Electric vehicle sound enhancement systems and methods

• US 10,071,686 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Reilly, Scott M., Valeri, Frank C., Barlow, Jr., Roger C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diaz, Sabrina
• Application Number:
  US15/245,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 381 86
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

An audio system of a vehicle includes: an acceleration state module that sets an acceleration state signal to a first state when a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined acceleration, where the first predetermined acceleration is positive; a sound control module that selectively sets audio characteristics for an acceleration event in response to determinations that all of: (i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state; (ii) an electric motor is outputting positive torque to a powertrain of the vehicle; and (iii) a driver is applying pressure to an accelerator pedal; and an audio driver module that, based on the audio characteristics, applies power to speakers to output sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An audio system of a vehicle, comprising:

an acceleration state module that sets an acceleration state signal to a first state when a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined acceleration,

wherein the first predetermined acceleration is positive;

a sound control module that selectively sets audio characteristics for an acceleration event in response to determinations that all of;

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) an electric motor is outputting positive torque to a powertrain of the vehicle;

(iii) an accelerator pedal position (APP) is greater than a predetermined APP,

wherein the predetermined APP is at least 50 percent of a predetermined maximum APP;

(iv) a selected gear ratio of a transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a predetermined gear ratio,

wherein the predetermined gear ratio is at least a fifth gear ratio of the transmission; and

an audio driver module that, based on the audio characteristics, applies power to speakers to output sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the sound control module sets the audio characteristics for the acceleration event in response to determinations that all of:

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) the electric motor is outputting positive torque to the powertrain of the vehicle;

(iii) the APP is greater than the predetermined APP;

(iv) the selected gear ratio of the transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined gear ratio; and

(v) a rate of change of an engine speed of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined rate of change of the engine speed.

3. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the sound control module sets the audio characteristics for the acceleration event in response to determinations that all of:

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) the electric motor is outputting positive torque to the powertrain of the vehicle;

(iii) the APP is greater than the predetermined APP;

(iv) the selected gear ratio of the transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined gear ratio; and

(v) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a second predetermined acceleration,

wherein the second predetermined acceleration is positive and is greater than the first predetermined acceleration.

4. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the sound control module sets the audio characteristics for the acceleration event in response to determinations that all of:

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) the electric motor is outputting positive torque to the powertrain of the vehicle;

(iii) the APP is greater than the predetermined APP;

(iv) the selected gear ratio of the transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined gear ratio; and

(v) a latitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined latitudinal acceleration.

5. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the sound control module sets the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a present torque output of the electric motor.

6. The audio system of claim 5 wherein:

the audio characteristics include a loudness;

the sound control module increases the loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor increases; and

the sound control module decreases the loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor decreases.

7. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the sound control module sets the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a pseudo engine speed.

8. The audio system of claim 7 wherein:

the audio characteristics include a frequency for outputting predetermined sounds;

the sound control module increases the frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed increases; and

the sound control module decreases the frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed decreases.

9. The audio system of claim 1 wherein:

the sound control module further selectively sets second audio characteristics for a regeneration event in response to determinations that both of;

(i) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is negative; and

(ii) the electric motor is converting mechanical energy of the powertrain of the vehicle into electrical energy; and

wherein the audio driver module further, based on the second audio characteristics, applies power to the speakers to output sound within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.

10. The audio system of claim 9 wherein:

the second audio characteristics include a loudness; and

the sound control module sets the loudness of sound output for the regeneration event based on at least one of (i) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, (ii) whether the driver is applying pressure to a brake pedal, (iii) whether the driver is actuating a regeneration user input device, and (iv) a negative torque output of the electric motor.

11. A vehicle audio system, comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions;

at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to;

set an acceleration state signal to a first state when a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is greater than a first predetermined acceleration,

wherein the first predetermined acceleration is positive;

set audio characteristics for an acceleration event in response to determinations that all of;

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) an electric motor is outputting positive torque to a powertrain of the vehicle; and

(iii) an accelerator pedal position (APP) is greater than a predetermined APP,

wherein the predetermined APP is at least 50 percent of a predetermined maximum APP;

(iv) a selected gear ratio of a transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a predetermined gear ratio,

wherein the predetermined gear ratio is at least a fifth gear ratio of the transmission; and

,

based on the audio characteristics, apply power to speakers to output sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle audio system of claim 11 wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to set the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a present torque output of the electric motor.

13. The vehicle audio system of claim 12 wherein the audio characteristics include a loudness, and

wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

(i) increase the loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor increases; and

(ii) decrease the loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor decreases.

14. The vehicle audio system of claim 11 wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to set the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a pseudo engine speed.

15. The vehicle audio system of claim 14 wherein the audio characteristics include a frequency for outputting predetermined sounds, and

wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

increase the frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed increases; and

decrease the frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed decreases.

16. The vehicle audio system of claim 11 wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

set second audio characteristics for a regeneration event in response to determinations that both of;

(i) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is negative; and

(ii) the electric motor is converting mechanical energy of the powertrain of the vehicle into electrical energy; and

based on the second audio characteristics, apply power to the speakers to output sound within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.

17. The audio system of claim 16 wherein the second audio characteristics include a loudness, and

wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to set the loudness of sound output for the regeneration event based on at least one of (i) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, (ii) whether the driver is applying pressure to a brake pedal, (iii) whether the driver is actuating a regeneration user input device, and (iv) a negative torque output of the electric motor.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

setting an acceleration state signal to a first state when a longitudinal acceleration of a vehicle is greater than a first predetermined acceleration,

wherein the first predetermined acceleration is positive;

setting audio characteristics for an acceleration event in response to determinations that all of;

(i) the acceleration state signal is in the first state;

(ii) an electric motor is outputting positive torque to a powertrain of the vehicle; and

(iii) an accelerator pedal position (APP) is greater than a predetermined APP,

wherein the predetermined APP is at least 50 percent of a predetermined maximum APP;

(iv) a selected gear ratio of a transmission of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a predetermined gear ratio,

wherein the predetermined gear ratio is at least a fifth gear ratio of the transmission; and

,

based on the audio characteristics, applying power to speakers to output sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises at least one of (A) and (B):

(A) setting the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a present torque output of the electric motor including;

(i) increasing a loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor increases; and

(ii) decreasing the loudness for the acceleration event as the present torque output of the electric motor decreases; and

(B) setting the audio characteristics for the acceleration event based on a pseudo engine speed including;

(i) increasing a frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed increases; and

(ii) decreasing the frequency for the acceleration event as the pseudo engine speed decreases.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

setting second audio characteristics for a regeneration event in response to determinations that both of;

(i) the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is negative; and

(ii) the electric motor is converting mechanical energy of the powertrain of the vehicle into electrical energy; and

based on the second audio characteristics, applying power to the speakers to output sound within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.