Vehicle Engine Harmonic Enhancement Audio Signal Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle engine sound enhancement systems fail to provide a realistic and pleasing auditory experience by accurately simulating engine sounds in vehicles with varying power sources, such as electric and hybrid vehicles, while maintaining a balanced sound level that is not annoyingly loud for occupants or external pedestrians.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an engine harmonic enhancement system that processes and equalizes engine harmonic audio signals to create a realistic sound experience by determining engine load and RPM, applying smoothing parameters, and adjusting gain and delay to simulate the apparent source of the sound, combining these signals with entertainment audio for a multi-channel amplifier system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If engine sound enhancement is provided to create a realistic auditory experience, then the sonic experience for occupants is improved, but the sound level becomes annoyingly loud for external pedestrians
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different gain characteristics to different frequency components of the engine sound. By analyzing the sound field characteristics at the passenger position and applying compensating gain curves, the system enhances the sonic experience for occupants while controlling the overall sound level to avoid annoying external pedestrians.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses speakers positioned within the vehicle cabin as intermediaries to deliver enhanced engine sound to occupants. By routing the enhanced sound through interior speakers rather than exterior exhaust components, the system can provide realistic auditory feedback to drivers while containing the noise within the vehicle interior, thus not disturbing external pedestrians.
2Illumination intensity
If gain characteristics are adjusted to flatten the sound field at passenger position, then the sonic experience is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the engine sound into different frequency components and applies separate gain characteristics to each frequency range. By processing different frequency bands independently, the system can flatten the sound field at the passenger position while maintaining manageable computational complexity through modular frequency-based processing.
3Illumination intensity
If separate processing of harmonic sets is implemented to improve sound realism, then the auditory experience is enhanced, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides engine harmonics into two distinct sets and processes each set separately with its own gain characteristics. This segmentation allows for more realistic sound reproduction by independently optimizing each harmonic group while maintaining organized and manageable processing architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different processing parameters and gain characteristics to different harmonic sets based on their specific acoustic properties. By tailoring the processing to the characteristics of each harmonic set rather than applying uniform processing, the system achieves superior sound realism with efficient targeted processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle engine harmonic enhancement system. A method for operating the system includes providing a first engine harmonic enhancement audio signal and equalizing the first engine harmonic enhancement audio signal separately for each of the plurality of loudspeakers to provide individually equalized loudspeaker engine harmonic enhancement audio signals. A vehicle audio system includes a plurality of loudspeakers, an entertainment audio system, and an engine harmonic enhancement system. A method includes equalizing an entertainment audio signal to provide an equalized entertainment audio signal; providing an engine harmonic enhancement audio signal; equalizing the engine harmonic enhancement audio signal separately from the entertainment audio signal to provide an equalized engine harmonic enhancement audio signal; and combining the equalized entertainment audio signal with the equalized engine harmonic enhancement audio signal.