Acoustic notifications

• Main Authors: Jimenez, Josh Alexander, Merrill, Forrest Leighton, Harper, Jacob Avi, Yang, Jeremy Yi-Xiong, Kohen, Michael Moshe, Subasingha, Subasingha Shaminda, Nelson, III, George Dalman
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.06.2019
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING ORSUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES INGENERAL; DEAF-AID SETS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKEACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS; SIGNALLING; TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

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.