Method for detecting a special operating state of a motor vehicle, mobile apparatus, computer program product and reference noise collection

Abstract

A method for detecting a special operating state of a motor vehicle which differs from a normal operating state of the motor vehicle, in which a noise emitted by the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle is captured in the interior of the motor vehicle using a mobile apparatus which is separate from the motor vehicle, and the noise is compared with a plurality of reference noises provided by the mobile apparatus, the noise being assigned to a most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises on the basis of the comparison if a minimum similarity value is exceeded, and the special operating state being detected by the assignment which has been carried out.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a special operating state of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a normal operating state of the motor vehicle; providing the special operating state which differs from the normal operating state of the motor vehicle; providing a mobile apparatus which is separate from the motor vehicle; providing a plurality of reference noises, which are provided by the mobile apparatus; providing a plurality of similarity values; and providing at least one minimum similarity value; capturing a noise in an interior of the motor vehicle using the mobile apparatus, the noise being emitted by the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle; comparing the noise with the plurality of reference noises, and calculating the plurality of similarity values therefrom; assigning the noise to a most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises on the basis of the comparison if one of the plurality of similarity values exceeds the at least one minimum similarity value; detecting the special operating state as a result of the assignment of the noise; determining a position of the mobile apparatus in the interior of the motor vehicle; determining a distance between a source of the noise and the position of the mobile apparatus; determining an orientation of the source of the noise relative to the mobile apparatus in the interior of the motor vehicle; determining a position of the source on the basis of at least one of the distance or the orientation; assigning the noise to the most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises further on the basis of the position of the source with respect to the motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing at least one defective component of the motor vehicle; producing the noise using the at least one defective component; determining the at least one defective component by using the assignment of the noise to the most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a communication bus, the mobile apparatus operable for obtaining information from the communication bus; and providing at least one state of the motor vehicle; determining the at least one state of the motor vehicle on the basis of the communication bus of the motor vehicle; selecting the plurality of reference noises provided by the mobile apparatus on the basis of an assignment between the state of the motor vehicle and the plurality of reference noises.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a normal noise characterizing the normal operating state of the motor vehicle; subtracting the captured noise from the normal noise; and comparing the subtracted noise to the plurality of reference noises.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a current acceleration value of the mobile apparatus; capturing the current acceleration value of the mobile apparatus while capturing the noise; assigning the noise to the plurality of reference noises on the basis of the current acceleration value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: capturing at least one current environmental situation of the motor vehicle while capturing the noise; and assigning the noise to the plurality of reference noises on the basis of the current environmental situation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a workshop proposal for the motor vehicle; determining the workshop proposal for the motor vehicle by using an assignment between the workshop proposal and the plurality of reference noises.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing operating information relating to the motor vehicle; recording the noise together with the operating information relating to the motor vehicle using the mobile apparatus such that the noise and operating information relating to the motor vehicle are used as one of the plurality of reference noises.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of schematic drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan-view illustration of a motor vehicle having an exemplary embodiment of a mobile apparatus in an interior of the motor vehicle; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the mobile apparatus having a microphone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(4) The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

(5) In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with identical reference signs.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle 1 in plan view. A mobile apparatus 3 is in an interior 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The interior 2 of the motor vehicle 1 is, in particular, a passenger compartment or a space of the motor vehicle 1 in which a vehicle occupant is usually located.

(7) The mobile apparatus 3 is designed to be separate from the motor vehicle 1 and is held, for example, by a user of the mobile apparatus 3 in his hands. However, the mobile apparatus 3 may also be stored at any desired location in the interior 2, for example on a center console of the motor vehicle 1. The mobile apparatus 3 may also be fastened to a holder in the motor vehicle 1, for example.

(8) The mobile apparatus 3 may be wirelessly coupled, for example, to a data transmission interface of the motor vehicle 1, for example by means of a Bluetooth connection.

(9) The mobile apparatus 3 is used to capture a noise 4 emitted by the motor vehicle 1 in the interior 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The noise 4 comes from a source 5. Sound which characterizes the noise 4 therefore spreads from the source 5. The source 5 is present in or on a defective component 6 of the motor vehicle 1, in particular.

(10) According to the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1, the noise 4 is emitted by a wheel bearing arranged at the front left of the motor vehicle 1 as the defective component 6. However, the defective component 6 may be in the form of a versatile component of the motor vehicle 1. The defective component 6 may be, for example, a windshield wiper, a tire, an exhaust system, in particular a central silencer or a rear silencer, a brake system, a holder or a paneling part.

(11) The noise 4 is now compared with a plurality of reference noises 7. The plurality of reference noises 7 is provided, in particular, by the mobile apparatus 3. This means that the mobile apparatus 3 itself holds the plurality of reference noises 7 and they are therefore stored in the mobile apparatus 3 or that the plurality of reference noises 7 are held on a server outside the apparatus and are retrieved by the mobile apparatus 3 if necessary, for example via a wireless connection.

(12) The plurality of reference noises 7 is provided by a reference noise collection 26.

(13) Similarity values arise when comparing the noise 4 with the reference noises 7. If at least one similarity value of the comparison exceeds a minimum similarity value, the noise 4 is assigned to a most similar reference noise of the plurality of reference noises 7. The most similar reference noise is, in particular, the reference noise which has the highest similarity value as a result of the comparison. If the noise 4 is assigned to the most similar reference noise, that is to say the minimum similarity value is exceeded, a special operating state 8 of the motor vehicle 1 is detected.

(14) The special operating state 8 differs from a normal operating state of the motor vehicle 1. The special operating state 8 is present, for example, when there is a defective wheel bearing, as in the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1. In contrast, the normal operating state is present when the motor vehicle 1 is operated without defects or faults. The special operating state 8 is characterized, in particular, by the presence of the defective component 6.

(15) After the noise 4 has been assigned to the most similar reference noise, the defective component 6 is then determined. The defective components 6 may be determined, in particular, by virtue of the fact that at least one defective component 6 is respectively assigned to the reference noises 7. The assignment between defective components 6 and reference noises 7 may be carried out, for example, by means of training which is carried out by the vehicle manufacturer, for example, or by the user himself. However, the assignment may also be trained by any arbitrary third party.

(16) As a result of the mobile apparatus 3 being coupled to the motor vehicle 1, the mobile apparatus 3 may obtain information from a communication bus 9 of the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the communication bus 9 is in the form of a CAN bus, a LIN bus or Ethernet, for example. A multiplicity of sensors and information providers, in particular, are connected to the communication bus 9 of the motor vehicle 1. A state 10 of the motor vehicle 1 may be determined on the basis of the information from the communication bus 9. The state 10 may be, for example, a current speed value, a current acceleration value, a wheel speed or the activity of a component. As a result of the state 10, the information relating to whether a windshield wiper is in an active or deactivated state or whether a lighting unit is active or inactive is then also available, for example.

(17) According to the exemplary embodiment, the noise 4 is purged of a normal noise before being compared with the reference noises 7. Only the purged noise is then compared with a plurality of reference noises 7. The normal noise is present when the motor vehicle 1 is being operated in the normal operating state.

(18) In particular, a plurality of normal noises which are characterized by a respective state 10 of the motor vehicle 1 are present. The normal noise is recorded, for example, at different speeds of the motor vehicle 1. The normal noise is therefore preferably present in different forms, but preferably only for situations in which the motor vehicle 1 is operated without faults.

(19) According to the exemplary embodiment, a current environmental situation 11 of the motor vehicle 1 is captured while capturing the noise 4. The current environmental situation 11 may be, for example, a road condition, that is to say a gravel road or a concrete road, rainfall, snowfall, other road users, animals, wind speed or flying objects. The current environmental situation 11 is captured, in particular, using at least one environmental sensor 12 of the motor vehicle 1. The environmental sensor 12 may be in the form of a camera, a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a lidar or a laser scanner, for example. However, the environmental situation 11 may also be captured by an environmental sensor of the mobile apparatus 3. For example, the mobile apparatus 3 may have a camera as the environmental sensor 12. The normal noise may then also be selected from a collection of normal noises on the basis of the current environmental situation 11.

(20) However, the current environmental situation 11 may also be captured by a sensor outside the vehicle or outside the apparatus, for example by an environmental sensor of a further motor vehicle which transmits the current environmental situation 11 to the motor vehicle 1.

(21) The exemplary embodiment also provides for a position 13 of the mobile apparatus 3 in the interior 2 relative to the motor vehicle 1 to be determined. The position 13 may be determined, for example, on the basis of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). In this case, the mobile apparatus 3 then has a GNSS receiver, for example, and/or the motor vehicle 1 has a further GNSS receiver. However, the position 13 may also be determined on the basis of an image recording made using a camera of the mobile apparatus 3. For example, it is possible to record an image of the interior 2, as a result of which the position 13 of the mobile apparatus 3 in the interior 2 may be inferred on the basis of comparisons with geo-referenced reference images.

(22) Provision is also made, in particular, for a distance 14 between the source 5 and the position to be determined. The distance 14 may be determined, for example, on the basis of two different positions 13 of the mobile apparatus 3. The noise 4 is captured, for example, from at least two different positions 13 in the interior 2. The distance 14 may then be determined on the basis of the orientation of the mobile apparatus 3 with respect to the source 5 and/or on the basis of the respective volume of the noise 4 which varies from one position 13 to another, for example.

(23) Additionally or alternatively, an orientation 15 of the source 5 with respect to the mobile apparatus 3 is determined, in particular. The orientation 15 may be determined, for example, on the basis of a reference point which may be, for example, the center of the rear axle of the motor vehicle 1 or the center of the steering wheel of the motor vehicle 1.

(24) A position 16 of the source 5 is then determined on the basis of the distance 14 and the orientation 15. The position 16 of the source 5 may also be, for example, a position region which is situated in a part of the motor vehicle 1, for example, and comprises only some components of the motor vehicle 1. The reference noises 7 are then selected by means of the position 16 of the source 5 and the noise 4 is only compared with the selected reference noises. The reference noises 7 are selected, for example, in such a manner that only reference noises which are assigned to a defective component 6 and are situated at the position 16 of the source 5 or at a particular distance from the position 16 of the source 5 are taken into account in the assignment.

(25) FIG. 2 shows the mobile apparatus 3. In this case, the mobile apparatus 3 is in the form of a smartphone, in particular. However, the mobile apparatus 3 may also be in the form of a laptop or a PC (personal computer) with a sound card, for example. According to the exemplary embodiment, the mobile apparatus 3 has a housing 17, a screen 18, a loudspeaker 19, an operating element 20 and a microphone 21.

(26) According to the exemplary embodiment, the mobile apparatus 3 also has a memory 22. The memory 22 stores a computer program product 23. The computer program product 23 comprises instructions for the mobile apparatus 3 for carrying out the method for detecting the special operating state 8.

(27) The computer program product 23 is, in particular, in the form of an application program, “app” for short.

(28) According to the exemplary embodiment, the mobile apparatus 3 is also used to capture a current acceleration value while capturing the noise 4. The current acceleration value is captured, for example, by an acceleration sensor 24 of the mobile apparatus 3. Additionally or alternatively, however, the current acceleration value may also be captured by a GNSS receiver of the mobile apparatus 3. The noise 4 is then assigned to the most similar reference noise on the basis of the current acceleration value of the mobile apparatus 3, in particular. Reference noises 7 may in turn be selected on the basis of the current acceleration value of the mobile apparatus 3, for example. Only the selected reference noises 7 then taken into account in the comparison, for example.

(29) Additionally or alternatively, provision is made for the mobile apparatus 3 to output a workshop proposal 25, for example via the screen 18 and/or the loudspeaker 19. The workshop proposal is made on the basis of an assignment of workshops to the respective reference noises. A reference noise is assigned, for example, a workshop which specializes in repairing that defective component 6 which is assigned to the reference noise 7. For example, it is also possible to propose a workshop which is currently right in the vicinity of the motor vehicle 1.

(30) A sequence of the method is as follows, for example. A user of the mobile apparatus 3 and/or of the motor vehicle 1 registers image noise or the noise 4. He then possibly installs the computer program product 23 on the mobile apparatus 3 and executes it.

(31) The mobile apparatus 3 is used to capture the noise 4. The noise 4 may be captured, for example, via the microphone 21 of the mobile apparatus 3 or, if the mobile apparatus 3 is coupled to the motor vehicle 1, via a microphone of the motor vehicle 1. The mobile apparatus 3 is operated using voice and/or gesture control, for example.

(32) The noise 4 is then continuously recorded by the mobile apparatus 3, in particular. The noise 4 is stored, for example, in a ring memory in which older data are replaced with newer data according to a particular replacement concept. However, the noise 4 may also be directly transmitted to an external server and stored there. The measurement may contain values which are read in by the mobile apparatus 3 from the communication bus of the motor vehicle 1 via an interface. Furthermore, further measurement variables provided by the mobile apparatus 3 are concomitantly measured, in particular acceleration and/or position information and information relating to the mobile apparatus 3 in order to take into account its properties, such as the frequency response of the microphone 21, during subsequent assignment.

(33) The user then starts the recording and the mobile apparatus 3 records the noise 4, for example, until the user ends the recording. The control with respect to the start and end of the recording of the noise 4 is carried out, for example, via a normal user interface of the mobile apparatus 3 or via voice control. Additionally or alternatively, the measurement may also be ended via an acoustic trigger, for example if a brief interfering noise which occurs only rarely is intended to be analyzed in a quiet environment. The user is then given the opportunity to listen to the noise 4 and thus check the recording.

(34) Furthermore, the user may also enrich the recording of the noise 4 with further information, for example, in order to assist the subsequent analysis and noise classification, for example noise source, vehicle type, tire size, engine type, piston displacement. For this enrichment of the measurement with additional information, a portal provides the computer program product 23 with selection masks for noise classification which may be downloaded online via a mobile data connection or may be stored in the mobile apparatus 3.

(35) The computer program product 23 also makes it possible for the user to mark the exact start and the end of the noise 4 in the recording. This is carried out, for example, by means of a simple push of a button during play and may be enriched by means of a graphical representation of the signal level over time. The computer program product 23 provides, for example, the opportunity to shorten the recording in order to eliminate unnecessarily long preparatory and follow-up phases. This is carried out by means of a simple push of a button during play, but may also be enriched by means of a graphical representation of the signal level over time.

(36) The computer program product 23 provides the user with the opportunity to load the recorded post-processed noise 4 into a portal outside the vehicle. This is carried out en route by means of a mobile data connection. The portal then stores all noises 4 which have been uploaded, for example. Analysis software, for example, is used in the portal. In this case, professional providers may download the uploaded noises 4 from the portal for the purpose of their own analysis in order to provide the users with their analysis results and possibly further services.

(37) The noise 4 may be compared with the reference noises 7 on the basis of an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), for example. In this case, frequencies and levels are compared with one another, in particular. Different parameters, for example, are determined, for example the smallest and largest frequency or a particular number of main frequencies and the levels for the main frequencies. These values are then stored in the form of an assignment in a database or in the reference noise collection 26 having the reference noises 7.

(38) On the basis of the parameters determined in this manner, the computer program product 23 calculates a similarity value between the noise 4 to be investigated and the reference noises 7 in the reference noise collection 26, for example using the least squares method, during the comparison. The respective parameter of the signal to be investigated is then set to 100%, and the carry of the percentage difference with respect to the relevant parameter of the comparison signal is determined and squared. These error squares are added. The comparison signal with the smallest sum of error squares is closest to the signal to be investigated. The algorithm may optionally be accelerated if the calculation for a comparison noise is aborted as soon as the current sum of error squares is already greater than the final sum in the currently most similar signal. Other methods may also be used.

(39) In an improvement of the analysis and classification algorithms after the initial analysis of the noise, it is possible to subsequently apply the improved algorithms to the stored noises 4. Users may then be informed of new or changed analysis results. The computer program product 23 then provides the user with the most similar reference noises 7 so that the user himself may compare them with his interfering noise or the noise 4. These results are preferably presented in a table. Ideally, the first result also matches. If this is not the case, a further procedure helps. If a user scrolls through the list of results, the noises are all played in a loop, but the user then always hears that reference noise 7 above whose table entry the cursor is currently situated. If higher-quality equipment is used, this function may also be implemented by means of a knob of the mobile apparatus 3 or the operating element 20 so that the user may spin through the different reference noises 7.

(40) The reference noise collection 26 provides a database, that is to say a central platform for interchanging reference noises 7. The reference noise collection 26 may then be forwarded to different users of further mobile apparatuses 3.

(41) In another exemplary embodiment, the noise 4 and/or the normal noise is/are added to the reference noise collection 26 by the user independently or by a workshop. As a result, the reference noise collection 26 may be continuously expanded.

(42) In particular, before adding the noise 4 to the reference noise collection 26, the workshop checks whether the assignment to the special operating state 8 and/or the defective component 6 is correct.

(43) The mobile apparatus 3 and/or the reference noise collection 26 preferably has/have an interface for the workshop in order to add the noise 4 to the reference noise collection 26.

(44) For example, the user provides the computer program product 23 with his recorded noise 4 for the comparison and the defective component 6 is output to the user after the special operating state 8 has been detected.

(45) The noise 4 may be transmitted, together with additional information, for example the vehicle type and/or the vehicle age, to a workshop. The workshop may either carry out remote diagnosis and/or may prepare for the repair order.

(46) The filling of the reference noise collection 26 by further users of further mobile apparatuses may be prompted, for example, by the users receiving a reward for this, for example confirmation in a social network.

(47) The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(48) 1 Motor vehicle 2 Interior 3 Mobile apparatus 4 Noise 5 Source 6 Defective component 7 Plurality of reference noises 8 Special operating state 9 Communication bus 10 State of the motor vehicle 11 Environmental situation 12 Environmental sensor 13 Position of the mobile apparatus 14 Distance 15 Orientation 16 Position of the source 17 Housing 18 Screen 19 Loudspeaker 20 Operating element 21 Microphone 22 Memory 23 Computer program product 24 Acceleration sensor 25 Workshop proposal 26 Reference noise collection