# US 12,222,420 B2 · Performance of a time of flight (ToF) laser range finding system using acoustic-based direction of arrival (DoA) > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,420 B2 - Document ID: US12222420B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/192,349 - Filed: 2023-03-29 - Published: 2023-07-27 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-09 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Applicants: Sony Corporation; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Inventors: Peter Shintani; Morio Usami; Keith Resch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222420B2 ## CPC - G01S 15/86: Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection - G01S 3/8006: {Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single aerial system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals} - G01S 3/802: Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction - G01S 7/521: Constructional features - G01S 15/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S15/46) - G01S 15/876: {Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S15/872 takes precedence)} - G01S 2015/465: {by Trilateration, i.e. two transducers determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the transducers, the position data of the target is determined} - 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 ## Abstract An acoustic-based Direction of Arrival (DoA) system uses acoustic information to determine the direction of incoming sound, such as a person talking. The direction of the sound is then used to focus a laser-based time of flight (ToF) system to narrow the area of laser illumination, improving the signal to noise ratio because laser illumination is focused on the direction of the sound. The DoA system also provides elevation information pertaining to the source of the sound, to further narrow the required field of view of the laser ToF system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: at least one computer medium that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to: receive at least a first acoustic signal from a source of sound, the first acoustic signal comprising a sonic code generated by the source of sound identifying the source of sound; determine at least an azimuthal direction to the source of sound from an origin based at least in part on the first acoustic signal; and transmit at least a first range-finding beam based on the azimuthal direction determined based at least in part on the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising the at least one processor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, comprising at least one camera providing signals to the at least one processor representative of reflections of the first range-finding beam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, comprising two and only two microphones providing signals to the at least one processor representative of the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, comprising at least one directional microphone providing signals to the at least one processor representative of the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising at least two microphones on respective devices separate from each other and communicating with each other for providing signals to the at least one processor representative of the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to determine at least an elevational direction to the source of sound from the origin based at least in part on the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first range-finding beam comprises a laser range-finding beam, and the instructions are executable to determine a range to the object based on a time of transmission of the first laser range-finding beam and a time of reception of a reflection of the first laser range-finding beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the sonic code uniquely identifies the source of sound. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the source of sound comprises a mobile robot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising a robot configured for transmitting the first range-finding beam. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: determining at least an azimuthal direction to an object based on sound emitted by the object according to programming; responsive to detecting the sound at a detecting device, energizing at least one laser apparatus of the detecting device; and transmitting laser range-finding beams from the laser apparatus according to the determining of at least the azimuthal direction to the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising determining at least an elevational direction to the object based on the sound received from the object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the sound is ultrasonic. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising moving a mount of a laser configured for transmitting laser range-finding beams to aim the laser in the azimuthal direction to the object as determined based on sound received from the object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein a laser configured for transmitting the laser range-finding beams is mounted on a robot, and the method comprises moving the robot to aim the laser in the azimuthal direction to the object as determined based on sound received from the object. ### Claim 17 A device comprising: at least one processor configured to: receive at least a first acoustic signal from a source of sound, the first acoustic signal comprising information identifying the source of sound; determine at least an azimuthal direction to the source of sound from an origin based at least in part on the first acoustic signal; and transmit at least a first range-finding beam based on the azimuthal direction determined based at least in part on the first acoustic signal, wherein the information identifying the source of sound comprises a time of emission of the first acoustic signal being according to a schedule. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, comprising at least one camera providing signals to the at least one processor representative of reflections of the first range-finding beam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, comprising at least two microphones on respective devices separate from each other and communicating with each other for providing signals to the at least one processor representative of the first acoustic signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, comprising at least one directional microphone providing signals to the at least one processor representative of the first acoustic signal.