Patent Publication Number: US-2022230655-A1

Title: Method and device for detecting characteristic frequencies with a sensor

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to the use of sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors, to detect characteristic sounds. 
     Ultrasonic sensors have been used on vehicles to assist with parking. In particular, the ultrasonic sensors are used in connection with a controller for measuring a distance from the vehicle to an object adjacent the vehicle and within the field of view of the sensor. With information from the sensors, the controller is able warn a user of the vehicle if the object is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle and provide a warning to the user to prevent a collision. These sensors generally operate in the range of 40-50 kHz, which exceeds the frequencies that a human ear can detect. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one exemplary embodiment, a method of detecting a signal with a sensor. The method includes obtaining a plurality of signals with a sensor. A correlation is performed to determine if any of the plurality of signals correlate to at least one predefined signal. The at least one predefined signal corresponds to identifying the occurrence of a specific event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the signal is at a frequency at or below 16 kHz. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor capable of receiving frequencies in the range of 40 kHz to 50 kHz. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the ultrasonic sensor is located in a bumper of a vehicle. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the ultrasonic sensor is configured for determining a distance between a vehicle and an adjacent structure. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, a trigger is generated to notify a user when one of the plurality of signals correlates to the at least one predefined signal. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the signal corresponds to at least one of a notification related event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the notification related event includes at least one of a siren or a horn. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the signal corresponds to at least one human related event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the at least one human related event includes at least one of children playing, bouncing balls, or voices. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the signal corresponds to at least one vehicle related event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the vehicle related event includes damage to the vehicle. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the damage includes at least one of breaking glass or scratching body panels. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, an assembly for detecting characteristic frequencies includes at least one ultrasonic sensor. At least one controller in electrical communication with the at least one sensor and configured for obtaining a plurality of signals with a sensor. A correlation is performed to determine if any of the plurality of signals correlate to at least one predefined signal. At least one predefined signal corresponds to identifying the occurrence of a specific event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the at least one sensor is an ultrasonic sensor capable of receiving frequencies in the range of 40 kHz to 50 kHz. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the ultrasonic sensor is located in a bumper of a vehicle and is configured for determining a distance between the vehicle and an adjacent structure. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, a trigger is generated to notify a user when one of the plurality of signals correlates to the at least one predefined signal. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, at least one predefined signal corresponds to at least one human related event, weather related event, vehicle related event, or notification related event. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the at least sensor includes a plurality of sensors. The at least one controller includes a single controller in direct electrical communication through a bus line with each of the plurality of sensors. 
     In a further embodiment of any of the above, the at least one controller includes a main controller in electrical communication with a sub-controller. The sub-controller compares the signal with the at least one predefined signal and determines if the signal correlates with the at least one predefined signal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example vehicle incorporating sensors. 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates the sensors in electrical communication with a controller. 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates the sensors in electrical communication with the controller through sub-controllers. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the sensor receiving signals from multiple source events. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a method of detecting a signal with the sensors. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example vehicle  20  having multiple sensors  22 , such as ultrasonic sensors capable of receiving a signal at an ultrasonic frequency or a frequency below ultrasonic, such as below 16 kHz. Additionally, this disclosure is not limited to ultrasonic sensors but could include sensors  22  that can only receive signals at or below 16 kHz. In the illustrated example, the sensors  22  are located adjacent a front bumper  24  and/or a rear bumper  26  on the vehicle  20 . The sensors  22  may be part of an existing parking assist system on the vehicle for sensing a distance of an obstacle  29  from the vehicle  20 . 
     In the illustrated example, the ultrasonic sensors  22  are integrated into a surface of a front bumper  24  and a rear bumper  26  and are in electrical communication through a bus line  28  with a controller  30  having a microprocessor  31  and memory  33  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In another example, the controller  30  is a main controller located at a remote location on the vehicle  20  with a sub-controller  30 -S located adjacent each sensor  22  or group of sensors  22  on the vehicle  22  ( FIG. 3 ). The sub-controller  30 -S performs the operations outlined below to reduce an amount of information needed to transfer over the bus line  28  to the controller  30 . This also reduces the amount of processing needed to be performed by the controller  30  by sharing the processing load with the sub-controller  30 -S. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sensor  22  is capable of receiving signals  42 A- 42 E from a number of events  40 A-E. The events  40 A-D generate signals from specific events that a user of the vehicle  20  may want to identify and the event  40 E generates multiple signals resulting in noise that make identifying the specific events more difficult. As discussed further below, the sensors  22  and controller  30  focus on identifying the specific events  40 A-D to provide further information to a user of the vehicle  20  that could be beneficial in operating, maintaining, and/or securing the vehicle  20 . Although the sensors  22 , controller  30 , and sub-controllers  30 -S are shown in connection with the vehicle  20 , these elements could be used in connection with another device that could be benefit from identify these events, such as traffic related devices or public safety related devices. 
     In one example, the event generating the signal is from a weather related event  40 A. The weather event  40 A can include at least one of a rain storm, a thunder storm, a hail storm, a tornado, or another major weather event. Although each of the different weather related events  40 -A emit different signals that each correspond to a different weather event, they are identified collectively as weather related signals  42 A. When the weather related event  40 A occurs in the vicinity of the vehicle  20 , the weather related signal  42 A is emitted at a frequency that is received by the sensor  22 . 
     One feature of identifying the weather related signals  42 A is for the user of the vehicle  20  to be warned about the surrounding weather climate, such as if rain or hail is approaching or currently happening. This may prompt the user of the vehicle  20  to close windows on the vehicle  20  on the account of rain or to shelter the vehicle  20  on the account of hail. 
     In another example, the event generating the signal is from human related events  40 B, such as children playing, balls bouncing, or voices. The human related events  40 B emit a signal  42 B at a frequency that is received by the sensor  22 . Although each of the different human related events  40 B emit different signals that correspond to a different event, they are identified collectively as human related signals  42 B. When the human related event  40 B occurs in the vicinity of the vehicle  20 , the human related signal  42 B is emitted at a frequency that is received by the sensor  22 . 
     One feature of being able to identify human signals  42 B in the area surrounding the vehicle  20  is the ability to notify the user of the vehicle  20  of the possible children or pedestrians in the area of the vehicle  20 . Identifying the signals  42 B can also be used to signal possible vandalism of the vehicle  20  or identify a specific time that a vandalism could have happen. 
     In a further example, the event generating the signal is directed to vehicle related events  40 C, such as a vehicle collision, breaking glass, scratching body panels, screeching tires, or air being released from a tire. Although each of the different vehicle related events  40 C emit different signals that correspond to each of the different events, they are identified collectively as vehicle related signals  42 C. When the vehicle related event  40 C occurs in the vicinity of the vehicle  20 , the vehicle related signal  42 C is emitted at a frequency that is received by the sensor  22 . 
     One feature of identifying the vehicle related signals  42 C is to warn the user regarding possible damage to the vehicle  20  or the possibility of a crash in the vicinity of the vehicle  20 . Additionally, this information can be used to narrow a time window of damage or theft from a vehicle to aid in recovering stolen property or catching vandals. 
     In one more example, the event generating the signal is from notification related events  40 D, such as police sirens, fire trucks, train horns, or vehicle horns. Although each of the different notification related events  40 D emit different signals that correspond to each of the different events, they are identified collectively as notification related signals  42 D. When the notification related event  40 D occurs in the vicinity of the vehicle  20 , the notification related signal  42 D is emitted at a frequency that is received by the sensor  22 . 
     One feature of identifying the vehicle related signals  42 D is to warn the user regarding the possibility of a train or emergency vehicle operating in the surrounding area of the vehicle  20 . This information can be particularly helpful in the case of users with limited hearing abilities or in situations with a significant amount of background noise that could block the user from hearing the vehicle related signals  42 D. 
     In addition to the signals identified above, there are other sources of noise  42 E that can make it difficult to identify the specific signals  42 A-D. As will be discussed further below, the controller  30  is able to process the signals  42 A-E received by the sensor  22  and determine if any of the signals  42 A-E matches the events  40 A-D. and the controller  30  can then notify the user if any of the events  40 A-D are likely occurring in the surrounding area the vehicle  20 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a method of operating the sensor  22  with the controller  30  to detect at least one of the signals  42 A-D in the presence of signal noise  42 E. Once a plurality of signals  42 A-E are received by the sensor  22  (Step  110 ), the controller  30  must process the signal  42 A-E to determine if one of the above identified events  42 A-D is the source of the signal  42 A-D. 
     The controller  30  processes the plurality of signals  42 A-E with many of the signals  42 A-E being noise  42 E unrelated to the desired events  40 A-D to be identified. The controller  30  is continuously monitors the signals  42 A-E by performing a mathematical correlation between the plurality of signals  42 A-E reaching the sensor  22  and predefined signals (Step  120 ) that correspond with the signals  42 A-D and the desired events to be identified (Step  120 ). The predefined signals include the signal produced from the events  40 A-D or a representative sample of signals produced from similar events to be used in the correlation. 
     The correlation is a statistical analysis between the plurality of signals  42 A-E and the predefined signals to identify a relationship between the signals. If the correlation reaches a predetermined threshold of accuracy or relationship between the signals, the controller  30  generates a trigger to notify the user of the vehicle  20  that the identified event may be occurring (Step  130 ). In one example, the predetermined threshold of relationship is greater than 80% and in another example the level is above 90%. Additionally, the controller  30  can communicate with a remote location  50  ( FIG. 1 ) to provide information regarding the events  40 A-D. 
     Although the different non-limiting examples are illustrated as having specific components, the examples of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting examples in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting examples. 
     It should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should also be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. 
     The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claim should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.