Patents by Inventor John Michael McNew

John Michael McNew 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: 11958357
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining a speed limit; determining an offset value based on (i) the speed limit, and (ii) a speed map, the speed map comprising a plurality of entries, each entry associating one of the offset values with a respective speed limit; and setting the speed of the vehicle according to the speed limit and the determined offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11868755
    Abstract: A system for updating software installed on an electronic unit on a vehicle can include a processor and a memory. The processor can be disposed on an intermediate communications device. The intermediate communications device can be a mobile device. The memory can store an update request module and an update existence module. The update request module can include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive, from the electronic unit on the vehicle, a request for an update of the software. The request can include: (1) an identification of a version of the software currently installed on the electronic unit and (2) a key to specifically identify the electronic unit. The update existence module can include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive, from a device associated with development of the software, information about an existence of the update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimeros Vladimerou, Gregg J. Overfield, Drew Cunningham, John-Michael McNew
  • Publication number: 20230048044
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products to enhance the situational competency and/or the safe operation of a vehicle, when operating at least partially in an autonomous mode, as a support vehicle for one or more on-road persons engaged in a training or competitive cycling, running, and/or walking activity on a predetermined travel route at a predetermined pace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Brian A. Mulrooney, John-Michael McNew
  • Publication number: 20230036661
    Abstract: A system for updating software installed on an electronic unit on a vehicle can include a processor and a memory. The processor can be disposed on an intermediate communications device. The intermediate communications device can be a mobile device. The memory can store an update request module and an update existence module. The update request module can include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive, from the electronic unit on the vehicle, a request for an update of the software. The request can include: (1) an identification of a version of the software currently installed on the electronic unit and (2) a key to specifically identify the electronic unit. The update existence module can include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to receive, from a device associated with development of the software, information about an existence of the update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Vladimeros Vladimerou, Gregg J. Overfield, Drew Cunningham, John-Michael McNew
  • Publication number: 20230017403
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to updating vehicle software by using additional connectivity from an alternate device. In one embodiment, a method includes initiating a download from a first point and a second point within a software package by a communication module associated with a vehicle and an alternate device. The method also includes, responsive to comparing progress points of the download between the communication module and the alternate device, adapting the download according to the progress points and network connectivity by the communication module to complete the download, the first point and the second point being opposing ends within the software package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Vladimeros Vladimerou, Gregg J. Overfield, Drew Cunningham, John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11535085
    Abstract: An exhaust intrusion mitigation system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores an enclosure detection module which determines if a vehicle is parked within an enclosure with the engine running. An exhaust module determines a point in time at which one or more vehicle vents should be closed if the vehicle remains in the enclosure and the engine remains on. A mitigation module controls operation of the vehicle to close the one or more vents at the point in time when the vent(s) should be closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11458974
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for creating more organic lane change models for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of a vehicle. A plurality of data associated with a plurality of driver-performed lane change maneuvers is collected from a plurality of different vehicle. Driver-performed lane change maneuvers are discarded when determined to fall outside a threshold of safety. A generic model is generated from the non-discarded data for average lane change maneuvers. Specific models can be generated for different drivers, vehicle types, and other metrics by comparison with the generic model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11433734
    Abstract: A vent control system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The memory may store a vent control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to autonomously control operation of a vehicle to open at least one vehicle vent when the vehicle is in a regular vent opening condition. Responsive to manual closure of the at least one vehicle vent within a predetermined time period after the at least one vehicle vent was autonomously opened, the regular opening condition may be updated to an updated regular opening condition. After updating the regular opening condition, operation of the vehicle may be autonomously controlled to open the at least one vehicle vent when the vehicle is subsequently in the updated regular opening condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Publication number: 20220212537
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining a speed limit; determining an offset value based on (i) the speed limit, and (ii) a speed map, the speed map comprising a plurality of entries, each entry associating one of the offset values with a respective speed limit; and setting the speed of the vehicle according to the speed limit and the determined offset value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventor: JOHN-MICHAEL MCNEW
  • Patent number: 11332007
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining a speed limit; determining an offset value based on (i) the speed limit, and (ii) a speed map, the speed map comprising a plurality of entries, each entry associating one of the offset values with a respective speed limit; and setting the speed of the vehicle according to the speed limit and the determined offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11210941
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving detection of lane changes for an ego vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to detecting a surrounding vehicle from sensor data acquired about the surrounding environment by the ego vehicle, estimating a relative position of the surrounding vehicle in relation to the ego vehicle. The method includes determining a context of the surrounding vehicle in relation to a present roadway on which the ego vehicle is traveling. The method includes selectively grouping the surrounding vehicle into a change group according to the context. The change group including one or more vehicles for assessing movements of the ego vehicle. The method includes analyzing relative movements of vehicles in the change group to generate an indicator of whether the ego vehicle has performed a lane change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11169519
    Abstract: A system and method for route modification to continue fully-autonomous driving is provided. The method includes operating a vehicle in a Level 3 autonomous driving mode according to a determined route; collecting data in real time concerning the route ahead of the vehicle; based on the collected data, identifying areas of the route ahead of the vehicle that would require the vehicle to leave the Level 3 autonomous driving mode; modifying the route based on the identified areas to continue operating in the Level 3 autonomous driving mode; and operating the vehicle in a Level 3 autonomous driving mode according to the modified route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11042765
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a safety system for playing vehicle monitored content in a vehicle while minimizing driver distraction is provided. When the driver selects a camera, such as a rear view camera, vehicle monitored content stream from the camera is displayed on a display in the vehicle. While the driver drives the vehicle, the eye-gaze of the driver is monitored. When the eye-gaze of the driver shows that the driver is looking at the display, a timer is started. The timer runs when the driver looks at the display. When the eye-gaze of the driver shows that the driver has looked at the road continuously for more than a threshold amount of time, the time associated with the vehicle monitored content is reset back to its initial value. If the timer runs out, indicating that the driver has been watching the vehicle monitored content too much without also looking at the road, the vehicle monitored content is stopped and the driver is prevented from watching the vehicle monitored content for some period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Coh L. Yoshizaki, John-Michael McNew
  • Publication number: 20210155070
    Abstract: A vent control system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors. The memory may store a vent control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to autonomously control operation of a vehicle to open at least one vehicle vent when the vehicle is in a regular vent opening condition. Responsive to manual closure of the at least one vehicle vent within a predetermined time period after the at least one vehicle vent was autonomously opened, the regular opening condition may be updated to an updated regular opening condition. After updating the regular opening condition, operation of the vehicle may be autonomously controlled to open the at least one vehicle vent when the vehicle is subsequently in the updated regular opening condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: D991970
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett, Geoffrey Crowl
  • Patent number: D991974
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett
  • Patent number: D997197
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett
  • Patent number: D997201
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett
  • Patent number: D997202
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett
  • Patent number: D998626
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Michael McNew, Varun J. Prabhakar, Camron Sackett