# US 8,542,844 B2 · Sound modification system and method

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- Number: US 8,542,844 B2
- Document ID: US8542844B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/081,859
- Filed: 2011-04-07
- Published: 2012-10-11
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-07
- Assignees: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Upton Beall Bowden; David Ming Chi; David Alan Knechtges; Stephen James Adams
- Inventors: Upton Beall Bowden; David Ming Chi; David Alan Knechtges; Stephen James Adams
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542844B2

## CPC

- G10K 15/02: Synthesis of acoustic waves (synthesis of speech G10L13/00)
- G10K 11/17821: {characterised by the analysis of the input signals only}
- G10K 11/17823: {Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment}
- G10K 11/1783: {handling or detecting of non-standard events or conditions, e.g. changing operating modes under specific operating conditions}
- G10K 11/17883: {the reference signal being derived from a machine operating condition, e.g. engine RPM or vehicle speed}
- G10K 2210/1282: Automobiles
- G10K 2210/51: Improving tonal quality, e.g. mimicking sports cars
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A sound modification system and a method of managing sound in a vehicle. The system includes an active noise reduction (ANR) controller, an engine sound enhancement (ESE) controller and a sound modification controller. When the vehicle is in a steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ANR controller and deactivates the ESE controller. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a non-steady state driving condition, the sound modification controller activates the ESE controller and deactivates the ANR controller. Preferably, when the vehicle switches between the steady state and non-steady state driving conditions, the sound modification controller activates and deactivates the ANR and ESE controllers at a rate that is not noticeable to a human. In summary, the system utilizes the ANR and ESE controllers to achieve an optimal passenger cabin experience for the driver during any driving condition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling the sound in a vehicle having a passenger compartment comprising the steps of:
sensing a driving condition of the vehicle as being one of a steady state driving condition with the vehicle travelling at a near-constant speed and a non-steady state driving condition, and
based on the sensing of the driving condition, either:
outputting into the passenger compartment a noise cancelling sound wave to cancel at least one sound in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in response to sensing the steady state driving condition with the vehicle travelling at a near-constant speed, or
outputting into the passenger compartment a noise amplifying sound wave to amplify at least one sound in the passenger compartment in response to the vehicle changing from the steady state driving condition with the vehicle traveling at a near-constant speed to the non-steady state driving condition,
wherein the noise amplifying sound wave is a performance sound for a driver of the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of outputting a noise cancelling sound wave is further defined as generating and progressively increasing the amplitude of a first sound wave from zero amplitude to a predetermined amplitude in response to the driving condition of the vehicle changing from the non-steady state driving condition to the steady state driving condition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of progressively increasing the amplitude of the noise cancelling sound wave takes place at a rate of less than 3 decibels per second.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of progressively increasing the amplitude of the noise cancelling sound wave takes place over a period greater than sixty seconds.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of sensing a sound wave to be reduced and wherein the noise cancelling sound wave is an opposing sound wave substantially one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase with respect to the sound wave to be reduced.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of sensing an engine speed of an engine of the vehicle and wherein the step of outputting the noise cancelling sound wave is further defined as outputting an opposing sound wave substantially one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase with respect to the sound waves of the engine at the sensed engine speed according to an engine profile.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of outputting a noise amplifying sound wave is further defined as outputting and progressively increasing the amplitude of a noise amplifying sound wave in response to the driving condition of the vehicle changing from the steady state driving condition to the non-steady state driving condition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 7 wherein the noise amplifying sound wave is an engine enhancement sound wave substantially in phase with a noise to be amplified.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 8 further including the step of sensing an engine speed of an engine of the vehicle and wherein the step of outputting the engine enhancement sound wave is further defined as outputting an engine enhancement sound wave substantially in phase with the selected sound waves of the engine at the sensed engine speed according to an engine profile.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of sensing a cruise control state of the vehicle and determining that the vehicle is in the steady state driving condition in response to the cruise control of the vehicle being activated.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of sensing a vehicle speed and determining that the vehicle is in the steady state driving condition in response to the vehicle speed remaining within a predetermined range for a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein the predetermined range is ±5 miles per hour and wherein the predetermined period of time is five minutes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of controlling the sound in a vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the engine enhancement sound is at least one of: an engine noise, a tire squeal noise, and a whine of a turbo/supercharger.

### Claim 14

A sound modification system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment comprising:
at least one sensor for sensing a condition of the vehicle and for generating a condition signal;
at least one controller in communication with said sensor for receiving said condition signal and configured to determine a driving condition of the vehicle as one of a steady state driving condition with the vehicle travelling at a near-constant speed and a non-steady state driving condition and configured to generate a noise cancelling sound wave signal in response to said driving condition of the vehicle being said steady state driving condition and configured to generate a noise amplifying sound wave signal in response to said driving condition of the vehicle being said non-steady state driving condition; and
based on the sensed condition, outputting via at least one loudspeaker in communication with said controller for receiving said noise cancelling and noise amplifying sound wave signals, either sound waves corresponding to said noise cancelling to cancel a noise in the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in said steady state driving condition, or noise amplifying sound wave signals to amplify a noise in the passenger compartment while the vehicle is in said non-steady state driving
wherein the noise amplifying sound wave signals is a performance sound for a driver of the vehicle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said sensor is one of an engine speed sensor and a vehicle speed sensor and a vehicle acceleration sensor and a throttle position sensor and a cruise control sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said at least one controller is an active noise reduction controller and said noise cancelling sound wave signal is an opposing sound wave signal substantially one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase with respect to a sound wave to be cancelled.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 16 further including an engine speed sensor for sensing an engine speed and for generating an engine speed signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said engine speed sensor is in communication with said active noise reduction controller and wherein said active noise reduction controller is configured to generate said noise cancelling sound wave signal substantially one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase with respect to the sound waves produced by the engine at the sensed engine speed according to an engine profile.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 17 further including an engine sound enhancement controller in communication with said loudspeaker and wherein said noise amplifying sound wave signal is an engine enhancement sound wave signal substantially in phase with a sound wave to be amplified in response to said driving condition of the vehicle being said non-steady state driving condition.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The sound modification system as set forth in claim 19 wherein said engine sound enhancement controller is in communication with said engine speed sensor and wherein said engine sound enhancement controller is configured to generate said engine enhancement sound wave signal substantially in phase with respect to the sound waves produced by the engine at the sensed speed according to an engine profile.