Automotive audio controller with vibration sensor
AssigneeHarman International Industries, Incorporated
InventorsBradley F. Eid, David P. McCorkle, Ivan Gregory Dzombak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automotive audio controller is provided for receiving an audio signal from an audio source and providing a filtered audio signal that may help compensate for ambient noise in the automobile. The audio controller may have a vibration sensor that generates a vibration signal indicative of vibrations in the automobile. A dynamic filter of the audio controller may receive the vibration signal and the audio signal, and change the gain level and/or tone of the audio signal based on the vibration signal to generate the filtered audio signal. The audio controller also may receive a speed signal, and change the gain level and/or tone of the audio signal based on the speed signal to generate the filtered audio signal.
Claims38
An automotive audio controller for receiving an audio signal from an audio source and providing a filtered audio signal, the audio controller comprising:
- a non-sonic excitement sensor attached to a surface on or within an automobile, the non-sonic excitement sensor configured to detect a non-sonically induced excitement level of the surface;
- a power estimator coupled to the non-sonic excitement sensor, where the power estimator is configured to receive the detected non-sonically induced excitement level, the power estimator further configured to convert the detected non-sonically induced excitement level into a vibration power value that is indicative of the non-sonically induced excitement level detected by the non-sonic excitement sensor;
- and
- a dynamic filter coupled to the power estimator, where the dynamic filter is configured to receive the vibration power value, and the dynamic filter is further coupled to the audio source, where the dynamic filter is further configured to receive the audio signal;
- and
- where the dynamic filter is configured to generate a filtered audio signal based on the audio signal and the vibration power value, and the filtered audio signal is amplified to generate a driving electrical signal for a speaker.
An automotive audio controller comprising:
- a non-sonic vibration sensor configured to be in communication with an automobile, and the non-sonic vibration sensor further configured to measure a non-sonic vibration level of the automobile to generate a measured non-sonic vibration level signal;
- a speed sensor input configured to receive a speed signal indicative of a speed of the automobile;
- a power estimator in communication with the non-sonic vibration sensor, the power estimator configured to generate a power vibration level signal based upon the measured non-sonic vibration level signal;
- and
- a dynamic filter in communication with the power estimator and the speed sensor input, the dynamic filter configured to receive the power vibration level signal and the speed signal, where the dynamic filter is further configured to couple to an audio source to receive an audio signal, and where the dynamic filter is configured to generate a filtered audio signal based on the audio signal, the power vibration level signal, and the speed signal, and the filtered audio signal is amplified to generate a driving electrical signal for a speaker.
An automotive audio controller comprising:
- a vibration sensor configured to be in communication with an automobile and further configured to measure a non-sonic vibration level of the automobile to generate a measured non-sonic vibration signal;
- an audio signal input configured to couple to an audio source to receive an audio signal;
- a power estimator coupled to the vibration sensor, where the power estimator is configured to receive the measured non-sonic vibration signal, the power estimator further configured to convert the measured non-sonic vibration signal into a vibration power signal;
- a dynamic filter coupled to the power estimator to receive the vibration power signal, where the dynamic filter is coupled to the audio signal input, the dynamic filter further configured to receive the audio signal, the dynamic filter further configured to receive a speed signal, and where the dynamic filter is further configured to receive a volume control signal;
- and
- where the dynamic filter is configured to generate a filtered audio signal based on the audio signal, the vibration power signal, the speed signal, and the volume control signal.
A method of compensating for ambient noise in an automobile sound system, the method comprising:
- receiving an audio signal from an audio source;
- detecting with a sensor a non-sonic vibration level of the automobile;
- and
- generating a filtered audio signal as a function of the audio signal and the non-sonic vibration level;
- and
- where generating the filtered audio signal as the function of the audio signal and non-sonic vibration level further comprises:
- averaging the non-sonic vibration level to eliminate extreme short duration changes in detected vibration level;
- limiting changes in the non-sonic vibration level to a predetermined amount within a predetermined period of time to reduce sudden changes in detected vibration level;
- and
- generating the filtered audio signal based on the audio signal and the averaged and limited non-sonic vibration level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.