Active sound effect generating apparatus

• US 8,045,723 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Inoue, Toshio, Takahashi, Akira, Kobayashi, Yasunori, Sakamoto, Kosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): MENZ, LAURA MARY
• Application Number:
  US12/175,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20090028353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/61, 381/71.1
• US Class Current: 381/61
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/16 creating illusions of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/121 Rotating machines, e.g. engines, turbines, motors; Periodic or quasi-periodic signals in general
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 Automobiles

Abstract

An active sound effect generating apparatus includes a controller (a fourth acoustic adjuster and a fifth acoustic adjuster) which determines the amplitude of a control signal by adjusting the amplitudes of reference signals (intermediate signals) depending on an engine rotational frequency change [Hz/second] calculated by an engine rotational frequency change calculator and an accelerator opening [%] detected by an accelerator opening sensor.

Claims

1. An active sound effect generating apparatus comprising:

a waveform data table for storing one period of waveform data;

a rotational frequency detector for detecting the rotational frequency of an engine;

a reference signal generator for generating a harmonic reference signal based on said rotational frequency by reading said waveform data successively from said waveform data table;

a controller for generating a control signal to generate a sound effect based on said reference signal;

an output unit for outputting said sound effect based on said control signal;

a rotational frequency change calculator for calculating a rotational frequency change which represents a change per unit time in said rotational frequency; and

an engine load detector for detecting a load on the engine;

wherein said controller determines an amplitude of said control signal by adjusting an amplitude of said reference signal depending on said rotational frequency change and said load on the engine.

2. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said engine load detector detects an accelerator opening as representing the load on the engine.

3. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive mode detector for detecting drive modes of a vehicle;

wherein said controller determines the amplitude of said control signal by adjusting the amplitude of said reference signal depending on the drive mode detected by said drive mode detector.

4. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said controller switches between amplitude adjusting characteristics for said reference signal depending on said drive mode, said amplitude adjusting characteristics being set depending on the load on the engine.

5. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said drive modes include a cruise drive mode for enabling said vehicle to cruise.

6. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller has amplitude adjusting characteristics with weighted values preset for each value of the load on the engine, and determines the amplitude of said control signal by adjusting the amplitude of said reference signal using said weighted values.

7. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller switches between amplitude adjusting characteristics for said reference signal depending on the load on the engine, said amplitude adjusting characteristics being set depending on said rotational frequency change.

8. An active sound effect generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller calculates an engine load change which represents a change per unit time in the load on the engine, and makes the amplitude of said control signal greater when said engine load change is positive than when said engine load change is negative.