Pseudonoise generation device and pseudonoise generation method

Abstract

A determination part specifies the road width upon which the vehicle CR is traveling based on the current position of a vehicle CR detected by a position detection part, referring to road width information in a storage part. The part determines an arrival ranges for pseudonoise being outputted outside the vehicle based on the specified road width. Subsequently, a control part determines audio volume settings for pseudonoise from left and right speakers of a pseudonoise generation part, based on the determined arrival range. As a result, pseudonoise at audio volumes corresponding to the audio volume settings is outputted outside the vehicle from the speakers of the part. Thus, the output of the pseudo engine noise is properly controlled with in consideration for the presence of the possible subject to be warned in a variety of surroundings changed depending on the classification of the road.

1 . A pseudonoise generation device that is mounted to a vehicle and outputs pseudonoise from a sound output part to the outside of said vehicle comprising:
 a storage part configured to store map information that includes road width information;   a position detection part configured to detect the current position of said vehicle;   a determination part configured to determine a pseudonoise arrival range over which pseudonoise outputted from said sound output part is to arrive, on the basis of road width information for the road upon which said vehicle is traveling; and   a control part configured to control the output of pseudonoise from said sound output part to correspond to said range that has been determined.   
     
     
         2 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range to be a first predetermined range, symmetrically against a running direction of said vehicle, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is not larger than the first threshold value; and   said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range to be broader on a side wherein a pedestrian may be present against the traveling direction of said vehicle than said first predetermined range, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is wider than said first threshold value.   
     
     
         3 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range to be minimal on an opposite lane side against said traveling direction of said vehicle, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is greater than said first threshold value, and an assumed opposite vehicle lane is present.   
     
     
         4 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 an acquisition part that acquires traveling information for said vehicle, including the traveling direction of said vehicle; and 
 a calculation part that calculates the running distance in said acquired traveling direction along said road upon which said vehicle is traveling to an intersection with another road, on the basis of said detected current position and said map information; wherein 
 said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range with further for the calculation result. 
 
     
     
         5 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 said determination part sets a predetermined distance for the running distance along the road upon which said vehicle is traveling to said intersection;   wherein the running distance to said calculated intersection is not larger than said predetermined distance;   said determination part determines a range broader in the traveling direction of said vehicle and to the left side than said pseudonoise arrival range of said first predetermined range, when said other road extends only to the left side;   said determination part determines a range broader in the traveling direction of said vehicle and to the right side than said pseudonoise arrival range of said first predetermined range, when said other road extends only to the right side; and   said determination part determines a range symmetric in the traveling direction of said vehicle and broader than said pseudonoise arrival range of said first predetermined range, when said other road extends only to the left side.   
     
     
         6 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein,
 said determination part determines said range to be a second predetermined range to be minimum, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is wider than a second threshold value, and said calculated running distance to said intersection is not less than said predetermined distance.   
     
     
         7 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein,
 said determination part narrows said pseudonoise arrival range as the vehicle is close to said intersection, when the running distance to said intersection is not larger than said predetermined distance.   
     
     
         8 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said traveling information includes a vehicle speed; and   said determination part expands said pseudonoise arrival range as the acquired vehicle speed is high.   
     
     
         9 . A pseudonoise generation method employed by a pseudonoise generation device for outputting pseudonoise from a sound output part to the outside of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
 an acquisition step for acquiring road width information for the road upon which said vehicle is traveling;   a determination step for determining a pseudonoise arrival range over which pseudonoise outputted from said sound output part should arrive, on the basis of said acquired road width information; and   a control step for controlling the output of pseudonoise from said sound output part to correspond to said determined range.   
     
     
         10 . A pseudonoise generation program, wherein a pseudonoise generation method according to  claim 9  is executed by a calculation part. 
     
     
         11 . A recording medium, wherein a pseudonoise generation program according to  claim 10  is stored in a readable format by a calculation part. 
     
     
         12 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 an acquisition part that acquires traveling information for said vehicle, including the traveling direction of said vehicle; and 
 a calculation part that calculates the running distance in said acquired traveling direction along said road upon which said vehicle is traveling to an intersection with another road, on the basis of said detected current position and said map information; wherein 
 said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range with further for the calculation result. 
 
     
     
         13 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 3  further comprising:
 an acquisition part that acquires traveling information for said vehicle, including the traveling direction of said vehicle; and 
 a calculation part that calculates the running distance in said acquired traveling direction along said road upon which said vehicle is traveling to an intersection with another road, on the basis of said detected current position and said map information; wherein 
 said determination part determines said pseudonoise arrival range with further for the calculation result. 
 
     
     
         14 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 5 , wherein,
 said determination part determines said range to be a second predetermined range to be minimum, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is wider than a second threshold value, and said calculated running distance to said intersection is not less than said predetermined distance.   
     
     
         15 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 5 , wherein,
 said determination part narrows said pseudonoise arrival range as the vehicle is close to said intersection, when the running distance to said intersection is not larger than said predetermined distance.   
     
     
         16 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 6 , wherein,
 said determination part narrows said pseudonoise arrival range as the vehicle is close to said intersection, when the running distance to said intersection is not larger than said predetermined distance.   
     
     
         17 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 said traveling information includes a vehicle speed; and   said determination part expands said pseudonoise arrival range as the acquired vehicle speed is high.   
     
     
         18 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 said traveling information includes a vehicle speed; and   said determination part expands said pseudonoise arrival range as the acquired vehicle speed is high.   
     
     
         19 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said traveling information includes a vehicle speed; and   said determination part expands said pseudonoise arrival range as the acquired vehicle speed is high.   
     
     
         20 . A pseudonoise generation device according to  claim 12 , wherein,
 said determination part determines said range to be a second predetermined range to be minimum, when the width of the road upon which said vehicle is traveling is wider than a second threshold value, and said calculated running distance to said intersection is not less than said predetermined distance.