Motor vehicle having a control apparatus for at least one loudspeaker of an exhaust system of the motor vehicle

Abstract

Combustion gas of an internal combustion engine passes through an exhaust system to an outlet opening. A detection device generates a state signal that describes an engine noise of the internal combustion engine. A control apparatus actuates at least one loudspeaker to produce a sound at the outlet opening based on the state signal to compensate for the engine noise or produce another engine noise, independently of the state signal based on predetermined audio data and thereby to use the at least one loudspeaker to audibly output an advisory signal described by the audio data.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising: doors; a locking system for the doors; an internal combustion engine producing a combustion gas during operation; an exhaust system having at least one pipe taking away the combustion gas, during operation of the internal combustion engine, to at least one outlet opening of the exhaust system; a sensing device generating a state signal, during operation of the internal combustion engine, that describes at least one of a current engine noise and a current operating parameter characterizing operation; a detection device configured to detect a predetermined output situation, including at least one change of state of the locking system, and to generate a trigger signal in response to the predetermined output situation; at least one loudspeaker configured to emit a sound into a respective pipe of the exhaust system toward the at least one outlet opening; and a control apparatus configured to actuate the at least one loudspeaker to produce the sound based on the state signal to at least partially compensate for the current engine noise and/or to at least partially replace the current engine noise with a predetermined other engine noise, and, independently of the state signal, based on predetermined stored audio data, to audibly output an advice signal described by the audio data in response to the trigger signal that is independent of the state signal and generated in the predetermined output situation with a predetermined time delay.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to output the advice signal with the internal combustion engine switched off.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the detection device is configured to detect as the predetermined output situation a parking phase in which the motor vehicle is parked and a driver has exited the motor vehicle.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection device is configured to detect as the predetermined output situation a parking phase in which the motor vehicle is parked and a driver has exited the motor vehicle.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an operator control device, and wherein the detection device is configured to detect as the predetermined output situation a predetermined operating action by a user of the operator control device for the motor vehicle.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a transmission having a reverse gear and at least one forward gear, and wherein the detection device is configured to detect as the predetermined output situation the reverse gear selected with the internal combustion engine running.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a chassis, and wherein the control apparatus is configured to generate the advice signal only when at least one predetermined driving mode from multiple activable driving modes, each of which stipulates a different mode of operation of at least one of the internal combustion engine and the chassis of the motor vehicle, is activated in the motor vehicle.

8. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a chassis, and wherein the control apparatus is configured to generate the advice signal only when at least one predetermined driving mode from multiple activable driving modes, each of which stipulates a different mode of operation of at least one of the internal combustion engine and the chassis of the motor vehicle, is activated in the motor vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to output an imitated heartbeat, as the advice signal.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a configuration device configured to set the audio data based on at least one of a user input and from among multiple predetermined audio data records.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

(2) The single FIGURE is a combined schematic block diagram and perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(3) Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

(4) The FIGURE shows a motor vehicle 1, which may be an automotive vehicle, in particular an automobile, for example. The motor vehicle 1 has an internal combustion engine 2, which may be a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, for example. During operation or in the switched-on state, the internal combustion engine 2 produces a combustion gas 3 and engine noises 4, which are guided or routed through an exhaust system 5 of the motor vehicle 1 to at least one outlet opening 6 of the exhaust system 5 in a manner known per se. The at least one outlet opening 6 may be formed by a respective end pipe 7 of the exhaust system 5, for example. The outlet opening 6 allows the combustion gas 3 and the engine noise 4 to escape to vehicle surroundings 8. Of the exhaust system 5, the muffler 9 and the pipe 10 coupling or connecting the muffler 9 to the internal combustion engine 2 are depicted in addition for the purpose of illustration. The internal combustion engine 2 is therefore coupled or connected to the respective outlet opening 6, for example in an end pipe 7, via at least one pipe 10 and at least one muffler 9.

(5) In the motor vehicle 1, the exhaust system 5 additionally has at least one loudspeaker 11, which may be arranged in a loudspeaker container 12 in each case, for example. Each loudspeaker 11 can produce a sound 13 that is emitted by the loudspeaker 11 in the exhaust system 5, for example to the end pipe 7 toward the outlet opening 6, or reaches that point. In this case, the loudspeaker container 12 can reflect or guide or focus the sound 13 toward the outlet opening 6.

(6) The at least one loudspeaker 11 can be controlled or operated by a control apparatus 14. The control apparatus 14 may to that end be implemented on the basis of a controller of the motor vehicle 1, for example. To control the at least one loudspeaker 11, the control apparatus 14 generates a respective loudspeaker signal 15. The loudspeaker signal 15 is generated by the control apparatus 14 in this case on the basis of at least one state signal 16 that describes the engine noise 4. By way of example, a state signal 16 can be generated by a microphone 17 that picks up the engine noise 4 in the exhaust system 5. A speed sensing device 18 can ascertain and signal a current speed of the internal combustion engine 2, for example, as a state signal 16. The control apparatus 14 can take the at least one state signal 16 as a basis for generating the loudspeaker signal 15 in a manner known per se such that the engine noise 4 is reduced at the at least one outlet opening 6 by destructive interference. Additionally or alternatively, there may be provision for the loudspeaker signal 15 to be used to produce an engine noise differing from the engine noise 4 as sound 13, so that an engine noise of a different engine type can be heard in the vehicle surroundings 8.

(7) In the motor vehicle 1, the at least one loudspeaker 11 is additionally used or operated to generate or emit an audible advice signal 19 in the vehicle surroundings 8. This advice signal 19 is independent of the operation of the internal combustion engine 2 in terms of sound and output time. The advice signal 19 is emitted by the at least one loudspeaker 11. The applicable loudspeaker signal 15 can be generated on the basis of audio data 20 that describe a melody and/or an announcement and/or a beating and/or a noise as the advice signal 19, for example. There may be provision for a user to use a configuration device 21 to select from a data memory 22 an audio data record 23 stored therein and to stipulate the selected audio data record as the audio data 20 in the control apparatus 14. The control apparatus 14 can produce the audio data 20 as the audible advice signal 19 by the at least one loudspeaker 11 in the vehicle surroundings 8 whenever it receives a predetermined trigger signal 24. The trigger signal 24 can be generated by a detection device 25, which generates the trigger signal 24 whenever it detects a predetermined output situation 26. By way of example, the output situation 26 may be a motor vehicle 1 having been switched off and/or locked.

(8) Thus, if the motor vehicle 1 has an active exhaust system 5 fitted in order to simulate an engine sound of a larger-volume internal combustion engine than the internal combustion engine 2, the control apparatus 14 can also be used, using the at least one loudspeaker 11 of the active exhaust system 5, to produce an audible trademark or advice signal 19 in a predetermined output situation 26 via the at least one loudspeaker 11. Therefore, a trademark jingle or a characteristic audible advice signal 19, for example, is audible outside the motor vehicle 1 in the adjacent vehicle surroundings 8. It is thus possible for a heartbeat to be output as an advice signal 19, for example, in order, as a result, to provide a goodbye signal or a welcome signal for a user of the motor vehicle 1 in the vehicle surroundings 8, for example.

(9) Overall, the example shows how to reproduce trademark-based jingles using an active exhaust system (AGA).

(10) A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase at least one of A, B and C as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguidev. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).