Method and device for providing information about failure in virtual engine sound system unit for vehicle

• US 9,522,632 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Huber, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/719,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20160152183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• 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: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for providing information about a failure in a virtual engine sound system (VESS) unit for a vehicle includes sending a VESS unit failure message to a cluster, and displaying the failure message on the cluster. In the unit failure information providing method, VESS unit failure information may be provided by the use of a navigation unit or electric/electronic subassemblies.

Claims

1. A method for providing information about a failure in a virtual engine sound system (VESS) unit for a vehicle, the method comprising:

sending a VESS unit failure message to a cluster;

displaying the VESS unit failure message on the cluster;

determining whether a speed of the vehicle is within a speed range where the VESS unit is active; and

controlling the VESS unit failure message to be sent to the cluster only when the speed of the vehicle is within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a diagnoser with a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), which is recognizable by a car repair shop, corresponding to the VESS unit failure message before sending the VESS unit failure message to the cluster.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by a navigation unit of the vehicle, a VESS unit failure warning screen included in the VESS unit failure message only when the speed of the vehicle is within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

turning on headlamps of the vehicle when the vehicle enters an area in which the vehicle must travel within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

emitting a warning sound through a buzzer in the vehicle when the VESS unit sends a failure message after the turning on of the headlamps.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

boosting a pressure of a vehicle engine sound emitted from the VESS unit when the VESS unit does not send a failure message after the turning on of the headlamps.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

emitting a warning sound through a buzzer in the vehicle when a front sensor unit or a rear sensor unit of the vehicle detects an object outside of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling within the speed range in which the VESS unit is active.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the front sensor unit includes a plurality of motion sensors located at a front of the vehicle, and

the object is detected as moving when at least two of the plurality of motion sensors detect the object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a navigation unit of the vehicle displays route information for directing the vehicle to a car repair shop when the VESS unit sends the VESS unit failure message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of the VESS unit failure message comprises:

sending the VESS unit failure message to the cluster when a disconnection of wires connecting the VESS unit to speakers occurs.

11. A device for providing information about a failure in a virtual engine sound system (VESS) unit for a vehicle, the device comprising:

a VESS unit emitting a virtual engine sound and sending a VESS unit failure message;

a cluster receiving the VESS unit failure message from the VESS unit through a central gateway (GCW) and displaying the VESS unit failure message; and

a controller determining whether a speed of the vehicle is within a speed range where the VESS unit is active and controlling the VESS unit failure message to be sent to the cluster only when the speed of the vehicle is within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a diagnoser that receives a diagnostic trouble code (DTC), which is recognizable by a car repair shop, corresponding to the VESS unit failure message before sending the failure message to the cluster.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a navigation unit that displays a VESS unit failure warning screen included in the VESS unit failure message sent by the VESS unit only when the speed of the vehicle is within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a navigation unit that displays route information for directing the vehicle to a car repair shop when the VESS unit sends the VESS unit failure message.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the VESS unit causes headlamps of the vehicle to be turned on when the vehicle enters an area in which the vehicle must travel within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the VESS unit causes a warning sound to be emitted through a buzzer in the vehicle when the VESS unit sends a VESS unit failure message after the turning on of the headlamps.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the VESS unit boosts pressure of a vehicle engine sound when the VESS does not send a VESS unit failure message after the turning on of the headlamps.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing information about a failure in a virtual engine sound system (VESS) unit for a vehicle, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that send a VESS unit failure message to a cluster;

program instructions that display the VESS unit failure message on the cluster;

program instructions that determine whether a speed of the vehicle is within a speed range where the VESS unit is active; and

program instructions that control the VESS unit failure message to be sent to the cluster only when the speed of the vehicle is within the speed range where the VESS unit is active.