Engine sound replication device

• US 7,979,147 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Francis Dunn
• Original Assignee: James Francis Dunn
• Inventors: Dunn, James Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elbin; Jesse
• Application Number:
  US12/287,193
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 381/61, 181/192, 181/227, 181/228, 700/94, 704/504
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00

Abstract

An apparatus for replicating an engine and/or exhaust sound of a predetermined vehicle includes files stored in computer-readable form in a memory library of the engine and/or exhaust sound of the predetermined vehicle. A microcomputer operated controller receives engine data such as the RPM of the engine of the personal vehicle and continually selects which files to obtain and use. The controller adjusts the sound pattern to optimally correspond in a preferred way with the RPM of the engine of the personal vehicle and the controller provides an output signal that is amplified and fed to a speaker for audio playback of a replicated sound of the engine and/or exhaust sound of the predetermined vehicle in the personal vehicle. A speaker disposed outside the vehicle includes a conical or cylindrical shape. A diagnostic capability is also disclosed. Connection to an OBD II connector provides the desired engine data.

Claims

1. An engine sound replication device, comprising:

(a) a file containing a sound from an engine of a predetermined vehicle that is readable by a computer, and wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of a predetermined vehicle is stored in a memory library;

(b) means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of an engine of a personal vehicle wherein said means for determining includes an electrical connection to an OBD II type of connector and the extraction of data regarding said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle from said OBD II type of connector wherein said present state includes data regarding the number of revolutions per minute that said engine of said personal vehicle is operating at or data as to which gear a transmission of said personal vehicle is disposed in, and wherein said extraction of data regarding said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle occurs continuously through said OBD II type of connector whenever said engine sound replication device is operating;

(c) modifying said file of an engine sound to correspond in a desired way with said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle to correspond with said data regarding the number of revolutions per minute that said engine of said personal vehicle is operating at or to correspond with said data as to which gear said transmission of said personal vehicle is disposed in; and

(d) an output signal, said output signal including a replication of said engine sound of said predetermined vehicle, wherein said output signal includes an amplifier, and wherein said engine sound replication device includes a controller, and wherein said controller includes a microcomputer, and wherein a content of said memory library is accessible to said controller, and wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of an engine includes a current load of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said content of said memory is selected depending on said load of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said controller is able to adjust said content of said memory library to provide an adjusted output signal that optimally correlates with said load of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said output signal includes said adjusted output signal.

2. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes a plurality of files containing a plurality of sounds of said engine of said predetermined vehicle.

3. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes an exhaust sound.

4. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes an engine compartment sound.

5. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes a gear change by a transmission of said predetermined vehicle.

6. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes drive train sound of said predetermined vehicle.

7. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said output signal is continuously provided whenever said engine of said personal vehicle is operating.

8. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 including means for providing said output signal as an input signal to said amplifier, stereo system, or speaker for playback as an audio replication of said engine sound of said predetermined vehicle.

9. The engine sound replication device of claim 8 wherein said output signal includes electrical connection through a wire.

10. The engine sound replication device of claim 8 wherein said output signal includes means for transmitting said output signal to a receiver.

11. The engine sound replication device of claim 10 wherein said receiver includes a stereo receiver.

12. The engine sound replication device of claim 10 wherein said receiver is electrically connected to an auxiliary amplifier.

13. The engine sound replication device of claim 8 wherein said speaker is disposed in an interior of said personal vehicle.

14. The engine sound replication device of claim 8 wherein said speaker is disposed at an exterior of said personal vehicle.

15. The engine sound replication device of claim 14 wherein said speaker is disposed under a rear of said personal vehicle.

16. The engine sound replication device of claim 15 wherein said speaker includes a generally cylindrical or conical shape that resembles at least a portion of a tailpipe in appearance.

17. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing a sound from an engine of said predetermined vehicle includes a sound from an engine selected from the group consisting of an automobile, motorcycle, truck, boat, airplane, racecar, and go-kart.

18. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes a current RPM of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said content of said memory is selected depending on said RPM of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said controller is able to adjust said content of said memory library to provide said adjusted output signal that optimally correlates with said RPM of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said output signal includes said adjusted output signal.

19. The engine sound replication device of claim 18 wherein said memory library includes a plurality of files, each of said plurality of files containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle, and wherein any of said plurality of files is selected from the group consisting of an engine compartment sound, a transmission sound, a gear change sound, an exhaust sound, and a cockpit sound of said predetermined vehicle.

20. The engine sound replication device of claim 19 wherein said controller is able to simultaneously select and combine any of said plurality of files to produce a composite sound waveform as said output signal.

21. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle includes a recording of said sound.

22. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle includes a synthesized representation of said sound.

23. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes generating a diagnosis of said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle, and includes an indication of said diagnosis of said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle.

24. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes an OBD II wireless transmitter that is connected to said OBD II connector, and wherein said OBD II wireless transmitter provides a wireless OBD II data transmission signal of said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle when said engine of said personal vehicle is running, and wherein said wireless OBD II data transmission signal includes a wireless signal that is compatible with BLUETOOTH™

protocol.

25. The engine sound replication device of claim 24 including a commercially available device as an operating platform, and wherein said platform includes software and circuitry sufficient to emulate or otherwise replicate the functionality of said engine sound replication device, and wherein said platform is able to receive said wireless OBD II data transmission signal and wherein said modifying said file of said engine sound to correspond in a desired way with said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes said platform altering a state of said engine sound to correspond with said present state of said engine of said personal vehicle that is obtained from said wireless OBD II data transmission signal to produce said output signal.

26. The engine sound replication device of claim 25 wherein said platform includes an IPHONE™

or an IPOD TOUCH™

.

27. The engine sound replication device of claim 25 including a cradle, and wherein said platform is adapted to connect to said cradle and wherein said cradle is adapted to receive said output signal from said platform, and wherein said cradle includes a transmitter for transmitting said output signal via an FM broadcast.

28. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes selection of at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle from the group consisting of RPM, load, transmission gear ratio, changing from one transmission gear ratio to another transmission gear ratio, acceleration, deceleration, and vacuum, and wherein said content of said memory is selected depending on said at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said controller is able to adjust said content of said memory library to provide said adjusted output signal that optimally correlates with said at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein said output signal includes said adjusted output signal.

29. The engine sound replication device of claim 1 wherein said file containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle is selected from said memory library by said controller, and wherein said means for determining information regarding at least some aspect of a present state of said engine of said personal vehicle includes selection of at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle from the group consisting of RPM, load, transmission gear ratio, changing from one transmission gear ratio to another transmission gear ratio, acceleration, deceleration, and vacuum, and wherein said file containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle is varied by said controller in response to said controller having access to and obtaining said at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle, sufficient to produce an adjusted file of said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle, and to provide said adjusted file of said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle as said output signal, and wherein said output signal correlates with said at least one operating parameter or state of said engine of said personal vehicle, and wherein a greater sense of realism is provided by said adjusted file of said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle than by said file containing said sound from said engine of said predetermined vehicle.