Electronic board with an accelerometer generating a characteristic signal for sound production

Abstract

An electronic circuit board (21) for a motor vehicle (1) includes a transducer (17) configured to detect an indicative quantity of a vibration of a base body (41) of the motor vehicle (1) and to generate a corresponding signal, a plurality of mounting points for attaching the electronic circuit board (21) to the base body (41), the mounting points being arranged to surround a region (25) of the electronic circuit board (21), characterized in that the transducer (17) is arranged corresponding to said region (25). Main Figure: 5 [Fig. 5]

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRONIC CARD WITH AN ACCELEROMETER GENERATING A SIGNAL CHARACTERISTIC FOR SOUND PRODUCTION Scope of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic card and more particularly to an electronic card with a transducer for generating a characteristic signal that can be used for the reproduction of vibrations or sound by means of a related transmitting device configured to produce sound or vibrations on the basis of the characteristic signal. Previous art

[0002] As is known, some motor vehicles are equipped with electric propulsion devices, that is to say devices which include at least one electric motor for the traction of the relative motor vehicle.

[0003] During its operation, the electric motor emits sounds and vibrations which may be unpleasant and / or not correspond to the driving experience the driver expects.

[0004] This introduces a problem of perception by the driver regarding the operating conditions of the electric motor and more generally regarding the performance of the motor vehicle including the electric motor.

[0005] In practice, from the driver's point of view, the sound and / or vibration performance of the motor vehicles mentioned above is not satisfactory.

[0006] There is therefore a need to improve the sound and / or vibration performance of motor vehicles or to increase the driver's perception of the engine's operation.

[0007] In addition, some drivers are notoriously interested in perceiving the sounds or vibrations associated with the operation of the motor vehicle for reasons of driving pleasure.

[0008] Consequently, the need to increase the driver's driving pleasure was really felt.

[0009] For this reason, certain solutions are known in which a transmitting device produces a sound associated with a characteristic signal indicative of a behavior of the electric motor and more generally of an axle which includes the electric motor.

[0010] For example, the characteristic signal may be related to a vibration or acceleration of the electric motor during its operation.

[0011] Here, we feel the need to improve the fidelity of the characteristic signal with respect to the actual behavior of the electric motor in operation. In fact, the transducers and the relative integration archetype at the measurement point, known to generate the characteristic signal, produce significant noise in the characteristic signal, as well as its generally unsatisfactory bandwidth, particularly with respect to higher frequencies.

[0012] The fidelity of the characteristic signal directly influences the veracity and richness of the sound reproduced by the transmitting device; therefore, the satisfaction of this latter requirement also implies a satisfaction of the other requirements mentioned above.

[0013] The problem of characteristic signal fidelity can generally also concern many other types of automotive applications, in which a method or algorithm uses, as an input signal, the characteristic signal of a suitable transducer to detect a vibration or acceleration of any of the components or structure of the motor vehicle, such as the axle (even if it is not necessarily electric, i.e. even if it does not necessarily include the electric motor), a chassis part, a suspension element, a body element, a drive wheel, etc.

[0014] Examples of these other types of automotive applications may include, in particular, road noise suppression devices, which notably apply algorithms based on an input reference signal indicative of a vibration of a point in the suspended mass of the motor vehicle, or devices for monitoring the verification of anomalies in the machinery of the motor vehicle, where the presence of an anomaly is verified by an input signal indicative of a vibration of a component of the monitored machinery, or systems for controlling the stability of the motor vehicle, where input signals indicative of vibrations of the wheels, chassis or parts of the suspension, may be used as information to control the dynamics of the motor vehicle.

[0015] In all these types of application, it is very important that the input signal reproduces as faithfully as possible, that is to say with maximum coherence and precision, the vibration or vibrational response which must be indicated by the input signal itself.

[0016] Consequently, there is generally a need to increase the fidelity of the signals generated by relative and indicative transducers of a vibration or acceleration or vibratory response of a component of the motor vehicle.

[0017] One object of the invention is to satisfy at least one of the above-mentioned requirements, preferably in a simple, reliable and repeatable manner. Description of the invention

[0018] The goal is achieved by an electronic card for a motor vehicle according to claim 1.

[0019] Dependent claims disclose particular embodiments of the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] In the following section, an embodiment of the invention is described for a better understanding thereof by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Fig. 1] [Fig. 1] is a schematic side view of a motor vehicle according to the invention, [Fig. 2] [Fig. 2] is a diagram of part of the motor vehicle in [Fig. 1], [Fig. 3] [Fig. 3] is a larger-scale perspective view of an axle of the motor vehicle, [Fig. 4] [Fig. 4] is an exploded view of part of an axle reverser. [Fig. 3], and [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a larger-scale perspective view of an electronic circuit board contained inside the inverter of [Fig.4]. Method of embodying the invention

[0021] In [Fig.1], the reference number 1 is used to indicate, as a whole, a motor vehicle.

[0022] The motor vehicle 1 comprises a plurality of wheels 2, a motor or propulsion unit 3, for example an electric motor, and a transmission unit 4 configured to connect the motor 3 to the wheels 2, so that the motor 3 can distribute power to the wheels 2 through the transmission unit 4.

[0023] In addition, the motor vehicle 1 comprises a chassis 5 suspended relative to the wheels 2 by means of suspensions of a known type and not illustrated.

[0024] The hull 5 defines a passenger compartment 6 of the motor vehicle 1 to accommodate at least one driver and possibly one or more passengers or more generally at least one user.

[0025] More generally, the engine 3 and the transmission group 4 are part of an axle 11 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0026] The axle 11 includes an external casing 12, which in turn may include an external housing 13 of the motor 3 or an external housing 14 of the transmission unit 4. The housings 13, 14 may be fixed together with fastening means (not illustrated) or be part of a single body, without loss of generality.

[0027] The motor 3 is electric, therefore the axle can also be defined as an electric axle.

[0028] Therefore, as shown in [Fig.2], the motor vehicle 1 or axle 11 includes an electrical network 15 configured to supply the motor 3; the network 15 in turn includes a DC-AC (direct current - alternating current) converter or an inverter 40.

[0029] In addition, in more detail, the network 15 includes one or more direct current conductors 16 for connecting the inverter 40 to an electrical power source not shown, for example a battery.

[0030] In addition, the network 15 includes a connection 17, for example but not necessarily, three-phase (i.e. with three phases) between the inverter 40 and the motor 3 for an alternating current passage defining the supply current of the motor 3.

[0031] The inverter 40 includes a box 41, in particular fixed to the frame 12 and more precisely in correspondence with the casing 13, therefore the box 41 is fixed either with respect to the casing 13, or with respect to the casing 14. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.3], the box 41 is placed above (in particular immediately above) the frame 12 or more precisely the casing 13.

[0032] As can be seen in [Fig.4], the box 41 defines, inside, a housing 42 for the inverter.

[0033] The motor vehicle 1 has at least one sensor or transducer 17 to detect a response or vibration magnitude of the axle 11, for example in the absolute direction or relative to a chassis of the motor vehicle 1, during the operation of the latter.

[0034] The transducer 17 can more generally be part of a set of sensors or transducers which detect corresponding operational quantities of the axle 11, that is to say quantities indicative of the operation of the axle 11 itself and consequently variable according to the latter.

[0035] The sensors or transducers, in particular the transducer 17, generate signals corresponding to the response or detected quantity; the signals converge to a processor or control unit 20, which may be part of a dedicated control unit or integrated into an audio system of the motor vehicle 1, with the purpose of generating a signal characteristic of the operation of the engine 3 or, more generally, of the axle 11, the characteristic signal having dynamics indicative of the state or mode in which the motor vehicle 1 is driven. To this end, the characteristic signal may be frequency-filtered by the control unit 20 by means of a bandpass filter of the control unit 20.

[0036] The control unit 20 may, more generally, also have other functionalities of a different nature than the possible example of integration into the audio system.

[0037] In general, the transducer 17 is coupled to the control unit 20, that is to say, the control unit 20 is coupled to the transducer to receive the signal generated by the transducer 17 and is configured to condition the received signal.

[0038] The transducer 17 is independent of the other sensors or transducers in the assembly, which may also be absent. Consequently, the transducer 17 is configured in itself to generate a corresponding signal, that is to say in particular the characteristic signal.

[0039] The transducer 17 is configured to detect an indicative quantity of a vibration or acceleration, that is to say in particular the response or magnitude of vibration of the axle 11.

[0040] In particular, advantageously but not necessarily, the characteristic signal is subjected to a transposition operation, in which, after possible filtering, the characteristic signal is processed in real time so that the frequency content corresponding to or belonging to one or more predetermined frequency bands is transposed by means of a "pitch shifting" technique (here translated into Italian as "frequency transposition" for purely linguistic reasons) or frequency transposition to one or more different bands, higher or lower on the frequency scale, in order to highlight the desired acoustic content, according to the taste of a certain category of users, while preserving the characteristics of the response of the axle 11 in operation.

[0041] Such a signal translated by frequency bands (“pitch-shifted”), that is to say the signal obtained by the transposition operation, is consequently transferred to the audio system or received by the audio system, from which it can be further adapted by filtering and levels and emitted through the speakers of the audio system for the purpose of providing feedback to the driver of the motor vehicle 1, on the operating state of the latter.

[0042] In particular, in this way, the unpleasant or even annoying characteristics from a vibro-acoustic point of view (for example associated with high-frequency whistling of the transmission 4, the motor 3 or the moving components, in particular with frequencies above 500 Hz or in particular those above 1 kHz) or however undesirable, of the characteristic signal are transposed onto a frequency band typically associated with acceptable or pleasant acoustic sensations.

[0043] The acoustic emission can take place only inside the motor vehicle 1, that is to say, in another embodiment, with a combination of internal and external loudspeakers, the latter having the purpose of warning of the presence of pedestrians or the fact that pedestrians are approaching the motor vehicle 1.

[0044] The sensors or transducers, in particular the transducer 17, may be part of a transduction set comprising a plurality of transducers configured to detect respective quantities associated with an operation or movement or vibration of the motor 3 or more generally of the axle 11 and to generate corresponding signals.

[0045] The transduction assembly may optionally also include only the transducer 17 or any combination of the transducer 17 with at least one other separate transducer.

[0046] The motor vehicle 1 may include an emitting device 18 configured to emit sound and / or vibrations, in particular inside the passenger compartment 6.

[0047] The transmitting device 18 includes the transduction assembly and consequently in particular the transducer 17.

[0048] In addition, the emission device 18 may include the control unit 20 or more generally the axle 11.

[0049] Consequently, the control unit 20 may also not be part of the emitting device 18; in other words, the control unit 20 may be independent of the emitting device 18.

[0050] The transmitting device 18 emits sound and / or vibrations according to the quantities mentioned above or the signals generated by the transduction assembly (in particular the signal generated by the transducer 17).

[0051] The device 18 may include, for example, one or more sound emitters or loudspeakers 19, for example carried by the chassis 5, in particular inside the passenger compartment 6.

[0052] The loudspeakers 19 are configured to emit or reproduce sound, in particular in the passenger compartment 6, more particularly, directly.

[0053] Alternatively or in addition, the emitting device 18 may include, for example, one or more vibration emitters 19b coupled or fixed to a solid body or panel of the motor vehicle 1, in particular inside the passenger compartment 6.

[0054] The loudspeakers 19 and / or vibration emitters 19b are not essential and may therefore be omitted. The control unit 20 may even be configured solely to process or simply to receive the signal from the transducer 17, and optionally to perform generic operations and processes based on the received and / or processed signal from the transducer 17.

[0055] Each of the vibration emitters 19b (for example, electrodynamic actuators or vibrators) is configured to cause a vibration of the body solid or panel to which it is coupled or fixed, for example in a coordinated manner with the sound emitted by the loudspeakers 19.

[0056] The vibration emitters 19b are coupled to the signal processing unit 20 or to the transmitting device 18.

[0057] The panel may, for example, be part of the shell 5. More particularly, the panel may be part of a dashboard, a seat, a pedal or a steering wheel of the motor vehicle 1.

[0058] The transducer 17 is configured to detect an indicative quantity of an acceleration, in particular linear, or of a vibration of the motor 3 or of a component of the axle 11, i.e. of the axle as a whole, for example in the absolute direction or with respect to the chassis 5. In addition, the transducer 17 is configured to generate the signal corresponding to the detected quantity.

[0059] In particular, the quantity detected by the transducer 17 is indicative of the vibration of the box 41 of the inverter 40.

[0060] The quantity detected by the transducer 17 can coincide with the acceleration itself.

[0061] For example, the transducer 17 includes an accelerometer, in particular based on MEMS technology (acronym for microelectromechanical system).

[0062] The accelerometer is specifically configured to detect the indicative quantity of the vibration or acceleration.

[0063] The motor vehicle 1 or more precisely the device 18 comprises an electronic board 21, in particular comprising a support or a printed circuit board 22. The transducer 17 can be considered as forming part of the electronic board 21 in that it is coupled or fixed to the printed circuit board 22.

[0064] In particular, but not necessarily, the electronic card 21 is fixed to the box 41 of the inverter 40, more particularly inside the housing 42.

[0065] The printed circuit board 22 has a thickness and extends lengthwise and widthwise respectively along two axes A, B orthogonal to each other and defining a plane. Consequently, the electronic board 21 also extends along the axes A, B.

[0066] The printed circuit board 22 has not only two ends 22a, 22b opposite along axis A, but also two other ends 22c, 22d opposite along axis B.

[0067] More particularly, the printed circuit board 22 has a rectangular shape, therefore the ends 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d include the four corners of the printed circuit board 22. Clearly, the rectangular shape is quite representative, but may be different according to other embodiments.

[0068] Preferably, especially if the shape is rectangular, the length of the printed circuit 22 along axis B (between the ends 22c, 22d) is greater than the width of the printed circuit 22 along axis A (between the ends 22a, 22b).

[0069] Appropriately, the thickness of the printed circuit board 22 is greater than or equal to 1.6 mm, more appropriately greater than or equal to 2 mm.

[0070] The electronic card 21 includes a connector 23, in particular for connecting the electronic card 21 to the control unit 20. In fact, the electronic card 21 is connected to the control unit 20, in particular through the connector 23.

[0071] For example, but not necessarily, the connector 23 is fixed to the printed circuit board 22 and arranged in correspondence with one of the ends 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, more particularly the end 22c.

[0072] The control unit 20 is preferably connected to the connector 23, for example via an audio communication channel of the device 18, i.e. an automotive audio bus, in particular with A2B technology.

[0073] The control unit 20 is coupled to the transducer 17 to receive the signal generated by the transducer 17, in particular through the connector 23 and more particularly through the audio communication channel.

[0074] For example, the electronic board 21 (and therefore the transducer 17) is powered by means of the electrical current passing through the connector 23 and more specifically through the audio communication channel. In other words, the electronic board 21 is powered using a phantom power supply technique, that is, by passing the supply current through the audio communication channel, through which the signal generated by the transducer 17 passes to the control unit 20.

[0075] In particular, the transducer 17 is therefore coupled to the control unit 20 via the printed circuit board 22, the connector 23 and optionally the audio communication channel, so that the control unit 20 receives the signal generated by the transducer 17.

[0076] The electronic card 21 or the printed circuit board 22 has a plurality of attachment points for being fixed to a base body, in particular (but not necessarily) the box 41 of the inverter 40, corresponding to the attachment points themselves.

[0077] As can be deduced from the figures, the electronic card 21 or the printed circuit board 22 is fixed to the base body in correspondence with the fixing points, in particular directly (for example, i.e. without intermediate elements which are between the electronic card 21 and the base body) and / or rigidly.

[0078] As will become clearer from the following section, also referring to the terminal part of this description, the basic body does not necessarily coincide with the 4L box

[0079] The transducer 17 is configured to detect an indicative quantity of a vibration (or acceleration) of the base body and to generate the corresponding signal.

[0080] For example, the basic body can be part of (or be defined by) the motor 3 or the axle 11. In fact, this follows directly from the fact that the description mentions how the transducer 17 was configured to detect an indicative quantity of an acceleration, in particular linear, or of a vibration of the motor 3 or of a component of the axle 11.

[0081] In more detail, the electronic board 21 has a plurality of respective fastening devices 24 corresponding to the fastening points. The fastening devices 24 are configured to allow the electronic board 21 to be fastened to the base body, in particular (but not necessarily) the 4L box. As mentioned above, the fastening by means of the fastening devices 24 takes place, in particular, directly and / or rigidly.

[0082] The fixing points are arranged so as to surround a specific region 25 of the printed circuit 22 or of the electronic card 21, in correspondence with which the transducer 17 is fixed or arranged.

[0083] In other words, the fixation points form a pattern around the transducer 17, for example defining a perimeter of the region 25. More particularly, the pattern is polygonal.

[0084] In more detail, the fixing points can be connected to each other by means of a closed imaginary line 30 (optionally broken), in particular on the plane of the axes A, B, which defines a polygonal perimeter of the region 25. In particular, optionally, the imaginary line also includes a part 31 of an external edge 32 of the printed circuit 22 or of the electronic card 21 or more precisely of the end 22d.

[0085] In particular, the region 25 is disposed at least between two fixing points along axis A and two fixing points along axis B, or as in the illustrated embodiment, between a fixing point and the edge of the printed circuit 22 or the electronic card 21 along axis B.

[0086] More particularly, but not necessarily, the transducer 17 is aligned with at least one mounting point along a line parallel to axis B or along axis B itself; furthermore, two mounting points are arranged on the respective sides of the transducer 17 along axis A and are more particularly aligned along a line parallel to axis A. In this way, the mounting points are configured in a triangle, preferably isosceles. For example, one of the angles of the triangle may be a portion of the edge 32 of the printed circuit board 22, that is, in particular, a portion of the angle of end 22d.

[0087] More generally, the mounting points are arranged in a polygonal configuration, optionally including a portion of the edge of the printed circuit board 22 as a side of the polygonal configuration. The mounting points represent the vertices of the polygonal configuration.

[0088] In other words, the fixing points are arranged according to a polygonal pattern around the transducer 17, in order to form the perimeter of the region 25.

[0089] Region 25 is preferably arranged in correspondence with end 22d, therefore, in other words, in the opposite position to connector 23 along axis B.

[0090] Preferably, two fixing points are located in correspondence with the end 22c or at the level of the sides of the connector 23 along axis A. The connector 23 is generally away from the region 25 along axis B or more precisely is located on the opposite side to the region 25 along axis B.

[0091] In particular, these last two fixing points can be aligned along a line parallel to the axis A and can independently have a greater distance between them along the axis A than that of the two fixing points to the sides of the transducer 17 along the axis A.

[0092] The fastening devices 24 comprise respective through holes, the centers of which coincide in particular with the fastening points. More generally, the holes are arranged in correspondence with the fastening points.

[0093] The electronic board 21 is fixed to the base body, in particular (but not necessarily) the inverter 40, by means of fastening members 26, for example threaded members (more precisely screws, in particular biting ones), of the device 18 or of the axle 11. The fastening members 26 pass or are arranged through the holes and are configured to fix the electronic board 21 to the base body.

[0094] Consequently, the fastening members 26 fix the electronic board 21 to the base body directly and / or rigidly.

[0095] The box 41 or the base body includes respective seats 44 for receiving the fastening members 26, which are configured to attach to the seats 44, which may, for example, include or be defined by threaded holes.

[0096] The electronic card 21 can therefore be fixed to the box 41 by fixing or screwing the fixing members 26 to the seats 44 with the electronic card 21 between the respective ends or heads 45 of the fixing members 26 and the seats 44, i.e. by coupling the seats 44 to the fixing members 26 after the latter have passed through the holes of the fixing device 24.

[0097] Here, the fastening members 26 fix the electronic board 21 by engaging the seats 44 with the electronic board 21 between the box 41 or the base body and the ends 45.

[0098] By engaging the seats 44, the fastening members 26 cooperate with the seats 44 (in particular by screwing them to the seats 44), so that the fastening members 26 and the seats 44 are coupled or fixed to each other.

[0099] Preferably, the fastening members 26 fix the electronic card 21 to the box 41 directly, therefore a specific enclosure is avoided to house the electronic card 21.

[0100] Preferably, the electronic board 21 comprises a group of electronic components 27 configured to adapt or conform the signal generated by the transducer 17 to a communication protocol suitable for the audio communication channel. More particularly, the communication protocol is an A2B type protocol.

[0101] In particular, the group of electronic components 27 is fixed to the printed circuit board 22 and is more particularly (but not necessarily) arranged between the region 25 and the connector 23 along axis B, i.e. between the ends 22c, 22d.

[0102] Preferably, but not necessarily, a fixing point is disposed between the group of electronic components 27 and the region 25 or the transducer 17.

[0103] For example, the group of electronic components 27 is arranged outside the region 25.

[0104] Ideally, all the electronic components of the electronic board 21, including the transducer 17 and the group 27, are fixed to a single face of the printed circuit board 22 along the thickness direction. In particular, the single face is the one opposite the face to be turned towards the seats 44, again along the thickness direction.

[0105] When the electronic card 21 is fixed to the box 41, the face opposite to that with the electronic components is in contact with the box 41 (more precisely with the walls that define the seats 44), while the face with the electronic components is turned towards the housing 42.

[0106] The transmitting device 18 emits sound and / or vibrations according to the signal generated by the transduction assembly and more particularly by the transducer 17.

[0107] Ideally, the signal generated by the transduction assembly or more precisely by the transducer 17 can be conditioned, in a timely manner, before being supplied to the loudspeakers 19 and / or the vibration emitters 19b respectively by the emission of sound and / or vibrations.

[0108] After conditioning, the transmitter 18 emits sound and / or vibrations according to the conditioned signal. The loudspeakers 19 and vibration emitters 19b can be combined to form part of a transmitter configured to emit sound and / or vibrations according to the received conditioned signal. For example, the control unit 20 can be configured to perform the conditioning.

[0109] In particular, the conditioning includes filtering the signal generated by the transduction assembly or by the transducer 17 through a frequency-based filter, i.e., a bandpass filter, in particular a low-pass filter. The control unit 20 is configured to filter the signal generated by the transduction assembly or by the transducer 17 through the filter.

[0110] Advantageously, but not necessarily, downstream of any filtering, the conditioning includes performing a pitch-shifting technique (here translated into Italian as "frequency transposition") on the signal generated by the transduction assembly or by the transducer 17 (optionally filtered). The control unit 20 can be configured to perform the pitch-shifting technique on the signal generated by the transduction assembly or by the transducer 17 (optionally filtered).

[0111] More specifically, performing the pitch-shifting technique means transposing one or more frequencies of a signal component from a first frequency range to a second frequency range different from the first frequency range, in particular by applying a corresponding offset to each of the frequencies in the first frequency range, so that each of the frequencies in the first frequency range falls back on the second frequency range.

[0112] In the following part, the first frequency interval and the second frequency interval will be referred to more simply as the first interval and the second interval respectively.

[0113] It is not necessary that all the frequencies of the first interval be transposed onto the second interval; therefore, the transposition could only concern certain specific frequencies of the frequencies of the first interval or all the frequencies of the first interval, according to an alternative embodiment.

[0114] In practice, the actual execution of the pitch-shifting technique can take place according to any of the many known processes, among which for example the "phase vocoder" process, OLA (Overlap-Add), PSOLA (Pitch-Synchronous Overlap-Add), WSOLA (Waveform-similarity based OLA), "Ocean" (publication "Low latency audio pitch Shifting in the frequency domain" by Juilleart & Hirsbunner, published on November 1, 2010 during the "International Conference on Audio, Language and Image Processing"), etc.

[0115] The first interval and the second interval are not necessarily continuous or in the domain of real numbers, but may also be discrete or in a different domain of numbers.

[0116] As already mentioned, the term transpose can also be understood as the application of an offset, where the offset may depend on the frequency on which it is applied, for example, decreasing linearly or non-linearly as the frequency decreases, or constant, that is, independent of the frequency.

[0117] In particular, the applied shift involves a decrease in frequency. In other words, the transposition takes place downwards. This is therefore not strictly necessary, since the transposition can also take place or only take place upwards according to other embodiments.

[0118] Therefore, in particular, the second interval has a lower bound that is smaller than a lower bound of the first interval.

[0119] The first and second intervals may intersect with respect to each other, particularly based on the applied shift. In fact, clearly, in the case of small applied shifts, for example with decreasing shifts, the shift applied to an upper bound of the first interval results in a frequency that is still contained within the first interval and simultaneously within the second interval. Alternatively, the first and second intervals do not intersect; that is, they are separated or their intersection is empty.

[0120] Furthermore, the first and second intervals may have distinct amplitudes, in particular since the offset depends on the frequency to which it is applied. Preferably, the second interval has a smaller amplitude than the first interval.

[0121] The conditioned signal can therefore be the result of the execution of the pitch-shifting technique, downstream of the possible filtering of the signal generated by the transduction assembly.

[0122] The loudspeakers 19 receive the conditioned signal from the control unit 20, to which they are connected, and are configured to emit sound in a manner corresponding to the conditioned signal received.

[0123] In other words, the conditioned signal can be reproduced by the loudspeakers 19. In practice, the loudspeakers 19 reproduce the received conditioned signal, that is to say they emit the sound reproducing the conditioned signal.

[0124] More generally, the signal according to which the transmitting device 18 emits the sound can be reproduced by the loudspeakers 19, in particular directly. In practice, the transmitting device 18 can reproduce the signal, in particular via the loudspeakers 19, thus emitting the sound according to the signal.

[0125] The expression "correspondingly" implies in particular that the sound is a univocal function of the conditioned signal, but this does not mean that the loudspeakers 19 (forming, for example, part of the audio system) do not apply other conditionings to the conditioned signal, for example as a function of the conditioned signal itself.

[0126] The operation of the loudspeakers 19, which convert a received signal into sound, is well known in itself and that is why it is not described in detail.

[0127] Here, the term “convert” can be understood as a synonym for “reproduce”.

[0128] In particular, the loudspeakers 19 emit sound inside the passenger compartment 6 of the motor vehicle 1, in other words they are arranged inside the passenger compartment 6.

[0129] Alternatively, the loudspeakers 19 can be turned outwards from the motor vehicle 1, so that the sound is emitted outside the motor vehicle 1.

[0130] In addition, for example independently or in a coordinated manner, the vibration emitters 19b receive the conditioned signal from the control unit 20, to which they are connected, and are configured to cause vibrations in a manner corresponding to the conditioned signal received.

[0131] Here too, the expression "correspondingly" implies in particular that the vibrations are a one-to-one function of the conditioned signal, but this does not mean that the vibration emitters 19b do not apply other conditionings to the conditioned signal, for example as a function of the conditioned signal itself.

[0132] The loudspeakers 19 and the vibration emitters 19b can more generally be combined to form an emitter configured to emit sound and / or vibrations in a manner corresponding to the conditioned signal received.

[0133] According to the previous part, the advantages of the electronic card 21 are clearly apparent.

[0134] Thanks to the position of the mounting points, the region 25, to which the transducer 17 is fixed, is rigidified, so that the vibrations of the axle 11 are transmitted to the transducer 17 with a gain of approximately unity. More specifically, the gain obtained has a maximum limit of 1.5, that is, it is less than or equal to 1.5. Here, the gain is understood as the magnitude of the transfer function between the vibration of the axle and the vibration in the region 25.

[0135] This allows a rather large bandwidth of the generated signal, in particular at least greater than or equal to 6 kHz or preferably up to 8 kHz.

[0136] The transducer 17 is integrated into the inverter 40 without the need for a dedicated enclosure.

[0137] The use of an A2B communication protocol and a phantom power supply is particularly advantageous with regard to the simplicity and efficiency of the necessary wiring.

[0138] It is finally clear that modifications and variants can be made to the electronic card 21 according to the invention, which however do not fall outside the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0139] In particular, the number of components illustrated and described may differ. Similarly, the shape of the components may differ from what has been described and illustrated.

[0140] In addition, the transmitting device 18 can coincide with one of the loudspeakers 19 and / or vibration emitters 19b.

[0141] Furthermore, the electronic board 21 can also be used for applications other than sound production. Therefore, the electronic board 21 can be attached to different components of the inverter 40. For example, the electronic board 21 can be attached to a component of the transmission unit 4 for predictive handling of the transmission unit 4. Alternatively, the electronic board 21 can be attached to the chassis 5 or to the wheels 2 to monitor vibrations of the suspended and unsprung parts of the motor vehicle 1, or for active road noise control systems.

Claims

Demands

1. Electronic card (21) for a motor vehicle (1), the electronic card (21) comprising: a transducer (17) configured to detect an indicative quantity of a vibration of a base body (41) of the motor vehicle (1) and to generate a corresponding signal, a plurality of attachment points for attaching the electronic card (21) to the base body (41), the attachment points being arranged to surround a region (25) of the electronic card (21), characterized in that the transducer (17) is arranged in correspondence with said region (25).

2. Electronic card according to claim 1, wherein the fixing points can be connected to each other by means of a closed imaginary line defining a polygonal perimeter of said region.

3. Electronic card according to claim 2, wherein the imaginary line comprises at least a portion of a first outer edge of the electronic card (21).

4. Electronic card according to any one of the preceding claims, extending along a first axis (A) and a second axis (B) orthogonal to each other, and wherein said region (25) is disposed at least between a first point of the fixing points and a second edge of the electronic card (21) along the second axis (B), as well as between at least two second points of the fixing points along the first axis (A).

5. Electronic card according to claim 4, wherein the second points are aligned with each other along a first line parallel to the first axis (A), and / or wherein the first point is aligned with the transducer (17) along a second line parallel to the second axis (B).

6. Electronic card according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a connector (23) located away from said region (25) along the second axis (B) and disposed between two third points of the fixing points along the first axis (A).

7. Electronic card according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of fastening devices (24) corresponding to the fixing points to allow the electronic board (21) to be fixed to the base body.

8. Electronic card according to claim 7, wherein the fastening devices (24) include respective through holes for passage of the fastening members (26) of the motor vehicle (1) configured to fix the electronic card (21) to the base body.

9. Motor vehicle comprising a chassis (5), a basic body carried by the chassis (5) and an electronic board (21) according to claim 8, wherein the basic body comprises respective seats (44) for receiving the fastening members (26) in turn disposed through the holes and fastening the electronic board (21) engaging the seats (44) with the electronic board (21) between the basic body and the respective ends (45) of the fastening members (26).

10. Transmitting device (18) for a motor vehicle (1) comprising: an electronic board (21) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a control unit (20) coupled to the transducer (17) for receiving the signal generated by the transducer (17) and configured to condition the received signal, and at least one transmitter (19, 19b) connected to the control unit (20) for receiving the conditioned signal and configured to emit a sound and / or vibrations in a manner corresponding to the received conditioned signal.

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