# US 12,216,474 B1 · Vibrometry-based behavior prediction for autonomous vehicle applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,474 B1 - Document ID: US12216474B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/302,486 - Filed: 2021-05-04 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-04 - Assignees: Waymo LLC - Applicants: Waymo LLC - Inventors: Nicholas Armstrong-Crews; Bryce Remesch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216474B1 ## CPC - G05D 1/0221: {involving a learning process} - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - B60W 50/0097: {Predicting future conditions} - B60W 60/0027: {using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants} - G01S 7/4802: {using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section} - G01S 17/58: Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G05D 1/0255: {using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals (sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93)} - G05D 1/242: Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle (using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle G05D1/244; using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle G05D1/247) - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G08G 1/0125: {Traffic data processing} - G08G 1/052: with provision for determining speed or overspeed {(speed measuring in general G01P)} - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2554/4042: Longitudinal speed - G05D 2107/13: Spaces reserved for vehicle traffic, e.g. roads, regulated airspace or regulated waters - G05D 2109/10: Land vehicles - G05D 2111/17: {Coherent light, e.g. laser signals} - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - 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 - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - 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}) ## Abstract Aspects and implementations are related to systems and techniques enabling predictions of a motion change in a moving vehicle, predictions of an onset of a motion of an idling vehicle, and classification of vehicles based, at least in part, on vibrometry data obtained using light detection and ranging devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining, by a sensing system of an autonomous vehicle (AV), a first spectral representation of vibrations associated with a first state of a movable object at a first measurement time and a second spectral representation of vibrations associated with a second state of the movable object at a second measurement time; identifying a first reference frequency of the first spectral representation and a second reference frequency of the second spectral representation; determining a value of an acceleration of the movable object based at least on the second reference frequency, the first reference frequency, and a duration between the second measurement time and the first measurement time; predicting, based on the determined value of the acceleration, a motion change of the movable object; and causing a driving path of the AV to be determined in view of the predicted motion change. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predicted motion change is a lane change by the movable object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first reference frequency is a frequency associated with a number of revolutions of an engine of the movable object per unit of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the movable object comprises a vehicle, and wherein identifying the first reference frequency and the second reference frequency of the second spectral representation comprises determining a change, from the first measurement time to the second measurement time, of a highest-amplitude vibration frequency associated with an engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an identified, using the sensing system of the AV, velocity of the movable object at one or both of the first measurement time or the second measurement time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an image of an environment of the movable object, wherein the image of the environment is obtained using the sensing system of the AV. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an angle between a first direction of motion of the movable object and a second direction from the AV to the movable object. ### Claim 8 A system comprising: a sensing system of an autonomous vehicle (AV), the sensing system configured to: determine a first spectral representation of vibrations associated with a first state of a movable object at a first measurement time and a second spectral representation of vibrations associated with a second state of the movable object at a second measurement time; identify a first reference frequency of the first spectral representation and a second reference frequency of the second spectral representation; determine a value of an acceleration of the movable object based at least on the second reference frequency, the first reference frequency, and a duration between the second measurement time and the first measurement time; and predict, based on the determined value of the acceleration, a motion change of the movable object; and a control system of the AV communicatively coupled to the sensing system, the control system configured to: cause a driving path of the AV to be determined in view of the predicted motion change. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the predicted motion change is a lane change by the movable object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the first reference frequency is a frequency associated with a number of revolutions of an engine of the movable object per unit of time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the movable object comprises a vehicle, and wherein identifying the first reference frequency and the second reference frequency of the second spectral representation comprises determining a change, from the first measurement time to the second measurement time, of a highest-amplitude vibration frequency associated with an engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an identified, using the sensing system of the AV, velocity of the movable object at one or both of the first measurement time or the second measurement time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an image of an environment of the movable object, wherein the image of the environment is obtained using the sensing system of the AV. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an angle between a first direction of motion of the movable object and a second direction from the AV to the movable object. ### Claim 15 An autonomous vehicle (AV), comprising: a sensing system configured to: determine a first spectral representation of vibrations associated with a first state of a movable object at a first measurement time and a second spectral representation of vibrations associated with a second state of the movable object at a second measurement time; identify a first reference frequency of the first spectral representation and a second reference frequency of the second spectral representation; determine a value of an acceleration of the movable object based at least on the second reference frequency, the first reference frequency, and a duration between the second measurement time and the first measurement time; and predict, based on the determined value of the acceleration, a motion change of the movable object; and a control system communicatively coupled to the sensing system, the control system configured to: cause a driving path of the AV to be determined in view of the predicted motion change. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The AV of claim 15, wherein the predicted motion change is a lane change by the movable object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The AV of claim 15, wherein the first reference frequency is a frequency associated with a number of revolutions of an engine of the movable object per unit of time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The AV of claim 15, wherein the movable object comprises a vehicle, and wherein identifying the first reference frequency and the second reference frequency of the second spectral representation comprises determining a change, from the first measurement time to the second measurement time, of a highest-amplitude vibration frequency associated with an engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The AV of claim 18, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an identified, using the sensing system of the AV, velocity of the movable object at one or both of the first measurement time or the second measurement time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The AV of claim 18, wherein the value of the acceleration of the movable object is determined in further view of an angle between a first direction of motion of the movable object and a second direction from the AV to the movable object.