Vehicle Audio Control Module for Engine Sound Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle audio systems fail to replicate and enhance the natural engine sounds, such as pops and burbles, within the passenger cabin, which can detract from the driving experience, especially in vehicles with sound damping devices that attenuate these sounds.
Innovation Solution
An audio control module that determines the vehicle's operating state and drivetrain status to select and output predetermined sounds, such as start-up flares and neutral free revs, via speakers, using parameters like engine speed, transmission shifts, and driver inputs, to simulate the natural engine sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If sound damping devices are used to reduce noise in the passenger cabin, then noise reduction is improved, but the natural engine sounds (pops and burbles) are attenuated and not heard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates artificial copies of natural engine sounds (pops and burbles) using audio output devices. The system detects engine operating conditions and generates synthetic audio signals that replicate the characteristic sounds of engine events, thereby compensating for the attenuation caused by sound damping devices without actually amplifying the physical engine noise
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an audio control module as an intermediary between the engine and the passenger cabin acoustic environment. This module processes engine data, selects appropriate sound effects, and outputs synthesized audio through speakers, serving as a mediator that restores natural engine sounds that were blocked by sound damping devices
2Device complexity
If conventional audio systems are used without pop and burble detection, then system simplicity is maintained, but the aural experience is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The audio control module performs multiple functions: it monitors engine operating conditions, detects specific engine events (pops and burbles), selects appropriate sound effects, and outputs synthesized audio. By consolidating these functions into a single control module, the system achieves enhanced aural experience without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes audio output profiles for different engine conditions and pre-loads appropriate sound effects into memory. When engine events are detected, the system quickly retrieves and plays the pre-prepared audio signals, avoiding real-time complex audio synthesis and reducing processing delays
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling audio within a vehicle. The method includes determining a selectable driving mode, ascertaining an operating state of an engine in the vehicle, and identifying at least one of an engine start status and a drivetrain status of the vehicle. In response to at least one of the determining, ascertaining, and identifying, selecting a predetermined sound to be output within a passenger cabin of the vehicle; and applying a signal to a speaker of the passenger cabin of the vehicle based on the predetermined sound.