An acoustic test system for at least one motor vehicle component, a method for acoustically testing at least one motor vehicle component, a computer program

Abstract

The invention relates to an acoustic test system 10 for at least one motor vehicle component 14. The acoustic test system 10 comprises a surface 16 configured to support the at least one motor vehicle

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to an acoustic test system for at least one motor vehicle component. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for acoustically testing at least one motor vehicle component via an acoustic test system, a corresponding computer program product, and a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] According to the state of the art as exemplified in document CN 219 320 466 U, a reliability testing device may be constructed in order to test automotive electronic components. The testing device may comprise components such as a test bench, a vibration roller, a test box, and a motor. The motor of the testing device may be configured to drive the vibration roller so as to vibrate the test box in a manner simulating a bumpy road.

[0003] According to the state of the art as exemplified in document CN 116 659 786 A, a method may be used to control a vibration endurance test of an electronically controlled motor vehicle suspension. The method may involve the steps of sending a vibration excitation signal to a vibration test bench to excite a vibration of the bench frame and / or both evaluating and analyzing the test results. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an acoustic test system, a method, a corresponding computer program product, and a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium by which noise produced by motor vehicles may be reduced.

[0005] The object is solved by an acoustic test system, a method, a corresponding computer program product, and a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0006] One aspect of the invention relates to an acoustic test system for at least one motor vehicle component. The test system comprises a surface configured to support the at least one motor vehicle component; at least one vibration generator configured to produce at least one vibration of the surface; at least one electronic computing device configured at least to control the at least one vibration generator; and at least one audio sensor configured to monitor at least one acoustic response of the at least one motor vehicle component to the at least one vibration of the surface.

[0007] The at least one electronic computing device may be configured, for example, to simulate at least one motor vehicle driving condition via control of the at least one vibration generator.

[0008] For instance, the at least one electronic computing device may simulate an uneven dirt road with a series of vibrations wherein a standard deviation of a frequency of the vibrations is 3 hertz and a standard deviation of vertical displacement of the surface is 0.5 cm. As another example, the at least one electronic computing device may simulate a well maintained asphalt road with a series of vibrations wherein a standard deviation of a frequency of the vibrations is 0.5 hertz and a standard deviation of vertical displacement of the surface is 0.1 cm.

[0009] Monitoring of the at least one acoustic response entails capturing at least one datum associated with at least one sound produced by the at least one motor vehicle component while the surface vibrates.

[0010] The at least one audio sensor may make use of a volume threshold in order to selectively capture sounds. For example, the at least one audio sensor may select to capture only those sounds that exceed 20 dB in volume.

[0011] The surface may comprise a flexible but elastic material such as an aluminum alloy or thermoplastic polyurethane.

[0012] An electronic computing device may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The electronic computing device may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The electronic computing device may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or of other said units.

[0013] An electronic computing device may also comprise one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units.

[0014] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0015] In particular, at least one of the at least one electronic computing device of the acoustic test system may be configured to store at least one datum by means of a computer-readable mass storage device. Examples of computer-readable mass storage devices include solid-state drives, SSDs; hard disk drives, HDDs; flash memory devices such as USB flash drives; and optical discs such as Compact Discs.

[0016] Furthermore, the acoustic test system may be configured to store at least one datum by means of an external server, with which the acoustic test system may communicate via a telecommunication device such as a dedicated short-range communications device. The telecommunication device may rely on at least one radio transmitter and at least one radio receiver, such as a Wi-Fi-enabled network interface controller.

[0017] Application of the preceding aspect may result in an identification of a motor vehicle component as emitting an unacceptable kind or amplitude of noise. For example, the motor vehicle component may emit noise whose amplitude exceeds at least one noise amplitude tolerance established by a manufacturer.

[0018] A motor vehicle component identified as emitting unacceptable noise may then be replaced by an equivalent motor vehicle component emitting acceptable noise. In this way, noise produced by a motor vehicle may be reduced. Therefore, application of the preceding aspect achieves the object of the invention as presented earlier, namely, to reduce noise produced by motor vehicles.

[0019] According to one embodiment, at least one of the at least one audio sensor is an acoustic camera. An acoustic camera may facilitate acoustic diagnosis of the at least one motor vehicle component by physically locating a sound.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the acoustic test system further comprises at least one power supply configured to power at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component.

[0021] For instance, a center console of a motor vehicle may be connected to the at least one power supply so that the center console receives power during the acoustic test.

[0022] At least one of the at least one power supply may be, for example, a variable’ voltage power supply. This may be advantageous when testing multiple motor vehicle components rated for different electrical inputs.

[0023] At least one of the at least one power supply may, for example, feature at least two port specifications and / or connection cables. This may be advantageous when testing multiple motor vehicle components designed to accept different power connectors.

[0024] According to another embodiment, the acoustic test system further comprises at least one mechanical conveyance device configured to move the at least one motor vehicle component onto and / or off the surface.

[0025] According to another embodiment, the acoustic test system further comprises at least one mechanical arm configured to manipulate at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component and / or at least one wire configured for connection to at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component.

[0026] This mechanical arm may be the same as the mechanical conveyance device according to a previous embodiment. However, the mechanical conveyance device may be a distinct component, for instance, a conveyor belt positioned to transport the at least one motor vehicle component to the surface of the acoustic test system.

[0027] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for acoustically testing at least one motor vehicle component via an acoustic test system according to the preceding aspect. At least one control signal is generated for the at least one vibration generator by the at least one electronic computing device. At least one audio datum corresponding to the at least one acoustic response of the at least one motor vehicle component to the at least one vibration is captured by the at least one audio sensor. The at least one audio datum is analyzed by the at least one electronic computing device.

[0028] The analysis of the at least one audio datum by the at least one electronic computing device may comprise, for instance, a classification of the audio datum as passing or failing a noise quality assurance test, depending on at least one component noise criterion. One example of a component noise criterion is an amplitude threshold above which any noise produced by the at least one audio component is considered to have failed the noise quality assurance test. Another example of a component noise criterion is a frequency window associated with a range of human hearing, wherein noise falling outside of this window is considered irrelevant to the noise quality assurance test regardless of its amplitude.

[0029] The analysis of the at least one audio datum may result in an identification of a motor vehicle component as emitting an unacceptable kind or amplitude of noise. A motor vehicle component identified as emitting unacceptable noise may then be replaced by an equivalent motor vehicle component emitting acceptable noise.

[0030] In this way, noise produced by a motor vehicle may be reduced by application of the preceding aspect, as of the aspect before it. Therefore, application of the preceding aspect achieves the object of the invention as presented earlier, namely, to reduce noise produced by motor vehicles.

[0031] According to an embodiment, the method comprises the further step of displaying the at least one audio datum and / or at least one result of the analysis by the electronic computing device via at least one display device of the acoustic test system.

[0032] For example, a two dimensional plot of frequency versus amplitude may be displayed to the at least one display device. As another example, when paired with a previous embodiment, a heat map may be displayed to the display device such that physical regions of the at least one motor vehicle component are colored according to an acoustic property such as frequency or amplitude of sound emitted from those physical regions.

[0033] According to another embodiment, the method comprises the further step of arranging the at least one motor vehicle component by the mechanical arm so as to commence and / or terminate a supplying of power to at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component from the at least one power supply.

[0034] This mechanical arm may be the same as the mechanical arm from an embodiment of the preceding aspect.

[0035] In particular, the method is at least in part a computer-implemented method. Therefore, a further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions for performing a method according to the preceding aspect.

[0036] A still further aspect of the invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to the preceding aspect.

[0037] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. Some embodiments of a system as well as of a method in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0039] The drawings show in:

[0040] Fig. 1 a schematic side view according to an embodiment of the acoustic test system.

[0041] Fig. 2 a schematic flowchart according to an embodiment of the method.

[0042] Throughout the figures, the same numbers are used to reference like features and components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0044] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0045] The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0046] In the following detailed description of the example embodiments of the disclosure, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form parts hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0047] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view according to several embodiments of an acoustic test system 10. According to an embodiment, a mechanical conveyance device 12, here a conveyor belt, of the acoustic test system 10 moves at least one motor vehicle component 14, here a dashboard air conditioning unit, onto a surface 16 of the acoustic test system 10. In this example, the surface 16 is a curved surface 16. A flat surface 16, for example, may also be used.

[0048] In this example, the at least one motor vehicle component 14 is configured to connect to an electric power input via a negative lead 18 and a positive lead 20. According to several embodiments, a mechanical arm 22 of the acoustic test system 10 connects the at least one motor vehicle component 14 to a power supply 24 of the acoustic test system 10. In this example, the power supply 24 is a variable voltage power supply. In this example, the mechanical arm 22 connects the at least one motor vehicle component 14 to the power supply 24 via a negative alligator clip 26 connected to a negative terminal of the power supply 24 and a positive alligator clip 28 connected to a positive terminal of the power supply 24.

[0049] An electronic computing device 30 of the acoustic test system 10 generates at least one control signal 32 for at least one vibration generator 34, which then produces at least one vibration of the surface 16. In this example, the electronic computing device 30 is encased within a desktop computer chassis of a tower form factor.

[0050] At least one audio sensor is configured to monitor at least one acoustic response of the at least one motor vehicle component 14 to the at least one vibration of the surface 16. According to an embodiment, at least one of the at least one audio sensor is an acoustic camera 36. This acoustic camera 36 captures at least one audio datum 38 corresponding to the response of the at least one motor vehicle component 14 to the at least one vibration.

[0051] In this example, the acoustic camera 36 transmits the at least one audio datum 38 to the electronic computing device 30. The electronic computing device 30 then analyzes the at least one audio datum 38.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the electronic computing device 30 displays the at least one audio datum 38 via at least one display device 40.

[0053] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flowchart according to several embodiments of the method. In a first part S1A of a first step, the at least one motor vehicle component 14 is arranged by the mechanical arm 22 so as to commence and / or terminate a supply of power to the at least one motor vehicle component 14 from the at least one power supply 24. In a second part S1B of a first step, the at least one control signal 32 for the at least one vibration generator 34 is generated by the at least one electronic computing device 30.

[0054] In a second step S2, the at least one audio datum 38 corresponding to the response of the at least one motor vehicle component 14 to the at least one vibration is captured by the at least one audio sensor.

[0055] In a first part S3A of a third step, the at least one audio datum 38 is analyzed by the at least one electronic computing device 30. In a second part S3B of a second step, the at least one audio datum 38 and / or at least one result of the analysis is displayed by the electronic computing device 30 via the at least one display device 40. List of reference signs 10 acoustic test system 12 mechanical conveyance device 14 motor vehicle component 16 surface 18 negative lead 20 positive lead 22 mechanical arm 24 power supply 26 negative alligator clip 28 positive alligator clip 30 electronic computing device 32 control signal 34 vibration generator 36 acoustic camera 38 audio datum 40 display device S1A-S3B steps of the method

Claims

1. An acoustic test system (10) for at least one motor vehicle component (14), comprising:- a surface (16) configured to support the at least one motor vehicle component (14);- at least one vibration generator (34) configured to produce at least one vibration of the surface (16);- at least one electronic computing device (30) configured at least to control the at least one vibration generator (34); and- at least one audio sensor configured to monitor at least one acoustic response of the at least one motor vehicle component (14) to the at least one vibration of the surface (16).

2. The acoustic test system (10) according to claim 1, whereinat least one of the at least one audio sensor is an acoustic camera (36).

3. The acoustic test system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprisingat least one power supply (24) configured to power at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component (14).

4. The acoustic test system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprisingat least one mechanical conveyance device (12) configured to move the at least onemotor vehicle component (14) onto and / or off the surface (16).

5. The acoustic test system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprisingat least one mechanical arm (22) configured to manipulate at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component (14) and / or at least one wire configured for connection to at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component (14).

6. A method for acoustically testing at least one motor vehicle component (14) via an acoustic test system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of:- generating at least one control signal (32) for the at least one vibration generator (34) by the at least one electronic computing device (30); (S1B)- capturing, by the at least one audio sensor, at least one audio datum (38) corresponding to the at least one acoustic response of the at least one motor vehicle component (14) to the at least one vibration; (S2) and- analyzing the at least one audio datum (38) by the at least one electronic computing device (30). (S3A)7. The method according to claim 6, comprising the further step of displaying the at least one audio datum (38) and / or at least one result of the analysis by the electronic computing device (30) via at least one display device (40) of the acoustic test system (10). (S3B)8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the acoustic test system (10) is an acoustic test system (10) according to at least claims 3 and 5, comprising the further step of arranging the at least one motor vehicle component (14) by the at least one mechanical arm (22) so as to commence and / or terminate a supplying of power to at least one of the at least one motor vehicle component (14) from the at least one power supply (24). (S1 A)9. A computer program product containing computer-readable instructions for performing a method according to any one of claims 6 through 8.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to claim 9.

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