IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,518,607
Granted Patent B2
US 10,518,607 · App. 15/688,115 · Granted Dec 31, 2019

Pollution event detection

Inventors: Howard E. Churchwell, II (Monroe, MI); Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam (Canton, MI)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
B60H1/00757B60H1/00771B60H1/00792B60H1/00814
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,518,607
App. No.
15/688,115
Granted
Dec 31, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sound of a second vehicle engine is detected. Upon predicting a pollution event by comparing the detected sound to a stored sound model, a countermeasure is actuated in a first vehicle.

Claims (28)

1. A method executed by a computer, comprising:

detecting a sound of a second vehicle engine according to sound characteristics, the sound characteristics including at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, an envelope, a spectrum, or a sound pressure level;

determining a distance between a first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the characteristics of the detected sound; and

upon predicting a pollution event by comparing the detected sound to a stored sound model, actuating one or more of windows and a climate control system in a first vehicle when the distance is within a specified distance.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying an ambient sound external to the first vehicle and filtering the ambient sound from the detected sound.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the ambient sound includes weather sound.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting the pollution event further includes analyzing an image provided by a vehicle image sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein actuating the climate control system includes engaging a recirculate mode, the climate control system is substantially closed to the environment in the recirculate mode.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the stored sound model according to the sound characteristics of the detected sound and actuating one or more of windows and the climate control system by comparing the detected sound to a threshold provided by the stored sound model.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actuating one or more of windows and the climate control system when a vehicle speed of the first vehicle is below a speed threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle includes a plurality of microphones, and the method further comprises, at each microphone, detecting the sound and triangulating a location of the pollution event via the sound detected at each microphone.

9. A system, comprising a computer programmed to:

detect a sound of a second vehicle engine according to sound characteristics, the sound characteristics including at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, an envelope, a spectrum, or a sound pressure level;

determine a distance between a first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the characteristics of the detected sound; and

upon predicting a pollution event by comparing the detected sound to a stored sound model, actuate one or more of windows and a climate control system in a first vehicle when the distance is within a specified distance.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further programmed to identify an ambient sound external to the first vehicle and filtering the ambient sound from the detected sound.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ambient sound includes weather sound.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further programmed to predict the pollution event by analyzing an image provided by a vehicle image sensor.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein actuating the climate control system includes engaging a recirculate mode, the climate control system is substantially closed to the environment in the recirculate mode.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine the stored sound model according to the sound characteristics of the detected sound and actuating one or more of windows and the climate control system by comparing the detected sound to a threshold provided by the stored sound model.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further programmed to actuate one or more of windows and the climate control system when a vehicle speed of the first vehicle is below a speed threshold.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first vehicle includes a plurality of microphones, and the computer is further programmed to, at each microphone, detect the sound and triangulate a location of the pollution event via the sound detected at each microphone.

17. A system, comprising a computer programmed to:

detect a sound of a second vehicle engine according to sound characteristics, the sound characteristics including at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, an envelope, a spectrum, or a sound pressure level; and

upon predicting a pollution event by comparing the detected sound to a stored sound model, actuating one or more of windows and a climate control system in a first vehicle when a vehicle speed of the first vehicle is below a speed threshold.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein actuating the climate control system includes engaging a recirculate mode, the climate control system is substantially closed to the environment in the recirculate mode.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer is further programmed to determine the stored sound model according to the sound characteristics of the detected sound and actuating one or more of windows and the climate control system by comparing the detected sound to a threshold provided by the stored sound model.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer is further programmed to predict the pollution event by analyzing an image provided by a vehicle image sensor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2017
From: CHURCHWELL, HOWARD E., II; GHANNAM, MAHMOUD YOUSEF
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 043423/0511 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190061467A1 · Feb 28, 2019