The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 17, 2024
Filed:
Jun. 14, 2022
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
John D. Harkleroad, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Manish Shah, Canton, MI (US);
Aamir U Warsi, Canton, MI (US);
TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
An apparatus, a system, and a method for providing a smart multi-tier power running board (PRB) with ground sensing technologies. The apparatus includes one or more support bars, one or more steps, an actuator connected to one end of each support bar of the one or more support bars, one or more sensors, and a controller coupled to the actuator and the one or more sensors. The controller is configured to: obtain data indicative of a request to move the one or more support bars from a stowed position to a deployed position; determine, based on sensor data detected by the one or more sensors, the deployed position for moving the one or more support bars; and control, based on the determined deployed position, the actuator to move the one or more support bars from the stowed position to the deployed position.