Audio apparatus for vehicle

• US 4,558,460 A
• Filed: 06/12/1984
• Issued: 12/10/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LMRC Acquisition Company
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamagata, Tetsuo, Hirakata, Yoshiaki, Nakamura, Shigehira, Tanaka, Shuji, Sakamoto, Tuneaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US06/619,968
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/57, 381/104, 381/107, 455/238, 324/174
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/10 Arrangement of audio equipment; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/21 intended to provide information to rider or passenger
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/32 the control being dependent upon ambient noise level or sound level

Abstract

An audio apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed having an audio signal generator, an amplifier operatively connected to the generator for amplifying an audio signal received from the generator, a speaker for emitting sounds and which is driven by the amplifier, a vehicle speed detector, and a gain control operatively connected to the speed detector for generating a control signal and providing it to the amplifier, such that the control signal increases the gain of the amplifier according to an increase in the output of the vehicle speed detector.

Claims

1. An audio apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

means for generating an audio signal;

amplifying means operatively connected to said generating means for amplifying an audio signal received from said generating means;

sound emitting means for emitting sounds and which is driven by said amplifying means;

means for detecting vehicle speed; and

gain control means operatively connected to said speed detecting means for generating a control signal and providing it to said amplifying means, such that said control signal increases the gain of the amplifying means according to an increase in the output of said speed detecting means, wherein the output of said amplifying means, or the sound volume, is kept constant if the vehicle speed is below speed V₁ where V₁ is a predetermined, extremely low speed, and the output of said amplifying means is increased as the vehicle speed is increased above V₁, and wherein said output of said amplifying means increases at a faster rate when the vehicle speed is above V₂ than when it is below V₂ where V₂ is a predetermined vehicle speed faster than V₁ and above which the wind noise greatly increases.

2. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle speed detecting means comprises means for generating vehicle speed pulses, and an integration circuit.

3. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gain control means comprises compensation circuit means for compensating gain characteristics of said amplifying means in relation to vehicle speed.

4. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gain control means has a manual adjusting means for adjusting the output of said gain control means.

5. The audio apparatus of claim 1, wherein said amplifying means comprises an amplifier adjustable in gain by a variable resistance, a gain control amplifier adjustable in gain by said control signal, and a power amplifier.

6. The audio apparatus of claim 2, wherein said vehicle speed pulse generating means comprises a magnet disposed on a wheel axle of the vehicle and a reed switch located promixal to said magnet, such that the rotation of the magnet causes said reed switch to be opened and closed.

7. The audio apparatus of claim 6, wherein said integration circuit comprises a resistance, capacitors and diodes.

8. The audio apparatus of claim 3, wherein said compensation circuit means comprises a first stage operational amplifier and a second stage operational amplifier.

9. The audio apparatus of claim 4, wherein said manual adjusting means is a variable resistor.

10. The audio apparatus of claim 4, wherein said gain control amplifier includes a negative feedback amplifier having a field effect transistor interposed in the negative feedback circuit thereof.

11. The audio apparatus of claim 4, wherein, when the output of said amplification means is increased, the output levels of the high and low bands of the sound volume are attenuated.