Active noise conditioning system
AssigneeTenneco Automotive Inc.
InventorsJ. Clay Shipps, John E. Levreault, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An active noise conditioning system for use with a combustion engine exhaust system is provided. A controller receives an exhaust noise signal, along with various other feedback signals for producing an anti-noise signal in response to the input signals. An amplifier is provided for receiving and amplifying the anti-noise signal. A wave generator receives the amplified anti-noise signal and generates an audio anti-noise signal. The output of the wave generator is collocated with the exhaust pipe of the exhaust system, where the audio anti-noise signal and the exhaust noise are acoustically coupled, which effects cancelling of the exhaust noise.
Claims50
An active noise conditioning system comprising:
- a controller for receiving an acoustic feedback signal and a power source feedback signal and producing an anti-noise signal for cancelling an exhaust noise signal, said controller continually adjusting said anti-noise signal in response to fluctuations in said acoustic feedback signal and said power source feedback signal;
- and
- a wave generator coupled to said controller for generating an audio anti-noise signal, said wave generator and said controller being contained within an enclosure having an outlet collocated with an exhaust pipe outlet.
In an exhaust system coupled to a combustion engine, an active noise cancellation system comprising:
- a controller for receiving an exhaust noise signal and a power source feedback signal for producing an anti-noise signal, said controller continually adjusting said anti-noise signal in response to fluctuations in said exhaust noise signal and said power source feedback signal;
- a microphone coupled to said controller for receiving a residual noise signal and producing said exhaust noise signal;
- an amplifier for receiving said anti-noise signal and producing an amplified anti-noise signal, and wherein said controller adjusts a power output level of said amplifier in response to said power source feedback signal;
- and
- a wave generator coupled to said amplifier and having a voice coil for generating an audio anti-noise signal, said wave generator mounted within an enclosure having an outlet collocated with an exhaust pipe outlet;
- whereby said audio anti-noise signal and said exhaust noise signal are acoustically coupled for canceling said exhaust noise signal.
An active system for altering acoustic noise generated by a source at an outlet thereof, the system comprising:
- an enclosure having a first acoustic chamber in communication with an outlet positioned in a predetermined physical relationship with the source outlet, and a second chamber which is partitioned from the first acoustic chamber;
- electronic circuitry associated with the second chamber of the enclosure and operative to receive a power source feedback signal from an electrical power source and generate an electrical noise alteration signal, said electronic circuitry continually adjusting for fluctuations in said power source feedback signal;
- and
- an electrical-to-acoustic signal transducer located within the second acoustic chamber of the enclosure, coupled for receipt of the electrical noise alteration signal and operative in response to the receipt to generate an acoustic noise alteration signal into the first acoustic chamber for presentation to the enclosure outlet.
An active muffler system for altering acoustic noise generated by a vehicular engine at an exhaust output thereof, the system comprising:
- electronic circuitry operative to receive a power source feedback signal from an electrical power source and generate an electrical noise alternation signal, said electronic circuitry continually adjusting for fluctuations in said power source feedback signal;
- an electrical-to-acoustic signal transducer coupled for receipt of the electrical noise alteration signal and operative in response to the receipt to generate an acoustic noise alteration signal at a transducer output;
- and
- an electronic switching element actuatable by a vehicle operator for selectively adjusting operation of the electronic circuitry, the electronic switching element having at least two discrete settings defining a first switching state and a second switching state.
A method for producing a noise canceling signal comprising the steps of:
- providing a controller for receiving an acoustic feedback signal and a power source feedback signal;
- calculating an anti-noise signal in response to said acoustic feedback signal;
- calculating an adjustment factor in response to fluctuations in said power source feedback signal;
- adjusting a power level of said anti-noise signal in response to said power source feedback signal and said adjustment factor;
- providing an amplifier for receiving said anti-noise signal and producing an amplified anti-noise signal;
- providing a wave generator for receiving said amplified anti-noise signal and producing an audio anti-noise signal;
- and
- acoustically coupling said audio anti-noise signal and an exhaust noise signal for canceling said exhaust noise signal and producing an error signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.