Adaptive noise control system

• US 20080144849A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rebandt, Robert G., Abe, Takeshi, Cheng, Ming-te
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/71.4
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17815 between the reference signals and the error signals, i.e. primary path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17854 the filter being an adaptive filter
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17861 using additional means for damping sound, e.g. using sound absorbing panels
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17883 the reference signal being derived from a machine operating condition, e.g. engine RPM or vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/129 Vibration, e.g. instead of, or in addition to, acoustic noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3047 Prediction, e.g. of future values of noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3224 Passive absorbers

Abstract

An adaptive noise control system is deployed in a box-like structure positioned within the transfer path along which the noise is being transmitted from the source of the generated noise to the receiver of the noise in the passenger compartment of an automobile. The adaptive noise control system is can be deployed in the dual bulkhead of the vehicle dashboard to provide a constrained volume within which engine noise can be controlled. The adaptive control system generates a mathematical model of the noise to be controlled in response to the acoustic environment identified by sensors placed within the engine compartment. Sensors in the passenger compartment define the effectiveness of the noise control system. The controller is operable to update the mathematical model in response to the changes in the acoustic environment, thus providing the appropriate acoustic response within the dual bulkhead plenum for control of noise along the transfer path.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle, comprising:

a chassis defining an engine compartment and a longitudinally spaced passenger compartment;

an engine mounted in said engine compartment and being operable to generate noise energy;

a transverse box-like structure interposed between said engine compartment and said passenger compartment within the transfer path of the noise energy being transmitted from said engine to said passenger compartment; and

a noise control system placed within said box-like structure to control the transfer of said noise energy into said passenger compartment, said noise control system including;

sensors operable to ascertain the acoustic environment of the vehicle and generate a signal indicative thereof;

a controller operable to generate a mathematical model of the acoustic response from the signals generated by said sensors to define a predicted sound energy level therefrom; and

a counteracting noise generating apparatus disposed within said box-like structure and being operably connected to said controller to produce a counteracting sound wave for the predicted sound energy level.

2. The automotive vehicle of claim 1 wherein the transverse box-like structure is a dual bulkhead plenum connected to an instrument panel located at a forward position in said passenger compartment.

3. The automotive vehicle of claim 2 wherein said sensors include environmental sensors supported on said vehicle to sense operational conditions relating to said engine.

4. The automotive vehicle of claim 3 wherein said sensors further include response sensors positioned within said passenger compartment to ascertain the effectiveness of said noise control system.

5. The automotive vehicle of claim 4 wherein said counteracting noise generating apparatus includes at least one speaker mounted in said dual bulkhead plenum, said speakers being operable to generate said counteracting sound wave.

6. The automotive vehicle of claim 5 wherein said controller is operable to update the mathematical model in response to the acoustic environment detected by said environmental and response sensors.

7. The automotive vehicle of claim 6 wherein said noise control system also includes a vibration generator mounted in said plenum to create a counter vibrational energy in said plenum, the operation of said vibration generator being controlled by said controller in response to the mathematical model being employed.

8. A noise control system operable with a noise generating apparatus producing generated noise energy and a receiver located remotely from said noise generating apparatus to receive said generated noise energy, comprising:

at least one sensor to sense an operational environmental condition;

a controller operable to receive a signal from said at least one sensor, employ a control algorithm to generate a mathematical model of a predicted noise energy based on the sensed operational environmental condition, and generate a noise control signal to counteract said generated noise energy; and

a counter energy generating device operably connected to said controller to receive said noise control signal and create a counter noise energy.

9. The noise control system of claim 8 wherein said controller is operable to modify said mathematical model in response to changes in said operational environmental condition.

10. The noise control system of claim 9 further comprising:

a box-like structure located along a transfer path extending between said noise generating apparatus and said receiver, said counter energy generating device being mounted within said box-like structure.

11. The noise control system of claim 10 wherein said noise energy is in the form of a generated sound wave having an amplitude and a frequency, said counter energy generating device being a speaker, said controller sending a signal to said speaker to generate a counter sound wave having a frequency and amplitude opposite to the corresponding amplitude and frequency of said generated sound wave to counteract said generated sound wave.

12. The noise control system of claim 11 wherein said box-like structure is a dual bulkhead plenum connected to an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle located at a forward position in a passenger compartment of said vehicle.

13. The noise control system of claim 12 wherein said at least one sensor includes environmental sensors associated with said noise generating apparatus to detect operational environmental conditions, and response sensors associated with said passenger compartment to detect noise energy entering said passenger compartment, said controller being operable to receive signals from both said environmental sensors and said response sensors to modify said mathematical model.

14. A method of controlling a transmission of noise energy from a noise generating apparatus producing generated noise energy to a receiver located remotely from said noise generating apparatus receiving said generated noise energy, comprising the steps of:

intercepting said generated noise energy along a transfer path extending between said noise generating apparatus and said receiver;

mounting a counter energy generating device along said transfer path;

sensing operational environmental conditions relating to said noise generating apparatus;

developing a mathematical model of predicted noise energy by a controller utilizing a control algorithm;

generating a noise control signal by said controller in response to said mathematical model and sending said noise control signal to said counter energy generating device; and

creating a counter noise energy by said counter energy generating device in response to said noise control signal to counteract said generated noise energy along said transfer path.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said intercepting step includes the step of:

utilizing a box-like structure located along said transfer path, said counter energy generating device being mounted in said box-like structure.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said sensing step includes the steps of detecting said operational environmental conditions by environmental sensors associated with said noise generating apparatus and detecting generated noise energy received by said receiver by response sensors, said method further comprising the step of:

modifying said mathematical model in response to changes in said operational environmental conditions detected by said environmental sensors and said generated noise energy detected by said response sensors.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said counter energy generating device is a speaker operable to create a counter sound wave, said generated noise energy including a generated sound wave having an amplitude and a frequency, said creating step generating said counter sound wave having a counter amplitude and a counter frequency to counteract said generated sound wave based on a modified predicted sound wave corresponding to said mathematical model.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said counter energy generating device is a vibration generator operable to create a counter vibrational energy, said generated noise energy including a generated vibrational energy having an amplitude and a frequency, said creating step generating said counter vibrational energy having a counter amplitude and a counter frequency to counteract said generated vibrational energy.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said box-like structure is a dual bulkhead plenum associated with an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle, said dual bulkhead plenum extending transversely of said vehicle forwardly of a passenger compartment of said vehicle.