Method and system for producing engine sounds of a simulated vehicle

• US 6,592,375 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Midway Games West, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Henry, Michael L., Gruber, Mark L., Mokris, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/780,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/30, 434/69, 434/307.R, 273/148.B, 463/30, 463/36, 446/404, 601/47, 601/49, 312/223.2, 381/61, 381/71.4, 381/86
• US Class Current: 434/62
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle simulation system includes a sound resonant chamber assembly for simulating audio sounds representative of the sounds produced during the operation of the simulated vehicle, comprising a speaker and a sound resonant tube attached to the speaker for enhancing and directing the audio sounds.

Claims

1. A vehicle simulation system which produces sounds replicating sounds of a vehicle being simulated, the system comprising:

a seat, wherein a driver sits during operation of the vehicle simulation system;

a plurality of input devices corresponding to input devices of the vehicle simulated by the vehicle simulation system;

a computer for receiving input signals from the input devices;

a control process executed by the computer for selectively converting the input signals into a plurality of signals representing engine sounds;

a speaker responsive to the signals for producing engine sounds; and

a sound resonant chamber comprising a sound tube attached to the speaker for directing the engine sounds.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sound tube is between one foot and four feet in length.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sound tube is a circular tube having a diameter between three inches and five inches.

4. A sound resonant system of a vehicle simulation system which produces sounds replicating sounds of a vehicle being simulated, the system comprising:

a plurality of input devices for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle;

a computer comprising a control process which receives signals from at least one of said plurality of input devices and initiates signals to drive a video display of the simulated vehicle, the computer, responsive to the control process, for determining engine characteristics information of the simulated vehicle and for providing a signal representing the engine characteristics during operation of said simulated vehicle;

an engine sound speaker responsive to the signal produced by the computer for producing engine sounds;

a sound tube with a first opening positioned proximate the engine sound speaker, for directing the engine sounds from the speaker; and

a general sound speaker responsive to the computer for producing general sounds associated with the actions of the simulated vehicle.

5. A vehicle simulation system which produces sounds replicating sounds of a vehicle being simulated, the system comprising:

means for providing a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling the operation of the simulated vehicle in a simulated environment;

means for producing sound signals representing engine conditions during operation of the simulated vehicle in the simulated environment; and

means for directing the sound signals through a sound tube to provide a realistic sound which representative of engine sounds produced by the simulated vehicle.

6. A method of realistically producing sounds representative of engine sounds produced during the operation of a simulated vehicle in a simulated driving game, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle;

producing sound signals representing engine sounds reflecting operation of the simulated vehicle; and

directing the sound signals through a resonant sound tube to provide a realistic sound which is representative of engine sounds produced by the simulated vehicle.

7. A vehicle simulation system which produces sounds replicating sounds of a vehicle being simulated, the system comprising:

a housing;

a computer for producing a simulation of a vehicle and generating signals representative of engine sounds corresponding to operation of said vehicle;

a sound source positioned in the housing and responsive to the signals for producing engine sounds; and

a sound resonant tube connected to the sound source so as to enhance and direct the engine sounds from said sound source.

8. A sound resonant system of a vehicle simulation system which produces sounds replicating sounds of a vehicle being simulated, the system comprising:

a plurality of input devices for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle;

a computer, the computer having a control process which receives signals from at least one of said plurality of input devices and initiates signals to drive a video display of the simulated vehicle, the computer further configured to be responsive to the control process to determine engine characteristics information of the simulated vehicle and to provide a signal representing the engine characteristics during operation of the simulated vehicle;

a speaker responsive to the signal produced by the computer for producing engine noise sounds; and

a sound resonant chamber comprising a tube attached to the speaker for directing the sound from the speaker.

9. The simulator of claim 8 wherein the tube is between one foot and four feet in length.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the tube has a circular diameter between three inches and five inches.

11. A method of realistically producing sounds representative of engine sounds produced during the operation of a simulated vehicle in a simulated driving game, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of simulated input devices for controlling the operation of a simulated vehicle,

producing sound signals representing engine sounds reflecting operation of the simulated vehicle; and

directing the sound signals through a sound resonant chamber comprised of a tube attached to a speaker to provide a realistic sound which is representative of engine sounds produced by the simulated vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the tube is between one foot and four feet in length.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the sound tube has a circular diameter between three inches and five inches.