Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Technical Center, U.s.a., Inc.

Charan Singh Lota

Christopher Lee Rovik

Donald Anthony Restauri, Iii

Katsumi Nagata

Lauren M Abro

Joel T Runyan

Samuel T Haberl

Atsushi Kobayashi

Bryan Else Yamasaki

Michael Lambert

Que-Whang Rhee

Robert J Crawford

Akihiro Deshimaru

Tuhin Diptiman

Randy Stephens

Kwang-Ha Kim

Eiji Fukushima

An automatic window tinting system for a vehicle includes a selectively transparent window, a controller including a processing unit and a non-transitory computer readable memory, a temperature sensor, an occupant sensor, a proximity sensor, and a computer readable and executable instruction set. The computer readable and executable instruction set causes the processing unit to receive an occupant sensor signal, a temperature signal and a proximity sensor signal, maintain the selectively transparent window in a first light transmissivity state when the occupant sensor signal is indicative of a presence of an unattended occupant, transition the selectively transparent window to a second light transmissivity state when the temperature signal is indicative of a temperature inside the vehicle that is greater than a threshold value, and transition the selectively transparent window to a third light transmissivity state when the proximity sensor signal is indicative of the presence of a passerby.

Automatic window tinting systems and methods for a vehicle

A method and device for vehicle charge resource management are disclosed. The vehicle charge resource management includes polling a plurality of docking stations for docking indication data, and identifying a docked set therefrom. State-of-charge data for each respective ones of the docked set is assessed, and a recharging rate for the each respective ones of the docked set. Recharge status data may be generated based on the recharging rate to indicate a time-to-recharge for the each respective ones of the docked set. When the recharge status data compares unfavorably with the state-of-charge data for the vehicle power supply, transmitting a user input request that includes the recharge status data to prompt user input. User input data is received, and recharge command data generated therefrom. The recharge command data may be transmitted to initiate a recharge of at least one of the docked set via the vehicle power supply.

Vehicle charge resource management

Vehicle seat adjustment systems that move more than one seat in a linked manner are disclosed. A vehicle seat adjustment system for a vehicle includes a front seat of the vehicle, one or more passenger seats behind the front seat, an input device configured to receive an input for adjusting positions of the front seat, a first actuator configured to adjust positions of the front seat, a second actuator configured to adjust positions of the one or more passenger seats, and a controller communicatively coupled to the input device and the first and second actuators. The controller instructs the first actuator to move the front seat in a longitudinal direction for a first distance in response to the received input, and instructs the second actuator to move the one or more passenger seats in the longitudinal direction for a second distance in response to the received input.

Vehicle seat adjustment systems

Described herein are systems and methods for retaining cargo. A system for retaining cargo may comprise a sensor and a system controller. The system controller may be configured to determine presence of cargo in a vehicle; determine dimensions of the cargo based, at least in part, on data received from the sensor; determine a storage location for the cargo based, at least in part, on one or more of: the dimensions of the cargo, interior dimensions of the vehicle, and interior components of the vehicle; determine a first position for a first one of the interior components, the first position determined based, at least in part, on one or more of: the storage location, and a location for retaining the cargo for transport; create a first message indicating the storage location for the cargo and the position for the first one of the interior components; and transmit the message.

Changing vehicle component settings to retain cargo within the vehicle

Vehicle seat adjustment systems including cameras are disclosed. The vehicle seat adjustment system includes a camera configured to capture a seat arrangement of a front seat of a vehicle and one or more seats behind the front seat, a screen, communicatively coupled to the camera, configured to display the seat arrangement captured by the camera, an input device configured to receive an input from a user for adjusting positions of the one or more seats, an actuator communicatively coupled to the input device and configured to adjust positions of the one or more seats, and a controller communicatively coupled to the camera, the screen, the input device and the actuator. The controller receives the input from the input device and instruct the actuator to adjust the positions of the one or more seats based on the input from the user.

Vehicle seat adjustment system

According to the embodiments described herein, a smart notification system can include a vehicle, a mobile communication device, and a wearable processing device. A wearable processor or the wearable processing device, a mobile processor of the mobile communication device, a vehicular processor of the vehicle, or a combination thereof can execute machine readable instructions to monitor ambient conditions of the vehicle with a sensor. A notification can be provided upon a wearable display of the wearable processing device. The notification can be indicative of the ambient conditions of the vehicle. A command can be detected with physical input of the wearable processing device. A command signal can be received with vehicle communication hardware of the vehicle. The command signal can be indicative of the command detected by the physical input of the wearable processing device.

Smart notification systems for wearable devices

A vehicle may communicate with a vendor interaction system of a vendor. The vehicle includes network interface hardware, a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface hardware, and at least one display communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The processor executes logic to establish a communication link with the vendor interaction system, receive, with the network interface hardware, a vendor data signal from the vendor interaction system, the vendor data signal indicative of vendor information, receive, with the network interface hardware, a user preference data signal indicative of user order preferences for the vendor, display at least one of the user order preferences and the vendor information on the at least one display, and display an order prompt requesting a user to make an order selection from at least one of the vendor information or the user order preferences displayed on the at least one display.

Systems and methods for providing in-vehicle communication with a vendor

Arrangements relate to providing multi-directional assistance while maneuvering a vehicle. The vehicle can have an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The vehicle can include a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side or the second lateral side. The side camera can be movable between a plurality of facing positions. It can be determined whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction. If it is determined that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, the facing position of the side camera can be automatically adjusted so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.

Multi-directional vehicle maneuvering assistance

A surroundings monitoring system includes a first sensor subsystem operable to provide image data from around the vehicle; a second sensor subsystem operable to provide non-image data from around the vehicle; a control subsystem in communication with the first sensor subsystem and the second sensor subsystem, the control subsystem operable to generate manipulated image data symbology from the image data and arrange the manipulated image data symbology in response to the non-image data to generate a driver perspective view; and a display in communication with the control subsystem to display the driver perspective view. A method of monitoring surroundings for use in a vehicle includes obtaining image data from around the vehicle; obtaining non-image data from around the vehicle; manipulating the image data in response to the non-image data to generate a driver perspective view; and displaying the driver perspective view.

Surroundings monitoring system for a vehicle

Arrangements relate to providing assistance during reverse parking of a vehicle. A rear environment of the vehicle can be detected for one or more objects located in the rear environment. If an object is detected in the rear environment, a visual alert of the detected object can be provided. The visual alert can be provided in a rear interior portion of the vehicle. The visual alert can be substantially aligned with the location of the detected object in the rear environment. Thus, a rearward-looking driver can be visually alerted of the presence of the detected object in the rear environment.

Reverse parking assistance with rear visual indicator

A haptic alert system for use in a vehicle includes a sensor system operable to identify a condition associated with the vehicle; a control system in communication with the sensor system; and a remote haptic device in communication with the sensor system.

Haptic alert system for a vehicle

A bracket for a vehicle blind spot monitor. The bracket can have upper and bottom members that are spaced apart from each other and connected by a side member. The upper, bottom and side members of the bracket can also form an opening where a blind spot monitor can be located. The bottom member can have a debris-blocking flange that protects or shields the outer radar surface from debris such as rocks, sand, etc., that are thrown up from a road surface towards the blind spot monitor. The bracket can have a plurality of protrusions to guide the blind spot monitor into the bracket opening. The bracket additionally features clips that affix the blind spot monitor to the bracket prior to installation on the vehicle.

Blind spot monitor assembly

A console assembly and a system operable to provide visual identification of the charging state of an electronic device is provided. The console assembly and system includes a processor operable to processing the charging state of the electronic device. A light source is in communication with the processor. The light source is configured to change the character of light being emitted. The processor is operable to actuate the light source so as to change the character of the emitted light source to reflect the charging state of the electronic device.

Console assembly with charging state indicator

A vehicle having a driver statistic system for interfacing with a network includes a wheel speed sensor, an engine control unit, network interface hardware for communicating with a network, and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled therebetween. The electronic control unit includes a processor and memory storing a computer readable and executable instruction set. When the instruction set is executed by the processor, the electronic control unit processes sensor signals received from the wheel speed sensor and the engine control unit to determine fuel consumption of the vehicle. The electronic control unit transmits a vehicle status signal to the network interface hardware, where the vehicle status signal is indicative of the fuel consumption of the vehicle. The network interface hardware transmits the vehicle status signal to the network. The network interface hardware further receives a vehicle performance signal from the network indicative of a driver performance ranking.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Charan Singh Lota