Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Jeffrey Edward Pierfelice

Eric Randell Schmidt

Sean Lee Helm

Bryan Else Yamasaki

Mark Aleksandar Jotanovic

Frankie B Reed

Nicholas Scott Sitarski

Clinton John Williams

John Charles Rafferty

Coh L Yoshizaki

Stephen L Robertson

Derek A Thompson

Darin Paul Rosekrans

Robert J Crawford

Chris Conrad

In an embodiment, a vehicle makes a determination, during a second ignition-on cycle of the vehicle, that a trailer brake output circuit of the vehicle was operated during a first ignition-on cycle of the vehicle preceding the second ignition-on cycle. In response to making the determination, the vehicle presents a query, via a user interface of the vehicle, whether to operate the trailer brake output circuit according to a previously-used trailer profile according to which the trailer brake output circuit was operated during the first ignition-on cycle preceding the second ignition-on cycle. The vehicle receives a reply, associated with the query, via the user interface and, in response to receiving the reply, operates the trailer brake output circuit based on the reply.

Vehicles, systems, and methods for operating a trailer brake output circuit according to a trailer profile

In one embodiment, a method for trailer safety is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to perform a trailer safety check, wherein the request is associated with a vehicle and a trailer; in response to the request, providing a trailer safety checklist, wherein the trailer safety checklist includes a plurality of user-interface elements, and at least one of the user-interface elements corresponds to a light component of the trailer; receiving a first signal indicating that an operator has selected the user-interface element corresponding to the light component of the trailer, wherein the operator is located outside of the vehicle; and in response to the first signal, causing the light component of the trailer corresponding to the selected user-interface element to turn on.

Systems and methods for trailer safety compliance

Systems and methods for determining a destination location from a communication are described. One embodiment of a method includes receiving electronic communications data from a mobile communications device, at a computing device. The electronic communications data is parsed to identify a partial address term of interest related to the destination location in the electronic communications data. A position of the destination location is determined from the partial address term of interest. Routing data of a vehicle from a current location of the vehicle to the destination location is determined and provided to a user of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for determining a destination location from a communication

Methods, systems, and apparatus for a collision warning system. The collision warning system includes at least one of a navigation unit, one or more sensors or a user interface. The collision warning system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that the height of the vehicle or the height of the load on the vehicle is within a threshold height of the height of the object. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that the vehicle is approaching the object. The electronic control unit is configured to control an operation of the vehicle to indicate that the height of the vehicle or the height of load on the vehicle is within the threshold height when a distance between vehicle and approaching object is a first threshold distance and to avoid the approaching object when the distance is a second threshold distance.

Vehicle height detection and environmental warning system

An on-board vehicle navigation system (NAV system) may provide a variety of information and may be integrated with a variety of on-board vehicle systems or features. The NAV system may have the display set to show information about a single system in a full screen mode or have the display divided to show information about multiple systems simultaneously (mixed display mode). The NAV system may allow the user to select an automatic switching from a mixed display mode to a full display mode upon the occurrence of predetermined system conditions. The full display mode may be temporary and automatically return back to the previous display mode or may require a user acknowledgement prior to returning back to the previous display mode. The switch to the full display mode allows more information to be communicated to the user.

Automatic full screen display

A method of adapting a speech recognition system to its user includes gathering information about a user of a speech recognition system, selecting at least a part of a speech model reflecting estimated speech attributes of the user based on the information about the user, running, in the speech recognition system, a speech model including the selected at least a part of a speech model, and training, in the speech recognition system, other parts of the speech model to reflect identified speech attributes of the user.

Speech recognition system with abbreviated training

A method is provided for producing cryptographic keys, while a vehicle is in operation, for use in secure vehicle communications. The method may include obtaining unique entropy data from an entropy source based on dynamically changing, transient variables related to the operation of the vehicle, optionally in a driving mode. The method may include seeding a random number generator with the unique entropy data to generate at least one random number. A plurality of cryptographic keys are generated based on the at least one random number. A secure communication exchange may be established using the plurality of cryptographic keys. A non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provided having instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform the above operations as an algorithm in a vehicle.

Vehicular entropy for random number generation

A computing device for a vehicle interior sound control system is described. The device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to operate, responsive to a location of the vehicle, at least one portion of the vehicle so as to control a sound level in an interior of the vehicle produced by the at least one portion of the vehicle.

Control of vehicle interior sound levels based on vehicle location

A computing device for a vehicle exterior light control system is described. The computing device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to automatically operate vehicle headlights responsive to a location of the vehicle.

Control of vehicle exterior lights based on vehicle location and/or planned route information

A mobile device connection system may identify a mobile device of a present driver and prioritize a wireless connection between the identified mobile device and a built-in hands-free device located in a motor vehicle. The mobile device connection system may include a sensor and a controller. The sensor may be configured to sense an identity of a driver when the driver is within a proximity of the motor vehicle and generate a signal based on the sensed identity. The controller may be coupled to the sensor, and it may be configured to identify the mobile device based on the signal from the sensor, search and detect the identified mobile device, and establish a wireless connection between the detected mobile device and the built-in hands-free device.

Mobile device connection system

Vehicle navigation systems and methods for presenting information originating from a mobile device on a vehicle navigation system display of a vehicle are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of presenting information originating from a mobile device on a vehicle navigation system display of a vehicle includes receiving, by a vehicle navigation system, application data from an application operating on the mobile device, wherein the application data from the application represents an entity in proximity to the vehicle. The method further includes displaying an icon representing the application data from the application on a map presented on the vehicle navigation system display. The icon is positioned on the map according to a geographic location of the entity.

Vehicle navigation systems and methods for presenting information originating from a mobile device

A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle support subsystem in communication with the GPS subsystem, the vehicle support subsystem operable in response to the GPS subsystem. The system can control a vehicle characteristic (e.g., tire inflation pressure, suspension system, suspension damping system, ride height adjustment system) based at least in part on terrain obtained from a global positioning system (GPS), current weather information, and/or historical weather information.

Vehicle auxiliary system with global positioning system control

In one embodiment, a navigation system may include one or more processors, a display, a satellite antenna, one or more memory devices, and map data. A route distance icon can be presented on the display, automatically, when the current location is not coincident with the route and the start offset distance is less than a predetermined distance. The route distance icon can provide the on-the-route distance. A geodesic distance icon can be presented on the display, automatically, when the current location is not coincident with the route and the start offset distance is greater than the predetermined distance. The geodesic distance icon can provide a geodesic distance from the current location to the destination.

Systems, methods and vehicles for providing route guidance

A mobile device connection system may identify a mobile device of a present driver and prioritize a wireless connection between the identified mobile device and a built-in hands-free device located in a motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the mobile device connection system may include a sensor and a controller. The sensor may be configured to sense an identity of a driver when the driver is within a proximity of the motor vehicle and generate a signal based on the sensed identity. The controller may be coupled to the sensor, and it may be configured to identify the mobile device based on the signal from the sensor, search and detect the identified mobile device, and establish a wireless connection between the detected mobile device and the built-in hands-free device.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey Edward Pierfelice