VEHICLE RUNNING WARNING DEVICE

• US 20130038435A1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: Muroya, Tsuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US13/651,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038435A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00

Abstract

A vehicle running warning device includes: a fixed sound source signal generator configured to generate a fixed sound source signal with a certain frequency distribution; a variable sound source signal generator configured to generate a variable sound source signal with a frequency distribution having a peak frequency corresponding to each set; a sound-emitting controller configured to determine an acceleration segment of a vehicle based on vehicle speed information obtained from the vehicle to which the controller is mounted, and set the peak frequency based on the determined acceleration segment and the latest vehicle speed information; and a sound source signal adder configured to add to the fixed sound source signal a variable sound source signal in which the peak frequency is set, and output, and emits a vehicle running warning sound in consideration of a speed and an acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle running warning device comprising:

a fixed sound source signal generator configured to generate a fixed sound source signal with a certain frequency distribution;

a variable sound source signal generator configured to generate a variable sound source signal with a frequency distribution having a peak frequency corresponding to each set;

a sound-emitting controller configured to determine an acceleration segment of a vehicle based on vehicle speed information obtained from the vehicle to which the controller is mounted, and set the peak frequency based on the determined acceleration segment and the latest vehicle speed information; and

a sound source signal adder configured to add to the fixed sound source signal a variable sound source signal in which the peak frequency is set, and output.

2. The vehicle running warning device according to claim 1, wherein the sound-emitting controller determines an acceleration segment of the vehicle based on a vehicle speed after elapse of a predetermined time from the time when the vehicle starts moving.

3. The vehicle running warning device according to claim 1, the sound-emitting controller sets the peak frequency according to a rule which is defined such that as a vehicle speed becomes higher, the peak frequency increases step-by-step by each acceleration segment until a certain reference speed.

4. The vehicle running warning device according to claim 3, wherein the rule is defined such that as an acceleration segment has a higher acceleration, the number of steps of the peak frequency decreases.

5. The vehicle running warning device according to claim 1, wherein an output level of a peak frequency of the variable sound source signal is larger than an output level of the fixed sound source signal.

6. The vehicle running warning device according to claim 1, wherein the sound-emitting controller determines an acceleration segment every time when the vehicle starts moving after stopping.