Fault detection system having audio analysis and method of using the same

#This invention in general relates to the detection of faults in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a fault detection system having audio analysis and a method of using the same.

#A user of a vehicle may hear an unpleasant sound or feel a strange vibration while operating a vehicle. Most users of vehicles are not trained to know or recognize the source of such a sound or vibration and in many cases significant changes over longer periods of time are so subtle they go undetected. Many unpleasant sounds and strange vibrations are generated by faults of rotating elements in a vehicle such as the tires, the engine, the driveline, and the fan or blower of a the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. Accordingly, there is also a need for aiding the user of a vehicle to identify the source of unpleasant sounds or strange vibrations in the vehicle.

#Various systems have been employed for detecting faults on a vehicle. Existing systems require dedicated sensors outside the cabin of a vehicle for each component on the vehicle. These sensors are susceptible to fault over time due to exposure to corrosive and other harsh environments.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a fault detection system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

#FIGS. 2A-2E are exemplary spectra diagrams for various rotating elements on a vehicle;

#FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a system incorporating the fault detection system of the present invention.

#While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

#What is described is an improved system and procedure for detecting faults associated with rotating elements on a vehicle. To this end, in one embodiment there is a fault detection system for determining whether a fault exists with a rotating element of a vehicle. The system includes a transducer, a diagnosis sampler, and a controller. The transducer may be a microphone located in the vehicle for converting sounds to an electrical signal. The electrical signal includes a noise component generated from the rotating element. The diagnosis sampler is connected to the transducer and provides a sample of the electrical signal from the transducer to the controller. The controller has functional aspects such as an envelope detect, a spectrum analysis, and a fault detect. The envelope detect has the capability of detecting an envelope of the electrical signal. The spectrum analysis has the capability of forming a spectra from the envelope of the electrical signal, where the spectra is associated with the noise component generated from the rotating element. The fault detect has the capability of determining (from the formed spectra) whether the fault exists with the rotating element.

#The controller may also include further functionality. For example, the controller may include a synchronous resample function that has the capability of synchronizing the envelope of the electrical signal with data from a sensor associated with the rotating element. This step would be performed prior to the formation of the spectra. The synchronous resample function aids in the analysis of vehicle cabin noise. Most rotating elements in a vehicle vary in speed during the operation of the vehicle. If samples are taken at regular time intervals (regardless of vehicle operation), the time sampled spectrum will change as the rotational speed of the element changes. Synchronizing the envelope with data obtained from a sensor of the rotating element solves the problem of varying rotational speeds during operation.