Bus Notification Audio That Separates Arrival and Motion Cues
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In self-driving capable bus-type vehicles, passengers struggle to distinguish between announcements about vehicle arrival and notifications of acceleration/deceleration or turning, leading to inadequate guidance due to similar voice-based communication methods.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle notification sound generation system that combines verbal speech about arrival with non-verbal sounds representing vehicle states, such as acceleration/deceleration or turning, using a common speaker, allowing passengers to differentiate between the two and providing appropriate guidance while reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If voice-based announcements are used for both destination arrival and vehicle behavior notifications, then cost is reduced by using a common speaker, but passengers cannot distinguish between the two types of information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by giving different acoustic characteristics to different types of notifications from the same speaker. Destination arrival announcements use verbal speech with specific frequency and volume characteristics, while vehicle behavior notifications use non-verbal sounds with different temporal frequency/volume changes. This allows the single speaker to convey distinct information types through localized acoustic quality variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the temporal frequency and volume characteristics of sounds produced by the common speaker. Verbal announcements maintain relatively stable frequency/volume patterns, while non-verbal vehicle behavior notifications exhibit distinct temporal changes in frequency and volume. These parameter variations enable passengers to distinguish between different notification types despite using the same speaker.
2Loss of information
If separate speakers are used for verbal announcements and non-verbal sound notifications, then information distinction is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the functions of multiple speakers into a single speaker system. Instead of using separate speakers for verbal announcements and non-verbal vehicle behavior notifications, the invention integrates both notification types into one speaker, reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining information distinction through acoustic parameter variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the common speaker to perform multiple functions: delivering destination arrival announcements, vehicle behavior notifications, and various other in-vehicle communications. The speaker system is configured to handle diverse notification types by varying acoustic parameters, making it a universal communication device that replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized speakers.
3Reliability
If non-verbal sounds are output during acceleration or turning, then passenger safety is improved by notifying them of vehicle actions, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to additional noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by outputting non-verbal sounds before the actual acceleration or turning occurs. This advance notification allows passengers to prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming vehicle maneuver, improving safety awareness without causing unnecessary discomfort from sounds during the actual motion when passengers are already experiencing physical forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes periodic action by outputting non-verbal sounds at specific intervals and phases of vehicle operation. Rather than continuous noise, the system provides periodic notifications timed to coincide with upcoming maneuvers, maintaining safety awareness while minimizing overall noise exposure and passenger discomfort during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a vehicle notification sound generation system mounted on a self-driving capable electric bus, and the system has a speaker that outputs a verbal speech about arrival of the electric bus at a destination and outputs a non-verbal sound corresponding to a state of acceleration/deceleration of the electric bus before acceleration/deceleration operation or during acceleration/deceleration of the electric bus.