GB2355832A

GB2355832A - Audible warning system for use in vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2355832A
Application number: GB0019935A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Diana Katharine Bowker
Original assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Current assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Priority date: 1999-08-31
Filing date: 2000-08-15
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Also published as: GB0019935D0; DE10037552A1; GB9920381D0

Abstract

An audible warning system includes means, 110 and 112 (and 36, Fig 1), for monitoring the functioning of an apparatus eg. transmission system within a vehicle, and for producing an audible warning of any malfunctioning or potential hazardous conditions of the apparatus, said warning system also including means 116 to silence or moderate any competing audio system 114 eg. radio, cd or tape player, when the audible warning system generates an audible warning. The warning system can either include sound generating means or utilise the generating means of the competing audio system.

Description

2355832 AUDIBLE WARNING SYSTEMS The present invention relates to audible

warning systems and in particular audible warning systems for use in motor vehicles.

With the ever-increasing sophistication of motor vehicles, more and more systems, for example automated transmission systems, intelligent cruise control systems and crash avoidance systems, rely on audible warnings, to alert the driver to potentially damaging or hazardous situations. It is consequently important that the driver is able to hear such warnings over other sounds produced in the vehicle, by for example the vehicle radio, tape player, CD player, navigational system or mobile telephone.

Hitherto, in order to overcome this problem, it has been necessary to provide an audible warning which is sufficiently loud to be heard above the noise produced by conflicting audio systems. This may be unpleasantly obtrusive, particularly when the conflicting audio systems are not in use.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an audible warning system comprises means for monitoring the functioning of an apparatus and for producing an audible warning of any malfunctioning or potential hazardous conditions of the apparatus, said warning system also including means to silence or moderate any competing audio system when the audible warning system generates an audible warning.

In accordance with the present invention, when the audible warning system detects a damaging or potentially hazardous situation, in addition to providing an audible warning, it will also silence or reduce the volume of, for example, a radio so that the audible warning may be clearly heard.

The audible warning system may be a dedicated system incorporated in, for example, an automated transmission system of a motor vehicle.

Alternatively, the various systems of the motor vehicle which produce audible warnings may be integrated and connected to a common audible warning system unit.

The audible warning system may include circuit breaking means by which the power to the competing audio system may be interrupted or the output from the competing audio system may be interrupted, for the duration of the audible warning. Alternatively, the audible warning system may control circuits of the competing audio system to silence or reduce the output therefrom.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, in addition to silencing or reducing the level of the output from the competing audio system, the audible warning may be super-imposed on that output, so that for example, the speaker system of the radio may be used to produce the audible warning signal. This may be achieved, regardless of whether the competing audio system is switched on or not.

An embodiment of the present invention is now described by, way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a semi-automated transmission system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates schematically the audible warning system of the transmission system illustrated in figure 1; and Figure 3 illustrates schematically an alternative form of an audible warning 25 system in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows an engine 10 with a starter and associated starter circuit 1 Oa which is coupled through the main drive friction clutch 14 to a multi-speed synchromeshed lay shaft-type gearbox 12, via a gearbox input shaft 15. Fuel is supplied to the engine by a throttle 16 which includes a throttle valve 18, operated by accelerator pedal 19. The invention is equally applicable to electronic or mechanical fuel injection petrol or diesel engine.

The clutch 14 is actuated by a release fork 20 which is operated by a hydraulic slave cylinder 22, under the control of a clutch actuator control means 38.

A gear selector lever 24 operates in a gate 50 having two limbs 51 and 52 joined by a cross track 53 extending between the end of limb 52 and intermediate of the ends of limb 51. The gate 50 defines five positions; "R" at the end of limb 52; "N" intermediate of the ends of the cross track 53; "S" at the junction of limb 51 with the cross track 53; and " + " and - at the extremities of limb 51. In limb 51 the lever 24 is biased to the central "S" position. The "N" position of the selector lever 24 corresponds to neutral; "R" corresponds to selection of reverse gear; "S" corresponds to selection of a forward drive mode; momentary movement of the lever to the " + " position provides a command to cause the gearbox to shift up one gear ratio; and momentary movement of the gear lever 24 to the "-" position provides a command to cause the gearbox to shift down one gear ratio.

The positions of the lever 24 are sensed by a series of sensors, for example micro switches or optical sensors, positioned around the gate 50.

Signals from the sensors are fed to an electronic control unit 36. An output from the control unit 36 controls a gear engaging mechanism 25, which engages the gear ratios of the gearbox 12, in accordance with movement of the selector lever 24 by the vehicle operator. The gear engaging mechanism 25 may, for example, comprise hydraulic rams and solenoid control valves to move selector members to engage and disengage the various gear ratios, for example as disclosed in patent specification W097/0541 0 to the disclosure of which explicit reference is made and whose content is expressly incorporated in the disclosure content of the present application.

In addition to signals from the gear selector lever 24, the control unit 36 receives signals from:

sensor 1 9a indicative of the degree of depression of the accelerator pedal 19; sensor 30 indicative of the degree of opening of the throttle control valve 18; sensor 26 indicative of the engine speed; sensor 42 indicative of the speed of the clutch driven plate; sensor 34 indicative of the clutch slave cylinder position; and sensor 32 indicative of the gear ratio selected.

The control unit 36 utilises the signals from these sensors to control actuation of the clutch 14 during take-up from rest and gear changes, for example as described in patent specifications EP0038113, EP0043660,

EP0059035, EP01 01220 and W092/13208 to the disclosure of which explicit reference is made and whose content is expressly incorporated in the disclosure content of the present application.

In addition to the above mentioned sensors, control unit 36 also receives signals from a vehicle speed sensor 52, ignition switch 54 and brake switch 56 associated with the main braking system, for example the footbrake 58 of the vehicle.

A audible warning system 50 is connected to the control unit 36 to warn/indicate to the vehicle operator as certain operating conditions occur. In addition to the audible warning system 50 a flashing warning light or other indicating means may be used. A gear indicator 60 is also provided to indicate the gear ratio selected.

The control unit 36 monitors the operation of the transmission system and produces audible warnings, when there is a malfunction in the system or when the system is in a condition which is potentially hazardous, if the driver of the vehicle is not aware of the condition. For example, the control unit 36 may typically produce an audible warning when:

there is a fault in the system which will prevent correct operation thereof; the gear engaged does not correspond to the position of the gear selector lever (24); reverse gear is engaged; the clutch temperature is in excess of a predetermined value; a take-up gear is engaged but no action has been taken to take-up drive within a predetermined period; a take-up gear is engaged when a door of the vehicle is open.

Under such conditions, the control unit 36 will produce a signal to produce an audible warning. The audible warnings generated for different conditions may be varied, for example in duration and/or the number of pulses, to distinguish one condition from another.

The audible warning signals produced by the control unit 36 are sent to an electronic control unit 110 of the audible warning system 50, as illustrated in figure 2. The electronic control unit 110 provides a signal to energise a buzzer 112 or other sound generating means. In addition the electronic control unit 110 also provides a signal to control a logic circuit 116 of a vehicle radio 114. The logic circuit 116 silences or reduces the output volume from the radio 114, for the duration of the audible warning, so that the audible warning from the buzzer 112 may be clearly heard above the radio 114.

In accordance with a modification to the embodiment as illustrated in Figure 2, the signal to the buzzer 112 may used to actuate the logic circuit 116, as indicated in broken line in Figure 2. In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the electronic control unit 110 controls a circuit interrupter 120, which may include relay means 10 or equivalent electronic circuitry, to interrupt either the power to the radio 114, thereby switching the radio off for the duration of the audible warning, or the output from the radio 114 thereby silencing it for the duration of the audible warning. In similar manner to that illustrated in Figure 2, the circuit interrupter 120 15 may be controlled by a separate signal from the electronic control unit 110 or by the signal used to energise the buzzer 112. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the electronic control unit 110 rather than being separate from the vehicle transmission system, may be integral with control unit 20 36. Alternatively where a separate electronic control unit is provided it may receive audible warning signals one or more other vehicle systems to actuate the audible warning and silence or reduce the volume of competing audio systems. While the invention has been described with reference to a vehicle transmission system, it is equally applicable to other 25 systems of the vehicle which produce audible warnings, for example crash avoidance systems and intelligent cruise control systems.

Other competing audio systems, for example tape and CD players, navigational systems and telephone systems may also be controlled by the audible warning system.

While in the transmission system described above hydraulic means are used for actuation of the clutch and gear selector mechanism; hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electrical actuators, for example electric motors or solenoids, may be used, for example as disclosed in DE 19504847; W097/10456 or DE1 9734023,to the disclosure of which explicit reference is made and whose content is expressly incorporated in the disclosure content of the present application.

The claims submitted with the application are formulation proposals without prejudice to the attainment of more complete patent protection. The Applicant reserves the right to claim additional combinations of features only disclosed so far in the description and/or the drawings.

Back-references in the subordinate claims relate to further developments of the object of the principal claim by virtue of the features specified in the subordinate claim in each case; they are not to be understood as waivers of the right to self-sufficient, objective protection for the feature combinations of the subordinate claims to which they refer. 20 Since, compared with the state of the art on the priority date, the subordinate claims can constitute individual and independent inventions, the Applicant reserves the right to make use of them as the object of independent claims or distinguishing clarifications. They may also constitute self-sufficient inventions having a design independent of the 25 objects of the preceding subordinate claims.

The example embodiments are not to be understood as limitations of the invention. Rather, within the scope of the present disclosure numerous variants and modifications are possible, in particular such variants, elements and combinations and/or materials which, for example by combination or variation of features, elements or processes described individually in combination with the general description, example embodiments and drawings and the claims, would be accepted by those familiar with the field as a solution of the objectives set and, by combination of such characteristics, would lead to a new object or to new process steps or process step sequences, even so far as they relate to manufacturing, testing and operating processes.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. An audible warning system comprising means for monitoring the functioning of an apparatus and for producing an audible warning of any malfunctioning or potential hazardous conditions of the apparatus, said warning system also including means to silence or moderate any competing audio system when the audible warning system generates an audible warning.

2. An audible warning system according to claim 1, in which the audible warning system includes a circuit interrupter which is actuated upon generation of an audible warning to silence or moderate the output of the competing audio system.

3. An audible warning system according to claim 2, in which the circuit interrupter is adapted to interrupt power to the competing audio system for the duration of the audible warning.

4. An audible warning system according to claim 2, in which the circuit interrupter is adapted to interrupt the output from the competing audio system for the duration of the audible warning.

5. An audible warning system according to claim 1, in which the audible warning system is adapted to produce a signal which controls a 20 circuit of the competing audio system, to silence or moderate the output therefrom, for the duration of the audible warning.

6. An audible warning system according to claim 5, in which the signal from the audible warning' system controls a logic circuit in the competing audio system.

7. An audible warning system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the audible warning system includes sound generating means.

8. An audible warning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the system utilises sound generating means of the competing audio system, to generate the audible warning.

9. An audible warning system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the apparatus is an automated transmission system, an intelligent cruise control system and/or a crash avoidance system.

10. An audible warning system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the audible warning system is an integral part of the apparatus.

11. An audible warning system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the system is separate from the apparatus and may serve to control audible warnings from a plurality of apparatus.

12. An audible warning system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the competing audio system may be a radio, a tape player, a CID player, a navigational system and/or a telephone.

13. An audible warning system substantially as disclosed herein with reference to and as shown in figures 1 and 2.

14. A vehicle transmission system including an audible warning system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13.