MODULAR VEHICLE TRAINER SOUND SYSTEM HAVING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATELY CONTROLLABLE SOUND GENERATORS AND A POLYPHONIC SPEAKER ARRAY

• US 3,845,572 A
• Filed: 08/02/1972
• Issued: 11/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cae-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Neil R. Mccanney
• Inventors: McCanney, Neil R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, Wm. H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/277,395
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 35/1,12Q,12T,11,10,10.2,12D,12K,12W 179/100.25,1GQ 340/384R,384E 84/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 434/48
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/22 including aircraft sound simulation

Abstract

A modular quadraphonic sound system for use in vehicle trainers is shown. Sounds to be simulated are broken down as to mechanical source and separate voltage controlled sound generators and voltage controlled attenuators provided for each sound. Sounds are then added and proportionately provided to those of the speakers which will best simulate their source direction. Control of the system is through a digital computer having stored therein a mathematical model of the sound profile of the vehicle. Design is such that hardware is shared for those sounds which cannot occur simultaneously.

Claims

1. A sound system for use with a vehicle simulator for providing a plurality of identifiable sounDs associated with mechanical devices of the simulated vehicle comprising:

a plurality of amplitude controllable signal generator means, each of said signal generator means providing signals representative of an identifiable sound associated with a mechanical device of a vehicle to be simulated;

summing means responsive to each of said signals provided by said plurality of amplitude controllable signal generator means for providing a first composite signal representative of the sum of said identifiable sounds;

apportioning means responsive to first control signal inputs for receiving said first composite signal and for providing a plurality of second composite signals similar to said first composite signal, the magnitude of said second composite signals being selectively apportioned in accordance with said control signal inputs;

a trainee station representative of the control station or cockpit of the vehicle being simulated, said trainee station including a plurality of electro-acoustic devices equal in number to said plurality of second composite signals and spaced around said trainee station, each electro-acoustic device connected for generating sounds in response to one of said second composite signals;

mathematical model means to provide a sound profile of the simulated vehicle and to control a plurality of amplitude controllable signal generator means; and

control means for providing said first control signal inputs to said apportioning means, said control signal inputs being generated in response to signals representative of the operation of the vehicle simulator and in accordance with said mathematical model means such that at least one of said identifiable sounds provided by at least two of said electroacoustic devices has the semblance of originating from a particular location around the trainee station different from the location of any of said electro-acoustic devices.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein characteristics of the output signal from at least one of said amplitude controllable signal generator means may be selectively varied and used to simulate at least two different identifiable vehicle sounds which do not occur at the same time.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said amplitude controllable signal generator means comprises a voltage-controlled oscillator and a voltage-controlled attenuator, said voltage-controlled attenuator having the output of said oscillator as an input.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said control means comprises a general computer programmed with said mathematical model of said sound profile of the simulated vehicle.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the simulated vehicle is an aircraft and said plurality of sounds comprises engine sounds, land sounds and aero sounds.

6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said sounds comprise a first group made up of sounds having recurrent frequencies and a second group of sounds which are made up of non-recurrent frequencies, and said plurality of signal generator means comprise at least one voltage-controlled oscillator to simulate sounds in said first group and at least one white noise generator to simulate sounds in said second group.

7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said acoustic device are speakers.

8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said summing means includes means for controlling the amplitude of said first composite signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the amplitude of signals generated by one of said plurality of amplitude controllable signal generator means is responsive to second control signal inputs provided by said control means.

10. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said amplitude controllable signal generating means comprise at least one voltage controlled oscillator to generate recurrent frequencies, at least one white noise generator to generate non-recurrent frequencies, and a plurality of voltage controLled attenuators coupled to respective ones of said oscillators and noise generators.

11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein said means to provide controls signals comprises a digital computer programmed with the sound profile of sounds to be simulated.

12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said electro-acoustic devices include electro-acoustic devices in front of, behind, and to the right and left of a trainee in the trainee station, said apportioning means comprising a plurality of voltage controlled attenuators each having said first composite signal as an input and each providing an output to one of said electro-acoustic devices.