Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Ming Michael Meng

Wilson-Boon Siang Khoo

Krishna V Buddharaju

Coh L Yoshizaki

Umesh P Naik

Lloyd Allen Dunlap

Alexander N Barrus

Methods, systems, and devices for a portable speaker security system. The portable speaker security system may include a portable speaker and a speaker dock. The speaker dock may hold the portable speaker and electrically connect to the portable speaker. The portable speaker security system may further include a head unit electrically connected to the speaker dock. The head unit may indicate a disconnect when the portable speaker is electrically disconnected from the speaker dock. The portable speaker security system may further include a network access device. The network access device may wirelessly communicate with a mobile device. The portable speaker security system may further include an electronic control unit (ECU) electrically connected to the speaker dock, the head unit, and the network access device. The ECU may transmit a message to the mobile device indicating the portable speaker has been disconnected from the speaker dock when the disconnect is indicated.

Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring a portable speaker of a vehicle

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for automatically switching to a digital multimedia content provider. The system includes a server in data communication with one or more vehicles and one or more digital multimedia content provider servers. The server may include a memory storing keyword data and a processor connected to the memory. The processor may receive identifying information corresponding to a vehicle occupant or interest information associated with the vehicle occupant from a vehicle. The processor may receive streaming data from the digital multimedia content provider servers. The processor may compare the received streaming data against the keyword data. The processor may detect a match between the streaming data and the keyword data based on the comparison. The processor may identify at least one digital multimedia content provider server based on the detected match. The processor may transmit data related to the identified digital multimedia content provider server to the vehicle.

Apparatus, system, and method for automatically switching to a digital multimedia content provider

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for determining a load coil value for a load coil connected to an antenna. The system may include at least one adjustable inductive coil. The at least one adjustable inductive coil may have a plurality of turns. The at least one adjustable inductive coil may be connected to the antenna. The system may include an actuator. The actuator may be connected to the at least one adjustable inductive coil and may be configured to adjust at least one characteristic of the at least one adjustable inductive coil. The system may further include a user interface connected to the actuator and configured to control the actuator to adjust the at least one characteristic of the at least one adjustable inductive coil.

Apparatus, system, and method for determining a load coil value for a load coil connected to an antenna

A testing system includes a testing device including a display screen. The testing device can display, via the display screen, a representation of a vehicle and oscillators of the vehicle. The testing device transmits a test request that identifies a selected oscillator of the plurality of oscillators for testing. A vehicle receives the test request. An electronic control unit of the vehicle instructs the selected oscillator to generate test signals. The testing calculates a performance metric of the test signals. The testing device determines whether the selected oscillator is properly placed, functioning at a predetermined threshold, or both. Improperly placed or improperly functioning oscillators can be adjusted or replaced.

Systems and methods for conducting vehicle oscillator testing

Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a remote control platform. The remote control platform includes a sensor. The sensor is configured to detect one or more objects within a surrounding environment of the vehicle. The remote control platform includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine an orientation of the vehicle and a route that includes a direction of travel. The electronic control unit is configured to navigate the vehicle along the route based on the one or more objects, the direction of travel and the orientation of the vehicle.

Remote control of vehicle via smartphone and gesture input

Vehicle malfunction detection systems and methods for detecting whether a lighting element of a vehicle satisfies a malfunction condition are disclosed herein. The vehicle malfunction detection system includes a detection unit detecting an operational state of the lighting element of the vehicle, and a vehicle control unit configured to place the vehicle in a driving mode, wherein, in response to determining that the operational state of the lighting element satisfies the malfunction condition, a vehicle start prevention signal is transmitted to the vehicle control unit, the vehicle start prevention signal including an instruction to prevent the vehicle from entering the driving mode.

Systems and methods for preventing operation of a vehicle during malfunction of a lighting element

Disclosed is a device for filtering electrical noise in a vehicle. The device includes a housing connectable to the vehicle, a variable capacitor, an input signal line coupled to the variable capacitor and couplable to a first conductor that carries electrical signals along with electrical noise of a given amplitude, and an output signal line coupled to the variable capacitor and couplable to a second conductor. When the input signal line is coupled to the first conductor and the output signal line is coupled to the second conductor, the second conductor carries the electrical signals along with electrical noise of reduced amplitude within a range of frequencies. The device also includes a tuner coupled to the housing and configured to adjust a capacitance of the variable capacitor, wherein adjusting the capacitance of the variable capacitor adjusts the range of frequencies.

Adjustable electrical noise filter for a vehicle

User alert systems, apparatus, and related methods for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed alert system for a vehicle includes an intrusion detection system (IDS) operatively coupled to the vehicle. The alert system also includes a network access device (NAD) operatively coupled to the vehicle and control circuitry configured to detect, via the IDS, a malicious message transmitted through a controller area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle. The control circuitry is also configured to generate a primary alert indicative of the malicious message and transmit, via the NAD, the primary alert to a primary user device corresponding to a driver of the vehicle. The control circuitry is also configured to generate a secondary alert indicative of the malicious message and transmit, via the NAD, the secondary alert to one or more secondary user devices different from the primary user device.

User alert systems, apparatus, and related methods for use with vehicles

A method, a system, and computer readable medium for detecting interference with a navigation system are provided. The method includes detecting a global positioning system (GPS) signal via the navigation system of a vehicle, determining a signal strength of the GPS signal, determining a location of the vehicle based on the GPS signal, and determining a first attribute and a second attribute. The first attribute is determined as a function of the signal strength. The second attribute is determined as a function of the location of the vehicle. The method further includes outputting an alert indicating an interference with the navigation system when the first attribute and the second attribute are true.

System and method for detecting GPS signal spoofing

A method and system for recording and reporting license plate indicia are provided. The method includes receiving an input command from a user of a vehicle requesting a capture of an image of license plate indicia of a second vehicle, capturing, via one or more cameras, one or more image of the license plate of the second vehicle, determining, using the processing circuitry, a license plate number from the captured one or more images of the license plate, and displaying the recognized license plate number on a display of the vehicle. The method further includes detecting a location of the vehicle and storing the determined license plate number, the location of the vehicle, and the image of the license plate indicia in an audio head unit or in a navigation unit.

System and method for recording and reporting license number violation

Aspects of the disclosure provide an antenna ground plate for testing an antenna. A size of the antenna ground plate can be conveniently adjusted according to requirements of an antenna testing process. The antenna ground plate can include a base plate that provides a ground plane for the antenna, and a first extension plate releasably attachable to the base plate to extend the ground plane of the antenna. The base plate and first extension plate can be made of conductive materials. The base plate can include a mounting hole at the center of the base plate for mounting the antenna under test. The first extension plate can be attachable to an outer edge of the base plate.

Size-adjustable antenna ground plate

A vehicular data correlation system includes a first network access device (NAD) of a first vehicle; and a database server having processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to cross-reference a first driver settings dataset in a driver settings database to a first vehicle dataset in a vehicle database to form a first enhanced data packet, cross-reference a first vehicle conditions dataset in a vehicle conditions database to a first driver dataset in a driver database to form a second enhanced data packet, correlate the first enhanced data packet with the second enhanced data packet, download the first enhanced data packet to the first NAD, download the second enhanced data packet to the first NAD, and transmit a first initiation signal to implement the first driver settings dataset and to display the first vehicle conditions dataset on the first vehicle, via the first NAD.

Vehicle sharing systems and methods

A method and system for language selection and synchronization in a vehicle are provided. The method includes receiving an audio representative of sounds captured within a vehicle, recognizing a language category for propagating information to a user of the vehicle according to the received audio, selecting the language category of the vehicle system according to the recognized language category in response to receiving a user acknowledgment, synchronizing the language category among a plurality of vehicle systems, and propagating information to the user of the vehicle using the synchronized language category.

System and method for language selection

A method and apparatus are presented for authenticating a vehicle equipped with a passive keyless entry and start system. The method includes sending a request for unlock or ignition start from the key fob to a vehicle's network access device (NAD), sending a first challenge signal from the NAD to the key fob, determining if the key fob is within range of the NAD, sending a second challenge signal from the NAD to the mobile device, determining if the mobile device is within range of the NAD, and sending a warning to the mobile device when the key fob or mobile device is not within range of the NAD.

Method to provide warning to relay attacks on keyless entry and start systems

A method and system for monitoring fuses in a vehicle are provided. The method includes receiving data from a fuse monitor coupled to one or more fuses. Each fuse associated with one or more electronic devices of the vehicle. The method also includes analyzing the data to determine whether a faulty fuse is detected and outputting an alert to a display of the vehicle in response to detecting a faulty fuse. The alert includes at least one of a fuse location, a fuse type, or fuse replacement information and activates a fuse application of the display of the vehicle to cause the alert to output on the display.

Growing community of inventors

Novi, MI, United States of America

Ming Michael Meng