Method and apparatus for controlling the sound field in a vehicle cabin or the like
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling the sound field in a space defined by structural panels, comprising the steps of:
- pre-storing data indicative of the magnitude of a non-acoustic parameter upon which the tendency for said structural panels to vibrate in said space depends;
sensing the magnitude of said non-acoustic parameter upon which the tendency for said structural panels to vibrate and produce noise in said space is dependent;
producing a signal indicative of the sensed magnitude;
comparing said signal with said pre-stored data; and
producing a vibration within said space in accordance with said comparison of said signal with said data in a manner to cancel the sound produced by the vibration of said structural panels.
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Abstract
The major resonance noise inducing engine vibration component is determined by sensing the ignition pulses produced by the engine ignition system and compared with pre-stored data to ascertain if cabin resonance is apt to occur. In the event that resonance is predicted counter vibration is produced by a speaker or speakers. In addition to the basic engine speed parameter, the load on the engine (e.g. throttle valve position, induction vacuum or the like) and the gear ratio in which the transmission is operating may also be sensed to determine the need for the counter vibration.
64 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the sound field in a space defined by structural panels, comprising the steps of:
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pre-storing data indicative of the magnitude of a non-acoustic parameter upon which the tendency for said structural panels to vibrate in said space depends; sensing the magnitude of said non-acoustic parameter upon which the tendency for said structural panels to vibrate and produce noise in said space is dependent; producing a signal indicative of the sensed magnitude; comparing said signal with said pre-stored data; and producing a vibration within said space in accordance with said comparison of said signal with said data in a manner to cancel the sound produced by the vibration of said structural panels.
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2. A method of controlling the sound field in a passenger compartment of a vehicle having an engine and wherein said passenger compartment takes the form of an enclosed space defined by structural panels, comprising the steps of:
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sensing a vibration of said engine which vibration tends to vibrate said structural panels and produce an audible resonance sound therein; producing a signal indicative of the sensed vibration; comparing said signal with data pre-stored in a memory; and producing an audio frequency vibration within said compartment in accordance with said comparison of said signal and said data which vibration cancels said audible resonance sound. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus which controls a sound field in a space defined by structural panels comprising:
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a sensor for sensing a non-acoustic parameter upon which the tendency for said structural panels to vibrate and produce noise in said space is dependent, and (b) producing a signal indicative thereof; a circuit including a memory in which data is pre-stored, said circuit being arranged to compare said signal with said pre-stored data; and a vibration generating device disposed in said space, said vibration generating device being operatively connected with said circuit in a manner to be energized thereby to produce a vibration which cancels the noise produced by said structural panels vibrating, in response to the comparison carried out in said control device indicating that said noise will be produced.
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9. An apparatus which controls the sound field in a passenger compartment of a vehicle having an engine and wherein said passenger compartment takes the form of an enclosed space defined by structural panels, comprising:
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an engine vibration sensor for (a) sensing a vibration of said engine which tends to vibrate said structural panels and produce an audible resonance sound therein, and (b) producing a signal indicative thereof; a circuit including a memory in which data is prestored, said circuit being arranged to receive said signal and compare same with said data; and an audio frequency vibration generating device disposed in said compartment, said device being arranged to be energized by said circuit in response to the comparison of said signal with said data indicating that audible resonance noise will be produced in said compartment and produce a vibration which cancels said audible resonance noise. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus which controls the sound field in a compartment of a vehicle having an engine, wherein said compartment comprises an enclosed space defined by structural panels, said apparatus comprising:
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a sensor for (a) sensing an engine operational parameter which varies in accordance with the tendency for an audible resonance sound to be produced in said compartment and for (b) producing a signal indicative of said sensed parameter; a circuit including a memory in which data is pre-stored, said circuit being arranged to receive said signal and compare said signal with said data; and an audio frequency vibration generating device disposed in said compartment, said device being arranged to be energized by said circuit in response to the comparison of said signal with said data indicating that audible resonance noise will be produced in said compartment and produce a vibration which cancels said audible resonance noise.
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Specification