VEHICLE PRESENCE NOTIFICATION APPARATUS

• US 20130106599A1
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Hamanako Denso Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamanako Denso Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: NAKAYAMA, Toshiaki, SUZUKI, Koji
• Application Number:
  US13/662,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106599A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/466
• 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 11/26 Sound-focusing or directing, e.g. scanning

Abstract

A vehicle presence notification apparatus notifying a presence of a vehicle includes a directivity speaker and a directivity controller. The directivity speaker generates a false engine sound out of the vehicle. The directivity controller controlling a directivity of the false engine sound based on a speed of the vehicle. The directivity controller controls a ratio of a high-pitched frequency component to a low-pitched frequency component in the false engine sound based on the speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle presence notification apparatus notifying a presence of a vehicle comprising:

a directivity speaker generating a false engine sound out of the vehicle;

a directivity controller controlling a directivity of the false engine sound based on a speed of the vehicle, wherein

the directivity controller controls a ratio of a high-pitched frequency component to a low-pitched frequency component in the false engine sound based on the speed of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle presence notification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the directivity controller increases the ratio of the high-pitched frequency component to the low-pitched frequency component in the false engine sound as the speed of the vehicle is raised.

3. The vehicle presence notification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the false engine sound has a sound-pressure emphasis region, and

the directivity controller changes the sound-pressure emphasis region from the low-pitched frequency component to the high-pitched frequency component as the speed of the vehicle is raised.