# US 12,179,773 B2 · Virtual sound provision apparatus and method for electric vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,773 B2 - Document ID: US12179773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/745,351 - Filed: 2022-05-16 - Published: 2023-01-19 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-14 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Ki Chang Kim; Jin Sung Lee; Ji Won Oh; Dong Chul Park; Kyoung Jin Chang; Tae Kun Yun; Jeong Soo Eo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179773B2 ## CPC - B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed - B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour - B60W 50/10: Interpretation of driver requests or demands - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60L 2240/16: longitudinal - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2250/26: by pedal actuation - B60L 2270/00: Problem solutions or means not otherwise provided for - B60W 2510/082: Speed change rate - B60W 2510/085: Power - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A virtual sound provision apparatus for an electric vehicle includes a driving information detector configured to detect vehicle driving information for outputting a virtual driving sound, a microphone configured to detect an actual driving sound generated from the electric vehicle, a controller configured to determine a characteristic of a target sound based on an acceleration and deceleration driving pattern of a driver from an accelerator pedal input value and a brake pedal input value of the driver, and generating and outputting a sound control signal for outputting the virtual driving sound having the characteristic of the target sound based on the determined characteristic information of the target sound and characteristic information of the actual driving sound, and a sound device configured to output a virtual engine sound that simulates an engine sound from the electric vehicle at the time of acceleration and deceleration according to the sound control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A virtual sound provision method for an electric vehicle, the virtual sound provision method comprising the steps of: collecting, by a controller, vehicle driving information for outputting a virtual driving sound during driving of the electric vehicle; determining, by the controller, a characteristic of a target sound corresponding to an acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of a driver from an accelerator pedal input value and a brake pedal input value of the driver, among the collected vehicle driving information; generating and outputting, by the controller, a sound control signal for outputting the virtual driving sound having the characteristic of the target sound based on the determined characteristic information of the target sound and characteristic information of an actual driving sound acquired by a microphone of the electric vehicle; and controlling operation of a sound device such that the virtual driving sound is generated and output according to the sound control signal output from the controller, wherein the step of determining the characteristic of the target sound comprises the step of determining, by the controller, the acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of the driver based on pedal manipulation information of the driver accumulated during driving of the electric vehicle, wherein the acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of the driver is determined from frequency of gradual acceleration, sudden acceleration, gradual deceleration, and sudden deceleration accumulated during driving of the electric vehicle, wherein the frequency of gradual acceleration, sudden acceleration, gradual deceleration, and sudden deceleration is obtained from pedal input information of the driver collected during previous driving of the electric vehicle, and wherein the pedal input information of the driver is information about driver manipulation of the accelerator pedal and driver manipulation of the brake pedal during the previous driving of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual driving sound is a virtual engine sound that simulates an engine sound generated from an engine during driving of an internal combustion engine vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of determining the characteristic of the target sound based on the acceleration and or deceleration driving pattern of the driver, the characteristic of the target sound comprises a sound pressure level (SPL), a frequency band, or a pitch of the target sound. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of controlling the operation of the sound device, a sound generator of the sound device generates a virtual sound signal having the characteristic of the target sound using sound source data according to the sound control signal, an amplifier of the sound device amplifies the generated virtual sound signal, and a speaker of the sound device outputs the amplified virtual sound signal as the virtual driving sound. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein when the driver selects a desired vehicle type or a vehicle grade through an interface connected to the sound device in the electric vehicle, the sound device outputs the virtual driving sound adjusted so as to have volume and tone corresponding to the vehicle type or the vehicle grade selected by the driver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of generating and outputting the sound control signal, the determined characteristic of the target sound is a sound pressure level of the target sound, and the characteristic of the actual driving sound is a real-time sound pressure level acquired from a signal of the actual driving sound detected by the microphone in the electric vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 6, wherein in the step of generating and outputting the sound control signal, the controller compares the sound pressure level of the target sound with the real-time sound pressure level of the actual driving sound, and generates and outputs a sound control signal such that the real-time sound pressure level of the actual driving sound corresponds to the sound pressure level of the target sound. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the characteristic of the target sound further comprises the step of: determining, by the controller, the characteristic of the target sound corresponding to the determined acceleration driving pattern or deceleration driving pattern of the driver using a driver emotion model in which the characteristic of the target sound is set based on the accelerator pedal input value and the brake pedal input value of the driver for each of the acceleration driving pattern and the deceleration driving pattern. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 8, wherein the step of determining the acceleration driving pattern of the driver further comprises the steps of: determining, by the controller, target torque from the accelerator pedal input value and a current motor torque command increasing at a predetermined torque inclination until reaching the determined target torque, when the driver manipulates an accelerator pedal during driving of the electric vehicle; determining, by the controller, whether the driver additionally manipulates the accelerator pedal after an actual torque value, which is the motor torque command, reaches the target torque; calculating and storing, by the controller an achievement rate, which is a ratio of a number of times of achievement to a total number of times of manipulation of the accelerator pedal, during one-time driving from key on to key off with one achievement defined as a moment when the driver additionally manipulates the accelerator pedal after the actual torque value has reached the target torque; accumulating and averaging, by the controller, the achievement rate calculated whenever one-time driving is performed to calculate an average; and determining, by the controller, a step having a range to which the calculated average of the achievement rates belongs as the acceleration driving pattern of the driver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 8, wherein the step of determining the acceleration driving pattern of the driver further comprises the steps of: when the driver manipulates an accelerator pedal during driving of the electric vehicle, determining, by the controller, target torque from the accelerator pedal input value and a current motor torque command increasing at a predetermined torque inclination until reaching the determined target torque; determining, by the controller, whether the driver additionally manipulates the accelerator pedal before an actual torque value, which is the motor torque command, reaches the target torque; calculating and storing, by the controller, a nonachievement rate, which is a ratio of a number of times of nonachievement to a total number of times of manipulation of the accelerator pedal, during one-time driving from key on to key off with one nonachievement defined as a moment when the driver additionally manipulates the accelerator pedal before the actual torque value has reached the target torque; accumulating and averaging, by the controller, the nonachievement rate calculated whenever one-time driving is performed to calculate an average; and determining, by the controller, a step having a range to which the calculated average of the nonachievement rates belongs as the acceleration driving pattern of the driver. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 8, wherein the step of determining the acceleration driving pattern of the driver further comprises the steps of: determining, by the controller, target acceleration from the accelerator pedal input value and comparing actual acceleration, which is the determined target acceleration, with full acceleration having a predetermined value, when the driver manipulates an accelerator pedal during driving of the electric vehicle; calculating and storing, by the controller, an achievement rate, which is a ratio of a number of times of achievement to a total number of times of manipulation of the accelerator pedal, during one-time driving from key on to key off with one achievement defined as a moment when the actual acceleration reaches the full acceleration; accumulating and averaging, by the controller, the achievement rate calculated whenever one-time driving is performed to calculate an average as a long-term achievement rate; assuming, by the controller, that a case in which the actual acceleration does not reach the full acceleration is nonachievement, calculating a difference value between the full acceleration and the actual acceleration, and determining a period having a range to which the difference value between the full acceleration and the actual acceleration belongs, among a plurality of predetermined periods, as a current manipulation period; counting, by the controller, a number of times of each manipulation period determined during one-time driving from key on to key off and calculating and storing an nonachievement rate, which is a ratio of the number of times of each manipulation period to a total number of times of nonachievement, for each manipulation period; calculating, by the controller, the nonachievement rate for each manipulation period whenever one-time driving of the electric vehicle is performed and accumulating and averaging the nonachievement rate for each manipulation period to calculate an average as a long-term nonachievement rate; and determining, by the controller, the acceleration driving pattern of the driver based on the long-term achievement rate and the long-term nonachievement rate value for each period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The virtual sound provision method according to claim 8, wherein the step of determining the deceleration driving pattern of the driver further comprises the steps of: determining, by the controller, target deceleration from the brake pedal input value and comparing actual deceleration, which is the determined target deceleration, with full deceleration having a predetermined value, when the driver manipulates a brake pedal during driving of the electric vehicle; assuming, by the controller, that a case in which the actual deceleration reaches the full deceleration is achievement, and calculating and storing an achievement rate, which is a ratio of a number of times of achievement to a total number of times of manipulation of the brake pedal, during one-time driving from key on to key off; accumulating and averaging, by the controller, the achievement rate calculated whenever one-time driving is performed to calculate an average as a long-term achievement rate; assuming, by the controller, that a case in which the actual deceleration does not reach the full deceleration is nonachievement, calculating a difference value between the full deceleration and the actual deceleration, and determining a period having a range to which the difference value between the full deceleration and the actual deceleration belongs, among a plurality of predetermined periods, as a current manipulation period; counting, by the controller, a number of times of each manipulation period determined during one-time driving from key on to key off and calculating and storing an nonachievement rate, which is a ratio of the number of times of each manipulation period to a total number of times of nonachievement, for each manipulation period; calculating, by the controller, the nonachievement rate for each manipulation period whenever one-time driving of the electric vehicle is performed and accumulating and averaging the nonachievement rate for each manipulation period to calculate an average as a long-term nonachievement rate; and determining, by the controller, the deceleration driving pattern of the driver based on the long-term achievement rate and the long-term nonachievement rate value for each period. ### Claim 13 A virtual sound provision apparatus for an electric vehicle, the virtual sound provision apparatus comprising: a driving information detector configured to detect vehicle driving information for outputting a virtual driving sound during driving of the electric vehicle; a microphone configured to detect an actual driving sound generated from the electric vehicle during driving of the electric vehicle; a controller configured to determine a characteristic of a target sound based on an acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of a driver from an accelerator pedal input value and a brake pedal input value of the driver, among the electric vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detector, and generating and outputting a sound control signal for outputting the virtual driving sound having the characteristic of the target sound based on the determined characteristic information of the target sound and characteristic information of the actual driving sound detected through the microphone; and a sound device configured to output a virtual engine sound that simulates an engine sound from the electric vehicle at a time of acceleration and deceleration according to the sound control signal output by the controller, wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a frequency of gradual acceleration, sudden acceleration, gradual deceleration, and sudden deceleration from pedal input information of the driver accumulated during driving of the electric vehicle, and determine the acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of the driver from the frequency of gradual acceleration, sudden acceleration, gradual deceleration, and sudden deceleration accumulated during driving of the electric vehicle, wherein the pedal input information of the driver is information about driver manipulation of the accelerator pedal and driver manipulation of the brake pedal during previous driving of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the virtual driving sound is a virtual engine sound that simulates an engine sound generated from an engine of an internal combustion engine vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the characteristic of the target sound corresponding to the acceleration or deceleration driving pattern of the driver comprises a sound pressure level (SPL), a frequency band, or a pitch of the target sound. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sound device comprises: a sound generator configured to generate a virtual sound signal having the characteristic of the target sound using sound source data according to the sound control signal; an amplifier configured to amplify the generated virtual sound signal; and a speaker configured to output the amplified virtual sound signal as the virtual driving sound. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to generate and output a sound control signal for outputting the virtual driving sound having a sound pressure level of the target sound based on the sound pressure level of the target sound, which is the determined characteristic information of the target sound, and a sound pressure level of the actual driving sound, which is the characteristic information of the actual driving sound detected by the microphone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to compare the sound pressure level of the target sound with the sound pressure level of the actual driving sound and to generate and output a sound control signal for coincidence between the sound pressure level of the actual driving sound and the sound pressure level of the target sound. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The virtual sound provision apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured: to determine the characteristic of the target sound corresponding to the determined acceleration driving pattern or deceleration driving pattern of the driver using a driver emotion model in which the characteristic of the target sound is set based on the accelerator pedal input value and the brake pedal input value of the driver for each of the acceleration driving pattern and the deceleration driving pattern.