METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATION OF ACOUSTIC COMPENSATION SIGNALS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a device for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor.

[0002] Corresponding procedures are known in principle from the field of automotive engineering, particularly in connection with the operation of so-called Engine Order Cancellation facilities, or EOC facilities for short.

[0003] Achieving satisfactory control of the operation of corresponding EOC (Electro-Optical Control) systems with regard to the compensation result presents a challenge, as other audio signals ("external noise") are also emitted within the vehicle interior, typically defined by the passenger compartment. This is the space where the compensation signals, intended to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of the vehicle's drive motor, are to be output. The acoustic situation within the vehicle interior, defined by the output of these other audio signals, can sometimes lead to instabilities in the operation of the EOC system.

[0004] The operation of corresponding EOC (Electro-Optical Control) systems must therefore be controlled for a specific acoustic situation within a vehicle interior in such a way that the EOC system can operate as stably as possible. Furthermore, only the acoustic signals that actually need to be compensated, i.e., the acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a vehicle's drive motor, should be compensated, and the remaining audio signals should not be compensated if possible.

[0005] EP 1 577 879 A1 discloses a noise tuning device and a noise tuning method.

[0006] EP 2 189 974 A2 discloses a system for active noise suppression with audio signal compensation.

[0007] The invention is based on the objective of providing an improved method for operating a device for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor.

[0008] The problem is solved by a method according to claim 1. The dependent claims relate to possible embodiments of the method according to claim 1.

[0009] The invention is defined by the subject matter of the attached claims; the description and the drawings are to be used for the interpretation of the claims.

[0010] The method described herein generally serves to operate a device for generating acoustic compensation signals, which are used to compensate for acoustic signals—in particular, acoustic interference signals such as speed- and / or load-dependent vibrations of a certain harmonic order—resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle's drive engine, i.e., typically an internal combustion engine. As will be shown below, the method specifically includes the control of the operation of a motor vehicle's engine order cancellation (EOC) device, so that the method may also be described or considered as a method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle's EOC device.

[0011] The method comprises the following steps, which are explained in more detail below: In a first step of the method, an EOC device, implemented in hardware and / or software, is provided for operation (according to the method). The EOC device is configured, in a manner known per se, to generate acoustic compensation signals. These signals serve to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a vehicle's drive motor, typically an internal combustion engine, within a vehicle interior typically defined by a passenger compartment. The EOC device comprises, in a manner known per se, at least one audio recording element, e.g., a microphone, and at least one audio output element, e.g., a loudspeaker.The provision of the EOC equipment in the first step typically does not mean that the EOC equipment is already put into operation in the first step; therefore, no corresponding compensation signals are typically generated by the EOC equipment in the first step.

[0012] In a second step of the process, a hardware and / or software-implemented device is provided that is largely or completely identical to the EOC device. In this second step, a device is provided that is configured to mirror the EOC device, meaning it typically has the same functionality. This device is a virtual representation of the EOC device. Therefore, it can be configured with the same operating and tuning parameters as the EOC device. Specifically, it can have the same tuning parameters as the EOC device. For example, the device can have the same motor oscillations or orders dependent on the drive motor speed or load, the same forgetting factor λ, or the same step size µ.The adaptation step size) must be specified. The setup can, in particular, exhibit the same bandwidth and transient behavior as the EOC setup. The setup can, if necessary, be referred to or considered as a (virtual) second EOC setup.

[0013] A device is advantageously used that comprises an audio output element, i.e., a (virtual) loudspeaker, which is acoustically directly coupled to an audio recording element, i.e., a (virtual) microphone. Direct acoustic coupling means, in particular, that the output of the device's audio output element is directly coupled or connected to the input of the device's audio recording element. Such a (virtually) directly coupled configuration of the device, or rather of its audio output and audio recording elements, allows the procedure to be carried out with a significant time advantage. Psychoacoustic masking effects can be applied or taken into account in this context.

[0014] In a third step of the procedure, at least one audio signal to be output into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle via an audio output device comprising one or more audio output elements, i.e., typically loudspeakers, is identified. Crucially, the identification of the at least one audio signal occurs before it is detected by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device, i.e., a microphone. The identification of the at least one audio signal thus takes place before it reaches an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device. In particular, the identification of the at least one audio signal can occur before the at least one audio signal is actually output into the passenger compartment via the audio output device.In the third step, information is collected about all audio signals that would be output to the passenger compartment of the vehicle, or that will be output to the passenger compartment at a later time. This allows the acoustic situation within the passenger compartment, defined by the corresponding audio signals, to be determined (simulated or virtually) at an early stage, i.e., before it is captured by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device, and in particular before the audio signals are actually output to the passenger compartment. During actual operation of the EOC device, compensation signals are generated within the acoustic situation to compensate for corresponding acoustic signals requiring compensation.The investigation can be carried out by means of a hardware- and / or software-implemented investigation device, which is designed to detect at least one audio signal to be output into a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle via an audio output device comprising one or more audio output elements.

[0015] The audio signals emitted into the passenger compartment can be, for example, multimedia or infotainment signals, such as music, speech, or other audio sequences. These multimedia or infotainment signals can be generated, for example, by a vehicle-integrated multimedia or infotainment system. Alternatively or additionally, the audio signals emitted into the passenger compartment can also be artificially generated engine noise signals, i.e., audio signals that represent a specific engine type and / or a specific operating state of a specific engine type. These engine noise signals can be generated, for example, by a vehicle-integrated engine noise generation system, such as an Engine Sound Synthesis (ESS) system.Therefore, within the framework of the procedure, an audio output device may be used which is a multimedia or infotainment device for outputting audio content, in particular music, speech, or an engine audio signal generation device for outputting audio content modeled on a specific engine noise, or which includes such a device.

[0016] In principle, a corresponding audio signal to be output into the passenger compartment could also be a compensation signal generated by the EOC device.

[0017] The audio signal(s) identified in the third step are typically known. Therefore, information is available, particularly from the vehicle's control unit, that describes the audio signals to be output into the passenger compartment. In the third step, at least one known audio signal is thus typically identified, particularly one that can be generated or is generated by at least one vehicle-side audio signal generation device, especially a multimedia device for generating audio signals representing multimedia content or an engine noise generation device for generating audio signals representing a specific engine type and / or a specific operating state of a specific engine type.

[0018] In a fourth step of the procedure, an assessment rule is applied to evaluate the at least one audio signal to be emitted into the passenger compartment with regard to at least one assessment criterion. In this fourth step, the audio signal(s) to be emitted into the passenger compartment are thus assessed or examined with regard to one or more assessment criteria defined by the assessment rule. As will be further explained, the assessment includes, in particular, an examination of the audio signals to determine whether or not they meet an assessment criterion. The assessment rule can be stored in an assessment device implemented in hardware and / or software.The assessment can therefore be carried out by means of a hardware- and / or software-implemented assessment device, which is set up to apply an assessment rule for assessing the at least one audio signal to be output into the passenger compartment with regard to at least one assessment criterion.

[0019] When multiple audio signals are output via the audio output device, a summed audio signal can be created and used by summing the individual audio signals, optionally weighted with at least one weighting parameter. The evaluation criteria are then applied to this summed signal. Summing the individual audio signals can be advantageous because only one signal, namely the summed audio signal, needs to be considered and processed. The summation of the individual audio signals can be achieved using a summing device implemented in hardware and / or software, which is configured to summe the individual audio signals to create a corresponding summed audio signal.

[0020] In a fifth step of the process, assessment information describing the evaluation of the at least one audio signal with regard to the assessment criterion is generated. The result of the assessment of the at least one audio signal, which takes place in the fourth step, is thus represented in corresponding assessment information in the fifth step. This assessment information can be generated by a corresponding hardware- and / or software-implemented assessment device designed to generate assessment information describing the evaluation of the at least one audio signal with regard to the assessment criterion.

[0021] In a sixth step of the process, the operation of the EOC device is controlled based on the assessment information. This control is used to generate acoustic compensation signals that compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a vehicle's drive motor. The assessment information generated in the fifth step can thus form the basis for generating the control information that governs the actual operation of the EOC device. The operation of the EOC device can be controlled by a central or decentralized control unit, implemented in hardware and / or software, which is configured to control the operation of the EOC device based on the assessment information.

[0022] The operation of the EOC device can be controlled, for example, based on the assessment information by adjusting at least one operating or tuning parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, i.e., the forgetting factor λ or the step size µ, of the EOC device. Specifically, the operation of the EOC device can be controlled by adjusting at least one operating or tuning parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, of the EOC device for at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or load, which is defined, in particular, by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device. Thus, individual adjustment of operating parameters for respective harmonic motor oscillations or orders dependent on the drive motor speed or load is possible.In all cases, the adjustment of the operating parameters of the EOC device is expediently carried out before the generation and output of the respective compensation signals.

[0023] The method thus enables the control of an EOC (Emergency Operations Control) system based on the early detection and evaluation of typically known audio signals that are to be output to a passenger compartment, into which the compensation signals generated by the EOC system are also to be output. Crucially, the detection and evaluation of the audio signals takes place before these audio signals are captured by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC system, i.e., a microphone. The detection and evaluation of the audio signals occurs before these audio signals are actually output to the passenger compartment.The detection and evaluation of the audio signals typically takes place before the corresponding compensation signals are output to the passenger compartment. This reduces the risk of an interaction between the compensation signals and the other audio signals output to or already output to the passenger compartment, which could negatively affect the stability of the EOC system's operation and thus the compensation result. It also ensures that (as far as possible) only the acoustic signals actually requiring compensation—i.e., those resulting from the operation of the vehicle's drive motor—are compensated, and that the other audio signals are (as far as possible) not compensated.

[0024] This constitutes an improved method for operating a device for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor.

[0025] The determination of the at least one audio signal to be output into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle via the audio output device, before it is captured by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device, i.e., a microphone, and in particular before it is output into the passenger compartment via the audio output device, is carried out by the device configured to mimic the EOC device. The device can therefore be designed as, or include, a corresponding detection device. This can simplify the configuration of a device set up to carry out the method, as the device has a multitude of functionalities required or expedient for carrying out the method.

[0026] Determining the at least one audio signal to be output into a passenger compartment via the audio output device can, for example, include determining the acoustic properties of the audio signal. This means that, in particular, transient acoustic properties such as amplitudes or amplitude responses, frequencies or frequency responses, energies or energy responses, etc., of the audio signal can be determined. The same applies to a corresponding summed audio signal.

[0027] The assessment procedure may include an evaluation of at least one audio signal to determine whether the audio signal exhibits components corresponding to harmonic motor oscillations or orders that are dependent on the motor speed or load, particularly as specified by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device. The at least one audio signal can thus be assessed or examined to determine whether it exhibits components corresponding to harmonic motor oscillations or orders that are dependent on the motor speed or load, particularly as specified by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device.

[0028] In particular, the assessment procedure may include an evaluation of the at least one audio signal to determine whether the audio signal contains frequency components or waveforms that correspond to or correlate with harmonic motor oscillations or orders, which are dependent on the drive motor speed or load and are specified, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device. The at least one audio signal can therefore be assessed or examined to determine whether it contains frequency components or waveforms that correspond to or correlate with harmonic motor oscillations or orders, which are dependent on the drive motor speed or load and are specified, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device.

[0029] The assessment criterion can therefore be, for example, at least one frequency component or a (time-dependent) frequency profile, or include one or more such components, which are assessed or investigated with regard to at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular one specified by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device. In particular, the assessment criterion can be one frequency component, in particular one that is time-dependent, or include one such component, which is assessed or investigated with regard to at least one frequency component of at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular one specified by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device.

[0030] The assessment procedure may further include an assessment of the amplitude, i.e., in particular an upper and / or lower limit amplitude, of a corresponding frequency component, which frequency component corresponds, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device, to drive motor speed- or drive motor load-dependent frequency components of harmonic motor oscillations or orders. A frequency component corresponding to a frequency component of a harmonic motor oscillation or order can thus be assessed with regard to its amplitude.

[0031] The invention further relates to a device for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate for acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor.

[0032] The device comprises a hardware- and / or software-implemented EOC unit, which is configured to generate acoustic compensation signals for the compensation of acoustic signals resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle's drive motor; a hardware- and / or software-implemented unit configured to mimic the EOC unit; and a hardware- and / or software-implemented audio output unit, which is configured to output audio signals into a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.a hardware- and / or software-implemented detection device, which is designed to detect at least one audio signal to be output into a passenger compartment via the audio output device before it is captured by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device, i.e., a microphone, and in particular before it is output into the passenger compartment via the audio output device; a hardware- and / or software-implemented evaluation device, which is designed to apply an evaluation rule for evaluating the audio signal with regard to at least one evaluation criterion and to generate evaluation information describing the evaluation of the audio signal with regard to the evaluation criterion;and a hardware- and / or software-implemented control device which is configured to control the operation of the EOC device on the basis of the assessment information, wherein the device, which is configured to mimic the EOC device, is set up to determine at least one audio signal to be output into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle via the audio output device before it is captured by the audio recording element belonging to the EOC device.

[0033] The device is expediently arranged or configured between the audio output device and the EOC device, in particular between an output of the audio output device and an input of the EOC device.

[0034] The device expediently comprises at least one audio recording element and at least one audio output element, wherein the at least one audio output element is acoustically directly coupled to the at least one audio recording element.

[0035] Individual, multiple or all components of the device can be functionally and / or structurally combined in a common hardware and / or software-implemented control unit of the device.

[0036] All statements relating to the procedure apply analogously to the device.

[0037] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle, i.e., in particular a passenger car, which comprises at least one device as described herein. All descriptions relating to the device and the method therefore also apply analogously to the motor vehicle.

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a flowchart to illustrate a method according to an exemplary embodiment; and Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a device for carrying out the process described in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 illustrated procedure.

[0039] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to an exemplary embodiment. The method serves to operate a device 1 for generating acoustic compensation signals, which are used to compensate for acoustic signals 3 – these include, in particular, acoustic interference signals such as speed- or load-dependent vibrations of a certain harmonic order – resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor 4, i.e., typically an internal combustion engine.

[0040] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a device 1 for carrying out the in Fig. 1 Illustrated procedure. The device 1 is installed in a purely schematically represented motor vehicle 2, i.e., typically a passenger car.

[0041] The method comprises the following steps, which are explained in more detail below: In a first step S1 of the method, an EOC device 5, implemented in hardware and / or software, is provided. The EOC device 5 is configured in a manner known per se to generate acoustic compensation signals that compensate for corresponding acoustic signals 3 resulting from the operation of the drive motor 4 in a vehicle interior 9, typically defined by the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 2. The EOC device 5 comprises, in a manner known per se, at least one audio recording element 5a, i.e., a microphone, and at least one audio output element 5b, i.e., a loudspeaker.The provision of the EOC device 5 in the first step does not mean that the EOC device 5 is already put into operation in the first step; in the first step, no corresponding compensation signals are generated by the EOC device 5.

[0042] In a second step S2 of the procedure, a hardware and / or software-implemented device 6 is provided, which is configured to mirror the configuration of the EOC device 5. In this second step S2 of the procedure, a device is provided that is configured to mirror the configuration of the EOC device 5, i.e., it typically has the same functionality and configuration as the EOC device 5. The device 6 is accordingly a virtual image of the EOC device 5. Therefore, the device 6 is typically configured with the same operating and tuning parameters as the EOC device 5. In particular, the device 6 can have the same tuning parameters TP as the EOC device 5. Specifically, the device 6 can, for example, have the same motor oscillations or orders dependent on the drive motor speed or load, and the same forgetting factor λ.The forgetting factor) or the same step size µ (adaptation step size) may be stored. In particular, the facility 6 may also exhibit the same bandwidth and the same transient behavior as the EOC facility 5. Therefore, the facility 6 can be described or considered a (virtual) second EOC facility.

[0043] It is evident that a device 6 can be used which comprises an audio output element 6b, e.g., a (virtual) microphone, directly coupled acoustically to an audio recording element 6a, e.g., a (virtual) loudspeaker. Such a directly coupled configuration of the audio output and audio recording elements 6a and 6b of the device 6 allows the procedure to be carried out with a significant time advantage. Psychoacoustic masking effects can be applied or taken into account in this process.

[0044] In a third step S3 of the procedure, an audio signal 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 2 via an audio output device 7 comprising one or more audio output elements 7a-7c, i.e., typically loudspeakers, is identified. Of course, multiple audio signals 10 can also be identified. It is essential that the audio signal(s) 10 are identified before they are captured by an audio recording element belonging to the EOC device, i.e., a microphone, and in particular before they are actually output into the passenger compartment 8 via the audio output device 7. According to the procedure, in the third step S3, information is thus collected about all those audio signals 10 that would be output into the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 2 or that are output into the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 2 at a later time.In this way, the acoustic situation within the passenger compartment 8, defined by corresponding audio signals 10, can be determined (simulated or virtually) at an early stage, i.e., before the audio signals 10 are detected by an audio recording element 5a belonging to the EOC device 5, and in particular before the audio signals 10 are actually output in the passenger compartment 8. During actual operation of the EOC device 5, compensation signals are generated by the EOC device 5 in the acoustic situation to compensate for corresponding acoustic signals 3 to be compensated. The determination can be carried out by means of a hardware- and / or software-implemented detection device 11, which is configured to detect at least one audio signal 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 2 via the audio output device 7. Based on the in . Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, it can be seen that the detection device 11 can form a component of the device 6.

[0045] The corresponding audio signals 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 can be, for example, acoustic multimedia or infotainment signals, i.e., music, speech, or other tone sequence signals. Such multimedia or infotainment signals can be generated, for example, by a vehicle-mounted multimedia or infotainment system 12. Alternatively or additionally, the corresponding audio signals 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 can also be artificially generated acoustic engine noise signals, i.e., audio signals that represent a specific engine type and / or a specific operating state of a specific engine type. Such acoustic engine noise signals can be generated, for example, by a vehicle-mounted engine noise generation system 13, e.g., in the form of an Engine Sound Synthesis system (ESS).

[0046] In principle, the corresponding audio signal 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 could also be a compensation signal generated by the EOC device 5.

[0047] The audio signal(s) 10 determined in the third step S3 is / are known. Therefore, information is available from the device 1, i.e., in particular from the unit 6, which describes the audio signals 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8. In the third step S3, at least one known audio signal 10 is thus typically determined, in particular one that can be generated or is generated by a vehicle-side audio signal generation device 14, i.e., for example, a multimedia or infotainment device 12 and / or the engine noise generation device 13.

[0048] In a fourth step S4 of the procedure, an assessment rule is applied to evaluate the audio signal(s) 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 with regard to at least one assessment criterion. In this fourth step S4, the audio signal(s) 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 are thus assessed or examined with regard to one or more assessment criteria defined by the assessment rule. As will be further explained, the assessment includes, in particular, an examination of the audio signal(s) 10 to determine whether or not they meet an assessment criterion. The assessment rule is stored in an assessment device 15 implemented in hardware and / or software.The assessment can therefore be carried out by means of a hardware- and / or software-implemented assessment device 15, which is configured to apply an assessment rule for evaluating the audio signals 10 to be output into the passenger compartment 8 with regard to at least one assessment criterion. Based on the in . Fig. 2 As can be seen from the illustrated embodiment, the assessment device 15 can form a component of the device 6.

[0049] The assessment procedure may include an evaluation of the audio signals 10 or a corresponding audio sum signal to determine whether these audio signal components exhibit harmonic motor oscillations or orders that are dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular as specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5. The audio signals 10 or a corresponding audio sum signal can thus be assessed or examined to determine whether they exhibit harmonic motor oscillations or orders that are dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular as specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5.

[0050] In particular, the assessment procedure can be used to assess the audio signals 10 or a corresponding audio sum signal to determine whether they contain frequency components that correspond to or correlate with drive motor speed- or drive motor load-dependent frequency components of harmonic motor oscillations or orders, especially those specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5. The audio signals 10 or a corresponding audio sum signal can therefore be assessed or examined to determine whether they contain frequency components that correspond to or correlate with drive motor speed- or drive motor load-dependent frequency components of harmonic motor oscillations or orders, especially those specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5.

[0051] The assessment criterion can therefore be, for example, at least one frequency component or include one which is assessed or investigated with regard to at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular one specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5. In particular, the assessment criterion can therefore be or include a frequency component which is assessed or investigated with regard to at least one frequency component of at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, in particular one specified by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5.

[0052] When multiple audio signals 10 are output via the audio output device 7, a summed audio signal, optionally weighted with at least one weighting parameter, can be generated and used. The assessment rule is then applied to this summed signal. The summation of the respective audio signals 10 can be performed via a hardware- and / or software-implemented summing device (not shown), which is configured to summe the respective audio signals 10 to generate a corresponding summed audio signal. The summing device can also form part of the device 6.

[0053] In a fifth step S5 of the procedure, assessment information describing the evaluation of the audio signal(s) 10 with regard to the assessment criterion is generated. The result of the assessment of the audio signal(s) 10, which takes place in the fourth step S4, is thus represented in corresponding assessment information in the fifth step S5. This assessment information can be generated by the assessment device 15, which is configured to generate assessment information describing the evaluation of at least one audio signal with regard to the assessment criterion.

[0054] In a sixth step S6 of the procedure, the operation of the EOC device 5 is controlled to generate acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate for the acoustic signals 3 resulting from the operation of the drive motor 4, based on the assessment information. The assessment information generated in the fifth step S5 thus forms the basis for generating the control information to be used for the actual operation of the EOC device 5. The operation of the EOC device 5 can be controlled by a central or decentralized control unit implemented in hardware and / or software, which is configured to control the operation of the EOC device 5 based on the assessment information. In the Fig. 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the operation of the EOC device 5 is controlled by means of a control unit 16 assigned to the EOC device 5.

[0055] The operation of the EOC device 5 can be controlled based on the assessment information by adjusting at least one operating or tuning parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, i.e., the forgetting factor λ or the step size µ, of the EOC device 5. Specifically, the operation of the EOC device 5 can be controlled by adjusting at least one operating parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, of the EOC device 5 for at least one harmonic motor oscillation or order dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load, which is defined in particular by at least one tuning parameter TP of the EOC device 5. Thus, individual adjustment of operating or tuning parameters for respective harmonic motor oscillations or orders dependent on the drive motor speed or drive motor load is possible.In all cases, the adjustment of the operating parameters of the EOC device 5 takes place before the generation and output of the respective compensation signals.

[0056] The method enables the operation of the EOC device 5 to be controlled based on the early detection and evaluation of known audio signals 10, which are to be output to the passenger compartment 8, and to which the compensation signals generated by the EOC device 5 are also to be output. Crucially, the detection and evaluation of the audio signals 10 takes place before they are captured by an audio recording element 5a belonging to the EOC device 5, i.e., a microphone, and in particular before these audio signals 10 are actually output to the passenger compartment 8. The detection and evaluation of the audio signals 10 also takes place before the output of corresponding compensation signals to the passenger compartment 8.In this way, the risk of an interaction between the compensation signals and the other audio signals 10 to be output or already output into the passenger compartment 8, which could negatively affect the stability of the operation of the EOC device 5 and thus the compensation result, is reduced. Likewise, it can be ensured that (as far as possible) only the acoustic signals 3 actually to be compensated, i.e., the acoustic signals resulting from the operation of the drive motor 4, are compensated, and that the other audio signals 10 are (as far as possible) not compensated.

[0057] The determination of the audio signals 10 to be output via the audio output device 7 into the passenger compartment 8, before they are recorded by an audio recording element 5c belonging to the EOC device 5, in particular before they are output via the audio output device 7 into the passenger compartment 8, is carried out by the device 6 configured to resemble the EOC device 5.

[0058] Determining the audio signals 10 to be output via the audio output device 7 into a passenger compartment 8 can, for example, include determining the acoustic properties of the audio signals 10. Thus, in particular transient acoustic properties, such as amplitudes or amplitude responses, frequencies or frequency responses, energies or energy responses, etc., of the audio signals 10 can be determined. The same applies to a corresponding summed audio signal.

[0059] Based on the information related to Fig. 1 The described procedure shows that the Fig. 2 The device shown 1 comprises the following: an EOC device 5 implemented in hardware and / or software, which is configured to generate acoustic compensation signals for the compensation of acoustic signals 3 resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor 4; a hardware and / or software-implemented device 6 configured to mimic the EOC device 5; an audio output device 7 implemented in hardware and / or software, which is configured to output audio signals 10 into a passenger compartment 8 of a motor vehicle 2;a hardware- and / or software-implemented detection device 11, which is configured to detect at least one audio signal 10 to be output via the audio output device 7 into a passenger compartment 8 of a motor vehicle 2, before it is detected by an audio recording element 5a belonging to the EOC device 5, i.e., a microphone, in particular before it is output via the audio output device 7 into the passenger compartment 8; a hardware- and / or software-implemented evaluation device 15, which is configured to apply an evaluation rule for evaluating the at least one audio signal 10 with regard to at least one evaluation criterion and for generating evaluation information describing the evaluation of the at least one audio signal 10 with regard to the evaluation criterion;and a hardware- and / or software-implemented control unit 16, which is configured to control the operation of the EOC unit 5 based on the assessment information, wherein the unit 6, configured to mimic the EOC unit 5, is set up to detect at least one audio signal 10 to be output via the audio output unit 7 into the passenger compartment 8 of the motor vehicle 1 before it is detected by the audio recording element 5a belonging to the EOC unit 5.

[0060] Based on Fig. 2 It is further evident that the device 6 can be arranged or configured to be switched between the audio output device 7 and the EOC device 5, in particular between an output of the audio output device 7 and an input of the EOC device 5.

Claims

1. Method for operating a device (1) for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate acoustic signals (3) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor (4), with the steps: - providing an EOC device (5) which comprisesat least one audio recording element (5a) and at least one audio output element and is set up for generating acoustic compensation signals resulting from the compensation of acoustic signals (3) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor (4); - detect at least one audio signal (10) to be output via an audio output device (7) into a passenger cell (8) of a motor vehicle (2) before it is detected by the audio recording element (5a) associated with the EOC device (5); - applying an assessment rule to assess at least one audio signal (10) with regard to at least one assessment criterion; - generate an assessment of at least one audio signal (10) with regard to the assessment information descriptive of at least one assessment criterion; characterized by the steps: - provide a configured device (6) identically modelled to the EOC device (5), representing a virtual image of the EOC device (5) having the same functionality as the EOC device (5); - control of the operation of the EOC device (5) for the generation of acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate acoustic signals (3) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle propulsion engine (4), based on the assessment information, wherein the detection of at least one audio signal (10) to be output via the audio output device (7) into the passenger cell (8) of the motor vehicle (1) before this is detected by the audio recording element (5a) associated with the EOC device (5), through which the configured device (6) modelled on the EOC device (5) takes place.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the detection of at least one audio signal (10) to be output via the audio output device (7) in a passenger cell (8) of a motor vehicle (2) takes place before this is output via the audio output device (7) in the passenger cell (8).

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection of at least one via the motor vehicle-side audio output device (7) in a passenger cell (8) output audio signal (10) comprises a determination of the acoustic properties of the audio signal (10).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assessment provision includes an assessment of at least one audio signal (10) to determine whether the audio signal (10) contains audio signal portions at, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5), predetermined, drive motor speed or drive motor load dependent harmonic motor oscillations or orders.

5. The method of claim 4, characterized in that the assessment specification includes an assessment of at least one audio signal (10) to determine whether the audio signal (10) includes frequency components or frequency gradients, which correspond to harmonic motor oscillations or orders, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5) predetermined, drive motor speed and / or drive motor load dependent frequency components, wherein the assessment specification includes in particular an assessment of the amplitude of the or a frequency component, which frequency component, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5) predetermined, drive motor speed and / or drive motor load dependent frequency components corresponds to harmonic motor oscillations or orders.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assessment criterion is or comprises at least one frequency component, which is assessed with regard to at least one, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5), predetermined drive motor speed and / or drive motor load dependent harmonic motor vibration or order.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assessment criterion is or comprises a frequency component which is assessed with regard to at least one, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5) predetermined, frequency component of at least one drive motor speed and / or drive motor load dependent harmonic motor oscillations or order.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device (6) is used which is configured with the same operating parameters, in particular tuning parameters, as the provided EOC device (5).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control of the operation of the EOC device (5) is based on the assessment information by adjusting at least one operating parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, the EOC device (5), wherein the control of the operation of the EOC device (5) in particular by adjusting at least one operating parameter, in particular a λ or µ parameter, the EOC device (5) for at least one, in particular by at least one tuning parameter of the EOC device (5), predetermined drive motor speed and / or drive motor load dependent harmonic motor vibration or order takes place.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at several over the audio output device (7) outputting audio signals (10) an audio sum signal formed by summing the audio signals (10) is used, to which the assessment specification is applied.

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device (6) is used, which comprises an acoustically directly coupled to an audio recording element (6a) audio output element (6b).

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an audio output device (7) is used, which is a multimedia device for outputting audio content, in particular music, speech, or a motor audio signal generating device for outputting a certain motor noise imitated audio content or comprises such.

13. Device (1) for generating acoustic compensation signals, which serve to compensate acoustic signals (3) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle-side drive motor (4), wherein: - an EOC device (5), which has at least one audio recording element (5a) and at least one audio output element and is set up for generating acoustic compensation signals, which compensate for acoustic signals (3) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle drive motor (4), - an audio output device (7) which is designed to output audio signals (10) into a passenger cell (8) of a motor vehicle (2), - a detection device (11) which is set up to detect at least one audio signal (10) to be output via the audio output device (7) into a passenger cell (8) of a motor vehicle (2) before it is detected by the audio recording element (5a) associated with the EOC device (5), - an assessment device (15) which is set up for the application of an assessment provision for the assessment of at least one audio signal (10) with regard to at least one assessment criterion and for the generation of assessment information descriptive of at least one audio signal (10) with regard to the assessment criterion, identified by: - a configured device (6) identically modeled to the EOC device (5), which represents a virtual image of the EOC device (5), which has the same functionality as the EOC device (5), - a control device (16) set up to control the operation of the EOC device (5) on the basis of the assessment information; wherein the configured device (6) modeled on the EOC device (5) is configured to detect at least one audio signal (10) to be output via the audio output device (7) into the passenger cell (8) of the motor vehicle (1) before it is detected by the audio recording element (5a) associated with the EOC device (5).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the device (6) is connected or formed between the audio output device (7) and the EOC device (5), in particular between an output of the audio output device (7) and an input of the EOC device (5); and / or that the device (6) comprises an audio recording element (6a) and an audio output element (6b), wherein the audio output element (6b) is acoustically coupled directly to the audio recording element (6a).