# US 8,751,106 B2 · Directional horn and method of use

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- Number: US 8,751,106 B2
- Document ID: US8751106B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/432,881
- Filed: 2012-03-28
- Published: 2013-10-03
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-28
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: Guy Raz; Eli Tzirkel-Hancock
- Inventors: Guy Raz; Eli Tzirkel-Hancock
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751106B2

## CPC

- B60Q 5/00: Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A directional horn may include at least one group of a plurality of speakers or audio emitters. The audio emitters may each emit and audio signal at a same frequency. A processor may control a relative phase difference and relative gain difference between each audio signal, based on a determined direction. The directional horn may be positioned on a vehicle. The determined direction may be based on a direction indicated by a driver controlling the vehicle, external environmental factors, vehicle dynamics, or other factors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tunable, vehicular directional horn, comprising:
a horn mounted on a vehicle, the horn including at least one cluster of audio emitters, each of the audio emitters configured to emit; at least one audio signal; and
a processor configured to:
define a direction of focus of a horn sound based on sensor data, the horn sound being a composite of the audio signals,
define a relative phase difference and a relative gain difference between each the audio signals, in accordance with the direction of focus of the horn sound.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The horn of claim 1, wherein each of the audio emitters are configured to emit audio signals at an identical frequency.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The horn of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The horn of claim 3, wherein the sensor data includes visual tracking data.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The horn of claim 3, wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The horn of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The horn of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audio emitters are configured to emit audio signals at multiple frequencies.

### Claim 8

A method of controlling a vehicular horn sound comprising:
defining a direction of focus of the vehicular horn sound from sensor data derived from a sensor, the sound formed from a plurality of audio signals; and
using a processor to define a phase and a gain difference between each of the plurality of audio signals in accordance with the direction of focus of the horn sound; and
emitting audio signals in accordance with the phase difference and the gain difference.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor data includes visual tracking data.

### Claim 13

A vehicular horn system, comprising:
a plurality of audio emitters mounted on a vehicle, each audio emitter configured to emit audio signals;
a processor configured to define a direction of focus of a composite sound formed from the plurality of the audio signals, the direction of focus derived from sensor data; and
a processor configured to define a phase difference and a gain difference between each of the audio signals in accordance with the direction of focus of the composite sound.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor data includes data generated from a visual tracking system.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system.