# US 11,897,478 B2 · Method, apparatus and computer program product for determining the presence of precipitation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,478 B2 - Document ID: US11897478B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/302,849 - Filed: 2021-05-13 - Published: 2022-11-17 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-13 - Assignees: HERE Global B.V. - Applicants: Here Global B.V. - Inventors: Leon Stenneth; Bruce Bernhardt; Advait Raut - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897478B2 ## CPC - B60W 40/02: related to ambient conditions - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound - B60W 2552/40: Coefficient of friction - B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain - B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data - B60W 2710/12: Differentials - B60W 2720/28: Wheel speed - B60W 2720/30: Wheel torque - B60W 2756/10: Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle - Y02A 90/10: Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract Embodiments described herein provide a method for using one or more audio signals from one or more sensors to establish the presence and severity of precipitation at a particular location. Methods may include: receiving at least one first audio signal from a first audio sensor of a vehicle; extracting acoustical features including frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal; receiving at least one second audio signal from a second audio sensor of the vehicle; extracting acoustical features including frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal; processing the frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal and the frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal as inputs to an algorithm to generate an output from the algorithm; and determining, from the output of the algorithm, a precipitation condition and a confidence measure of the precipitation condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory including computer program code instructions, the computer program code instructions configured to, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least: receive at least one first audio signal from a first audio sensor of a vehicle; extract acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal; receive at least one second audio signal from a second audio sensor of the vehicle; extract acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal; process the frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal and the frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal as inputs to an algorithm to generate an output from the algorithm; determine, from the output of the algorithm, a precipitation condition and a confidence measure of the precipitation condition, wherein the confidence measure of the precipitation condition is determined based, at least in part, on a combination of the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal; cause validation of the output of the algorithm by comparison with at least one additional signal in response to the confidence measure failing to satisfy a predetermined level; and provide for a change in an operational state of the vehicle in response to the determination of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determine a location of the vehicle; and identify an area of the precipitation condition based on the location of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operational state of the vehicle comprises at least one of a traction control sensitivity or a power distribution to wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determine, from the output of the algorithm, a severity measure of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: transmit an indication of the precipitation condition and the severity measure of the precipitation condition together with a location of the precipitation condition to a service provider in response to the confidence measure satisfying a predetermined level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional signal comprises at least one of the following: an audio signal from the vehicle; a signal generated by another vehicle; and/or a report by a service provider such as weather and radar. ### Claim 7 A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to: receive at least one first audio signal from a first audio sensor of a vehicle; extract acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal; receive at least one second audio signal from a second audio sensor of the vehicle; extract acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal; process the frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal and the frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal as inputs to an algorithm to generate an output from the algorithm; determine, from the output of the algorithm, a precipitation condition and a confidence measure of the precipitation condition, wherein the confidence measure of the precipitation condition is determined based, at least in part, on a combination of the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal; cause validation of the output of the algorithm by comparison with at least one additional signal in response to the confidence measure failing to satisfy a predetermined level; and provide for a change in an operational state of the vehicle in response to the determination of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program code instructions to: determine a location of the vehicle; and identify an area of the precipitation condition based on the location of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the operational state of the vehicle comprises at least one of a traction control sensitivity or a power distribution to wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program code instructions to: determine, from the output of the algorithm, a severity measure of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program code instructions to: transmit an indication of the precipitation condition and the severity measure of the precipitation condition together with a location of the precipitation condition to a service provider in response to the confidence measure satisfying a predetermined level. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional signal comprises at least one of the following: an audio signal from the vehicle; a signal generated by another vehicle; and/or a report by a service provider such as weather and radar. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: receiving at least one first audio signal from a first audio sensor of a vehicle; extracting acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal; receiving at least one second audio signal from a second audio sensor of the vehicle; extracting acoustical features comprising frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal; processing the frequency and amplitude from the at least one first audio signal and the frequency and amplitude from the at least one second audio signal as inputs to an algorithm to generate an output from the algorithm; determining, from the output of the algorithm, a precipitation condition and a confidence measure of the precipitation condition, wherein the confidence measure of the precipitation condition is determined based, at least in part, on a combination of the at least one first audio signal and the at least one second audio signal; causing validation of the output of the algorithm by comparison with at least one additional signal in response to the confidence measure failing to satisfy a predetermined level; and providing for a change in an operational state of the vehicle in response to the determination of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining a location of the vehicle; and identifying an area of the precipitation condition based on the location of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the operational state of the vehicle comprises at least one of a traction control sensitivity or a power distribution to wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining, from the output of the algorithm, a severity measure of the precipitation condition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: transmitting an indication of the precipitation condition and the severity measure of the precipitation condition together with a location of the precipitation condition to a service provider in response to the confidence measure satisfying a predetermined level.