Method and a device for generating artificial driving noises of a vehicle

• US 9,189,452 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Hahne, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOTT, GENNA M
• Application Number:
  US13/716,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A device and a method for generating artificial driving noises for a motor vehicle, and to a computer program for carrying out the method is provided. Environmental conditions, objects and/or other road users are recorded via an environmental sensor unit. Depending thereupon and, as required, depending upon vehicle-internal information driving noises are generated with special properties. In this way other road users can be alerted to otherwise quietly driving vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for generating artificial driving noises in a motor vehicle, comprising:

emitting and receiving at least one of optical, acoustic and electromagnetic signals with the aid of an environmental sensor unit in order to record objects;

controlling the emission of signals by a control unit;

evaluating the received signals by the control unit;

generating by a sound generating unit in communication with the control unit artificial driving noises and acoustically emitting the artificial driving noises to the outside; and

modifying properties of the artificial driving noises based on a trailer being attached to the motor vehicle,

wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on the evaluation of at least one of the received signals, the objects recorded and vehicle-internal data, and the properties of the artificial driving noises are modified based on a detection of the attached trailer and a weight of the trailer load.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on a location of the motor vehicle detected via the environmental sensor unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on the relative speed between the motor vehicle and the recorded object.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on at least one of a recorded movement and a type of recorded object.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on the vehicle-internal data for a current driving style or a driving style stored for a driver.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on a current driving speed or an acceleration of the motor vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on a current geographical position of the motor vehicle ascertained via a positioning system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are individually selectable and stored by a driver.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on at least one of a type and an intensity of the environmental conditions currently recorded via the environmental sensor unit.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on a type of the motor vehicle and a kind of the motor vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on information conveyed via at least one of car-to-car communication and car-to-X communication.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on road signs detected via the environmental sensor unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the environmental sensor unit further comprises at least one camera.

14. A vehicle, comprising:

a control unit having a programmable processor unit and a program code which when executed on the programmable processor unit causes a method to be carried out comprising;

emitting and receiving at least one of optical, acoustic and electromagnetic signals with the aid of an environmental sensor unit in order to record objects;

controlling the emission of signals by a control unit;

evaluating the received signals by the control unit;

generating by a sound generating unit in communication with the control unit artificial driving noises and acoustically emitting the artificial driving noises to the outside of a motor vehicle,

modifying properties of the artificial driving noises based on a trailer being attached to the motor vehicle; and

wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are based on the evaluation of at least one of the received signals, the objects recorded, vehicle-internal data and a location of the motor vehicle detected via the environmental sensor unit and the properties of the artificial driving noises are modified based on a detection of the attached trailer and a weight of the trailer load.

15. A device for generating artificial driving noises of a vehicle, comprising:

an environmental sensor unit designed to emit and receiver at least one of optical, acoustic and electromagnetic signals in order to record objects in the surrounding area;

a control unit designed to control the transmission emission of signals and to evaluate received signals; and

a sound generating unit controllable by the control unit such that artificial driving noises with appropriate properties are generated and acoustically emitted to outside of the vehicle based on at least one of the recorded objects and vehicle-internal data,

wherein the properties of the artificial driving noises are modified based on a detection of a trailer attached to the vehicle and a weight of the trailer load.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the properties of the driving noises are based on a current driving speed or an acceleration of the vehicle.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the properties of the driving noises are based on a current geographical position of the vehicle ascertained via a positioning system.