Vehicle Acceleration Sound Delay Unit for Smooth Pitch Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional acceleration sound generation devices in vehicles cause discomfort due to sudden changes in acceleration sound volume and pitch during rapid acceleration, failing to match the actual driving state.

Innovation Solution

An acceleration sound generation device that incorporates an acceleration sound delay unit, which delays changes in the control parameters such as accelerator opening, driving torque, and vehicle speed, ensuring the acceleration sound varies smoothly even during sudden accelerations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If acceleration sound is generated by directly using accelerator opening degree as control parameter, then the acceleration sound responds immediately to acceleration operation, but the acceleration sound changes suddenly during rapid acceleration causing passenger discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed of acceleration soundVSAvoidpassenger discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a delay unit that anticipates the harmful effect of sudden sound changes. The delay unit processes the control parameter (accelerator opening degree) before it reaches the sound generation unit, pre-smoothing the signal to prevent abrupt changes. This proactive approach maintains responsive sound generation while eliminating passenger discomfort during rapid acceleration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If acceleration sound changes rapidly to match sudden acceleration operation, then the sound reflects the actual driving state accurately, but it creates abrupt sound changes that do not conform to actual vehicle dynamics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of sound reflectionVSAvoidsmoothness of sound transition
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs an intermediary approach by inserting a delay unit between the control parameter input and the sound generation unit. This intermediary component smooths the control parameter signal, acting as a buffer that translates sudden acceleration inputs into gradual sound changes. The delay unit preserves the correlation between acceleration state and sound output while ensuring smooth transitions that match actual vehicle dynamics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the acceleration sound is delayed with respect to control parameter changes, then sudden changes in acceleration sound are prevented, but the response time of the sound generation system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger discomfortVSAvoidresponse delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by implementing a delay unit with optimized delay characteristics that provide just enough smoothing to prevent passenger discomfort without excessive delay. The delay unit processes only the necessary portion of the control parameter signal, applying minimal but sufficient delay to smooth abrupt changes while maintaining acceptable response time. This balanced approach eliminates harmful sudden sound changes while preserving timely sound generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2797076B1Acceleration sound generation device for vehicle
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2797076B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2797076B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2797076B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An accelerator pedal opening (APO), a drive torque (Td), a vehicle speed (VSP), a vehicle longitudinal acceleration (G), and the like are used as a sound volume control parameter, and these sound volume control parameter is received from an interface (I/F) (3). A delay control unit (4) delays the sound volume control parameter (APO, Td, VSP, G, and the like), and sends a delayed sound volume control parameters (APO', Td', VSP', G', and the like) to an acceleration sound signal generation unit (5). The acceleration sound signal generation unit (5) generates an acceleration sound signal (Sacc) on the basis of the delayed sound volume control parameter (APO', Td', VSP', G', and the like), and an acceleration sound signal-to-voltage conversion unit (6) converts the acceleration sound signal (Sacc) into a speaker driving voltage (Vacc), which is amplified by an amplifier (AMP) (7) and finally output the speaker (1).