External microphone setup for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an external microphone arrangement (A) for a vehicle with a microphone (1) arranged in a housing (3), wherein the housing (3) has at least one opening (O) for sound inlet. According to the invention, the housing (3) is coupled to a compressed air device (2).

Description

The invention relates to an external microphone arrangement for a vehicle having a microphone arranged in a housing, wherein the housing has at least one introduced opening for sound entry.DE 10 2015 013 203 A1 discloses a cleaning unit for an image acquisition unit of a vehicle provided for detecting the environment, a vehicle having such a cleaning unit and a method for operating such a cleaning unit. The cleaning unit has a fountain solution nozzle which is provided for spraying fountain solution onto a transparent covering surface of the image capturing unit. In addition, a wiper is provided for mechanically drying the covering surface of the image capturing unit. In addition, the cleaning unit has a compressed air nozzle which is provided to apply compressed air to the covering surface of the image capturing unit.DE 10 2017 200 361 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a device for airborne sound-acoustic sensing of the environment of the motor vehicle, wherein the device comprises at least one microphone which is integrated into a body component or into an attachment part of the motor vehicle. At least one opening for the entry of sound waves is formed in the body component or in the attachment part, and at least one film or membrane is arranged in the region of the opening. By integrating the microphone into a body component or add-on part of the motor vehicle, a certain mechanical protection of the microphone by the body component or the add-on part is also already achieved.EP 2 078 656 A1 discloses a sensing device for vehicle door systems having at least one proximity sensor, wherein a device is provided via which a fluid stream is conducted through the range of view of the proximity sensor.DE 10 2018 202 098 B3 discloses a vehicle roof antenna having at least one microphone and a carrier device for carrying the at least one microphone. The vehicle roof antenna furthermore has a cover cap which is arranged so as to completely cover the at least one microphone.From DE 10 2021 111 199 A1 a cleaning device for an optical element on an outer side of a vehicle is known, wherein the cleaning device comprises a controllable air guiding element which can be moved between a first and a second position; wherein in the first position travel wind is conducted to the optical element and in the second position travel wind is derived from the optical element.DE 29 514 364 U1 discloses an image recording module having a housing comprising a clear lens, wherein a cleaning device is provided on the clear lens and wherein the housing has an opening for receiving a microphone.The invention is based on the object of specifying an alternative external microphone arrangement for a vehicle.The object is achieved according to the invention by an external microphone arrangement which has the features specified in claim 1.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.An external microphone arrangement for a vehicle comprises a microphone arranged in a housing, wherein the housing has at least one introduced opening for sound entry. According to the invention, the housing is coupled to a compressed air device.The compressed air device forms a cleaning unit for the microphone, wherein the latter can be freed from dirt, snow and / or ice by means of the compressed air device, in particular the compressed air thereof. By cleaning the microphone by means of compressed air, the risk of degradation of the microphone, its availability and function, which are absolutely necessary in particular for carrying out an automated driving operation of the vehicle, can be substantially reduced. An availability of the autonomous driving mode can also be increased by means of the compressed air device.Such a compressed air device as a cleaning unit can be implemented better compared to a water-based cleaning unit, in particular with respect to a requirement for installation space.In one embodiment, the compressed air device has a compressed air hose which is fluidically coupled to an interior space of the housing. The compressed air hose is in particular flexible, so that it is possible to lay the compressed air hose in an available installation space of the vehicle essentially without great effort.In a further embodiment of the external microphone arrangement, the interior of the housing is designed and coupled to the compressed air hose such that a compressed air introduced into the interior of the housing by means of the compressed air hose flows out of the housing via the at least one opening. This means that in the case that the at least one opening is covered and closed by snow, for example, the snow is removed from the at least one opening by blowing away by means of the outflowing compressed air.In one embodiment, the compressed air hose is coupled to a compressed air accumulator at an end opposite an end coupled to the interior of the housing. If needed or prophylactically, the air accumulator releases pressurized air that is supplied to the interior of the housing to clear the opening of dirt, snow, and / or ice. Since the fluidic coupling of the interior of the housing to the compressed air accumulator takes place via the compressed air hose, it is not necessary for the compressed air accumulator to be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the microphone. The compressed air accumulator can be arranged in an available installation space which can thus be used in an optimized manner. Alternatively or additionally, the opposite end can also be coupled to a fan.In one embodiment, a region of the housing in which the at least one opening is arranged is arranged on the outside of the vehicle, in particular on a bumper unit, such that the at least one opening is exposed to weather conditions and to dirt in a substantially unprotected manner.In one embodiment, the region of the housing has four openings for sound entry, wherein these four openings can be used for the outflow of the air of the compressed air device introduced into the interior of the housing.In a further embodiment of the external microphone arrangement, the compressed air device is designed to feed compressed air into the interior of the housing of the microphone at least when the vehicle is put into operation. If snow and / or ice has deposited on the at least one opening, this can be removed from the at least one opening by means of the compressed air device before a driving operation is started.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.The following shows: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an external microphone arrangement for a vehicle.The single FIGURE shows a perspective view of an external microphone arrangement A for a vehicle, which is not shown in detail.The external microphone arrangement A has a microphone 1 and a compressed air device 2.A plurality of external microphones are installed on a vehicle designed for automated driving operation, in particular for autonomous driving operation, said microphones detecting acoustic special signals emitted, for example, by an emergency vehicle in use, for example the fire weir, the police or a rescue service.In order to be able to carry out a distance and direction detection of the special signal relative to the vehicle, a plurality of such external microphones are required on the vehicle. In particular, with respect to the vehicle, an external microphone is arranged in each case at the front, rear left and right. In this case, an installation position of the external microphones is located on the front-side and rear-side bumper units of the vehicle. The bumper units are continuously exposed to comparatively severe contamination and prevailing weather conditions, in particular during the driving operation of the vehicle.The external microphone assembly A including the compressed air device 2 constituting a cleaning unit for the microphone 1 will be described below.The microphone 1 has a housing 3 which, according to the present exemplary embodiment, comprises a circular cylindrical region B which projects from a surface side and is arranged on the outside of the respective bumper unit with respect to the vehicle.This region B has four openings O through which sound enters the housing 3 and thus the microphone 1. Because these openings O are arranged on the outside with respect to the vehicle, there is the risk that the openings O become clogged by dirt, snow and / or ice. As a result, it is not possible to ensure an availability and function of the microphone 1, with the result that the microphone 1 is degraded and the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle may have to be aborted or possibly cannot be recorded.In order to free the openings O of the microphone 1 from the dirt, the snow and / or the ice, the compressed air device 2 is provided.The compressed air device 2 has a compressed air hose 4 and a compressed air reservoir 5, wherein a compressed air can alternatively or additionally also be provided by means of a fan and / or another suitable device.The compressed air hose 4 is comparatively flexible, so that the compressed air hose 4 can be laid between the microphone 1 and the compressed air reservoir 5 in a comparatively simple manner and without great effort.An end, not shown, of the compressed air hose 4 is coupled to an interior space of the housing 3, wherein the compressed air accumulator 5 is arranged at the opposite end according to the present exemplary embodiment. The compressed air accumulator 5 is thus fluidically coupled to the interior of the housing 3 of the microphone 1.A compressed air released by means of the compressed air accumulator 5 and supplied to the interior of the housing 3 at a predetermined pressure via the compressed air hose 4 flows through the interior and outwards via the openings O, whereby the openings O are freed of dirt, snow and / or ice. In other words, dirt, the snow, and / or the ice are blown out from the openings O to the outside.For example, the compressed air device 2 is activated when the vehicle is put into operation, i.e. an ignition is switched on. Alternatively or additionally, the compressed air device 2 is activated if it is intended to set the autonomous driving mode and / or if it is detected on the basis of a test run of the microphone 1 that one opening O or a plurality of openings O of the microphone 1 are concealed.Alternatively or additionally, the compressed air device 2 can also be activated when at least one further condition is fulfilled, wherein it can also be possible, provided that a driver is located in the vehicle, for said driver to activate the compressed air device 2 by actuating an actuating element in the vehicle.In an alternative embodiment of the compressed air device 2, at least one air nozzle is arranged on the outside at the region B or in its immediate vicinity, by means of which the openings O are blown on and thus freed of dirt, snow and / or ice.

Claims

External microphone arrangement (A) for a vehicle having a microphone (1) arranged in a housing (3), wherein the housing (3) has at least one introduced opening (O) for sound entry, characterized in that the housing (3) is coupled to a compressed air device (2), wherein the compressed air device (2) has a compressed air hose (4) which is fluidically coupled to an interior space of the housing (3), and wherein the interior space of the housing (3) is designed and coupled to the compressed air hose (4) in such a way that a compressed air introduced into the interior space of the housing (3) by means of the compressed air hose (4) flows out of the housing (3) via the at least one opening (O).External microphone arrangement (A) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the compressed air hose (4) is coupled at an end opposite an end coupled to the interior of the housing (3) to a compressed air store (5).External microphone arrangement (A) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a region (B) of the housing (3) in which the at least one opening (O) is arranged is arranged on the outside of the vehicle.External microphone arrangement (A) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the region (B) of the housing (3) has four openings (O) for sound entry.External microphone arrangement (A) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed air device (2) is designed to feed compressed air into the interior of the housing (3) of the microphone (1) at least when the vehicle is put into operation.

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