Nissan North America, Inc.

Manabu Sato

Heather Konet

Toshiyuki Tabata

Tsuyoshi Kanuma

Andy Christensen

A method of emanating a sound from a vehicle comprising detecting an accelerator state, a brake state, and a transmission state of the vehicle, and emanating a take-off sound. The take-off sound includes changing emanation of a sound profile from a first sound pressure level to a second sound pressure level that is greater than the first sound pressure level, upon first detecting the accelerator state transitioned from an accelerator released state to an accelerator depressed state while the brake state indicates the brake released state and the transmission state indicates a motive state.

Method of emanating a sound from a vehicle

A method of emanating a sound from a vehicle comprising detecting a speed of the vehicle, and emanating a speed sound, including emanating a sound profile and changing at least one of a sound pressure level and a pitch of the sound profile in relation to the speed of the vehicle changing. The method further comprises ceasing emanation of the speed sound upon the speed of the vehicle increasing from below a first threshold to above the first threshold, and resuming emanation of the speed sound upon the speed of the vehicle decreasing from above a second threshold to below the second threshold, the second threshold being less than the first threshold.

A method of emanating a sound from a vehicle includes detecting a transmission state and a brake state of the vehicle and determining whether a vehicle movement state indicates intent to move the vehicle from a stationary state based on the transmission state and the brake state. The method further includes emanating the sound when the vehicle movement state indicates intent to move the vehicle, and refraining from emanating the sound when the vehicle is in the stationary state and the vehicle movement state fails to indicate intent to move the vehicle.

A method for controlling a vehicle to emanate an audible alert. The method includes determining when the vehicle is operating, and controlling a speaker system in the vehicle to emanate the audible alert outside of the vehicle for a period of time when the vehicle is operating. The audible alert has a sound profile that includes a simultaneous emanation of a first audible frequency component at a first sound pressure level and a second audible frequency component at a second sound pressure level, with the first and second sound pressure levels being greater than a sound pressure level of the sound profile at all other frequencies. The method further includes modulating the first sound pressure level of the first audible frequency component.

System and method for producing an audible alert for a vehicle

A method for controlling a vehicle to emanate an audible alert including determining when the vehicle is operating, and controlling a speaker system in the vehicle to emanate the audible alert outside of the vehicle when the vehicle is operating based on stored information representative of an internal combustion engine (ICE) noise profile. The audible alert has a sound profile including a simultaneous emanation of first, second and third audible frequency components having first, second and third frequencies, respectively, with the first and second frequencies emanating at first and second sound pressure levels greater than first and second representative sound pressure levels of the ICE noise profile at the first and second frequencies, respectively, and the third frequency emanating at a third sound pressure level less than a third representative sound pressure level of the ICE noise profile at the third frequency.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Manabu Sato