Patents Assigned to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America
  • Patent number: 11879686
    Abstract: A cooling system that includes an expandable vapor chamber having a condenser side opposite an evaporator side, a condenser side wick coupled to a condenser side wall, an evaporator side wick coupled to an evaporator side wall, and a vapor core positioned between the evaporator side wick and the condenser side wick. The cooling system also includes a vapor pressure sensor communicatively coupled to a controller and a bellow actuator disposed in the vapor core and communicatively coupled to the controller. The bellow actuator is expandable based on a vapor pressure measurement of the vapor pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Srivathsan Sudhakar
  • Patent number: 11880428
    Abstract: A server includes a controller programmed to obtain information about a first perception model installed in a vehicle. The controller is further programmed to determine a value of updating the first perception model. The controller is further programmed to determine whether the first perception model needs to be updated to a second perception model based on the value of updating the first perception model. The controller is further programmed to transmit the second perception model to the vehicle in response to determining that the first perception model needs to be updated to the second perception model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Siqi Huang, Haoxin Wang, Akila C. Ganlath, Prashant Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11878709
    Abstract: Methods, vehicles, and systems described herein generate alerts based on a generated macro state level indicative of a traffic hazard risk in view of a set of parameters which may lead driver to make various sub-conscious decisions. The set of parameters can include at least one of a vehicle parameter, driver state parameter, or external parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Rohit Gupta, Ziran Wang, Kyungtae Han, Prashant Tiwari
  • Publication number: 20240021187
    Abstract: A method for beaming sound waves includes introducing sound waves into a phononic crystal in a first direction. The phononic crystal has an array of C-shaped structures oriented so that a neck of each of the C-shaped structures is facing the same general direction. The sound waves are beamed in the direction in which the neck of each of the C-shaped structures is facing so that the sound waves are beamed from the phononic crystal in a second direction that is different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Xiaoshi Su, Debasish Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20240017720
    Abstract: A system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor that includes a path planning module. The path planning module causes the processor to determine a nominal driving path for a leading vehicle and a following vehicle that follows the leading vehicle and identify an obstacle in an external environment that prevents one of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle from utilizing the nominal driving path. In response to identifying the obstacle, the path planning module causes the processor to determine an alternate driving path for one of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle that avoids the obstacle and operate the leading vehicle and the following vehicle such that one of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle that is prevented from utilizing the nominal driving path due to the obstacle utilizes the alternate driving path and the other utilizes the nominal driving path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Miles J. Johnson, Paul Timothy Fanson
  • Patent number: 11877423
    Abstract: A thermal management system to cool one or more battery packs of a battery system may include a heat pipe arrangement that includes a plurality of heat pipes, having a planar configuration, in thermal contact with the one or more battery packs to draw heat therefrom, and a heat sink arrangement that includes a plurality of heat sinks, in thermal contact with two or more edges of the heat pipe arrangement, to dissipate heat away from the heat pipe arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaohua Zhu, Tenghua Tom Shieh, Evan B. Fleming, Swetha Minupuri, Debasish Banerjee, Ryuta Sugiura, Yusuke Suzuki, Takayoshi Tanaka, Satoko Tofukuji
  • Patent number: 11872152
    Abstract: An appendage pressurization device includes an appendage strap and one or more artificial muscles communicatively coupled to a controller. Each artificial muscle includes a housing having an electrode region, an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing, wherein the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state. Actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. A pressure sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the pressure sensor outputs a current pressure value to the controller and actuation of the electrode pair is based on the current pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. Rowe
  • Patent number: 11875091
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for evaluating computational fluid dynamic simulation results. The method includes, based on a set of initial conditions, performing a first baseline run and a second baseline run of a simulated area or volume containing a vehicle body shape, and then performing a change run of the simulated area or volume containing a modified vehicle body shape, and performing the following actions within the simulated area or volume: plotting an iso line of the first baseline run and a corresponding iso line of the second baseline run, plotting an iso line of the change run that corresponds to the iso line of the two baseline runs, and comparing whether the iso line of the change run falls between the iso lines of the two basline runs. If not, then the modification to the vehicle body shape may be considered significant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Brian T. Thurgate
  • Patent number: 11876262
    Abstract: Methods and systems may provide for technology to detect an unbalanced degradation among a plurality of fuel cells in an automotive system and apply an unbalanced control across the plurality of fuel cells based on the unbalanced degradation. In one example, the unbalanced control balances the degradation among the plurality of fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Takehito Yokoo
  • Patent number: 11872985
    Abstract: Based on a model and an identity of an operator of a vehicle, a setting for a cruise control to maintain a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle can be determined. The model can be based on historical distances maintained by the operator. The model can also be based on information about an environment in which the vehicle is operating or information about a state of the operator. The identity can be received from an interface configured to receive information associated with the identity, a cloud computing platform, or a biometric system configured to determine the identity. The cruise control can be caused to operate according to the setting. A rate of energy consumption by the vehicle when the vehicle is controlled by the cruise control can be less than the rate of energy consumption when the vehicle lacks being controlled by the cruise control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyungtae Han, Ziran Wang, Prashant Tiwari, John K Lenneman, Toshinori Esaka, Miles J. Johnson, Chase C. Violetta
  • Patent number: 11872927
    Abstract: A system for controlling a function of a vehicle by activation of a vehicle button includes a vehicle component configured to receive a signal and to perform an electrical or mechanical function in response to receiving the signal. The system further includes a physical structure located on an exterior of the vehicle and having an integrated button such that at least one of manual actuation of or physical proximity to the physical structure initiates a button selection event. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the vehicle component and to the integrated button and configured to identify the button selection event and to transmit the signal to the vehicle component in response to identifying the button selection event to cause the vehicle component to perform the electrical or mechanical function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin J. James, Taun-Min Chan
  • Publication number: 20240010205
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and vehicles for correcting driving behavior of a driver of a vehicle are provided. The systems include a controller programmed to identify a repetitive movement pattern of a driver of a vehicle at a predetermined location based on accumulated driving data of the vehicle, implement digital twin simulation of the vehicle using the repetitive movement pattern and the digital twin simulation of another object to identify a potential conflict between the vehicle and the another object, and inform the driver of the vehicle about predetermined driving behavior in response to identifying the potential conflict.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seyhan Ucar, Takamasa Higuchi, Sergei Avedisov, Onur Altintas
  • Publication number: 20240010148
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper assembly includes an adaptive energy absorption module operatively connected to a vehicle bumper body. The adaptive energy absorption module includes a primary deformable impact absorber member defining a primary impact chamber having a shape that is structurally adaptive or otherwise conforms to an impact force received by the bumper body. A secondary deformable impact absorber member is arranged in the primary impact chamber and defines a secondary impact chamber containing a shear thickening fluid that exhibits a decreasing viscosity responsive to the impact force. A plurality of fluidically connected tertiary deformable impact absorber members are arranged in an array the primary impact chamber and defines a plurality of tertiary impact chambers containing a volume of fluid, and has a shape that is structurally adaptive to the impact force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh Gandhi, Danil Prokhorov, Phouvadol Khouphongsy
  • Publication number: 20240013587
    Abstract: A method of partial sensor data sharing is described. The method includes detecting an occluded area relative to a receiver vehicle. The method also includes defining an area of interest (AoI) based on a traffic topology and state information of a selected sender vehicle. The method further includes transmitting the area of interest to the selected sender vehicle. The method also includes receiving a sensor data corresponding to the area of interest when the detected occluded area is within a sensor coverage area of the selected sender vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Ahmed Hamdi SAKR
  • Publication number: 20240010203
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and vehicles for classifying driving behavior of a target vehicle are provided. The systems include a controller programmed to identify a target vehicle associated with a pseudo-id, obtain a first tag representing first driving behavior of the target vehicle during a first period of time along with the pseudo-id based on first motion data of the target vehicle, obtain a second tag representing second driving behavior of the target vehicle during a second period of time along with the pseudo-id based on second motion data of the target vehicle, the second period of time being after the first period of time, and classify driving behavior of the target vehicle based on interpretation of the first tag and the second tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seyhan Ucar, Tomohiro Matsuda, Yongkang Liu, Emrah Akin Sisbot, Kentaro Oguchi
  • Publication number: 20240013408
    Abstract: A method for detecting objects that are likely to fall from vehicle cargo includes obtaining first data of a cargo of a first vehicle captured at a first time and second data of the cargo captured by a second vehicle in an environment of the first vehicle at a second time after the first time, determining a first distance between two key points of the first data or a first shape constructed by key points of the first data and a second distance between two key points of the second data or a second shape constructed by key points of the second data, and detecting a movement of the cargo based on a comparison of the first distance and the second distance or a comparison of the first shape and the second shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seyhan Ucar, Emrah Akin Sisbot, Kentaro Oguchi
  • Patent number: 11866037
    Abstract: Vehicle alerts can be presented to the driver of a vehicle based on behaviors. It can be determined whether the driver will avoid an identified risk at a current location of the vehicle. Such a determination can be based on the past driving behavior of the driver and/or a general driving behavior of one or more other drivers. It can be determined whether to present an alert about the identified risk based on whether the driver will avoid the identified risk. In response to determining to that an alert about the identified risk should be presented, an intensity level for the alert can be determined. The alert can be caused to be presented to the driver at the determined intensity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan M. Wiesenberg, Emily S. Lerner
  • Patent number: 11870968
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to estimating depth using a machine learning (ML) model. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring image data according to criteria from a detector that uses a lens to resolve multiple angles of light per section of the detector. The method also includes mapping a kernel to the image data according to a view associated with the section and a size of the kernel. The method also includes processing the image data using the ML model to produce the depth according to the size of the kernel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean P. Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 11869353
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to generating a notification about a risk of a target vehicle toppling over due to wind. In one embodiment, a method includes determining a wind force of the wind at a location of the target vehicle and determining one or more characteristics of the target vehicle. The method includes determining whether there is a risk of the target vehicle toppling over based on the wind force of the wind and the one or more characteristics of the target vehicle. The method includes generating a notification about the risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Gupta, Ziran Wang, Yanbing Wang, Kyungtae Han, Prashant Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11869760
    Abstract: Power electronics device assemblies, circuit board assemblies, and power electronics assemblies are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power electronics device assembly includes an S-cell including a first metal layer, a first graphite layer bonded to the first metal layer, an electrically insulating layer bonded to the first graphite layer, a second graphite layer bonded to the electrically insulating layer and a second metal layer bonded to the second graphite layer, the second metal layer comprising a surface and a recess provided within the surface. The power electronics device assembly further includes a power electronics device disposed within the recess of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa