Toyota Patents

Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles and sells passenger cars, minivans and commercial vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands. The company also provides financial services products to customers and dealers seeking loans to purchase or leases of Toyota vehicles.

Toyota Patents by Type
  • Toyota Patents Granted: Toyota patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Toyota Patent Applications: Toyota patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Publication number: 20240142976
    Abstract: An information processing device for controlling a mobile object, the information processing device comprising: a communication unit that performs communication with the mobile object; a function control unit that controls a function necessary for causing the mobile object to autonomously travel; and a switching control unit that switches whether to control at least a part of the necessary functions by the information processing device or by the mobile object based on a communication state between the information processing device and the mobile object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki WAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240145871
    Abstract: A power storage cell includes: an electrode assembly; and a cell case that accommodates the electrode assembly. The cell case has a case main body provided with an opening that opens upward, a lid connected to the case main body, and an elastic member disposed between the case main body and the electrode assembly. The elastic member has a center-facing portion facing a central portion of the electrode assembly, and the center-facing portion has a shape curved to protrude in a direction away from the electrode assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satomi YAMAMOTO, Masayoshi HAGA, Masashi CHIHARA, Takenori IKEDA, Nana KURASHITA
  • Publication number: 20240144521
    Abstract: An information processing device is provided, which includes a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: acquire a satellite image of the ground photographed by an artificial satellite; and provide, to a user, point information indicating points at which a number of persons present on the ground is equal to or greater than a first predetermined number, the points being identified based on the acquired satellite image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shusuke YAMAMOTO, Chikara OKAZAKI, Kohta WATATSU, Hideyuki TANAKA, Shinya MURASE, Yuki TATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240144740
    Abstract: The controller of the information processing apparatus obtains a first evaluation amount that is an evaluation amount of the first vehicle in a case that the body color of the first vehicle is assumed to be the color of the first paint coating film. The controller obtains a second evaluation amount that is an evaluation amount of the first vehicle in case that the body color of the first vehicle is assumed to be the color of the second paint coating film. The controller determines whether the second paint coating film should be removed from the first vehicle based on the first evaluation amount and the second evaluation amount. The controller outputs the above determination result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji YAMAGUCHI, Yohei NAKSNISHI, Yu HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20240144244
    Abstract: An entity server includes a communication apparatus and a processor. The communication apparatus is configured to receive a delivery request that requests delivery of a vehicle to a user, the vehicle being associated with an NFT. When the communication apparatus receives the delivery request, the processor performs locking processing for locking the NFT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya OWASHI, Kuniaki MURAKAMI, Koji HETSUGI, Tomokazu ISHII, Naoki ISHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20240144261
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining a behavior of electricity consumption of an electric vehicle and an entity, adjusting a carbon credit associated with the entity based on an amount of the electricity consumption that is carbon-based and the behavior of the electricity consumption preserving a charge of the electric vehicle, and applying the adjusted carbon credit in a transaction related to the entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norman Lu, Maximilian Parness
  • Publication number: 20240144824
    Abstract: An information processing device is provided, which includes a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: acquire a vehicle size of a vehicle and an overhead view image of a parking lot captured in a satellite image taken of ground-level by an artificial satellite; and propose, to an occupant of the vehicle, a parking lot in which the vehicle is able to park, the parking lot being designated based on the acquired vehicle size and the acquired overhead view image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shusuke YAMAMOTO, Chikara OKAZAKI, Kohta WATATSU, Hideyuki TANAKA, Shinya MURASE, Yuki TATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240145749
    Abstract: Microcapsule and microsphere controlled release forms of antioxidants such as cerium oxide to improve durability, and extend the lifetime of fuel cells are disclosed. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) employing the controlled release forms and methods of mitigating or suppressing cerium migration in fuel cells are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Liang Wang, Hongfei Jia
  • Publication number: 20240140238
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining, by a vehicle at a charging location, an electric grid intensity at a time period; responsive to the intensity being below a threshold, charging a battery of the vehicle; and responsive to the intensity being above the threshold, ceasing the charging of the battery; wherein the charging and the ceasing of the charging achieve a set state of charge of the battery by a set time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jaret W. Villarreal, Dallas K. Fox, Matthew Hill, Brian Vitale, Rebecca L. Kemph, Shaurya Panthri
  • Publication number: 20240145804
    Abstract: A method for disassembling a lithium ion secondary battery of the present disclosure includes a discharging step, a primary crushing step, a drying step, and a secondary crushing step. In the discharging step, the lithium ion secondary battery is discharged such that the voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery is not lower than 0.8 V, and preferably the voltage is lower than or equal to 3.0 V. In the primary crushing step, the case is crushed to expose the electrode body. In the drying step, the electrode body is dried until the high-boiling-point solvent contained in the electrolytic solution evaporates. Then, in the secondary crushing step, the electrode body after drying is crushed and the separator is peeled off from the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke ISOMURA, Kenichiro MURAMATSU, Kazuki NORITAKE
  • Publication number: 20240146072
    Abstract: A power supply system is a power supply system that performs charging and discharging between the power supply system and an external system. The power supply system includes a plurality of battery units and a controller. The plurality of battery units include a plurality of battery packs and a plurality of converters provided corresponding to the plurality of battery packs. The plurality of battery units are connected together in parallel. The controller controls the plurality of converters to charge each of the plurality of battery packs to a fully charged state. For each of the plurality of battery packs, the controller is configured to perform equalization control to equalize voltages of cells included in the battery pack when the battery pack is charged to the fully charged state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiaki KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240146083
    Abstract: A power supply system is a power supply system that performs charging and discharging between the power supply system and an external system. The power supply system includes a plurality of battery units and a controller. The plurality of battery units include a plurality of battery packs and a plurality of converters provided corresponding to the plurality of battery assemblies, respectively. The controller controls the plurality of battery units. The plurality of battery units are connected together in parallel. The controller controls a converter of the plurality of converters that corresponds to a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs for which a predetermined period has elapsed since the battery pack is charged to a fully charged state, so as to charge the battery pack to the fully charged state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiaki KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240147194
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for wireless communications is provided. A user equipment (UE) transmits to a base station, a first message comprising a first field and a second field. The first field corresponds to information associated with receiving data of at least one MBS service. The second field associated with receiving data of the at least one MBS service via at least one first beam. The UE then receives data of the at least one MBS service via the at least one first beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Alireza Babaei
  • Publication number: 20240146391
    Abstract: A communication system includes a first communication station, a second communication station, a relay station to non-regenerative-relay communications between the first communication station and the second communication station, and a control apparatus. The relay station relay-transmits a relay wave with a relay power value of such a limit as to fulfill a second condition when a transmission wave being transmitted from the first communication station and being relay-transmitted by the relay station fulfills a first condition about a signal-to-interference noise power ratio (SINR) and when the relay wave being relay-transmitted by the relay station and reaching the second communication station fulfills the second condition about the signal-to-interference noise power ratio (SINR) and the relay power value in the relay station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi TAKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20240147511
    Abstract: In a communication system that a relay station non-regeneratively relays a signal from a transmitting station to a first receiving station, when the relay station performs non-regenerative relay using a first resource block that is assigned to the relay station and the first receiving station for the non-regenerative relay and a second resource block that uses a baseband signal obtained by inverting the frequencies of a baseband signal relating to the first resource block, an information processing apparatus determines, based on information indicating a reception signal strength of a signal received by the relay station from a second receiving station other than the first receiving station, whether or not interference with the second receiving station is allowable, and assigns the second resource block to the relay station and the first receiving station as an additional resource block for the non-regenerative relay when the determining that the interference is allowable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi TAKIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20240144348
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus acquires the first body color desired by a user as a body color of a vehicle ordered by the user. Furthermore, based on at least the appraised value of the vehicle having a first body color after a predetermined period has elapsed, the information processing apparatus determines whether or not to propose to the user to topcoat the vehicle having the second body color with an easily peelable paint of the first body color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji YAMAGUCHI, Yohei NAKANISHI, Yu HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20240140246
    Abstract: A method for informing of a battery station (battery replacement facility) includes acquiring information (condition information) about a condition emphasized by a user of an electric vehicle, out of a plurality of conditions for a plurality of battery stations for replacement of a battery (secondary battery) mounted on the electric vehicle. The method for informing of the battery station includes determining at least one battery station, which is recommended to the user out of the plurality of battery stations, by evaluating each of the plurality of battery stations based on the information. The method for informing of the battery station includes notifying the user of information about the at least one battery station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soshiro MURATA, Hiroshi UMENO, Takahiro NOMURA, Yuya ONOZUKA
  • Publication number: 20240140266
    Abstract: A management method for a power storage device includes: when a discharging request for energy management is received, determining (S172) whether or not a degree of deterioration of a power storage device is larger than a first reference value with regard to a battery lease vehicle (vehicle including a power storage device having been lent); and based on a result of the determination, instructing (S18) the battery lease vehicle in which the degree of deterioration of the power storage device is smaller than the first reference value, to perform discharging to outside of the vehicle in accordance with the discharging request, and not instructing the battery lease vehicle in which the degree of deterioration of the power storage device is larger than the first reference value, to perform discharging in accordance with the discharging request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko TERASAWA, Makoto Kakuchi, Toshiaki Karasawa, Takeshi Higashi, Yoshihiko Endo
  • Publication number: 20240140300
    Abstract: A light illumination control device that controls light emission of front lamps based on results of sensing an object present at a front side of an own vehicle, including a processor coupled to a memory, wherein: when the object is a target of light adjustment, the processor computes a light adjustment area that is an area including the object that is a target of light adjustment and when an amount of light that is illuminated is made to be different than that of illuminated regions other than the light adjustment area, and when the object that is a target of light adjustment is an approaching object that advances in a direction of approaching the own vehicle, and a distance between the own vehicle and the approaching object is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the processor enlarges a range of the computed light adjustment area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisayoshi TACHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240141817
    Abstract: In a fastening structure that fastens an exhaust manifold to a cylinder head of an engine, a bolt that extends through a flange is inserted into and fixed to a bolt hole of the cylinder head. The flange includes a contact surface that contacts a coupling surface of the cylinder head, and an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the contact surface. A clearance is provided between the bolt and the cylinder head inside the bolt hole in a range extending from the coupling surface of the cylinder head to a specified length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya OSHIMA, Kohei KODAMA, Futoshi YANAI
  • Publication number: 20240141820
    Abstract: Method and systems for determining when to cancel coolant stop. An initial coolant temperature value is measured. The initial coolant temperature value is used to create Multiple Control Valve (MCV) opening thresholds. A first threshold is generated for MCV opening threshold for engine speed. A second threshold is generated for MCV opening for intake air mass flow. A comparison is made between the first threshold and the currently measured engine speed and/or a comparison is made between the second threshold and the currently measured intake air mass flow. The comparison(s) are then used to determine when to cancel coolant stop and open the MCV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mark A. Bachicha
  • Publication number: 20240141846
    Abstract: An engine having a throttle valve, a filter for collecting an exhaust particulate matter from the engine, and a control device are provided, and the control device includes an acquisition unit for acquiring a temperature of the engine, a regeneration control unit for increasing an opening degree of the throttle valve as the temperature increases, and executing a regeneration control of the filter by a fuel cut. A vehicle comprising: a retard amount control unit that increases a retard amount of an ignition timing at a time of returning from the fuel cut as the temperature increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takehiro KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20240141847
    Abstract: When the element temperature of the air-fuel ratio sensor becomes equal to or higher than the activation temperature, the electronic control unit starts the detection of the air-fuel ratio based on the sensor output of the air-fuel ratio sensor and the air-fuel ratio feedback control based on the detection result. The electronic control unit calculates the air-fuel ratio detection value by setting the gain of the air-fuel ratio detection value with respect to the sensor output when the sensor output is a value indicating the air-fuel ratio richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio to a value smaller than that after the elapse of the synchronization period from the start of the air-fuel ratio until the element temperature becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined desorption convergence temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichiro AOKI, Masato IKEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240141521
    Abstract: A water electrolysis cell includes an anode-side porous channel, a membrane electrode assembly, a cathode-side porous channel, and a separator disposed on at least any one of a side of the anode-side porous channel opposite to the membrane electrode assembly side and a side of the cathode-side porous channel opposite to the membrane electrode assembly side. The anode-side porous channel, the membrane electrode assembly, and the cathode-side porous channel are provided in this order. The membrane electrode assembly includes an anode catalyst layer, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode catalyst layer in order from the anode-side porous channel side. An area in a plane direction of the anode-side porous channel is greater than an area in the plane direction of the cathode-side porous channel in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori SHIBATA, Keisuke FUJITA, Joji YOSHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20240142056
    Abstract: A tank arranged such that an axis is horizontal, and filling portions are arranged at both ends in the axial direction, and both filling portions are configured to inject gas toward an upper portion of an inside of the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki OGIWARA
  • Publication number: 20240142184
    Abstract: A multi-mode heat transfer system includes an emitter device with an inner core surrounded by an outer core having an outer surface and an emission surface disposed on the outer surface. The emission surface includes a thermal metamaterial configured to direct heat from the inner core in at least two desired directions to an object other than the emitter device. The object can include a thermal receiver devices, for example two receiver devices and the emission surface can direct heat to two different receiver devices spaced apart from the emitter device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ziqi Yu, Taehwa Lee, Ercan Mehmet Dede, Masaki Nakaoka
  • Publication number: 20240142251
    Abstract: An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus includes acquiring route information that indicates a route or a stop position for a delivery vehicle, the route information being generated based on driver information regarding a driver of the delivery vehicle and delivery information regarding a package to be delivered by the delivery vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motohiro NAKAMURA, Toshiki KASHIWAKURA, Yosuke TOGAMI, Yusuke KOBAYASHI, Seii SAI, Tsuyoshi OKADA, Naoko YOKOYAMA, Keishi KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20240142262
    Abstract: An operation management system including a controller configured to execute: a position obtaining process to obtain positional information from each registered mobility; a correlating process to correlate each registered mobility and specification information stored in a storage device with each other; a travel-history storing process to store, in the storage device, a traveled route which is a travel history of each registered mobility, so as to be correlated with map information; and a road-surface-condition obtaining process to calculate a road surface condition including a position and a shape of a rut corresponding to the traveled route based on information on a detection value of a sensor of each of registered mobility, the type of a road surface included in the map information, the specification information, and the traveled route and to store, in the storage device, the road surface condition so as to be correlated with the map information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke NOZAWA, Shun Mizoo, Toru Takashima, Takahiro Okano, Kenta Osagawa, Takashi Hiranaka, Shota Konishi
  • Publication number: 20240140493
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control system for controlling a vehicle capable of autonomous driving. When an operation condition is satisfied, the vehicle control system performs driving support control that controls at least one of steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle for improving travel safety of the vehicle or for stabilizing behavior of the vehicle. When receiving an autonomous driving start request to start the autonomous driving during operation of the driving support control, the vehicle control system unexceptionally prohibits starting the autonomous driving or permits starting the autonomous driving only when a permission condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi NAKAMURA, Sho HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240144310
    Abstract: A server (battery replacement management server) includes: a communication unit (acquisition unit) that acquires number-of-users information (situation information) in a battery replacement apparatus; and a processor (control unit) that adjusts, based on the situation information, an incentive given to a user of the battery replacement apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun KOBAYASHI, Takahiro OKANO, Mitsuyoshi OHNO, Nobuhiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20240144808
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of vehicles configured to perform automated driving includes a controller configured to execute operations, the operations including receiving, from each of the plurality of vehicles, a notification of a content of an abnormality, in-vehicle images, and the number of persons in the vehicle, prioritizing the plurality of vehicles based on determination results by determining, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a load of an automated driving process and the number of persons in the vehicle, and displaying with emphasis the content of the abnormality of a vehicle of a highest priority and the in-vehicle images of the vehicle of the highest priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu NAGATA, Tomoyuki KOZUKA
  • Patent number: 11969750
    Abstract: A painting target surface of a resin bumper is painted by discharging a paint mist from a spray gun toward the painting target surface with a charged conductor arranged in contact with an opposite side to the painting target surface. The paint mist is uncharged or is charged with electric charges having an opposite polarity to that of the conductor and at a potential having a lower absolute value than that of the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Tanaka, Shinji Tani, Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11969715
    Abstract: A catalyst for direct decomposition removal of NOx from an exhaust gas stream to N2 and O2, the catalyst comprising a dual dispersed supported metal oxide material, which comprises MOx-CuOx dispersed on a CO3O4 spinel oxide support, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ce, Mg, Tb, and Gd. The dual dispersed supported metal oxide catalysts have good activity and selectivity for N2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Torin C. Peck, Benjamin A. Grayson, Charles A. Roberts
  • Patent number: 11970990
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes a drive wheel, an engine and an automatic transmission configured to transmit power from the engine toward the drive wheel. When the automatic transmission is shifted, the control apparatus is configured to execute a shifting-time torque-down control by using an ignition retard method of retarding an ignition timing of the engine or a fuel cut method of restricting fuel supply to the engine. The control apparatus is configured to estimate a temperature of a predetermined portion of an exhaust pipe of the engine in a case in which the shifting-time torque-down control is executed by using the ignition retard method, and to execute the shifting-time torque-down control by using the fuel cut method when an estimated value of the temperature of the predetermined portion of the exhaust pipe is not lower than a predetermined upper-limit temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 11971142
    Abstract: A hydrogen supplying device includes a liquid hydrogen pump, an evaporator, a pressure chamber configured to be filled with hydrogen gas flowing therein from the evaporator and to supply the filled hydrogen gas to a hydrogen engine, and a pump control unit configured to adjust a discharge flow rate of the liquid hydrogen pump based on both a flow rate of hydrogen to be supplied to the hydrogen engine and an actual pressure in the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoaki Ito
  • Patent number: 11970093
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle seat that allows detection of forgetting to mount a bracket for centering in a recliner with a limited space along a seat-width direction. One aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat including a recliner mounted to a back frame. The recliner includes a recliner plate, a recliner main body configured to pivot the back frame relative to the recliner plate, a bracket fixed to the recliner plate, and a hinge pin penetrating the recliner main body, the recliner plate, and the bracket. The recliner plate includes a confirmation hole not overlapping the recliner main body. The bracket includes a body portion having a first through hole, and a detection target portion extending from the body portion to the confirmation hole and overlapping the confirmation hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Kawabata, Yoshihiro Murase
  • Patent number: 11969887
    Abstract: The traveling unit main body and the accommodation unit are adapted to be uncoupled and re-coupled. The traveling unit main body includes a first driving unit and a second driving unit configured to perform at least one of operations of taking out or storing the article from or in the accommodation unit and transporting the article taken out from the accommodation unit. The traveling unit main body performs at least one of the operations of taking out, storing, and transporting the article using the first driving unit and the second driving unit in a state in which the traveling unit main body and the accommodation unit are uncoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Otsuki, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi
  • Patent number: 11969906
    Abstract: A collaborative robot system having high safety when executing tasks in collaboration with operators and which can be finely adjusted at a site is achieved. A collaborative robot system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is assembled by an operator for executing a task in collaboration with the operator. The collaborative robot system includes a driving unit, an operation unit configured to operate by a driving force of the driving unit to execute the task, a control unit configured to control the driving unit, a program executed by the control unit, a safety securing unit including a cover covering the operation unit or a sensor configured to detect contact of the operator with the operation unit, and an interface, an input apparatus of the operator being connected to the interface in order to modify the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Ohno
  • Patent number: 11974089
    Abstract: An acoustic system includes an in-vehicle device including a vehicle-side communicator; and an information processing device configured to be worn at an ear of a user and to communicate with the vehicle-side communicator. The information processing device includes: a sound pickup configured to pick up external sound; a sound emitter configured to emit sound to the ear of the user; a communicator configured to communicate with the in-vehicle device; and a computer. The computer is programmed to: determine, based on a result of communication with the in-vehicle device by the communicator, whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied in a state where the information processing device is in a vehicle; and when determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied, cause the sound emitter to emit the external sound picked up by the sound pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Okada, Daisuke Hiroki
  • Patent number: 11970070
    Abstract: An ECU performs processing including: a step of obtaining a pilot signal CPLT and a connector connection signal PISW; a step of determining, when a connector is attached, a type of the connector; a step of controlling, when there is a function corresponding to the type of the attached connector, the connector to be set to a lock state; a step of performing control corresponding to the attached connector; and a step of maintaining, when there is no function corresponding to the type of the attached connector, an unlock state of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toru Ando, Yoshiyuki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11970054
    Abstract: The power storage module is housed in the first housing. The electronic device is housed in the second housing. The protection unit protects the second housing. The protection unit is disposed to overlap with the second housing in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the first housing and the second housing are arranged side by side. The protection unit includes a load receiving member, a pair of load transmitting members, and a reinforcing member. The pair of load transmitting members is disposed to face each other in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction in such a manner that a distance between the pair of load transmitting members increases from the load receiving member toward the first housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naohito Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11970101
    Abstract: A vehicle is equipped with a body that includes a floor panel, a door that is attached to a body, a door lock mechanism that includes an outer hook and an inner hook and that is attached to a lower portion of a door to lock the door on the floor panel, and a slope device attached to a lower side of the floor panel. Tip portions of the outer hook and the inner hook penetrate the floor panel downward outside a vehicle outer end of a slope with respect to the vehicle, and restrain the slope from being deployed outward of the vehicle, when the door is locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoya Ishida
  • Patent number: 11970163
    Abstract: A yaw angle return controller is configured to end first yaw angle return control at a predetermined time when a value which is calculated by adding yaw angle detected by a lane recognition device at a predetermined time and an estimated yaw angle change amount is the same as yaw angle at lane change start time under a state where the first yaw angle return control is being executed. The predetermined time comes after the first start time and before the first finish time. The estimated yaw angle change amount is calculated by multiplying the yaw rate detected by a yaw rate sensor at the predetermined time by a predetermined time period for foreseeing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota Fujii
  • Patent number: 11970127
    Abstract: A vehicle passenger seat airbag device includes: an airbag main body that is stored on a lower side of an instrument panel and that is partitioned by an upper partition member to a lower chamber that restrains lower limbs of an occupant and an upper chamber that restrains an upper body of the occupant; and a flow straightening cylinder that is provided so as to be passed through the upper partition member inside the airbag main body and that distributes gas ejected from an inflator to the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The flow straightening cylinder is provided such that a sectional shape of at least a region passing through the upper partition member is provided in a flat shape with its longitudinal direction in a vehicle width direction when the flow straightening cylinder expands and deploys due to ejection of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Toshimitsu Negishi, Kazuma Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11972248
    Abstract: A center configured to communicate with an OTA master configured to control software update for electronic control units mounted on a vehicle includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to store security information in which security levels required for the software update are associated with the electronic control units mounted on the vehicle, respectively, and generate a distribution package applied encryption at the security level associated with a target electronic control unit based on the security information. The target electronic control unit is an electronic control unit that is a target of the software update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Ishikawa, Shunsuke Tanimori
  • Patent number: 11970208
    Abstract: A vehicle collision avoidance assist apparatus executes a steering avoidance control of setting an avoidance route for avoiding the collision of the own vehicle with the object in a lane in which the own vehicle moves and executing an avoiding steering process of forcibly steering the own vehicle so as to move the own vehicle along the avoidance route when an index value representing a probability of collision of an own vehicle with an object ahead of the own vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined index value. The apparatus stops an execution of the steering avoidance control when a departing amount of the own vehicle from the avoidance route becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined departing amount while the electronic control unit executes the steering avoidance control. The predetermined departing amount is set for each of sections of the avoidance route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mafune Kakeshita, Yumi Shimanaka, Sho Hashimoto, Takuto Kozaki, Tooru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11971265
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes: an instruction unit configured to instruct a vehicle to acquire appearance data of a monitoring object designated by a user; a detection unit configured to receive the appearance data from the vehicle and to detect whether a state of the monitoring object has changed based on the appearance data; and a monitoring result notifying unit configured to notify the user of a monitoring result of the monitoring object when the detection unit detects that the state of the monitoring object has changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Marie Ishikawa, Aya Hamajima, Daichi Hotta, Hayato Ito, Hidekazu Sasaki, Yasuhiro Kobatake, Akihiro Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 11971718
    Abstract: A control system, a control method, and a program capable of lowering difficulty of a user's work on an autonomous mobile robot having a placement part are provided. A control system for controlling an autonomous mobile robot including a placement part on which a load is placed includes a user recognition unit configured to recognize a user of the placement part, a feature information acquisition unit configured to acquire feature information of the recognized user, and an operation control unit configured to control a height of the placement part based on the feature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Patent number: 11970142
    Abstract: A system for dislodging debris from one or more surfaces includes an air inlet, an air outlet fluidly coupled with the air inlet, an air jet forming a trainable air stream between the air inlet and the air outlet, and a vibration device comprising a vibration controller, and one or more vibrators. The vibration device creates vibrations such that debris on the one or more surfaces is dislodged such that debris is captured in the trainable air stream, and the air stream carries the dislodged debris to the air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: David M. Goemer, Evan Vijithakumara, Imad Zahid, Lizbeth Jurado, Lou Pope, Yuho Kozu
  • Patent number: 11973453
    Abstract: A first actuator and a second actuator each have a plurality of control calculation units provided redundantly and a plurality of motor drive units provided redundantly. In the first and the second actuators, the control calculation units of the systems paired with each other transmit and receive information to and from each other by a communication between the actuators. When a failure occurs in any system in either of the two actuators, or when a failure occurs in a communication between actuators in either system, the control calculation unit of each actuator of the system in which the failure occurred stops the motor drive control. Then, the motor drive control is continued by the control calculation unit of the normal system in both actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Tomizawa, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenji Shibata, Yosuke Yamashita, Shoji Kubota, Yugo Nagashima, Yuji Fujita, Kenichi Abe