Patent Application
20170323628
The subject invention relates to the art of vehicles and, more particularly, to a road noise masking system for a vehicle.
Vehicle owners may be concerned with undesirable sounds that may exist in a vehicle interior. Often times, the undesirable noise may be generated by an interaction between vehicle tires and a road surface. Variations in a road surface including changes in surface material, surface structure and the like produce varying sounds when engaged by the vehicle tires. Undesirable noises may be transmitted and amplified through various vehicle components including body and suspension components. When present, undesirable noise may detract from an overall enjoyment of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cost-effective system that promotes a more enjoyable interior environment for the vehicle.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of masking road noise for a vehicle includes monitoring, through a processor, one or more vehicle mounted transducers for noise produced by an interaction between the vehicle and a road surface, detecting, through the processor, an audible signal having one of an undesirable frequency and an undesirable magnitude associated with the interaction between the vehicle and the road surface, generating, through the processor, a masking signal having a frequency that will mask the audible signal having the one of the undesirable frequency and undesirable magnitude, and emitting the masking signal through one or more vehicle speakers.
In accordance with another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a road noise masking system for a vehicle includes a controller having a non-volatile memory, and a computer processor unit (CPU) having a computer readable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable program code, when executed by the CPU, causes the CPU to monitor, through the CPU, one or more vehicle mounted transducers for noise produced by an interaction between the vehicle and a road surface, detect, through the CPU, an audible signal having at least one of an undesirable frequency and an undesirable magnitude associated with the interaction between the vehicle and the road surface, generate, through the CPU, a masking signal having a frequency that will mask the audible signal having the one of the undesirable frequency and the undesirable magnitude, and emit the masking signal through one or more vehicle speakers.
In accordance with yet another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes a body having an exterior portion and an interior portion. One or more transducers are arranged at one of the exterior portion and the interior portion. A road noise masking system is arranged in the vehicle. The road noise masking system includes a controller including a non-volatile memory, and a computer processor unit (CPU) having a computer readable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable program code, when executed by the CPU, causes the CPU to monitor, through the CPU, the one or more transducers for noise produced by an interaction between the vehicle and a road surface, detect, through the CPU, an audible signal having one of an undesirable frequency and an undesired magnitude associated with the interaction between the vehicle and the road surface, generate, through the CPU, a masking signal having a frequency that will mask the audible signal having the one of the undesirable frequency and the undesirable magnitude, and emit the masking signal through one or more vehicle speakers.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the exemplary embodiment(s) are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment(s) when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following detailed description of embodiments, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term “module” or “unit” refers to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an electronic circuit, an electronic computer processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a hardware microcontroller, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. When implemented in software, a module can be embodied in memory as a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method.
A vehicle, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is indicated generally at 10 in
In accordance with an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, vehicle 10 includes a road noise masking system 54 that is operatively associated with transducers 22, 23, 26-29 and/or 32-33 and speakers 40-43. As shown in
In accordance with an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a method of detecting and masking undesirable road noise is indicated generally at 100 in
In block 108, a determination is made whether a portion 110 of audible signal 105 exists at an undesirable frequency and/or magnitude. For example, masking controller 66 determines that portion 110 of audible signal 105 possesses a bandwidth having an undesirable center frequency. Masking controller 66 may also determine that portion 110 of audible signal 105 possesses an undesirable magnitude. Masking controller 66 may further determine that the portion 110 of audible signal 105 possesses both an undesirable center frequency and an undesirable magnitude. In accordance with an aspect of exemplary embodiment, masking controller 66 may access non-volatile memory 64 and compare portion 110 of audible signal 105 against an predetermined undesirable magnitude threshold 112 (
Of course, the predetermined undesirable magnitude threshold may vary depending on the particular frequency. In accordance with another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, masking controller 66 may access non-volatile memory 64 and compare portion 110 of audible signal 105 against a predetermined undesirable frequency threshold 114 (
If, in block 108 portion 110 of audible signal 105 is determined to possess the undesirable frequency and/or undesirable magnitude, in block 120 masking controller 66 generates a masking signal 124. Masking signal 124 may constitute a broadband signal. More specifically, masking signal 124 includes a frequency band that is larger than a frequency band of portion 110. Controller 60 directs speakers 40-43 to emit masking signal 124 into interior portion 16 of vehicle 10. Masking signal 124 is designed to create an audible distraction that causes vehicle occupants to focus on a total noise characteristic that distracts from a narrow band undesirable frequency output. While emitting masking signal 124, road noise masking system 54 continues to monitor one or more of transducers 22, 23, 26-29 and/or 32-33 for changes in audible signal 105. If changes in audible signal 105 constitute a new undesirable frequency and/or magnitude as determined in block 108, a new masking signal may be generated in block 120 and emitted in block 128. If, audible signal 105 is determined not to exist at an undesirable frequency and/or magnitude, or audible signal 105 changes such that portion 110 of audible signal no longer exists at an undesirable frequency and/or undesirable magnitude, road noise masking system 54 either does not generate a masking signal or ceases to emit the masking signal in block 130.
At this point, it should be understood that the road noise masking system of the exemplary embodiments employs existing transducers to monitor road noise that may enter a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The existing transducers may be part of an active noise cancellation system (ANC) associated with the vehicle. If an undesirable signal is detected, the masking system generates a broadband masking signal. The broadband masking signal is designed to trick or to distract vehicle occupants brains to ignore undesirable signals. In this manner, the road noise masking system of the exemplary embodiments represents a cost effective system that improves an overall vehicle occupant experience during travel.
While the exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the exemplary embodiment without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the exemplary embodiment not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the exemplary embodiment will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the application.
