a second exhaust pipe 124, in version a) a silencer 126 or alternatively in version b) a cup pipe 140 (typical sound-relevant tuning component for example on a Porsche 964) and a tailpipe 128. Reference symbol list 100 Given drive 102 Engine control 104 Exhaust manifold 109 storage 110 Control unit 111 processor 112 speakers 120 exhaust pipe 122 Catalyst 124 Exhaust pipe 126 dampers 128 Tailpipe 140 copper pipe 202 Sensor for clutch pedal position 204 Sensor for brake pedal position 206 Sensor for accelerator pedal position 208 Sensor connection tachometer 210 Sensor connection Accelerometers

Claims

[1] Vehicle comprising a device for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, a given drive (100) and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold (104), wherein the exhaust manifold (104) has free manifold pipes, wherein the device comprises a control unit (110) and loudspeakers (112) communicatively coupled to the control unit (110), wherein one of the loudspeakers (112) is installed on each of the free manifold pipes such that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker (112), wherein the control unit (110) is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each installed loudspeaker (112) based on a current engine load parameter of the given drive (100), which corresponds to the real operating noise that is perceptible at a manifold pipe associated with the loudspeaker (112) when the desired internal combustion engine is operating with the current engine load parameter.which is connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine. [2] Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the vehicle additionally has a sensor, wherein the sensor is designed to detect the current engine load parameter of the given drive (100); and / or Each free manifold pipe fitted with a loudspeaker (112) is closed on one side by the loudspeaker (112) installed thereon; and / or the device additionally comprises a resonance element acoustically coupled to one or more of the loudspeakers (112); and / or the number of free manifold pipes of the exhaust manifold (104) corresponds to the number of cylinders of the desired internal combustion engine; and / or The given drive (100) has an electric motor. [3] Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, additionally comprising a vehicle peripheral device generating operating noise, in particular an internal combustion engine peripheral device necessary for the operation of the desired internal combustion engine, wherein the control unit (110) is additionally configured to control the vehicle peripheral device based on the current engine load parameter, wherein optionally the combustion engine peripheral device includes a pump which has an inlet side and an outlet side and is designed to pump a fluid from the inlet side to the outlet side, wherein the vehicle additionally includes a bypass line which is installed on the pump in such a way that the bypass line directly hydraulically couples the outlet side to the inlet side, wherein the pump and the bypass line are filled with the fluid, where optionally the combustion engine peripheral device has a transmission operating in the drive train of the given drive (100), The vehicle peripheral device optionally includes a flamethrower designed to produce an exhaust flame. [4] Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device further comprises an additional loudspeaker, wherein the control unit (110) is additionally configured to reproduce an operating noise at the additional loudspeaker based on the current engine load parameter, which corresponds to the real operating noise, which: - is perceptible on the vehicle peripheral device when operating it, and / or - is perceptible at a transmission downstream of the desired combustion engine when operating with the current engine load parameter, and / or - is perceptible on the engine block of the desired combustion engine when the desired combustion engine is operating with the current engine load parameter. [5] Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (110) is additionally configured to superimpose the operating noises of the desired internal combustion engine with additional noises, wherein the additional noises include a misfire sound of the desired internal combustion engine and / or an operating noise of an alternative component. [6] Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the given drive (100) comprises a given internal combustion engine, wherein: the exhaust system has additionally connected manifold pipes, each of the connected manifold pipes being hydraulically connected to a cylinder of the given internal combustion engine, the free manifold pipes and the connected manifold pipes being hydraulically connected to a common exhaust outlet, optionally the loudspeakers (112) being separated from the hydraulic connection between the cylinders of the given internal combustion engine and the common exhaust outlet by a diaphragm; and / or The vehicle also has a parallel exhaust system which is hydraulically connected to a cylinder of the given internal combustion engine. [7] Device for simulating operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, wherein the device comprises a control unit (110) and loudspeakers (112) communicatively coupled to the control unit (110), wherein the control unit (110) is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each loudspeaker (112) based on a current engine load parameter, which corresponds to the real operating noise that can be perceived at a manifold pipe associated with the loudspeaker (112) and connected to a cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine when the desired internal combustion engine is operated with the current engine load parameter. [8] Method for converting the drive of a vehicle from an original internal combustion engine to a replacement drive, wherein the vehicle has an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold (104), wherein prior to the conversion each cylinder of the original internal combustion engine is connected to a manifold pipe of the exhaust manifold (104), wherein the method comprises: - Removing the original combustion engine from the vehicle, while leaving the exhaust system in the vehicle; - Installing the replacement drive in the vehicle; and - Installing the device according to claim 7 into the vehicle, wherein the installation comprises coupling the control unit (110) of the device to the replacement drive so that the control unit (110) can receive the engine load parameter, wherein the installation additionally comprises installing one of the loudspeakers (112) on each of one or more free manifold pipes of the exhaust manifold (104), so that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker (112). [9] Method for detecting operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine, wherein a manifold pipe is connected to each cylinder of the desired internal combustion engine, the method comprising: - Operating the desired internal combustion engine by varying an engine load parameter of the desired internal combustion engine; - During operation, recording an audio sample of the operating noise perceptible at the respective connected manifold pipe; - Storing the audio samples in the control unit (110) of the device according to claim 7. [10] Method for simulating the operating noise of a desired internal combustion engine in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a device for simulating the operating noise of the desired internal combustion engine, a given drive (100) and an exhaust system with an exhaust manifold (104), wherein the exhaust manifold (104) has free manifold pipes, wherein the device comprises a control unit (110) and loudspeakers (112) communicatively coupled to the control unit (110), wherein one of the loudspeakers (112) is installed on each of the free manifold pipes such that the free manifold pipe forms a sound channel for the loudspeaker (112), wherein the control unit (110) is configured to reproduce an operating noise at each installed loudspeaker (112) based on a current engine load parameter of the given drive (100), which corresponds to the real operating noise.which is perceptible at the manifold pipe when the desired combustion engine is operated with the current engine load parameter, wherein the method has: - Operating the given drive (100); - During operation of the given drive (100), the control unit (110) detects the current engine load parameter of the given drive (100) and, for each of the installed loudspeakers (112), plays back the audio sample detected for the current engine load parameter at the manifold pipe associated with the installed loudspeaker (112).

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