Patents by Inventor George M. EVANS

George M. EVANS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11975609
    Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to a transparent steering wheel system for a vehicle that includes a sensor system, a projection system, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine when a plurality of display data displayed on a display device behind a steering wheel is blocked by the steering wheel from a field of view of a driver, determine when a desirable notification is included in the plurality of display data, and when the desirable notification is included and the field of view of the desirable notification for the driver is blocked by the steering wheel, control the projection system to project the desirable notification onto the projection surface of the steering wheel that fully covers the steering wheel such that the steering wheel appears to be transparent when the desirable notification is displayed onto the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Benjamin Piya Austin, John K. Lenneman, George M. Evans, Takeshi Yoshida, William Patrick Garrett, Rebecca L Kirschweng
  • Patent number: 11948227
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for eliminating an appearance of one or more objects in an environment surrounding a vehicle during operation of the vehicle. A method generally includes detecting the one or more objects in first sensor data collected from first sensors onboard the vehicle, wherein the first sensor data is representative of the environment surrounding the vehicle; receiving, from other vehicles, second sensor data collected from second sensors onboard the other vehicles, wherein the second sensor data is representative of the environment surrounding each of the one or more other vehicles; generating one or more augmented reality images depicting portions of the environment obstructed by the one or more objects in the first sensor data; displaying the one or more augmented reality images in an augmented reality display such that the augmented reality images are positioned to overlay the one or more objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Benjamin Piya Austin, John K. Lenneman, George M. Evans, Takeshi Yoshida, William Patrick Garrett, Rebecca L. Kirschweng
  • Patent number: 11908208
    Abstract: A driver monitor system and method of optimizing use of cognitive resources of a user in a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes in-cabin video cameras, a display device, and processing circuitry. The method performed by the processing circuitry includes monitoring eye gaze direction using images from the in-cabin video cameras, gradually softening image regions and lines displayed in the display device that are outside a first vision area of the user of the vehicle, and using the eye gaze direction to predict whether the user is transitioning into a new focus vision area that had been outside the first vision area. When the user's eyes begin to move, begin sharpening softened image regions and lines such that by the time eyes have shifted into the new focus vision area, the image regions and lines in the new focus vision area reach full sharpness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin P. Austin, George M. Evans, Joshua E. Domeyer, John K Lenneman
  • Publication number: 20230085888
    Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the transparency of a digital needle of a digital gauge are disclosed herein. The system and method adjust a transparency of a digital needle based on an operating state of an engine of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: George M. Evans, Aaron M. France, Benjamin Piya Austin, Craig D. Herring, Philip J. Babian, Ichiroh Isobe, William Patrick Garrett
  • Publication number: 20230090466
    Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the intensity of light provided to an analog needle are disclosed herein. The system and method adjust the intensity of light provided to the analog needle based on an operating state of an engine of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: George M. Evans, Aaron M. France, Benjamin Piya Austin, Craig D. Herring, Philip J. Babian, Ichiroh Isobe, William Patrick Garrett
  • Patent number: 11602993
    Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the transparency of a digital needle of a digital gauge are disclosed herein. The system and method adjust a transparency of a digital needle based on an operating state of an engine of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: George M. Evans, Aaron M. France, Benjamin Piya Austin, Craig D. Herring, Philip J. Babian, Ichiroh Isobe, William Patrick Garrett
  • Publication number: 20220121865
    Abstract: A driver monitor system and method of optimizing use of cognitive resources of a user in a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes in-cabin video cameras, a display device, and processing circuitry. The method performed by the processing circuitry includes monitoring eye gaze direction using images from the in-cabin video cameras, gradually softening image regions and lines displayed in the display device that are outside a first vision area of the user of the vehicle, and using the eye gaze direction to predict whether the user is transitioning into a new focus vision area that had been outside the first vision area. When the user's eyes begin to move, begin sharpening softened image regions and lines such that by the time eyes have shifted into the new focus vision area, the image regions and lines in the new focus vision area reach full sharpness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin P. AUSTIN, George M. EVANS, Joshua E. DOMEYER, John K. LENNEMAN