# US 12,010,491 B2 · Method for processing a signal from an acoustic emission system of a vehicle and vehicle comprising this acoustic emission system

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- Number: US 12,010,491 B2
- Document ID: US12010491B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/073,390
- Filed: 2020-10-18
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-18
- Assignees: Faurecia Clarion Electronics Europe
- Applicants: Faurecia Clarion Electronics Europe
- Inventors: Cyril Laury
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010491B2

## CPC

- H04R 3/04: for correcting frequency response
- B60R 11/0217: {for loud-speakers}
- H04R 7/045: {using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion}
- B60R 2011/0005: {Dashboard}
- B60R 2011/0021: {Doors}
- B60R 2011/0022: {Pillars}
- B60R 2011/0028: {Ceiling, e.g. roof rails}
- H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
- H04S 7/307: {Frequency adjustment, e.g. tone control (H04S7/301 takes precedence)}
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A method for processing an electrical signal for an acoustic emission system. The method carried out by the system includes the following steps: a) transmitting a calibration signal to the electroacoustic transducer; b) emitting a sound based on the calibration signal, by the electroacoustic transducer; c) measuring the voltage across the terminals of the load; d) calculating the variation in impedances of the electroacoustic transducer as a function of the variation in frequencies of the calibration signal; e) determining the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer from the variation in calculated impedances; f) selecting a set of acoustic filters in the database based on the determined resonant frequency; and g) applying the set of acoustic filters to the electrical signal in order to process the electrical signal coming from the input.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing an electrical signal in an acoustic emission system of a vehicle, the acoustic system comprising a generator having an input suitable for receiving an electrical signal to be played, at least one electroacoustic transducer connected to the generator, a load having a predetermined impedance, a first measuring device, a second measuring device, a database containing sets of acoustic filters, a computer connected to the generator and to the database, said electroacoustic transducer comprising a support and a sound exciter fixed on said support and suitable for causing it to vibrate in order to generate audio sounds, the support comprising at least one element among an interior door trim panel, a dashboard and a side pillar, said electroacoustic transducer having a resonant frequency which is intrinsic, each set of acoustic filters having been established, during a preliminary step, for a resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer, the method comprising carrying out the following steps for each electroacoustic transducer:
a) transmitting a calibration signal to the electroacoustic transducer, said calibration signal having a frequency which varies within a band of predefined frequencies,
b) emitting a sound based on the calibration signal, by the electroacoustic transducer;
c1) measuring the voltage across the terminals of the load during the emission of sound by the electroacoustic transducer,
c2) measuring the variation of the voltage (V1) across the terminals of the load during the emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal by the first measuring device,
c3) measuring the variation in voltage (V2) across the terminals of the assembly of the load and the electroacoustic transducer during emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal by the second measuring device,
d) calculating the variation in impedances of the electroacoustic transducer as a function of the variation in frequencies of the calibration signal based on the variation in voltage across the terminals of the load and on the variation in voltage of the assembly of the load and electroacoustic transducer, and from the formula below:
Rt(f)=(V2(f)−V1(f))/(V1(f)/R0),
R0 being the impedance of the load,
e) determining the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer from the variation in calculated impedances, the resonant frequency corresponding to the frequency of the calibration signal for which the maximum value of the calculated impedances is determined;
f) selecting a set of acoustic filters in the database based on the determined resonant frequency, said set of acoustic filters comprising amplitudes corrected and/or phases corrected as a function of the resonant frequency,
g) applying said set of acoustic filters to the electrical signal in order to process said electrical signal coming from the input prior to its transmission to said electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, carried out by the acoustic emission system which further comprises a temperature sensor suitable for measuring the temperature in the vehicle, wherein the method further comprises a step of measuring the temperature in the vehicle, the set of acoustic filters further being selected based on the temperature measured during the selection step e).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, carried out by the acoustic emission system which further comprises a humidity sensor suitable for measuring the humidity in the vehicle, the method further comprising a step of measuring the humidity in the vehicle, the set of acoustic filters further being selected during step e) based on the humidity measured in the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of amplifying the calibration signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, comprising a step of analog-to-digital conversion of the voltage across the terminals of the load.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of measuring the voltage across the terminals of the assembly of the load and electroacoustic transducer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the support has a given dimension and is made of a given material, the frequency band of the calibration signal being predefined during a preliminary step according to the dimensions and the material of the support, by empirical measurements.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising a preliminary step of establishing the acoustic filters as a function of the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer, said preliminary step being carried out by empirical measurements.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, implemented in a motor vehicle, wherein steps a) through g) are implemented each time at least one door of the vehicle is unlocked.

### Claim 10

An acoustic emission system for a vehicle, comprising:
an electroacoustic transducer comprising a support and a sound exciter fixed on said support, said sound exciter being suitable for causing the support to vibrate in order to generate audio sounds, the support comprising at least one element among an interior door trim panel, a dashboard and a side pillar, said electroacoustic transducer having a resonant frequency which is intrinsic,
an electrical signal generator connected to the electroacoustic transducer, the generator being suitable for transmitting a calibration signal to the electroacoustic transducer, the calibration signal having a frequency which varies within a predefined frequency band,
a load having a predetermined impedance, connected between the generator and the electroacoustic transducer,
a first voltage measuring device suitable for measuring the voltage (V1) across the terminals of the load during emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal as a function of the frequency of the calibration signal,
a second voltage measuring device suitable for measuring the voltage (V2) across the terminals of the assembly of said load and of said electroacoustic transducer during emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal as a function of the frequency of the calibration signal,
a database containing acoustic filters, said acoustic filters being corrected in amplitude and/or in phase as a function of each resonant frequency, each acoustic filter being specific to a given resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer,
a computer suitable for determining the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer from the calibration signal and from the voltages measured respectively by said first measuring device and said second measuring device, based on the variation in voltage across the terminals of the load and on the variation in voltage of the assembly of the load and the electroacoustic transducer, and from the formula below:
Rt(f)=(V2(f)−V1(f))/(V1(f)/R0),
R0 being the impedance of the load, said computer being suitable for choosing a set of acoustic filters from the database as a function of the determined resonant frequency.

### Claim 11

A method for processing an electrical signal for an acoustic emission system, of a vehicle, the acoustic system comprising a generator having an input suitable for receiving an electrical signal to be played, at least one electroacoustic transducer connected to the generator, a load having a predetermined impedance, a first measuring device, a second measuring device, a database containing sets of acoustic filters, a computer connected to the generator and to the database, said electroacoustic transducer comprising a support and a sound exciter fixed on said support and suitable for causing it to vibrate in order to generate audio sounds, the support comprising at least one element among an interior door trim panel, a dashboard and a side pillar, said electroacoustic transducer having a resonant frequency which is intrinsic, each set of acoustic filters having been established, during a preliminary step, for a resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer, the method comprising carrying out the following steps for each electroacoustic transducer:
a0) a preliminary step of establishing the acoustic filters as a function of the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer, said preliminary step being carried out by empirical measurements;
a1) transmitting a calibration signal to the electroacoustic transducer, said calibration signal having a frequency which varies within a band of predefined frequencies,
b) emitting a sound based on the calibration signal, by the electroacoustic transducer;
c1) measuring the voltage across the terminals of the load during the emission of sound by the electroacoustic transducer,
c2) measuring the variation of the voltage (V1) across the terminals of the load during the emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal by the first measuring device,
c3) measuring the variation in voltage (V2) across the terminals of the assembly of the load and the electroacoustic transducer during emission of the sound corresponding to the calibration signal by the second measuring device,
d) calculating the variation in impedances of the electroacoustic transducer as a function of the variation in frequencies of the calibration signal based on the variation in voltage across the terminals of the load and on the variation in voltage of the assembly of the load and electroacoustic transducer, and from the formula below:
Rt(f)=(V2(f)−V1(f))/(V1(f)/R0),
R0 being the impedance of the load,
e) determining the resonant frequency of the electroacoustic transducer from the variation in calculated impedances, the resonant frequency corresponding to the frequency of the calibration signal for which the maximum value of the calculated impedances is determined;
f) selecting a set of acoustic filters in the database based on the determined resonant frequency, said set of acoustic filters comprising amplitudes corrected and/or phases corrected as a function of the resonant frequency,
g) applying said set of acoustic filters to the electrical signal in order to process said electrical signal coming from the input prior to its transmission to said electroacoustic transducer.