METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DIMINISHING THE EFFECTS OF AN ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE OF VEHICLES

• US 20090157293A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Meyers, David W., DeMers, Robert E., Cornett, Alan G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for diminishing the effects of an acoustic signature of a vehicle while the vehicle is en route to a destination. One method includes the steps of retrieving acoustic data representing an acoustic model of the vehicle, terrain data representing a terrain model of a geographic area surrounding the destination, route data representing a model of a plurality of routes to the destination, and weather data representing atmospheric conditions of the geographic area. The method also includes selecting a route to the destination based on the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data. A system includes means for performing the retrieving step and the selecting step of the above method. Another system includes memory storing the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to select a route to the destination based on the acoustic, terrain, route, and weather data.

Claims

1. A method for diminishing an effect of an acoustic signature of a vehicle while the vehicle is en route to a destination, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving acoustic data representing an acoustic model of the vehicle, terrain data representing terrain of a geographic area surrounding the destination, route data representing a plurality of routes to the destination, and weather data representing atmospheric conditions of the geographic area; and

selecting a route to the destination based on the acoustic data, the terrain data, the route data, and the weather data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

estimating the acoustic signature of the vehicle for each of the plurality of routes; and

selecting a route including a smallest estimated acoustic signature as the selected route.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting actual atmospheric conditions of the geographic area while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual atmospheric conditions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting background noise along the selected route while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected background noise.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting an actual acoustic signature of the vehicle while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual acoustic signature.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating acoustic data representing an acoustic profile of the vehicle; and

presenting the acoustic profile to a user in real-time while the vehicle is en route to the destination.

7. A system for diminishing an effect of an acoustic signature of a vehicle while the vehicle is en route to a destination, comprising:

means for retrieving acoustic data representing an acoustic model of the vehicle, terrain data representing terrain of a geographic area surrounding the destination, route data representing a plurality of routes to the destination, and weather data representing atmospheric conditions of the geographic area; and

means for selecting a route to the destination based on the acoustic data, the terrain data, the route data, and the weather data.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for estimating the acoustic signature of the vehicle for each of the plurality of routes; and

means for selecting a route including a smallest estimated acoustic signature as the selected route.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for detecting actual atmospheric conditions of the geographic area while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

means for selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual atmospheric conditions.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for detecting background noise along the selected route while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

means for selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected background noise.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for detecting an actual acoustic signature of the vehicle while the vehicle is en route to the destination; and

means for selecting one or more alternative routes to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual acoustic signature.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for generating acoustic data representing an acoustic profile of the vehicle; and

means for presenting the acoustic profile to a user in real-time while the vehicle is en route to the destination.

13. A system for diminishing an effects of an acoustic signature of a vehicle while the vehicle is en route to a destination, comprising:

memory storing;

acoustic data representing an acoustic model of the vehicle,

terrain data representing a terrain model of a geographic area surrounding the destination,

route data representing a model of a plurality of routes to the destination, and

weather data representing atmospheric conditions of the geographic area; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to select a route to the destination based on the acoustic data, the terrain data, the route data, and the weather data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

estimate the acoustic signature of the vehicle for each of the plurality of routes; and

select a route including a smallest estimated acoustic signature as the selected route.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to detect actual atmospheric conditions of the geographic area while the vehicle is en route to the destination, wherein the processor is further configured to select one or more alternative routes from a current location of the vehicle to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual atmospheric conditions.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to detect an actual acoustic signature of the vehicle while the vehicle is en route to the destination, wherein the processor is further configured to select one or more alternative routes from a current location of the vehicle to the destination based at least in part on the detected actual acoustic signature.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to detect background noise along the first route, wherein the processor is further configured to select one or more alternative routes from a current location of the vehicle to the destination based at least in part on the detected background noise.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor, the sensor configured to detect wind along the first route, wherein the processor is further configured to select one or more alternative routes from a current location of the vehicle to the destination based at least in part on the detected wind.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising a global positioning system coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to track a current position of the vehicle along the selected route.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to generate acoustic data representing an acoustic profile of the vehicle, and wherein the display is configured to present the acoustic profile to a user in real-time while the vehicle is en route to the destination.