Acoustic Sound Source Localization Using World Model Reflections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated vehicles face challenges in precisely locating two-wheeled vehicles, such as motorbikes, due to their agility and smaller size, which makes them difficult to recognize in traffic, especially when occluded by other vehicles or structures, and visual perception is limited.
Innovation Solution
A method using multiple microphones on a vehicle to record sound and determine the direction or position of a sound source, incorporating a world model created from environment sensor data and digital map information to account for sound reflections and occlusions, allowing for more precise localization and adaptation of driving behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual perception systems are used to detect two-wheeled vehicles, then detection capability is improved under clear conditions, but detection reliability deteriorates when vehicles are occluded by other vehicles or structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sound as an intermediary sensing modality to detect two-wheeled vehicles. Microphones capture acoustic signals from motorbikes, and the system uses sound reflection patterns off surrounding objects to locate vehicles that are visually occluded. This complementary acoustic sensing approach maintains detection capability when visual systems fail due to occlusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple sensing functions - visual perception for clear conditions and acoustic perception for occluded conditions - into a unified detection system. The control device processes both visual data from cameras and acoustic data from microphones, allowing the same system to reliably detect two-wheeled vehicles across varying environmental conditions and occlusion scenarios.
2Measurement precision
If sound reflections are utilized to locate sound sources, then localization precision in occluded environments is improved, but system complexity increases due to world model integration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-building a world model that maps the environment and identifies reflective surfaces before acoustic localization is needed. This pre-established environmental model allows the system to quickly interpret sound reflection patterns without real-time computational complexity, as the geometric relationships are already calculated and stored.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the world model to correct and refine sound source localization. By comparing expected sound reflection patterns based on the pre-built environmental model with actual acoustic measurements, the system can iteratively improve localization precision while keeping computational complexity manageable through model-based predictions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables earlier detection and more precise localization of two-wheeled vehicles, improving safety by allowing the vehicle to adjust its behavior to avoid potential collisions and provide warnings to the driver.
Implementation Method 1
a sound generated by the sound source is recorded by several microphones arranged on a vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a direction and/or position of the sound source is determined relative to the vehicle using a delay in the reception of the sound at one of the microphones in relation to another of the microphones
Implementation Method 3
a world model, which is created using data recorded by means of an environment sensor system of the vehicle and/or map information from a digital map and which contains information about objects on which the sound is reflected
Data Source
AI summary
A sound source is located by recording a sound generated by the sound source by several microphones arranged on a vehicle. A direction or position of the sound source is determined relative to the vehicle using a delay in the reception of the sound at one of the microphones in relation to another of the microphones.