Toyota Patents

Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles and sells passenger cars, minivans and commercial vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands. The company also provides financial services products to customers and dealers seeking loans to purchase or leases of Toyota vehicles.

Toyota Patents by Type
  • Toyota Patents Granted: Toyota patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Toyota Patent Applications: Toyota patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Publication number: 20220368040
    Abstract: A terminal to be coupled to a front end portion of an electric wire. The terminal includes a terminal body and a slider. The terminal body includes a holding section holding a core wire of the electric wire. The slider is movable in a front-rear direction between a first position and a second position that is on a front side with respect to the first position while the slider being fitted on a section of the terminal body including the holding section. The slider includes a pressing portion that presses the holding section toward the electric wire when the slider is at the second position. The slider includes a pressure receiving portion that is pushed from a rear side to move the slider from the first position to the second position. The slider includes a support portion that receives a force applied to the pressure receiving portion that is pushed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nungna WI, Masaaki TABATA, Hajime MATSUI, Shunya TAKEUCHI, Hiroshi KOBAYASHI, Takeshi AMAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220369440
    Abstract: A marking device includes each of a plurality of pedestrian light sources that is provided on a roadway and that emits light in at least one of a first direction and a second direction along a width direction of the roadway, each of a plurality of vehicle light sources that is provided on the roadway and that emits light in at least one of a third direction and a fourth direction along an extension direction of the roadway, and a control unit that separately controls the pedestrian light sources and the vehicle light sources. The control unit lights the pedestrian light sources, causing them to mark a first pedestrian crossing to be visually recognized by a pedestrian who is going to cross the roadway, and lights the vehicle light sources, causing them to mark a second pedestrian crossing to be visually recognized by a driver of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin SAKURADA, Yuko MIZUNO, Soutaro KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20220368140
    Abstract: A charging controller carries out charging control of a power storage mounted on a vehicle. The vehicle includes a DC charging inlet. The charging controller carries out first charging control when a charging cable which is not a prescribed charging cable is connected to the DC charging inlet and carries out second charging control when the prescribed charging cable is connected to the DC charging inlet. For example, a time period for ground fault detection carried out during charging of the power storage is set differently between first charging control and second charging control. Alternatively, a response delay margin of a charging command is set differently between first charging control and second charging control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya ONO, Toru ANDO, Yamato NIWA
  • Publication number: 20220368565
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a communication device includes: acquisition circuitry including a plurality of data acquirers configured to acquire data for transmission; processing circuitry configured to determine consecutive first sequence numbers for a plurality of pieces of the data acquired by the plurality of data acquirers, and to generate a plurality of packets that include the data acquired by the plurality of data acquirers and the first sequence numbers determined for the plurality of pieces of the data; and transmitting circuitry configured to transmit the plurality of packets wherein the packet includes an identifier that identifies the data acquirer having acquired the data in the packet or an identifier that identifies an application corresponding to the data in the packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: Preferred Networks, Inc., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirochika ASAI, Yusuke DOI, Masahiro ISHIYAMA, Ryokichi ONISHI
  • Publication number: 20220362091
    Abstract: A walking training system includes a leg orthosis fitted to a leg of a user, a pulling member coupled to the leg orthosis, a first drive mechanism configured to apply pull force to the pulling member, according to walking motion of the user, a holding device that holds the pulling member at a holding level, at a point between a coupling point of the leg orthosis and the first drive mechanism, and a second drive mechanism configured to change the holding level of the pulling member held by the holding device, according to the walking motion of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seisuke YAMAZAKI, Takashi TOMOTO, Yoshimasa ITO
  • Publication number: 20220361790
    Abstract: A mental and physical condition estimation system according to the present disclosure includes: a heart rate information acquisition unit for acquiring heart rate information that is information related to a heart rate of a subject person; a heart rate variability calculation unit for calculating heart rate variability of a very low frequency component (VLF) from the acquired heart rate information; and a mental and physical condition estimation unit for estimating a concentration and effort state of the subject person from a calculated value of the heart rate variability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyomi SAKAKIBARA, Hitoshi YAMADA, Yuhei YAMAGUCHI, Chie IMAMURA, Keiji HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20220366747
    Abstract: A mobile body delivers a package to a designated destination by autonomous traveling. When the mobile body arrives at the destination, door status information including opening/closing status of an entrance door of the destination is acquired, and it is determined whether the entrance door of the destination has been opened based on the acquired door status information. When the entrance door has been opened, a delivery of the package to the destination is authenticated, and a locking device for regulating the delivery of the package from the mobile body is unlocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon Lee, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Kota Oishi
  • Publication number: 20220368138
    Abstract: A battery abnormality detection device that: for an equalization circuit including a discharge circuit provided with a switch that, in a case of being switched ON, causes a battery cell to discharge, and including a detector connected to the battery cell in parallel to the discharge circuit so as to detect a voltage of the battery cell, acquires a first voltage in a case in which the switch has been switched OFF and a second voltage in a case in which the switch has been switched ON, as detected by the detector, and estimates, from a detected value of one of the acquired first voltage or second voltage, an estimated value of another of the acquired first voltage or second voltage, and determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the equalization circuit based on the detected value and the estimated value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke NISHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20220366467
    Abstract: A controller of the information processing apparatus calculates a sale price of a second component selected to be sold by a user of a vehicle, based on information indicating a value of the second component, and subtracts the sale price of the second component from a cost of installing a first component. The second component is either a component bound to be removed from the vehicle when installing the first component in the vehicle other than a component to be replaced with the first component, or a component bound to be removed from the vehicle when the first component is installed in the vehicle in a case where there is no component to be replaced with the first component in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta TONE, Yukinori II, Tadayuki TANAKA, Naoki ISHIZUKA, Yuichiro YANO, Nariaki AMANO, Yusuke MAEDA, Kei YAZAKI, Yu HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220367906
    Abstract: An all solid state battery including: a battery cell; a first current collecting member; a second current collecting member; and an outer package. The battery cell contains a sulfide solid electrolyte; the outer package includes a first outer package member arranged on a first surface side of the battery cell, and a second outer package member arranged on a second surface side of the battery cell; a resin layer A is arranged in, at least one position of, a position between the first outer package member and the first current collecting member, and a position between the second outer package member and the second current collecting member; a resin layer B is arranged in a side surface part of the battery cell; and each of the resin layer A and the resin layer B contains an adhesive resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsuyama, Masatsugu Kawakami, Tetsuya Waseda
  • Publication number: 20220366457
    Abstract: A proposal system is a proposal system that proposes a method of using a used vehicle that was used in a flat-rate service in which a user is entitled to use a vehicle by making a periodic payment, and the proposal system includes a processor and an output unit. The processor calculates a first expected profit that will be obtained by selling the used vehicle, a second expected profit in a case in which the used vehicle is used in a subscription service, and a threshold value smaller than the first expected profit. When the second expected profit is larger than the threshold value, the processor has the output unit provide an output that the used vehicle be used in the flat-rate service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KINTO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya ODAGAWA, Yasuyuki NUNOKAWA, Koji NISHIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220367894
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly, a resin frame, a first separator and a second separator, wherein the resin frame comprises an opening in which the membrane electrode gas diffusion layer assembly can be disposed, and a skeleton surrounding the opening, and wherein the second separator comprises a convexity at four corners of a region which is a part abutting the resin frame and which faces an inner peripheral edge of the skeleton, and the second separator abuts the resin frame in a state that the convexities are engaged with the resin frame, or wherein the second separator comprises an adhesive at the four corners of the region which is the part abutting the resin frame and which faces the inner peripheral edge of the skeleton, and the second separator is attached to the resin frame via the adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori SHIBATA, Hikaru HASEGAWA, Hideo NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220362854
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object manufacturing method includes a molding step of molding a first three-dimensional object, a second three-dimensional object and a first support part for coupling the first and second three-dimensional objects at mutually different positions on a base plate by an additive manufacturing, and a separation step of separating the first three-dimensional object, the second three-dimensional object, the first support part and the base plate from each other. In the separation step, the first and second three-dimensional objects are separated from each other by dividing the first support part after at least one of the first and second three-dimensional objects is separated from the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuto TANAKA, Ryo WATANABE, Masataka YASUI
  • Publication number: 20220363249
    Abstract: The first yaw angle return control is started at a first start time when the first interruption condition is established. The actuator is controlled under the first yaw angle return control so that yaw angle at a first finish time becomes a value closer to yaw angle at the lane change start time compared with yaw angle at the first start time. The first finish time comes when a first control execution time passes from the first start time. The actuator is controlled under the second yaw angle return control so that yaw angle at a second finish time becomes a value closer to yaw angle at the lane change start time compared with yaw angle at the second start time. The second finish time comes when a second control execution time longer than the first control execution time passes from the second start time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota FUJII
  • Publication number: 20220366365
    Abstract: A logistics system provides a logistics service utilizing a logistics robot that delivers packages by autonomous traveling. The logistics system includes one or more processors. When delivery destinations of the packages are dispersedly located on a plurality of floors of a building, the one or more processors execute a priority determination process that determines priority among the plurality of floors. Then, the one or more processors execute a logistics robot control process that controls the logistics robot so as to deliver the packages to the plurality of floors in an order of the priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Kota OISHI
  • Publication number: 20220367889
    Abstract: To provide a fuel cell in which the gas sealing property between the unit fuel cells is high and the sectional area of the refrigerant flow path is large. A fuel cell comprising: unit fuel cells adjacent to each other, a cooling plate, and a gasket, wherein the cooling plate is disposed between the adjacent unit fuel cells; wherein the cooling plate is a corrugated plate comprising concave grooves configured to function as a refrigerant flow path; wherein the gasket comprises a first convexity having a height larger than a thickness of the cooling plate, and the gasket seals manifolds of the adjacent unit fuel cells; and wherein, at least at a part of a side portion of the first convexity, the gasket comprises a second convexity comprising a convexity in the same direction as the first convexity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuaki NONOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220363135
    Abstract: At least one power line is connected to a battery mounted at a vehicle. Plural ECUs are each connected to the at least one power line. A processor switches one ECU at a time of the plural ECUs from a second state to a first state by sending state switching signals to the plural ECUs. A power line to which plural ECUs are connected is a target power line. On the basis of current values of the target power line measured by a current measurement section when these plural ECUs are switched to the first state one at a time, the processor determines whether or not each ECU is in an abnormal condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuaki OKADA, Satoshi KAWASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20220363252
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention device includes a control unit that executes lane keeping control (automatic steering of a steering wheel and/or issuing of a warning) when it is determined that a vehicle may move out of a lane. The control unit withholds execution of the lane keeping control until it is determined that a return-to-control condition is satisfied when it is determined that a driver has gone from showing no intention to move out of the lane to showing an intention to move out of the lane to cross a first lane boundary. The control unit continues, when it is determined that the vehicle is approaching a second white line present in a traveling direction with a speed equal to or faster than a reference value, continues withholding the execution of the lane keeping control even when it is determined that the return-to-control condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuki ITAZURI
  • Publication number: 20220363291
    Abstract: An autonomous driving system includes one or more storage devices configured to store specific position information indicating specific positions at which there is a possibility that remote assistance is required; and one or more processors configured to: determine presence or absence of an abnormality in a remote assistance system configured to provide the remote assistance to an autonomous driving vehicle; set, when an abnormality is detected in the remote assistance system, any one of the specific positions on a target route from a current position of the autonomous driving vehicle to a destination as a limit position based on the specific position information; set a target retracting position such that the target retracting position is included in the target route from the current position to the limit position; and control the autonomous driving vehicle such that the autonomous driving vehicle stops at the target retracting position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwamoto, Kunihito Satou, Takefumi Goto
  • Publication number: 20220363327
    Abstract: A vehicle can have: (1) a first pair of rear wheels with a first pair of tires configured to be able to bear a weight of the vehicle and (2) a second pair of rear wheels with a second pair of tires installed on the second pair of rear wheels and configured to be selectively inflatable. The first pair of wheels can be disposed on a first pair of axles. The second pair of wheels can be disposed on the first pair of axles or on a second axle. In an inflated state, the second pair of tires can be configured to be able to bear the weight of the vehicle. In a deflated state, the second pair of tires can lack being configured to bear the weight of the vehicle. An individual or a controller can cause the vehicle to have a conventional configuration or a dually configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Zwegers, Robert C. MacArthur, Claudia A. Ma, Shigenori Shibata, Adam R. VanAntwerp
  • Publication number: 20220363313
    Abstract: A vehicle can include a first wheel, a second wheel, and a steering system. Either both the first wheel and the second wheel can be front wheels or both the first wheel and the second wheel can be rear wheels. The steering system can be configured to concurrently cause: (1) a steering angle of the first wheel to be at a first angle and (2) a steering angle of the second wheel to be at a second angle. A difference angle can be a difference of the first angle subtracted from the second angle and can be greater than an angle determined to comply with Ackermann steering geometry. Such a difference angle can act to securely brake the vehicle when the vehicle is parked at a location at which a three-dimensional shape of a topological relief of the location can complicate an effort to securely brake the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey Zwegers, Robert C. MacArthur, Claudia A. Ma, Shigenori Shibata, Adam R. VanAntwerp
  • Publication number: 20220363113
    Abstract: A guide rail includes: a first rail that has a bottom wall on which a load roller rolls and supports the weight of a sliding door; a second rail that has side walls on which two guide rollers roll and defines a moving direction of the sliding door; and a first restriction part that restricts the motion of the load roller in an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito KIRYU, Koichi MORITA, Hideaki KANASUGI, Shunsuke KANAGAI, Nobuo HAYAMA, Yusuke KATO, Nobuaki SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20220363286
    Abstract: An object recognition determination produced by a perception system from data received from a ranging sensor system can be verified. A certificate can be produced that includes data for points of readings from the ranging sensor system. The points can have been segmented, by the perception system, into point sets that correspond to objects in an environment of a cyber-physical system. The certificate can also include lists of pairs of points in a point set and a velocity of the point set. A test of information in the certificate can be performed. Based on a result of the test: a rectification can be made to the perception system or the ranging sensor system or a communication can be transmitted to a control signal production module configured to produce, in response to the communication, a control signal to be transmitted to an actuator system configured to control the cyber-physical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: Toyota Research Institute, Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
    Inventors: Daniel Jackson, Soon Ho Kong, Nikos Arechiga Gonzalez, Anna G. Bryan, Uriel Guajardo, Jeff Chow, Geoffrey Litt, Joshua Maxwell Pollock, Sergio Vale Aguiar Campos
  • Publication number: 20220363305
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to calculate a target rotation angle of a shaft rotating with a turning operation of turning wheels based on a steering angle of a steering wheel acquired from a rotation angle of a reaction motor, to calculate a command value based on the target rotation angle and a steering torque acquired from a torsion angle of a torsion bar twisting with an operation of the steering wheel, and to compensate for the torsion angle by adding the torsion angle as a compensation value to the steering angle. The electronic control unit is configured to change a value of the torsion angle that is added to the steering angle according to a degree of change of a state variable used to calculate the command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroto SUZUKI, Isao NAMIKAWA, Yoshio KUDO, Yuki SUEHIRO, Kosuke AKATSUKA
  • Publication number: 20220363174
    Abstract: A seat assembly including a seat frame, an armrest pivotally coupled to the seat frame, a stopper, and an engagement member. The armrest pivots between a use position and a drop down position below the use position in a vertical direction. In the use position, the armrest is configured to support an arm of a user. The engagement member contacts the stopper in the use position to inhibit movement of the armrest from the use position toward the drop down position. The engagement member is configured to deform against the stopper upon application of a predetermined force to allow the armrest to move from the use position toward the drop down position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Harkleroad, Manish Shah, Patrick J. Edgar
  • Publication number: 20220363314
    Abstract: A method for a vehicle safety is described. The method includes determining a current steering angle at which a vehicle is traveling. The method also includes displaying the current steering angle relative to a steering angle scale. The method further includes guiding an operator of the vehicle through feedback provided through a steering wheel of the vehicle while displaying the current steering angle relative to the steering angle scale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi YASUDA, Manuel Ludwig KUEHNER
  • Publication number: 20220365539
    Abstract: A method of determining a drivable space trajectory of an ego vehicle is described. The method includes determining a set of vehicle trajectories corresponding to a same semantic driving maneuver during motion planning of the ego vehicle. The method also includes identifying the drivable space trajectory to perform the same semantic driving maneuver. The method further includes performing a vehicle control action to maneuver the ego vehicle along the drivable space trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Daniele MOLINARI, Constantin HUBMANN
  • Publication number: 20220363499
    Abstract: An electrode stacking apparatus provided with a planar motor device (B) comprised of a flat plate-shaped stator (50) and a plurality of movers (40) able to move on a flat surface (51) of the stator in any direction along the flat surface (51) and able to rotate about a perpendicular axis of the flat surface (51) in a state magnetically floating from the flat surface (51). When stacking a new sheet-shaped electrode (1) held by an electrode conveyor device (A) arranged above the planar motor device (B) on a stacked electrode holder (60) of a mover (40), the mover (40) is made to move in synchronization with movement of the new sheet-shaped electrode (1) so that the new sheet-shaped electrode (1) continues to face the sheet-shaped electrode stacking position on the stacked electrode holder (60).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhira ABE
  • Publication number: 20220365767
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processor that: receives, from a user terminal, a request for first update regarding a first vehicle, notifies the user terminal that the first update is to be performed at a shop, when the first update is update of hardware, and notifies the user terminal that the first update is to be performed through wireless communication, when the first update is update of software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta TONE, Yukinori II, Tadayuki TANAKA, Naoki ISHIZUKA, Yuichiro YANO, Nariaki AMANO, Yusuke MAEDA, Kei YAZAKI, Yu HAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220364871
    Abstract: A storage medium storing an information processing program for controlling a first terminal which is used by a first user who has an administrator right for a specific vehicle is provided. The information processing program causes the first terminal to perform a step of acquiring a second user ID from a second terminal which is used by a second user who wants to use the specific vehicle and a step of transmitting a registration request signal for requesting registration of the second user ID in a predetermined list to a management server device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ai YASHIRO
  • Publication number: 20220365766
    Abstract: An OTA master configured to update one or more software on in-vehicle device includes one or more processors. The OTA master is configured to connect to an in-vehicle network including the in-vehicle device and communicate with an OTA center over a network. The one or more processors are configured to, out of software groups each composed of a combination of the software of the in-vehicle device, acquire configuration information on the software group in which a change has occurred in a configuration of the combination of the software. The one or more processors are configured to send the acquired configuration information to the OTA center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoichi NAGAMITSU
  • Publication number: 20220364763
    Abstract: A frost suppression device for vehicles includes a grill shutter disposed in front of an outdoor heat exchanger for heating the cabin of the vehicle, a shutter control unit for controlling opening and shutting of the grill shutter, and a weather information obtaining unit for obtaining weather information containing change over time in predicted outside air temperature at the current position of the vehicle. The shutter control unit makes a prediction about frost formation to predict whether the outdoor heat exchanger may be frosted, based on the predicted outside air temperature, when the vehicle is first parked. The prediction about frost formation predicts that frost formation on the outdoor heat exchanger may begin at a time when the predicted outside air temperature becomes equal to or below a predetermined temperature. The shutter control unit shuts the grill shutter before a predicted frosting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Shimauchi
  • Publication number: 20220366356
    Abstract: A logistics system provides a logistics service utilizing a logistics robot that delivers a package by autonomous traveling. The logistics system includes one or more processors configured to execute a delivery route determination process that determines a delivery route along which the logistics robot delivers the package. When there are a plurality of delivery route candidates from a position of the logistics robot to a delivery destination of the package, the one or more processors select the delivery route from the plurality of delivery route candidates based on at least one of a congestion degree of each of the plurality of delivery route candidates, a time of day, a weather condition, and energy consumption of the logistics robot along each of the plurality of delivery route candidates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon LEE, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Kota OISHI
  • Publication number: 20220364644
    Abstract: A sufficient sealing property of a through hole is ensured. A sealing structure includes a cylindrically-shaped body part inserted into the through hole, formed of a thin plate of a first thickness, one end of the body part being open and another end of the body part being closed, a tapered part connected to the opened one end of the body part and including a diameter gradually expanding outward as a distance from the body part increases, and a first bent part connected to the tapered part, formed of a thin plate thinner than the first thickness, and bent inward so that a protruding part protruding outward elastically abuts against an inner peripheral surface of the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Newfrey LLC
    Inventors: Tomohiro TAKENAGA, Keisuke Uchida, Tatsuya Okamoto, Satoru Ando, Toshio Narita, Hiroshi Imaizumi, Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20220366364
    Abstract: A delivery method according to the present disclosure includes a step of delivering packages to designated destinations by mobile bodies traveling autonomously, each of the packages having a delivery priority level. The delivery method further includes a step of, when a number of mobile bodies gathered in a bottleneck section is larger than a number of mobile bodies capable of passing through the bottleneck section at the same time, preferentially causing a mobile body delivering a package of which the delivery priority level is higher than a package delivered by another mobile body to pass through the bottleneck section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhisa OTSUKI, Haeyeon Lee, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Kota Oishi
  • Publication number: 20220366790
    Abstract: A vehicle management system manages a vehicle in a management area via communication. The vehicle management system includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to: acquire first vehicle information indicating at least a position of a first vehicle configured to switch between autonomous driving and manual driving; acquire second vehicle information indicating at least a position of a second vehicle that performs at least autonomous driving; determine whether a possibility of collision between the first vehicle being driven manually and the second vehicle being driven autonomously is higher than a first threshold, based on the first vehicle information and the second vehicle information; and when the possibility of collision is higher than the first threshold, instruct the first vehicle being driven manually to impose a driving limitation on the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuji Okamura, Takanori Imazu
  • Publication number: 20220365926
    Abstract: A method of identifying causal relationships includes receiving data comprising a set of values corresponding to one or more variables, and generating a list of candidate causal models of relationships between or within the variables. The list is ranked based on a likelihood of each candidate causal model, wherein the likelihood includes at least a correlation value. The method further includes receiving feedback identifying a candidate causal model and a change in rank of the candidate causal model, re-ranking the list based on the feedback, and displaying the re-ranked list. The method generates an intervention comprising a suggested modification corresponding to a variable of a selected causal model among the candidate causal models in the re-ranked list, receives additional data corresponding to the variable of the suggested modification and evaluates the additional data to determine whether the likelihood of the selected causal model has changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Rumen Iliev, Totte Harri Harinen
  • Publication number: 20220365593
    Abstract: A method for vehicle eye tracking is described. The method includes capturing sensor data based on eye tracking of a vehicle operator. The method also includes identifying sensor data associated with an external environment of a vehicle within the captured sensor data. The method further includes filtering out a sensor data associated with the external environment from the captured sensor data to provide an internal vehicle sensor data. The method also includes controlling a vehicle interface based on the internal vehicle sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi YASUDA, Manuel Ludwig KUEHNER
  • Publication number: 20220366187
    Abstract: A method includes fitting a ML trained model to data features, the fitting generates complete data feature-set outputs that are associated with a first set of accuracy values, iteratively fitting, after an iterative removal of each data feature from the data feature-set, the ML trained model to subsets of the plurality of data features to determine respective reduced feature-set outputs, each subset lacks a different data feature of the plurality of data features, determining one or more of the reduced feature-set outputs as corresponding to a second set of accuracy values, designating the iteratively removed data features as accuracy-modifying data features, generating a first linear model, generating a second linear model based on one of the accuracy-modifying data features having a weight that is highest relative to respective different weights of the remaining ones of the accuracy-modifying data features, and identifying the second linear model as a generative model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: Toyota Research Institute, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Totte Harinen, Alexandre L.S. Filipowicz, Rumen Iliev, Yanxia Zhang, Kent Lyons, Charlene C. Wu, Yin-Ying Chen, Yue Weng, Abishek Komma
  • Publication number: 20220366390
    Abstract: A new car subscription service in which a user is entitled to use a new car by periodically paying a first flat-rate fee and a used vehicle subscription service in which a user is entitled to use a used vehicle by periodically paying a second flat-rate fee are provided. A proposal system includes an obtaining unit that obtains information on the first flat-rate fee for a model and a model year identical to those of a used vehicle and a processor that calculates the second flat-rate fee to be lower than the first flat-rate fee.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KINTO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mari TORITA, Tatsuya ODAGAWA, Yasuyuki NUNOKAWA, Koji NISHIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220365768
    Abstract: A center includes one or more processors configured to: distribute, to an OTA master, campaign data including one or more pieces of package data, each of which includes one or more pieces of update software of one or more target ECUs included in a vehicle; determine, after distributing the campaign data, whether a defect involved in an update of the one or more target ECUs is found in the one or more pieces of package data included in the campaign data; and transmit, when determining that the defect is found, an application avoidance instruction to the vehicle to which the campaign data is to be applied via the network, the application avoidance instruction instructing the OTA master not to apply a piece of package data in which the defect is found at a timing of applying the campaign data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoichi NAGAMITSU
  • Publication number: 20220366788
    Abstract: A system includes: one or more storage devices that store specific position information indicating a specific position where an autonomous vehicle has a possibility to require remote support; and one or more processors configured to set a first target route as a target route, determine whether an abnormality has occurred in a remote support system, when the abnormality is detected in the remote support system, search for an alternative route that is a route to the destination based on the specific position information, the alternative route having a smaller number of the specific positions to be passed through by the autonomous vehicle than the first target route, when the alternative route is found, change the target route from the first target route to the alternative route, and control the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwamoto, Kunihito Satou, Takefumi Goto
  • Patent number: 11498045
    Abstract: A catalyst device includes a heating element that generates heat when energized, a case that accommodates a catalyst support (heating element), an inflow pipe that draws exhaust gas into the case, and a connecting pipe that connects the inflow pipe and the case to each other. The case includes an end portion, which protrudes further in an upstream direction than an end face of the catalyst support. The inflow pipe is disposed inside the case. The catalyst device includes a triple-walled pipe structure, in which the connecting pipe overlaps with the end portion of the case and the inflow pipe in a covering manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinori Oki
  • Patent number: 11498412
    Abstract: A vehicle underbody cover structure includes: a first splash shield placed below a cooling object and having a service hole; and a service lid detachably attached to the first splash shield such that the service lid covers the service hole. The service lid includes a lid-side vertical wall standing in the up-down direction, the lid-side vertical wall being placed ahead of the cooling object in the vehicle front-rear direction. The lid-side vertical wall has an air-cooling hole provided in a penetrating manner in the vehicle front-rear direction such that travel wind passes through the air-cooling hole, the air-cooling hole being provided to at least partially overlap with the cooling object in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eitaro Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11498564
    Abstract: Coordinates of a point, representing a current pair of states of a vehicle, can be determined to be outside of a first curve. An interior of the first curve, representing a first region of operation of the vehicle, can be characterized by values of forces produced by tires being less than a saturation force. A distance between the point and a second curve can be determined. An interior of the second curve, representing a second region of operation of the vehicle, can be characterized by an ability of an operation of a control system to cause the vehicle to change from being operated in the current pair of states to being operated in the first region of operation. A manner in which the vehicle changes from being operated in the current pair of states to being operated in a different pair of states can be controlled based on the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Ming Jonathan Goh, Avinash Balachandran
  • Patent number: 11498270
    Abstract: The devices and systems described herein generally relate to magnetic field chambers and reversibly hardenable ferrofluids. The reversibly hardenable ferrofluid can include a magnetically responsive fluid and a reversible hardening agent. The reversibly hardenable ferrofluid can achieve a first shape using one or more magnetic fields, such as delivered from a magnetic field chamber. Once the first shape is achieved, the reversibly hardenable ferrofluid can be cured or otherwise hardened. The hardened reversibly hardenable ferrofluid can be used for the intended purpose and then returned to a liquid state once the task is completed, allowing for reuse. The steps of hardening and liquifying can be mediated by the magnetic field chamber, as described in embodiments herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, inc.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Rowe, Umesh N. Gandhi
  • Patent number: 11498623
    Abstract: A vehicle lower part structure includes: center rail portions disposed at a central part in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; front rail portions disposed forward of the center rail portions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; rear rail portions disposed rearward of the center rail portions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; front connecting rail portions connecting the center rail portions and the front rail portions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; rear connecting rail portions connecting the center rail portions and the rear rail portions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; first mount portions supporting a vehicle body constituting a cabin; and second mount portions supporting the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jumpei Watanabe, Yasuhiro Hara, Norimasa Koreishi, Hirotaka Ishioka
  • Patent number: 11498390
    Abstract: In a situation where a temperature in a motor compartment is higher than a temperature of outside air, an inside air introduction rate increasing control is performed in which an inside air introduction rate is changed to be increased on a condition that there is no request for warming an inside of the vehicle cabin, the air conditioner is off, and air is being blown in an outside air introduction mode, and on the other hand, the inside air introduction rate increasing control is prohibited on a condition that there is a request for warming the inside of the vehicle cabin, the vehicular air conditioner is off, and air is being blown in the outside air introduction mode. In this way, heating efficiency can be improved by effectively utilizing the heat in the motor compartment to contribute to warming the inside of the vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Rino Oshikiri, Hidekazu Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 11498549
    Abstract: The hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor connected to the engine, and an electronic control unit configured to control the motor to execute motoring to rotate a crankshaft of the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to execute speed-drop offset control when a rotation speed of the engine falls below a first rotation speed that is lower than a self-sustaining rotation speed of the engine while the engine is operated in a self-sustaining manner at the self-sustaining rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Muta, Yukio Kobayashi, Takuro Shimazu, Yusuke Saigo
  • Patent number: D969874
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yasuda, Daniel J. Brooks, Scott Michael Harris