System for simulated multi-gear vehicle sound generation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A simulated vehicle sound generator system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a memory configured to store sound information for each of a plurality of predetermined engine types;
a processor in communication with the memory; and
a simulated vehicle sound generation module executable by the processor to;
receive a signal indicative of an operating condition of the vehicle;
retrieve sound information for one of the plurality of predetermined engine types in response to the operating condition of the vehicle;
select a first simulated gear from a plurality of simulated gears in response to the operating condition of the vehicle;
generate a sound signal corresponding to a first operating range of the first simulated gear based on the retrieved sound information, the sound signal configured to drive at least one sound generation device to produce variable sound waves to simulate operation of the one of the plurality of predetermined engine types along the first operating range of the first simulated gear;
determine a shift condition in response to an operating condition indicative of a speed of the vehicle reaching a variable threshold point corresponding to the first simulated gear, the variable threshold point being variable based on an operating condition indicative of a load of the vehicle;
select a second simulated gear from the plurality of simulated gears in response to the determined shift condition; and
adjust the sound signal in response to the determined shift condition to correspond to a second operating range of the second simulated gear, the sound signal adjusted to drive the at least one sound generation device to produce variable sound waves to simulate operation of the one of the plurality of predetermined engine types along the second operating range of the second simulated gear.
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Abstract
A vehicle sound generator system is configured to generate a signal configured to drive one or more speakers produce sound waves simulating sounds associated with a desired engine type. The signal is based on one or more operating conditions of a vehicle. The vehicle sound generator system is configured to select sounds from a plurality of sounds based on the operating conditions of the vehicle. Each sound corresponds to a simulated sound of an engine operating in a respective gear. The vehicle sound generator system may generate the signal to drive the speakers to produce selected sounds to simulate shifting between the respective gears.
41 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A simulated vehicle sound generator system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store sound information for each of a plurality of predetermined engine types; a processor in communication with the memory; and a simulated vehicle sound generation module executable by the processor to; receive a signal indicative of an operating condition of the vehicle; retrieve sound information for one of the plurality of predetermined engine types in response to the operating condition of the vehicle; select a first simulated gear from a plurality of simulated gears in response to the operating condition of the vehicle; generate a sound signal corresponding to a first operating range of the first simulated gear based on the retrieved sound information, the sound signal configured to drive at least one sound generation device to produce variable sound waves to simulate operation of the one of the plurality of predetermined engine types along the first operating range of the first simulated gear; determine a shift condition in response to an operating condition indicative of a speed of the vehicle reaching a variable threshold point corresponding to the first simulated gear, the variable threshold point being variable based on an operating condition indicative of a load of the vehicle; select a second simulated gear from the plurality of simulated gears in response to the determined shift condition; and adjust the sound signal in response to the determined shift condition to correspond to a second operating range of the second simulated gear, the sound signal adjusted to drive the at least one sound generation device to produce variable sound waves to simulate operation of the one of the plurality of predetermined engine types along the second operating range of the second simulated gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of generating simulated engine sounds in an audio system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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receiving a current operating condition of the vehicle with a processor; selecting a first simulated gear from a plurality of respective simulated gears in response to the received current operating condition of the vehicle; generating an engine sound signal corresponding to a first operating range of the first simulated gear; driving at least one sound generation device of the vehicle to produce variable sound waves to simulate variable operation of a predetermined engine type along the first operating range of the first simulated gear; mapping a plurality of speed threshold values along the first operating range of the first simulated gear to a plurality of throttle positions; the processor determining a shift condition based on a current speed of the vehicle and a speed threshold value of the first simulated gear that corresponds to a current throttle position; selecting a second simulated gear from the plurality of simulated gears in response to the determined shift condition; adjusting the engine sound signal in response to the determined shift condition to correspond to a second operating range of the second simulated gear; and driving the at least one sound generation device of the vehicle to produce variable sound waves to simulate variable operation of the predetermined engine type along the second operating range of the second simulated gear. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions executable with a processor, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
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instructions to determine at least one operating condition of a vehicle; instructions to select a first sound based on the at least one operating condition of the vehicle, where the first sound is selected from a plurality of sounds, where each of the plurality of sounds comprises a simulated sound of an engine operating along an operating range of a respective simulated gear, and the first sound corresponds to a first simulated gear; instructions to generate an engine sound signal to drive at least one sound generation device in the vehicle to produce the selected first sound; instructions to detect a shift condition in response to an operating condition indicative of a speed of the vehicle reaching a variable threshold point corresponding to the first simulated gear, the variable threshold point being variable based on an operating condition indicative of a load of the vehicle; instructions to select a second sound in response to the detected shift condition, where the second sound is selected from the plurality of sounds and corresponds to a second simulated gear; and instructions to adjust the engine sound signal to drive the at least one sound generation device of the vehicle to produce the selected second sound. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification