Method for robotic vehicle communication with an external environment via acoustic beam forming
US9878664B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 4, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jan 30, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 18, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10K11/346
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods implemented in algorithms, software, firmware, logic, or circuitry may be configured to process data to determine whether an object external to an autonomous vehicle is a person (e.g., such as a pedestrian) or other classification (e.g., such as a vehicle), and may be further configured to determine a position of the person relative to the autonomous vehicle. Logic may be configured to direct acoustic energy (e.g., via vehicular acoustic beam-forming) to an object external to the autonomous vehicle as an audible acoustic alert. The vehicle-related acoustic beam may be directed to a driver in another vehicle. Logic may be configured to track the motion of external objects, such as a pedestrian crossing from one side of the street to the other, and may correspondingly steer the direction of the vehicle-related acoustic beam(s) to track the person's movement.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.