Patents by Inventor MICHAEL R. KUSHNERIK

MICHAEL R. KUSHNERIK 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).

  • Publication number: 20240075945
    Abstract: An in-cabin audio system includes: a plurality of speakers configured to play sound within a cabin; a distracted driver detection system configured to detect when a driver is distracted and to generate a distracted driver signal; an infotainment system configured to generate sound data; and a volume controller. The plurality of speakers include a first group of speakers and a second group of speakers. The plurality of speakers are configured to play the sound based on the sound data. The volume controller is configured control the plurality of speakers so as to operate in a normal mode or a distracted driver mode. The volume controller is configured to attenuate sound played by the first group of speakers and not to attenuate sound played by the second group of speakers in the distracted driver mode based on the distracted driver signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michael R. Kushnerik
  • Publication number: 20230410538
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining a danger level of an object in a vehicle, determining characteristics of the object including a weight, a size, and a location, updating the danger level of the object based on one or more of the characteristics, and sending a notification to a device associated with the updated danger level of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230406158
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of receiving a scan of a cabin of a vehicle, wherein the scan includes a spatial region inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle proximate at least one vehicle door, determining at least one occupant characteristic based on the scan, including a classification detection and a presence detection of at least one seat inside the vehicle, determining a cabin status based on the at least one occupant characteristic and communicating the cabin status to a mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382392
    Abstract: An example operation includes determining, by a vehicle, that a first occupant has exited the vehicle at a first location and has relocated to a second location; detecting, by the vehicle, a level of seriousness of an event related to the vehicle; sending a first notification of the event, by the vehicle, to a device associated with the first occupant, based on the first location and the level of seriousness; and, responsive to the device not responding to the first notification, sending a second notification to a server associated with an entity at the second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382329
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining a condition at a location containing a past occupant of a vehicle, determining a time when the past occupant will become an occupant of the vehicle, and adjusting another condition of a cabin of the vehicle to be at the condition at the time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382394
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining a movement of an occupant in a vehicle, determining an atypical health condition based on the movement and a position of the occupant in the vehicle, determining if the occupant is breathing, based on an analysis performed by the vehicle, verifying the atypical health condition by the vehicle, based on received data from a device proximate the occupant, and sending a notification to an entity, based on the verification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230386228
    Abstract: An example operation includes recording, from a vehicle sensor, data indicative of a plurality of movements of a first occupant in an interior of a vehicle; determining, from the recording, a first maximum range of extension among the plurality of movements, and a first amount of time between a first movement and a second movement of the plurality of movements; and assigning the first occupant to one of a plurality of age groups, based upon the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230384478
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of detecting a movement of an object in a vehicle when the vehicle is in motion, and determining that the object is an inanimate object, based on a vertical and horizontal distance of the detected movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382406
    Abstract: An example operation includes detecting, by a vehicle, a location of a first potential passenger proximate to a road; determining, by the vehicle, a first road safety level of a pick-up for the first potential passenger; denying, by the vehicle, the pick-up for the first potential passenger when the determined first road safety level is below a threshold; determining, by the vehicle, a second road safety level of a pick-up for a second potential passenger; and picking up, by the vehicle, the second potential passenger, when the second road safety level is above the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382393
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining an occupant and an object in a vehicle, determining a type of the object, determining a first timestamp associated with the occupant and a second timestamp associated with the object, and responsive to the timestamps overlapping, notifying a device associated with the occupant when the value is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382350
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of entering, by a vehicle, a security mode, when sensors on the vehicle detect a movement or an irregular sound, collecting data, by the vehicle, from the sensors to record an area proximate the vehicle, analyzing, by the vehicle, the data to determine a security threat, notifying, by the vehicle, a device associated with the vehicle when the security threat is above a threshold, and performing an action, by the vehicle, based on a message received from the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382223
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of analyzing data related to content being delivered to occupant devices in a vehicle; and notifying the devices of additional functionality related to the vehicle based on the analyzing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230387875
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of receiving a call on a device associated with an occupant of a vehicle, determining a noise level proximate the occupant, and directing the call to a speaker proximate the occupant, based on the noise level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230389095
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining that a device associated with a vehicle is proximate or in the vehicle, determining that the device is approved for pairing with the vehicle, detecting that a person associated with the device is proximate or in the vehicle, and pairing the device with the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230382391
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of receiving data from sensors on a vehicle, where the data is associated with an internal environment of the vehicle and characteristics of an occupant of the vehicle and modifying functionality of the vehicle based on the received data, where the modifying updates a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the vehicle and a GUI of a device associated with the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Simon P. Roberts, Sergei I. Gage, Yang Ding, Christopher J. Macpherson, Michael R. Kushnerik, Naohiro J. Matsumura, Cory M. Frank, Jessica May, Matthew J. Everett
  • Publication number: 20230365150
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether a vehicle is located in an enclosed space based on the barometric pressure. Systems and methods may include takin pressure measurements and determining that a threshold pressure difference has been exceeded, which may suggest that the vehicle is in an enclosed space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: MICHAEL R. KUSHNERIK
  • Publication number: 20230241971
    Abstract: Systems and methods of distracted driving reduction are provided which respond to vehicle display-related driver distraction by adjusting the viewing angle of the vehicle display so that the driver's visual perception of the vehicle display is reduced. In other words, the driver may no longer be able to view the vehicle display with acceptable visual performance. Accordingly, examples can reduce driver distraction, thus increasing roadway safety. In certain examples, the adjusted viewing angle may allow non-driver occupants of the vehicle to view the vehicle display with acceptable visual performance. In various examples, the vehicle display may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and adjusting the viewing angle of the LCD screen may comprise utilizing an electrically controllable LCD diffuser to narrow the viewing angle of the LCD screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventor: MICHAEL R. KUSHNERIK