# US 11,299,093 B2 · Acoustic notifications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,093 B2 - Document ID: US11299093B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/092,623 - Filed: 2020-11-09 - Published: 2021-04-29 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-22 - Assignees: Zoox, Inc. - Applicants: Zoox, Inc. - Inventors: Jacob Avi Harper; Jeremy Yi-Xiong Yang; Forrest Leighton Merrill; Michael Moshe Kohen; George Dalman Nelson, III; Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha; Josh Alexander Jimenez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299093B2 ## CPC - B60Q 5/006: {indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians} - B60Q 5/008: {for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching} - G08G 1/163: {involving continuous checking} - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - H04R 1/403: {loud-speakers} - H04R 3/12: for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} - H04R 1/323: {for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence)} - H04R 2201/403: Linear arrays of transducers - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract Techniques for using beam-formed acoustic notifications for pedestrian notification are described. Computing device(s) can receive sensor data associated with an object in an environment of a vehicle. The computing device(s) can determine first data for emitting a first beam of acoustic energy via speaker(s) of an acoustic array associated with the vehicle, and second data for emitting a second beam of acoustic energy via speakers of the acoustic array. The computing device(s) can cause the speaker(s) to emit the first beam in a direction of the object at a first time and the second beam in the direction of the object at a second time. Directions of propagation of the first beam and the second beam are offset so that the object can localize the source the acoustic notification, thereby localizing the vehicle in the environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising: receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with a vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a first location associated with an object and a second location associated with the vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the first location and the second location, an instruction for emitting beams of acoustic energy via an acoustic array associated with the vehicle; and causing the acoustic array to emit a first beam of acoustic energy in a first direction at a first time and a second beam of acoustic energy at a second time after the first time in a second direction that differs from the first direction by an offset based at least in part on a dimension of the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising determining the offset based at least in part on the dimension of the object and at least one of: a position of the object; an orientation of the object; a distance between the object and the system; an angle of the object relative to the system; or a type of message to be communicated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising: determining that the first location of the object is within a threshold distance to the second location; and determining the instruction based at least in part on determining that the first location is within the threshold distance to the second location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising: determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a trajectory associated with the object; and determining the instruction further based at least in part on the trajectory. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first beam and the second beam are emitted at a frequency to effectuate an oscillation from a first side of the object to a second side of the object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system claim 1, wherein the acoustic array comprises a plurality of speakers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a pedestrian and the first beam and the second beam are output within a threshold amount of time associated with determining that the object is the pedestrian. ### Claim 8 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with a vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a first location associated with an object and a second location associated with the vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the first location and the second location, an instruction for emitting beams of acoustic energy via an acoustic array associated with the vehicle; and causing the acoustic array to emit a first beam of acoustic energy in a first direction at a first time and a second beam of acoustic energy at a second time after the first time in a second direction that differs from the first direction by an angular offset based at least in part on a pose of the object. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising determining the angular offset based at least in part on the pose of the object and at least one of: a distance between the object and the vehicle; an angle of the object relative to the vehicle; or a type of message to be communicated, wherein the pose of the object comprises at least one of an extent, a position, or an orientation of the object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising: determining that the first location is within a threshold distance to the second location; and determining the instruction based at least in part on the first location being within the threshold distance to the second location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first time and the second time are associated with a period of time, the operations further comprising: causing the acoustic array to emit a third beam at a third time and a fourth beam at a fourth time, wherein the third time and the fourth time are associated with the period of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the first beam and the second beam are emitted at a frequency to effectuate an oscillation from a first side of the object to a second side of the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the object is a pedestrian and the first beam and the second beam are output within a threshold amount of time based at least in part on determining that the object is the pedestrian. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: receiving sensor data from a sensor associated with a vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the sensor data, a first location associated with an object and a second location associated with the vehicle; determining, based at least in part on the first location and the second location, an instruction for emitting beams of acoustic energy via an acoustic array associated with the vehicle; and causing the acoustic array to emit a first beam of acoustic energy in a first direction at a first time and a second beam of acoustic energy at a second time after the first time in a second direction that differs from the first direction by an offset based at least in part on a dimension of the object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising determining the offset based at least in part on the dimension of the object and at least one of: a position of the object; an orientation of the object; a distance between the object and the vehicle; an angle of the object relative to the vehicle; or a type of message to be communicated. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining that the first location of the object is within a threshold distance to the second location; and determining the instruction based at least in part on determining that the first location is within the threshold distance to the second location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: varying an amplitude of at least one of the first beam or the second beam over time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first beam and the second beam are emitted at a frequency to effectuate an oscillation from a first side of the object to a second side of the object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the acoustic array comprises a plurality of speakers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the object is a pedestrian and the first beam and the second beam are output within a threshold amount of time associated with determining that the object is the pedestrian.