US 12,365,345 B2Granted

Using audio to detect road conditions

AssigneeWaymo LLC

InventorsXin Zhou, Xuan Zhong, Courtney McCool

Life of this patent

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Abstract

It is advantageous for a vehicle to detect road wetness or related environmental conditions. This is particularly true for self-driving vehicles, which can then adjust the manner of automated operation of the vehicle to increase safety by reducing speed, braking earlier, adjusting internal estimates of road traction parameters, or adjusting autonomous operation in some other manner. It is difficult to directly measure road wetness (e.g., using spectroscopy or other methods directed at the road surface), however, it is possible to indirectly estimate road wetness based on road noise audio signals detected via one or more microphones disposed on the vehicle. The location of the microphones, the type of post-processing applied to the audio signals, or other factors can be adapted to increase the useful road wetness-related content of such audio signals while reducing the presence of engine noise, road noise, or other confounding signals.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system configured to operate a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising a pair of front wheels, a first pair of rear wheels, and a second pair of rear wheels that are disposed, relative to the vehicle, behind the first pair of rear wheels, the system comprising:

memory storing a road condition deep learning model, the model relating to a discrete classification or continuous regression/estimation of road wetness;
and
one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to:
receive sensor data from a plurality of microphones of the vehicle while operating in the autonomous driving mode, the plurality of microphones being configured to detect road noise signals, the plurality of microphones including:
a first microphone disposed, relative to the vehicle, to the center of and behind the first pair of rear wheels and in front of the second pair of rear wheels;
and
a second microphone disposed, relative to the vehicle, to the center of and behind the second pair of rear wheels;
use the stored model to generate information associated with the discrete classification or continuous regression/estimation of road wetness based on the road noise signals;
and
use the generated information to control operation of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.

7 more elements

A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising:

a pair of front wheels;
a first pair of rear wheels;
a second pair of rear wheels that are disposed, relative to the vehicle, behind the first pair of rear wheels;
a first microphone disposed, relative to the vehicle, to the center of and behind the pair of rear wheels and in front of the second pair of rear wheels, wherein the first microphone is configured to detect a first road noise signal;
a second microphone disposed, relative to the vehicle, to the center of and behind the second pair of rear wheels, wherein the second microphone is configured to detect a second road noise signal;
memory storing a road condition deep learning model, the model relating to a discrete classification or continuous regression/estimation of road wetness;
and
one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to:
receive sensor data that includes the first road noise signal and the second road noise signal while operating in the autonomous driving mode;
use the stored model to generate information associated with the discrete classification or continuous regression/estimation of road wetness based on the sensor data;
and
use the generated information to control operation of the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/449,540Filed 30 Sep 2021
Published: US 2023/0100827 A130 Mar 2023
Granted: 22 Jul 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

B60W 40/06
Related to ambient conditions: road conditions
B60W 60/00
Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
B60R 19/54
Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions: obstruction removers or deflectors
B60W 60/001
Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles: planning or execution of driving tasks