Synthetic Engine Sound for Electric Vehicles Using Speed and Accelerator Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles pose a safety risk due to their quiet operation, as they lack the audible cues provided by internal combustion engines, making it difficult for people in the vicinity to detect their presence or speed, particularly in hazardous environments like delivery hubs.
Innovation Solution
An engine sound apparatus that measures vehicle speed and accelerator pedal position to generate synthetic sound data, which is then used to produce engine sound effects via speakers, with direction detection to determine the sound's direction and amplitude, ensuring audible alerts for pedestrians and others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If electric vehicles operate quietly without internal combustion engines, then energy efficiency is improved, but safety is worsened due to lack of audible warnings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (audio output device) that generates artificial engine sounds to mediate between the quiet electric vehicle and the surrounding environment. This intermediary creates the missing auditory warning signal without requiring an actual combustion engine, thus maintaining energy efficiency while improving safety perception.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of sound generation by using electronic audio output instead of mechanical combustion. The control unit adjusts audio parameters (volume, frequency, duration) based on vehicle operating conditions such as speed and acceleration, creating artificial engine sounds that mimic traditional vehicles while maintaining electric vehicle efficiency.
2Loss of information
If synthetic engine sounds are generated using complex digital synthesizers, then sound emulation quality is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex digital synthesizers to generate sounds from scratch, the patent uses audio output devices that play back pre-recorded or pre-programmed engine sound samples. This copying approach maintains high sound emulation quality while significantly reducing the complexity of the sound generation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential sound generation function from a full digital synthesizer system. By using dedicated audio output devices with pre-programmed sounds rather than full synthesizer architectures, the system maintains effective sound emulation while removing unnecessary complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively provides audible warnings of an electric vehicle's presence and movement, enhancing safety by mimicking the noise cues of internal combustion engines, thus reducing the risk of accidents in environments where quiet vehicles may go unnoticed.
Implementation Method 1
producing at least one engine sound from at least one speaker based on the sound data
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle enunciator includes a storage device having sound data, a vehicle speed portion, an accelerator portion, and at least one speaker. The vehicle enunciator may be configured or attached to a vehicle, such as an electric car. The vehicle speed portion detects the speed of a vehicle, while the accelerator portion detects the position of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle. Using the outputs from the vehicle speed portion and accelerator portion, the sound data from the storage device is adjusted with regards to frequency and amplitude, respectively. At least one speaker then produces sound based upon the adjusted sound data.