Active Road Noise Control Overload Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional active road noise control systems face challenges in effectively managing sensor overloads, which can lead to system performance deterioration and unwanted audible artifacts, due to the need for significant sense signal headroom and lack of efficient overload detection mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an overload detection module that evaluates sensor signals and switches between adaptive and non-adaptive modes based on threshold levels, allowing the system to maintain performance by freezing the adaptive filter's transfer function during overloads and resetting it when conditions improve, thereby preventing system shutdown and maintaining noise cancellation efficacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system operates in adaptive mode with high gain to achieve effective noise cancellation, then noise reduction performance is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to sensor overloads that cause performance deterioration and audible artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise cancellation performanceVSAvoidsensor overload effects
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between adaptive and non-adaptive modes based on sensor signal levels. When the sense signal exceeds a threshold indicating potential overload, the system transitions from adaptive mode (high gain, effective noise cancellation) to non-adaptive mode (lower gain, stable operation), and vice versa when signal levels return to normal. This dynamic adaptation prevents overload artifacts while maintaining noise cancellation effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the sense signal level from the sensor and uses this feedback to control the mode switching. The feedback mechanism detects when the sense signal approaches overload conditions and triggers the transition to non-adaptive mode, preventing the harmful effects of sensor saturation. This closed-loop control ensures reliable operation across varying signal conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Stability of the object's composition

If the system switches to non-adaptive mode to prevent overload artifacts, then system stability is improved, but noise cancellation effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem stabilityVSAvoidnoise reduction performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs dynamic mode switching between adaptive and non-adaptive operation based on real-time sensor signal assessment. When signal levels indicate safe operating conditions, the system operates in adaptive mode for optimal noise cancellation. When overload conditions are detected, it transitions to non-adaptive mode for stability, creating a balanced approach that optimizes both performance and reliability across different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If complete system shutdown is implemented during sensor overload, then harmful artifacts are eliminated, but system availability and productivity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudible artifactsVSAvoidsystem availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the control into two independent modes: adaptive mode for optimal performance and non-adaptive mode for stable operation. Instead of completely shutting down the system during overload conditions, it switches to the non-adaptive mode which continues to provide noise cancellation at a reduced level. This segmentation allows the system to maintain partial functionality while avoiding harmful artifacts, thereby preserving system availability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3147896B1Active road noise control system with overload detection of primary sense signal
Publication Date: 2023.05.31 HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYST GMBH
  • EP3147896B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3147896B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3147896B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An active road noise control includes generating with a sensor arrangement a primary sense signal representative of accelerations, motions and/or vibrations that occur at a first position on a vehicle body, and providing a noise reducing signal by processing the primary sense signal according to an adaptive mode of operation or a non-adaptive mode of operation. It includes generating within the vehicle body noise reducing sound at the second position from the noise reducing signal, and evaluating the primary sense signal and controlling the processing of the primary sense signal so that the primary sense signal is processed in the adaptive mode of operation when the magnitude of the primary sense signal undercuts a first threshold and in the non-adaptive mode of operation when the magnitude of the primary sense signal exceeds a second threshold, the first threshold being equal to or smaller than the second threshold.