Wind noise throb reduction system and method

• US 10,239,475 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Barnes, III, Nolen Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US15/411,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/09 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/04 Door pillars ; windshield pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 35/00 Vehicle bodies characterised by streamlining
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 19/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/12 using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/178 by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17861 using additional means for damping sound, e.g. using sound absorbing panels
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17881 the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12821 Rolling noise; Wind and body noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3045 Multiple acoustic inputs, single acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3046 Multiple acoustic inputs, multiple acoustic outputs

Abstract

A wind noise throb reduction system includes a controller configured to reduce wind noise throb, an active noise cancellation subsystem responsive to the controller and a dynamic airflow control subsystem responsive to the controller. A related method of reducing wind noise throb in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is also provided.

Claims

1. A wind noise throb reduction system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a controller configured to reduce wind noise throb and to include a first data input for sound pressure data;

an active noise cancellation subsystem responsive to said controller; and

a dynamic airflow control subsystem responsive to said controller.

2. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to include a second data input for window position data.

3. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 2, wherein said active noise cancellation subsystem includes a sound pressure monitoring device in a passenger cabin of said motor vehicle, said sound pressure monitoring device being connected to said first data input of said controller.

4. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 3, wherein said sound pressure monitoring device includes a first microphone and a second microphone.

5. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 4, wherein said active noise cancellation subsystem includes an amplifier and a speaker generating an active noise cancellation signal in response to said controller.

6. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 5, further including a window position monitoring device connected to said second data input of said controller.

7. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 6, wherein said dynamic airflow control subsystem includes a dynamic surface and an actuator displacing said dynamic surface in response to said controller.

8. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 7, wherein said dynamic surface is carried on a support arm of a side mirror on said motor vehicle.

9. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 7, wherein said dynamic surface is carried on a mirror housing of a side mirror on said motor vehicle.

10. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 7, wherein said dynamic surface is carried on a pillar of said motor vehicle adjacent a window of said motor vehicle.

11. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 7, wherein said dynamic surface is a mirror housing of a side mirror carried on said motor vehicle.

12. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 11, wherein said dynamic airflow control subsystem further includes a second actuator connected to a mirror on said mirror housing.

13. The wind noise throb reduction system of claim 12, wherein said controller is further configured to maintain a visual field in said mirror as said mirror housing is displaced to reduce wind noise throb.

14. A method of reducing wind noise throb in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising:

monitoring, by a window position monitoring device, motor vehicle window position;

monitoring, by a sound pressure monitoring device, sound pressure in said passenger compartment;

generating, by an active noise cancellation subsystem, an active noise cancellation signal; and

displacing, by a dynamic airflow control subsystem, a dynamic surface on said motor vehicle to direct airflow away from an open window only when wind noise throb still exceeds a threshold level following generating said active noise cancellation signal.

15. The method of claim 14, including positioning said dynamic surface on a mirror housing.

16. The method of claim 14, including positioning said dynamic surface on a support arm for a mirror housing.

17. The method of claim 14, including positioning said dynamic surface on a pillar adjacent said open window.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said dynamic surface is a housing of a side mirror of said motor vehicle, said method further including displacing, by said dynamic airflow control subsystem a mirror in said mirror housing so as to maintain a visual field in said mirror as said mirror housing is displaced.