Pedestrian warning system providing adjustable acoustic indications

• US 9,870,703 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: MacNeille, Perry Robinson, Wu, Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US15/181,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 3404255, 340463, 340464, 340905, 340944
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• 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: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a pedestrian warning system. An example disclosed method to simulate noise for an electric or noise-dampened vehicle to warning pedestrians includes producing a first sound at a first frequency range from a first sound generator located at a front of the vehicle. The method also includes producing a second sound at a second frequency range from a second sound generator located under the vehicle. Additionally, the example method includes adjusting the acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on vehicle motion data.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle to provide acoustic information to pedestrians, the method comprising:

producing a first sound at a first frequency range from a first sound generator located at a front of the vehicle;

producing a second sound at a second frequency range from a second sound generator located under the vehicle;

adjusting, by a processor, acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on vehicle motion data; and

adjusting at least one of the first sound or the second sound based on feedback collected from infrastructure nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, including adjusting the acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on at least one of government regulation data, weather data, or ambient noise data.

3. The method of claim 1, including adjusting the second sound based on feedback collected from a microphone positioned under the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, including adjusting at least one of the first sound or the second sound based on feedback collected from mobile devices in a vicinity external to the vehicle.

5. An apparatus to a vehicle to provide acoustic information to pedestrians comprising:

a first sound generator positioned at a front of the vehicle;

a second sound generator positioned under the vehicle; and

a sound controller to;

produce a first sound from the first sound generator;

produce a second sound from the second sound generator;

adjust acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on vehicle motion data; and

adjust at least one of the first sound or the second sound based on feedback collected from mobile devices in a vicinity external to the vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first sound is in a first frequency range, and the second sound is in a second frequency range, the second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first sound and the second sound are an overtone series.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sound controller is to adjust the acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on at least one of government regulation data, weather data, or ambient noise data.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sound controller is to adjust the second sound based on first feedback collected from a microphone positioned under the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sound controller is to adjust at least one of the first sound or the second sound based on second feedback collected from infrastructure nodes.

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

produce a first sound at a first frequency range from a first sound generator located at a front of the vehicle;

produce a second sound at a second frequency range from a second sound generator located under the vehicle; and

adjust acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on vehicle motion data and feedback collected from infrastructure nodes.