Systems and methods for electronic sound enhancement tuning

• US 9,693,139 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Teknos, Athanasios, Vong, Jr., Chin Lim, Mongeau, Michael Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bernardi, Brenda
• Application Number:
  US15/084,674
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

Example systems and methods for electronic sound enhancement tuning are disclosed. An example disclosed method includes sampling, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of a vehicle. The example method also includes comparing the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile. Additionally, the example methods includes, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile, and iterating until the target audio profile satisfies a similarity threshold.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing sound in a vehicle, the method comprising:

sampling, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of the vehicle;

comparing, with a processor, the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and

when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying, with the processor, a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, and the method including, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:

downloading the target audio profile to the vehicle; and

sampling, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sampling the audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle includes driving the vehicle so that an engine of the vehicle cycles from a minimum revolutions per minute to a maximum revolutions per minute.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

7. An apparatus to enhance sound in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an audio capturer configured to sample, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of the vehicle; and

an audio tuner configured to;

compare the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and

when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, applying, with a processor, a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, wherein the apparatus includes an audio flasher and wherein, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:

the audio flasher is configured to download the target audio profile to the vehicle; and

the audio capturer is configured to sample, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of an engine of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein to sample the audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle is configured to drive so that an engine of the vehicle cycles from a minimum revolutions per minute to a maximum revolutions per minute.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

sample, with a microphone, an audio profile of engine noises in a cabin of a vehicle;

compare the sampled audio profile to a model audio profile; and

when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy a similarity threshold, apply a convergence function to the sampled audio profile to generate a target audio profile.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the audio profile is a first audio profile, and wherein the instructions cause the machine to, when the sampled audio profile does not satisfy the similarity threshold:

download the target audio profile to the vehicle; and

sample, with the microphone, a second audio profile of the engine noises in the cabin of the vehicle, the vehicle using the target audio profile to enhance the engine noises.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the target audio profile specifies an audio signal to play on speakers of the vehicle based on revolutions per minute of the engine of an vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the convergence function is based on differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the convergence function adjusts the sampled audio profile by values greater than the differences between the sampled audio profile and the model audio profile.