Electric vehicle emulation system and method

A system for emulating the feel of an internal combustion engine during the operation of an electric vehicle comprising:

• an electric vehicle having a chassis;
• an electric motor supported by said chassis;
• an accelerator, said accelerator controls operation of said electric motor;
• at least one data source selected from the group consisting of:
• an accelerator position sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an electric motor controller;
• a force generator controller, said force generator controller in data communication with said data source, said force generator controller programmed to produce a first demand signal and at least one additional demand signal, the first demand signal corresponding to a first mode of operation, wherein the first mode of operation is an idle mode when the electric vehicle is in a stopped position and the at least one additional demand signal corresponding to an additional mode of operation, wherein the additional mode of operation emulates motion of the electric vehicle;
• the force generator controller configured to select and produce the first demand signal or the additional demand signal in response to data received from the data source and the force generator controller configured to transmit the first demand signal or the additional demand signal to a first circular force generator secured to the chassis of the vehicle at a first location, the first circular force generator at the first location will convey vibrations to the interior of a passenger cabin of the vehicle;
• said first circular force generator configured to produce vibrations upon receipt of said first demand signal or the additional demand signal from said force generator controller such that the first circular force generator at the first location will convey vibrations to an interior of a passenger cabin of the vehicle wherein the vibrations emulate the mode corresponding to the first demand signal or the additional demand signal.

A method of emulating the feel of an internal combustion engine during the operation of an electric vehicle comprising:

• said electric vehicle comprising:
• a chassis;
• an electric motor supported by said chassis;
• an accelerator, said accelerator configured to control operation of said electric motor;
• at least one data source capable of providing data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle;
• a circular force generator secured to the chassis of the vehicle at a location, the vehicle having a passenger cabin, the passenger cabin having an interior;
• a force generator controller, said force generator controller programmed to receive data from said at least one data source and programmed to use the received data to generate a first demand signal and at least one additional demand signal, the first demand signal corresponding to a first mode of operation, wherein the first mode of operation is an idle mode when the electric vehicle is in a stopped position and at least one additional demand signal corresponding to an additional mode of operation wherein the additional mode of operation emulates motion of the electric vehicle;
• the force generator controller configured to select and produce the first demand signal or the additional demand signal in response to data received from the data source and the force generator controller configured to transmit said first demand signal or the additional demand signal to the first circular force generator;
• said first circular force generator configured to produce vibrations upon receipt of said first demand signal or the additional demand signal from said force generator controller;
• using said data source to monitor changes in the operation of said electric vehicle and produce data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle;
• transmitting said data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle to said force generator controller;
• said force generator controller receiving said data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle and said force generator controller interpreting the received data and selecting the first demand signal or the additional demand signal;
• transmitting the selected first demand signal or additional demand signal from said force generator controller to said first circular force generator;
• using said first circular force generator to produce and transmit vibrations to the interior of the passenger cabin, wherein the vibrations emulate the mode corresponding to the first demand signal or the additional demand signal.

A method of emulating the feel of an internal combustion engine during the operation of an electric vehicle comprising:

• said electric vehicle comprising:
• a chassis;
• an electric motor supported by said chassis;
• an accelerator, said accelerator configured to control operation of said electric motor;
• at least one data source selected from the group consisting of:
• an accelerator position sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an electric motor controller;
• a first circular force generator secured to the chassis of the vehicle at a location, the vehicle having a passenger cabin, the passenger cabin having an interior;
• a force generator controller, said force generator controller programmed to receive data from said at least one data source and programmed to use the received data to generate a first demand signal and at least one additional demand signal, the first demand signal corresponding to a first mode of operation, wherein the first mode of operation is an idle mode when the electric vehicle is in a stopped position and at least one additional demand signal corresponding to an additional mode of operation wherein the additional mode of operation emulates motion of the electric vehicle;
• the force generator controller configured to select and produce the first demand signal or the additional demand signal in response to data received from the data source and the force generator controller configured to transmit said first demand signal or the additional demand signal to the first circular force generator;
• said first circular force generator configured to produce vibrations upon receipt of said first demand signal or the additional demand signal from said force generator controller;
• using said data source to monitor changes in the operation of said electric vehicle and produce data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle;
• transmitting said data representative of changes in operation of said vehicle to said force generator controller;
• said force generator controller receiving said data representative of changes in operation of said electric vehicle and said force generator controller interpreting the received data and selecting the first demand signal or the additional demand signal;
• transmitting the selected first demand signal or additional demand signal from said force generator controller to said first circular force generator;
• using said first circular force generator to produce and transmit vibrations to the interior of the passenger cabin, wherein the vibrations emulate the mode corresponding to the first demand signal or the additional demand signal emulate changes in operation of an internal combustion engine corresponding to said data representative of changes in speed of said electric vehicle and said data representative of changes in the position of said accelerator.