IP Library Granted Patent US 11,760,259
Granted Patent B2
US 11,760,259 · App. 17/872,513 · Granted Sep 19, 2023

Vehicle approach notifying device and vehicle approach notifying method

Inventors: Fumiyasu Konno (Osaka, JP); Toshiya Nakagaki (Wakayama, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
B60Q5/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,760,259
App. No.
17/872,513
Granted
Sep 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle approach notifying device for notifying the approach of a vehicle by causing a loudspeaker to output a warning sound includes: a storage that stores a predetermined threshold of sound pressure; and a controller that: (i) causes a loudspeaker disposed outside a cabin of the vehicle to output the warning sound at a first sound pressure determined in accordance with a speed of the vehicle when a sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by a microphone disposed outside the vehicle is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold; and (ii) causes the loudspeaker to output the warning sound at a sound pressure lower than the first sound pressure when the sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by the microphone exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Claims (18)

1. A vehicle approach notifying device that notifies approach of a vehicle by causing a loudspeaker to output a warning sound, the vehicle approach notifying device comprising:

a storage that stores a predetermined threshold of sound pressure; and

a controller that:

(i) causes a loudspeaker disposed outside a cabin of the vehicle to output the warning sound at a first sound pressure determined in accordance with a speed of the vehicle when a sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by a microphone disposed outside the vehicle is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold; and

(ii) causes the loudspeaker to output the warning sound at a sound pressure lower than the first sound pressure when the sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by the microphone exceeds the predetermined threshold.

2. The vehicle approach notifying device according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller extracts, as the warning sound, a sound in a predetermined frequency band from a sound acquired by the microphone, and

the controller:

(i) causes the loudspeaker to output the warning sound at the first sound pressure when the sound pressure of the warning sound extracted is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold; and

(ii) causes the loudspeaker to output the warning sound at a sound pressure lower than the first sound pressure when the sound pressure of the extracted warning sound exceeds the predetermined threshold.

3. The vehicle approach notifying device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by the microphone exceeds the predetermined threshold, the controller lowers the sound pressure of the warning sound to make the sound pressure of the warning sound equal to the predetermined threshold.

4. The vehicle approach notifying device according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined threshold is a threshold for guaranteeing that when a sound pressure of a sound acquired by the microphone exceeds the predetermined threshold, the loudspeaker is outputting a warning sound having a sound pressure that causes a sound having a sound pressure greater than or equal to a specified sound pressure to be measured at a specified position outside.

5. A vehicle approach notifying method performed by a vehicle approach notifying device that notifies approach of a vehicle by causing a loudspeaker to output a warning sound, the vehicle approach notifying method comprising:

acquiring sound from a microphone disposed outside the vehicle; and

(i) causing a loudspeaker disposed outside a cabin of the vehicle to output the warning sound at a first sound pressure determined in accordance with a speed of the vehicle when a sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by the microphone is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and

(ii) causing the loudspeaker to output the warning sound at a sound pressure lower than the first sound pressure when the sound pressure of the warning sound acquired by the microphone exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2022
From: KONNO, FUMIYASU; NAKAGAKI, TOSHIYA
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061325/0953 →