Device for entertainment during driving of a car

• US 8,457,323 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Palmestal
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Palmestal
• Inventors: Palmestl, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/734,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20100246843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 381/61, 381/86, 381/71.4, 340/384.3, 340/441, 224/544, 439/577, 439/668, 439/669
• US Class Current: 381/61
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00

Abstract

A device designed to be plugged into an electric socket in a vehicle, which socket constitutes part of the electrical system of the vehicle, which device, without any other connection, is able to detect the engine speed of the vehicle and convert this information to sound signals. In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one device for detecting electrical pulses resulting from the engine speed that are unintentionally emitted from the generator, electric motor or ignition system of the vehicle, in order to record the current engine speed. Further, in at least one embodiment, the device transmits, by way of radio waves, sampled/simulated or synthetically generated noise signals based on the electrical pulses to the radio receiver/sound system of the vehicle in order to play these in or around the vehicle.

Claims

1. Device to be plugged into an electric socket in a vehicle, the socket constituting a part of an electrical system of the vehicle, the device comprising:

a sensor to detect, without any other connection than the electrical socket, an engine speed of the vehicle from electrical pulses unintentionally emitted from a generator, electric motor or ignition system of the vehicle, and

a signal processor to convert the detected engine speed to sound signals, said signal processor, being configured to identify regular speed-generated pulses, filtering off sudden pulses other than pulses that have the engine speed as a source, and, in cases when the signal processor cannot calculate a given speed from the incoming pulses, taking a lowest pulse frequency that is unchanged over a certain time, and use the lowest pulse frequency as a benchmark for normal idling speed.

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a radio transmitter to transmit sampled, simulated or synthetically generated noise signals based on the electrical pulses to a radio receiver or sound system of the vehicle in order to play the sampled, simulated or synthetically generated noise signals in or around the vehicle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device makes use of information regarding the engine speed to indicate whether a gear shift up or down is taking place.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for adding or subtracting pulses to the pulses recorded to stimulate, by signal processing, the sound pattern and speed range of different engine types.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device, during different phases in handling the vehicle, provides the possibility of emitting noise signals either sampled/simulated by way of the device or synthetically produced signals on the basis of the different phases.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory card reader for introducing new programs, noise data and music files.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a line input for the connection of external music players.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal output for the connection of headphones.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to transmit RDS data, wherein the digital display of a radio receiver thereby can indicate the sound pattern that is set or what music is being played.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to detect patterns of movement of the vehicle that indicate that the driver is dosing off to sleep and during such circumstances emits a loud noise signal to warn the driver.

11. The device according to claim 5, wherein the different phases in handling the vehicle include starting the engine, idling when stationary, acceleration, engine braking, even speed, shifting up and down, cornering and braking.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the certain time is a few seconds.

13. A device to be plugged into an electric socket in a vehicle, the socket constituting a part of an electrical system of the vehicle, the device, without any other connection, being able to detect an engine speed of the vehicle and to convert this information to sound signals, the device comprising:

a device sensor to detect electrical pulses resulting from the engine speed that are unintentionally emitted from a generator, electric motor or ignition system of the vehicle, in order to record a current engine speed;

a signal processor to sample, simulate or synthetically generate noise signals based on the detected electrical pulses, and

a radio transmitter to transmit via radio waves, said noise signals to a radio receiver or sound system of the vehicle in order to play the sampled, simulated or synthetically generated noise signals in or around the vehicle.