Engine Sound Enhancement Tuned to Throttle ROC and RPM
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicles with quieter engines and exhaust systems lack the distinctive sounds and vibrations that vehicle owners appreciate, particularly during spirited driving experiences.
Innovation Solution
An engine sound enhancement system that uses sensor data from various vehicle components to determine the current rate of change in acceleration device position and RPM, comparing these values to pre-defined threshold values to activate or deactivate sound enhancements, simulating engine and exhaust tones that match driving conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If modern vehicles use quieter engines and exhaust systems, then noise pollution is reduced, but the distinctive sounds and vibrations that vehicle owners appreciate are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the sound enhancement based on real-time detection of acceleration device position changes and RPM values. The sound enhancement is activated only when specific driving conditions are met (rate of change in acceleration device position exceeds threshold AND RPM exceeds threshold), creating a dynamic response that adapts to varying driving conditions rather than operating statically
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes acoustic parameters by injecting enhanced engine and exhaust sounds that vary in intensity and characteristics based on detected vehicle conditions. The sound enhancement parameters are adjusted according to the rate of change in acceleration device position and RPM values, allowing the system to modify sound characteristics to match different driving scenarios
2Ease of operation
If the system activates sound enhancement continuously, then the auditory experience is consistently enhanced, but energy consumption increases and may cause distraction during normal driving
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by continuously monitoring vehicle conditions (acceleration device position rate of change and RPM) and activating sound enhancement only during specific periods when thresholds are exceeded. This periodic activation based on detected conditions rather than continuous operation reduces energy consumption while maintaining enhancement during relevant driving moments
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between active and inactive states based on real-time condition assessment. By using dynamic threshold comparisons and rate-of-change detection, the system activates sound enhancement only when driving conditions warrant it, optimizing energy usage while maintaining auditory enhancement consistency during appropriate scenarios
3Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple sensors and complex processing, then the sound enhancement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing vehicle sensors (acceleration device position sensor and RPM sensor) for multiple purposes - their primary functions for vehicle control are maintained, and they are additionally utilized for sound enhancement detection. This multi-functionality approach improves measurement accuracy without adding dedicated sensors, thereby avoiding increased device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Engine sound enhancement (ESE) for a vehicle includes determining a current rate of change (ROC) in a position of an acceleration device of the vehicle from sensor data received from at least one sensor in communication with the acceleration device and calculating an ESE value based on the current ROC in the position of the acceleration device. The ESE value reflects an intensity and tone quality of at least one of the exhaust and the engine of the vehicle. The ESE also includes receiving a current RPM value, comparing the RPM value and the ROC in the position of the acceleration device to corresponding pre-defined threshold values, the pre-defined threshold values mapped to ESE tunings, and activating one of the ESE tunings when each of the current RPM value and the current ROC in the position of the acceleration device meets a corresponding pre-defined threshold value.