SOUND FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES

• US 20150055794A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: ANDERSON, NOEL W., SANCHEZ, JULIAN, SULLIVAN, KRISTIN J., WASHBURN, KARL B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,438,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/00 Details of viewing arrangements using cameras and displays, specially adapted for use in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

A feedback system is configured for providing a feedback sound representative of a first vehicle sound of a first vehicle and a second vehicle sound of a second vehicle. The feedback system comprises a first vehicle data bus of the first vehicle and a second vehicle data bus of the second vehicle. A first wireless communication device communicates with the first vehicle data bus and is configured to communicate first vehicle sound. A second wireless communication device communicates with the second vehicle data bus and is configured to communicate second vehicle sound. An electronic data processing system comprises a third wireless communication device configured to receive the first and second vehicle sound. A sound integration module is configured to form or determine the feedback sound from the first and second vehicle sound. A sound generator module is configured to communicate the feedback sound to a user.

Claims

1. A feedback system configured for providing a feedback sound representative of a first vehicle sound of a first vehicle and a second vehicle sound of a second vehicle, the feedback system comprising:

a first vehicle data bus of the first vehicle;

a second vehicle data bus of the second vehicle;

a first wireless communication device in communication with the first vehicle data bus, the first wireless communication device configured to communicate the first vehicle sound;

a second wireless communication device in communication with the second vehicle data bus, the second wireless communication device configured to communicate the second vehicle sound;

an electronic data processing system comprising a third wireless communication device configured to receive the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound;

a sound integration module configured to form or determine the feedback sound from the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound; and

a sound generator module configured to communicate the feedback sound to a user.

2. The feedback system of claim 1, further comprising at least one first sound sensor in communication with the first vehicle data bus and at least one second sound sensor in communication with the second vehicle data bus.

3. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle is a lead vehicle, the second vehicle is a follower vehicle configured to follow the lead vehicle, and the electronic data processing system is coupled to the lead vehicle.

4. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device is at least one of a first transceiver and a first transmitter, the second wireless communication device is at least one of a second transceiver and a second transmitter, and the third wireless communication device is at least one of a third transceiver and a receiver.

5. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle data bus is a first CAN bus and the second vehicle data bus is a second CAN bus.

6. The feedback system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface comprising a speaker, the user interface in communication with the sound generator module, the user interface configured to communicate the feedback sound through the speaker.

7. The feedback system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface comprising a first speaker and a second speaker, the user interface in communication with the sound generator module, the user interface configured to communicate the first vehicle sound primarily through the first speaker and the second vehicle sound primarily through the second speaker.

8. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the feedback sound comprises the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound weighted equally in amplitude, where the first vehicle sound or the second vehicle sound is shifted in frequency such that the user can hear both sounds simultaneously.

9. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein a first diagnostic module, coupled to the first vehicle data bus, is configured to determine whether the first vehicle is operating properly and a second diagnostic module, coupled to the second vehicle data bus, is configured to determine whether the second vehicle is operating properly and if the first vehicle is not operating properly, the sound generator is adapted to form the feedback sound to more closely approximate the first vehicle sound, and if the second vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound is formed to more closely approximate the second vehicle sound.

10. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the sound generator module is configured to determine whether the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly and the feedback sound is amplified if at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is not operating properly and the feedback sound is not amplified if the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly.

11. The feedback system of claim 1, wherein the sound generator module is configured to determine whether the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly and if the first vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound comprises the first vehicle sound modified by an alteration factor and the second vehicle sound, and if the second vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound comprises the second vehicle sound modified by the alteration factor and the first vehicle sound.

12. A feedback system configured for providing a feedback sound representative of a first vehicle sound of a first vehicle and a second vehicle sound of a second vehicle operating together in a work area, the feedback system comprising:

a first vehicle data bus of the first vehicle;

a first wireless communication device in communication with the first vehicle data bus, the first wireless communication device configured to receive the second vehicle sound from a second wireless communication device of a second vehicle;

in the first vehicle, an electronic data processing system configured to receive first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound;

a sound integration module capable of forming or determining the feedback sound from the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound; and

a sound generator module configured to communicate the feedback sound to a user.

13. The feedback system of claim 12, wherein a first diagnostic module, coupled to the first vehicle data bus, is configured to determine whether the first vehicle is operating properly and a second diagnostic module, coupled to a second vehicle data bus, is configured to determine whether the second vehicle is operating properly and if the first vehicle is not operating properly, the sound generator is adapted to form the feedback sound to more closely approximate the first vehicle sound, and if the second vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound is formed to more closely approximate the second vehicle sound.

14. The feedback system of claim 12, wherein the sound generator module is configured to determine whether the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly and the feedback sound is amplified if at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is not operating properly and the feedback sound is not amplified if the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly.

15. The feedback system of claim 12, wherein the sound generator module is configured to determine whether the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly and if the first vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound comprises the first vehicle sound modified by an alteration factor and the second vehicle sound, and if the second vehicle is not operating properly, the feedback sound comprises the second vehicle sound modified by the alteration factor and the first vehicle sound.

16. The feedback system of claim 12, further comprising at least one first sound sensor in communication with the first vehicle data bus and at least one second sound sensor in communication with a second vehicle data bus of the second vehicle.

17. The feedback system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface comprising a speaker, the user interface in communication with the sound generator module, the user interface configured to communicate the feedback sound through the speaker.

18. The feedback system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface comprising a first speaker and a second speaker, the user interface in communication with the sound generator module, the user interface configured to communicate the feedback sound representative of the first vehicle sound primarily through the first speaker and the feedback sound representative of the second vehicle sound primarily through the second speaker.

19. A method for providing a feedback sound representative of a first vehicle sound of a first vehicle and a second vehicle sound of a second vehicle, the method comprising:

communicating first vehicle sound;

communicating second vehicle sound;

receiving the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound;

forming or determining the feedback sound from the first vehicle sound and the second vehicle sound; and

communicating the feedback sound to a user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining whether the first vehicle and the second vehicle are operating properly and if the first vehicle is not operating properly, amplifying the first vehicle sound, and if the second vehicle is not operating properly, amplifying the second vehicle sound.