Abstract:
A visual and/or audio warning is provided during at least slow forward motion of an automobile vehicle. In another aspect, external music is emitted during only slow movement of an electric or hybrid vehicle. Other aspects of an electric or hybrid vehicle employ warning sounds (preferably music) directly from a vehicular outer body panel and/or the electric drive motor.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0001]    The present invention generally pertains to automotive vehicles and more particularly to a warning system for an electric or hybrid vehicle. 
         [0002]    Electric vehicles are extremely quiet during low-speed operation, especially as compared to vehicles having internal combustion engine. The conventional approach to resolve this concern is to add artificial engine noise or activate a monotone warning horn. Examples of such unpleasant warning noises are discussed in “Hybrid Cars Too Quiet for Pedestrian Safety? Add Engine Noise, Says Researchers,”  Science Daily  (2008). Further conventional disclosures of complicated, microphone-based and annoying noise warnings are disclosed in the following U.S. Patent Publication Nos.: 2010/0245069 entitled “Automobile Equipped With Speaker Unit” which published on Sep. 30, 2010; 2010/0208915 entitled “Vehicle Sound Simulation System” which published on Aug. 19, 2010; 2009/0066499 entitled “External Sound Generated System and Method” which published on Mar. 12, 2009; 2007/0257783 entitled “Vehicle Warning Device” which published on Nov. 8, 2007; and 2007/0229235 entitled “Vehicle-Mounted Sounding Device” which published on Oct. 4, 2007; all of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0003]    In accordance with the present invention, a visual and/or audio warning is provided during at least slow forward motion of an automotive vehicle. In another aspect, external music is emitted during only slow movement of an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. Other aspects of an electric or hybrid vehicle employ warning sounds directly emitted from a vehicular outer body panel and/or an electric drive motor in a multi-functional manner in order to reduce cost and weight of extraneous hardware components. 
         [0004]    The present system is ideally suited for warning deaf and blind pedestrians of a quietly approaching vehicle. Furthermore, the present system allows for operator customization of the warning sounds, such as through operator selection of musical songs, as compared to conventional, standardized harsh warning noises. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be found in the following description and accompanying claims, as well as in the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an automotive vehicle employing a warning system; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary perspective view showing an interior of the automobile vehicle employing the warning system; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 3-5  are electric schematics showing different embodiments of the automotive warning system; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a logic flowchart for software employed in the automobile warning system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a preferred embodiment of an automotive vehicle  11  has an electric drive traction motor  13  or, alternately a hybrid electric/internal combustion motor assembly, within a front engine compartment  15 . A passenger compartment  17  is located rearward of engine compartment  15  and contains seats for the vehicle operator. A set of electric batteries  19  are contained within a battery compartment located behind the seats. Vehicle  11  further includes a pair of fenders  21  which are rotatable with front steering and drive wheels  23  powered by motor  13 . 
         [0010]    An automotive vehicle warning system  31  includes an electronic unit  33 , including a microprocessor-based computer controller  35  and random access memory  37 , which is located within an instrument panel  39  inside passenger compartment  17 . Nontransient memory, such as RAM, ROM or a removeable storage device, connected to controller  35  includes programmed software (such as that illustrated in  FIG. 6 ) instructions for operating the controller. A USB port  41  provides a communications interface with a removable and remote, hand-held music file storage device such as a memory stick  43 . Alternately, port  41  can be replaced by a plug-in wire and pin connection, a Bluetooth® short wavelength radio transmission or frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication interface, or the like. Furthermore, memory stick  43  can alternately be replaced by a portable media player such as an iPOD® player, MP3 audioplayer, flash card, compact disc digital audio player, or the like. 
         [0011]    A factory-installed music file is installed in memory  37  for automatic selection by controller  35  if an operator does not load and select a different music file. Nevertheless, the operator is encouraged to download music files from memory stick  43  to memory  37  via port  41 , and to then use entertainment system controls  45  to select between desired music song signals to be sent from memory  37  to controller  35  with assistance from the software. For example, the operator may select three different music song files which are played sequentially or in a randomly shuffled manner, (with the operator sending a preference input signal to the software) and the operator may thereafter manually delete the previously selected music files and replace them with newer musical files by inputting associated signals to the software. It is also envisioned that the operator can select only a segment of a musical file for repeated use by controller via selection by the radio controls. For example, the operator can use the software and entertainment controls to mark start and end designations between which are only thirty seconds or less, or twenty bars or less of the musical song. It should be appreciated that the term “music” as used herein includes sound having a melody, harmony and/or rhymn, but does not include a mere repetition of monotone beeps, simulated engine noise or a continuous pitched siren. A musical song may include but is not limited to orchestral symphonies, cellular telephone simulating ring tones having more than two musical notes, percussion instrumentation having multiple notes or varying rhythms, and the like. As used herein, “music” is intended to be a pleasing sound to the vehicle operator. 
         [0012]    A speed sensor  51 , such as an optical encoder, hall effect sensor or the like senses RPM&#39;s from the transmission of the vehicle in order to detect and send a signal to controller  35  indicative of the speed of the vehicle. Controller  35  may actually consist of two or more spaced apart but interconnected microprocessor controllers, including but not limited to a body computer and an entertainment computer. Controller  35  also receives a signal from a shifter assembly  53  to determine if the shifter assembly is in a drive, reverse, park or neutral position, or has sent an associated signal. The controller then determines if the vehicle velocity is within the predetermined slow vehicle speed range, such as between 15-0 miles per hour, and more preferably less than or equal to 5 and greater than 0 miles per hour. If controller  35  determines that the vehicle shifter assembly is in either a drive or reverse mode and the sensed speed falls within the slow speed range, then the controller will access a selected or default music file from memory  37 . Controller  35  will accordingly turn on an audio switch  55  within an electrical circuit  57  to send the music signals associated with the music file(s) to a sound emitter, preferably a loud speaker  59 . Speaker  59  is water resistant and preferably includes a frusto-conical diaphragm, a voice coil and a magnet, which when energized vibrate the diaphragm to emit musical songs. 
         [0013]    Speakers  59  are preferably hidden beneath a vehicular body panel, such as within fenders  21  or beneath a hood  61 . Two or more speakers can be employed, one for each side of the vehicle, or alternately one for the front of the vehicle and one for the rear of the vehicle, or just one that is centrally located. The vehicular body panels are preferably made from epoxy resin encapsulated sheets of long-strand glass (or alternately polymeric) fibers, with a honeycomb core located between the sheets of fibers in a composite manner. Thus, speakers  59  emit desired musical songs external to the vehicle to warn pedestrians of the approaching electric or hybrid vehicle which would otherwise be almost silent. 
         [0014]    As an additional option, a set of lights  71  is energized by microprocessor controller  35  dependent upon the sensed vehicle speed and transmission shifter mode. This is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6 . Lights  71  can either be hazard lamps externally mounted adjacent corners of the vehicle or dedicated visual indicator illumination devices mounted in another vehicle area. Controller  35  will activate switch  55  to vary a characteristic of each light  71 . Such a characteristic includes but is not limited to sequential flashing or changing colors of one or more immediately adjacent light-emitting diodes, or alternately incandescent bulbs. 
         [0015]    Reference should now be made to an alternate embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . When sensor  41  sends a signal to controller  35  that the slow speed range is present and when shifter assembly  51  sends a signal to controller  35  indicating that a drive or reverse transmission condition is present, the software within controller  35  will then send a set of instruction signals to a traction motor inverter/controller  75  located within engine compartment  15 . Traction motor controller  75  will accordingly send audio modulation signals to cause harmonic vibrations within the mechanisms of traction motor  13 . These harmonic vibrations will cause “motor singing” of traction motor  13  thereby directly causing traction motor to emit musical songs therefrom without the need for a separate speaker or the like. Such motor singing may require an ancillary solenoid or other electro-magnetic actuator to physically shift internal components within the traction motor in order to generate the different musical notes required to emit the desired musical song. 
         [0016]    Another alternate embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 1  wherein a controller sends a music signal to a voice coil and magnet assembly  81  attached to an underside of the vehicular body panel, such as a hood  61 . Voice coil and magnet assembly  81  serve to vibrate the body panel at different frequencies such that the body panel directly emits a musical song therefrom without requiring a separate speaker. It is also envisioned that the body panel may be a trunk lid, roof panel or other large outer panel of the vehicle. 
         [0017]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.