Method for managing the reproduction of the external sound environment of a motor vehicle into the vehicle's passenger compartment

Abstract

A method for managing the reproduction of the external sound environment of a vehicle (VHL) within the passenger compartment (HAB) of said vehicle (VHL), comprising means for acquiring (CP1-CP6) the external sound environment of the vehicle (VHL), means for reproducing (HP1-HP8, AUD) the external sound environment within the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL), a reproduction management device (GRS), and an electrical control system (SYS) for opening and closing the windows (VTR) of the vehicle (VHL). The method, implemented by the management device (GRS), consists of managing the reproduction of the external sound environment within the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL) according to the open or closed state of the windows (VTR) of the vehicle (VHL). The present invention also relates to a vehicle (VHL) comprising a reproduction management device (GRS). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing the restitution of the exterior sound environment of a motor vehicle in the passenger compartment of the vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates generally to driving assistance systems (or AD AS in English terminology for "Advanced Driver Assistance Systems") making it possible to assist the driver of a motor vehicle both in terms of driving the vehicle and ensuring the safety of the vehicle and its passengers.

[0002] The present invention is more particularly concerned with the management of the restitution of the exterior sound environment of a motor vehicle in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0003] Vehicle interiors are becoming increasingly better soundproofed to reduce, on the one hand, engine noise which is transmitted through the vehicle body and, on the other hand, environmental noise which is high in urban environments.

[0004] Vehicles are equipped with a heating and air conditioning system which encourages drivers to keep the windows closed in very hot or cold weather and if we add to this the use of the vehicle's audio system, the impact of the exterior sound environment becomes minimal in the vehicle's passenger compartment.

[0005] A problem arises from the fact that, with the windows closed, the driver finds himself isolated from his external environment, in a "sound bubble", which can in certain cases be potentially dangerous.

[0006] The driver may, of his own accord, open one or more windows of his vehicle when he wants to listen to certain sounds in the environment outside his vehicle and when his attention is drawn by a particular event but, in other cases, he may have his attention drawn by driving or other actions and not open the window or windows of his vehicle when one or more sound events occur in the environment outside his vehicle which would require his full attention. This is particularly the case when a priority vehicle, traveling in emergency mode, signals its presence by activating a siren or other audible warning device, to indicate to other vehicles to give way to it, or audible warning devices of other vehicles signaling an immediate danger, ...

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to provide a solution to this problem by implementing an automatic method allowing the driver to become aware of the external sound environment of his vehicle.

[0008] To this end, the invention has as its first object a method for managing the restitution of the exterior sound environment of a vehicle in the passenger compartment of said vehicle. comprising means for acquiring the exterior sound environment of the vehicle, means for reproducing the exterior sound environment into the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a device for managing the reproduction and an electrical control system for opening and closing the vehicle windows, said method implemented by the management device, consisting of managing the reproduction of the exterior sound environment into the passenger compartment of the vehicle, depending on the state of opening or closing of the vehicle windows.

[0009] According to one characteristic, the method consists of restoring the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment when all the windows are closed.

[0010] According to another characteristic, the method consists of spatially restoring the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment of the vehicle taking into account the origin of the sounds in the exterior sound environment.

[0011] According to another characteristic, the method consists of deactivating the restitution of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment as soon as at least one window is detected at least partially open.

[0012] According to another characteristic, the method consists of deactivating the restitution as soon as the opening of the window reaches a determined minimum opening.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the method consists of activating the restitution under the condition of closing all the windows, when an option corresponding to the restitution of the exterior sound environment of the vehicle in the passenger compartment has been selected by the user of the vehicle from an HMI on board the vehicle or when the option has been preselected by default.

[0014] The second subject of the present invention is a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of the method as described above.

[0015] The third subject of the present invention is a motor vehicle comprising means for acquiring the exterior sound environment of the vehicle, an audio system capable of reproducing the exterior sound environment into the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a management device capable of managing the reproduction of the exterior sound environment into the passenger compartment and an electrical control system for opening and closing the windows coupled to the management device; said management device being capable of managing the reproduction as a function of the closing or opening information provided by the electrical control system for opening and closing the windows.

[0016] According to a characteristic of the vehicle, the acquisition means comprise at least one acoustic sensor arranged on an external element of the bodywork of the vehicle or on equipment arranged on an external element of the bodywork, and in which the audio system comprises at least one arrangement of loudspeakers capable of diffusing the sounds reproduced by the acoustic sensor in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0017] According to another characteristic of the vehicle, the management device is capable of controlling the audio system for spatial reproduction of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment of the vehicle taking into account the origin of the sounds in the exterior sound environment.

[0018] Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention may emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] illustrates a schematic view of a vehicle according to the invention; and

[0020] [Fig.2] illustrates a flowchart of the main steps of the method according to the invention.

[0021] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0022] The VHL vehicle includes an AUD audio system coupled to a management device GRS of the restitution of the external environment in the HAB passenger compartment of the VHL vehicle.

[0023] The GRS management device can be part of the AD AS system of the VHL vehicle when the latter is equipped with an AD AS system, not shown, which is the case today in most vehicles.

[0024] It can also be part of a multimedia system of the VHL vehicle, also called an infotainment system or infotainment system, in English terminology, also not shown.

[0025] The GRS management device makes it possible to manage the restitution of the exterior sound environment of the VHL vehicle, in the passenger compartment HAB of the VHL vehicle according to the state of opening or closing of the VTR windows of the VHL vehicle. By VTR windows, we mean the side windows of the VHL vehicle but also a window of a sunroof if the VHL vehicle has a sunroof formed of a window or comprising a sliding window; said VTR windows being electrically controlled for their opening or closing by a system SYS for electrically controlling the opening and closing of the VTR windows of the VHL vehicle.

[0026] According to the invention, the GRS management device is capable of automatically activating the audio reproduction of the exterior sound environment of the VHL vehicle in the HAB passenger compartment when all the VTR windows of the VHL passenger compartment are closed.

[0027] The GRS management device deactivates audio playback in the HAB passenger compartment as soon as at least one VTR window is detected as at least partially open.

[0028] For this purpose, the GRS management device is coupled to the SYS system for controlling the opening and closing of the VTR windows of the VHL vehicle, comprising means MCT for controlling the opening and closing of the VTR windows of the VHL vehicle. The condition of the VTR window opening state is fulfilled when at least one of the VTR windows is at least partially open with a determined minimum opening.

[0029] The minimum opening corresponds for example to 10% of its maximum opening knowing moreover that a very small opening is sufficient to become aware of the external environment; the “sound bubble” then being broken.

[0030] The MCT control means include in particular sensors for the end of travel of the electric window mechanism, or for measuring the supply voltage, or the load, of the window lip mechanism motor, etc., not shown.

[0031] The AUD audio system is capable of broadcasting, in the passenger compartment HAB of the VHL vehicle, numerous audio information intended for the user(s) of the VHL vehicle via a plurality of loudspeakers: eight loudspeakers HP1-HP8 in the example illustrated in [Fig.l].

[0032] The HP1-HP8 loudspeakers are arranged in the HAB passenger compartment of the VHL vehicle so as to be heard by all users of the VHL vehicle and to allow optimal spatial distribution of the sound inside the HAB passenger compartment for optimal hearing comfort for the users. One or more amplifiers of the AUD audio system, not shown, ensure the amplification of the sounds broadcast by the HP1-HP8 loudspeakers.

[0033] In order to be able to capture the external sound environment, the VHL vehicle is equipped with several acoustic sensors CP1-CP6 arranged around the VHL vehicle so as to spatially cover the external sound environment of the VHL vehicle.

[0034] In an exemplary arrangement, illustrated in [Fig.l], six acoustic sensors CP1-CP6 are arranged on the VHL vehicle

[0035] A first pair and a second pair of sensors CP1-CP2 and CP3-CP4 are arranged respectively on an exterior element of the bodywork, or an element added to the bodywork, such as for example the front bumper PAV and the rear bumper PAR of the vehicle VHL; the sensors CP1-CP2 and CP3-CP4 of each pair being arranged substantially at each corner of the front face FAV, respectively rear face FAR, of the vehicle VHL.

[0036] A third pair of acoustic sensors CP5-CP6 is arranged on exterior equipment, attached to the bodywork or elements of the bodywork, such as for example the left and right side exterior rearview mirrors RTG and RTD of the VHL vehicle: a CP5 sensor is arranged on the left rearview mirror RTG and a CP6 sensor is fitted on the right rearview mirror RTD.

[0037] The acoustic sensors CP1-CP6 are for example microphones, or pickups. The number of microphones depends on the type of microphone used knowing that at least one omni-directional microphone, not shown, may be sufficient if it is arranged on the VHL vehicle so as to spatially cover the entire external sound environment of the VHL vehicle, for example, by being arranged on the roof of the VHL vehicle.

[0038] The GRS management device is capable of locating the origin of the sounds captured in the external environment of the VHL vehicle and in particular the sounds predominant in the environmental noise, for example a sound warning device such as a priority vehicle siren, a sound warning device from another vehicle, etc.

[0039] Thus, the GRS management device can deduce the origin of a predominant sound in the external sound environment of the VHL vehicle as a function of the position of the microphone(s) CP1-CP6 arranged around the VHL vehicle having picked up the sound, in the example of the arrangement, or directly when an omnidirectional microphone is arranged on the VHL vehicle.

[0040] Advantageously, the GRS management device takes into account the origin of the sound in order to simulate the exterior sound environment for the driver in a realistic manner in the HAB passenger compartment, for example by broadcasting the reproduced sound, on one or more or more speakers HP1-HP8 which are arranged in the HAB passenger compartment, on the side of the predominant sounds in the exterior sound environment.

[0041] Thus, for example, if one or more predominant sounds come from the front on the right of the vehicle VHL, it is the speaker(s) HP2 and HP4 located at the front and on the right side of the passenger compartment HAB which will broadcast the predominant sound(s), or for example, if one or more predominant sounds come from the rear on the left of the vehicle VHL, it is the speaker(s) HP5 and HP7 located at the rear and on the left side of the passenger compartment HAB which will broadcast the predominant sound(s).

[0042] The restitution of the exterior sound environment of the vehicle, VHL in the passenger compartment HAB of the vehicle VHL, the subject of the method according to the invention, may be an option present for example in a menu of the multimedia system of the vehicle VHL accessible by an on-board HMI (Human Machine Interface), not shown, and manually selected by the user if he wishes to benefit from it, or be preselected by default in the adjustment parameters of the audio system AUD (factory settings). In this case, the user must deselect the option if he does not wish to benefit from it.

[0043] In the case where the option is selected, or preselected, the audio reproduction is activated or deactivated automatically depending on the state of opening or closing of the VTR windows of the VHL vehicle provided by the MCT control means of the SYS system.

[0044] The main steps of the method implemented by the GRS management device are summarized below with reference to the flowchart in [Fig.2].

[0045] The method 200 consists, if the option is selected 300 (yes) via the HMI of the VHL vehicle, or preselected by default, and if all the VTR windows are completely closed 400 (yes), then in activating 500 the restitution of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment HAB of the VHL vehicle.

[0046] On the other hand, if information on the opening of at least one VTR window of the vehicle VHL is detected 600 (yes) with a minimum opening determined 700 (yes), then to deactivate 800 the restitution of the exterior sound environment in the HAB passenger compartment of the VHL vehicle.

[0047] The method implements a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of the method described above.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing the restitution of the exterior sound environment of a vehicle (VHL) in the passenger compartment (HAB) of said vehicle (VHL) comprising means for acquiring (CP1-CP6) the exterior sound environment of the vehicle (VHL), means for restoring (HP1-HP8, AUD) the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL), a restitution management device (GRS) and a system (SYS) for electrically controlling the opening and closing of the windows (VTR) of the vehicle (VHL), said method, implemented by the management device (GRS), consisting of managing the restitution of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL) as a function of the state of opening or closing of the windows (VTR) of the vehicle (VHL).

2. Method according to the preceding claim, consisting of restoring (500) the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) when all the windows (VTR) are closed (400).

3. Method according to the preceding claim, consisting of spatially restoring the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL) taking into account the origin of the sounds in the exterior sound environment.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims consisting of deactivating (800) the restitution of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) as soon as at least one window (VTR) is detected at least partially open (600, 700).

5. Method according to the preceding claim consisting of deactivating the restitution (800) as soon as the opening of the window (VTR) reaches a determined minimum opening (700).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, consisting of activating the restitution (500) under the condition of closing (400) all the windows (VTR) when an option corresponding to the restitution of the exterior sound environment of the vehicle (VHL) in the passenger compartment (HAB) has been selected (300) by the user of the vehicle from an HMI on board the vehicle (VHL) or when the option has been preselected by default.

7. Computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of the method according to one of claims 1

8. to 6. Motor vehicle (VHL) comprising means (CP1-CP6) for acquiring the exterior sound environment of the vehicle (VHL), an audio system (AUD) capable of reproducing the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL), a management device (GRS) capable of managing the reproduction of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) and a system (SYS) for electrically controlling the opening and closing of the windows coupled to the management device (GRS); said management device (GRS) being capable of managing the reproduction as a function of the closing or opening information provided by the system (SYS) for electrically controlling the opening and closing of the windows (VTR).

9. Vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim, in which the acquisition means (CP1-CP6) comprise at least one acoustic sensor arranged on an exterior element of the bodywork (PAV, PAR) of the vehicle (VHL) or on equipment (RTV) arranged on an exterior element of the bodywork, and in which the audio system (AUD) comprises at least one arrangement of loudspeakers (HP1-HP8) capable of broadcasting the sounds reproduced by the acoustic sensor in the passenger compartment of the vehicle (VHL).

10. Vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim, in which the management device (GRS) is capable of controlling the audio system (AUD) for spatial reproduction of the exterior sound environment in the passenger compartment (HAB) of the vehicle (VHL) taking into account the origin of the sounds in the exterior sound environment.

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