IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,720,805
Granted Patent B2
US 11,720,805 · App. 16/696,590 · Granted Aug 8, 2023

Vehicle recommendation system and method

Inventors: Stephen McFarland (Allen, TX); Armin Lange (Addison, TX)
Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
G06N5/04G07C5/008G07C5/0866
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,720,805
App. No.
16/696,590
Granted
Aug 8, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed. The system is configured to determine a weight distribution of a vehicle and determine a trajectory associated with the vehicle. The system is further configured to generate a vehicle recommendation based on the weight distribution of the vehicle and the trajectory associated with the vehicle.

Claims (83)

1. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a weight distribution of a vehicle loaded with load components;

determine a trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle; and

generate a vehicle recommendation based on the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle and the trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle,

wherein the generated vehicle recommendation is to reposition the load components within the loaded vehicle to improve the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain weight data from one or more weight sensors; and

determine the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the one or more weight sensors are a plurality of tire pressure sensors;

the weight data are pressure values generated by the plurality of tire pressure sensors; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data further comprises:

determining a weight of the load components based on the pressure values;

determining a center of gravity of the load components based on a location of the load components within the loaded vehicle and a distance between a front axle of the loaded vehicle and a rear axle of the loaded vehicle; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the center of gravity of the load components and the weight of the load components.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

determine whether the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle has changed based on data obtained from at least one of a camera and an accelerometer;

in response to a determination that the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle has changed, determine an updated weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data; and

generate an updated recommendation based on the updated weight distribution of the loaded vehicle and the trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

generate the vehicle recommendation based on a speed of the loaded vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

generate the vehicle recommendation based on a steering wheel position.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain lane data from a camera, wherein the lane data represents a lane of a roadway that the loaded vehicle is occupying; and

generate the vehicle recommendation based on the lane data.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain second vehicle recommendation data using a dedicated short range communication (DSRC) system, wherein:

the second vehicle recommendation data represents a second vehicle recommendation associated with a second vehicle; and

the second vehicle recommendation data is obtained from the second vehicle; and

generate the vehicle recommendation based on the second vehicle recommendation data.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle recommendation is configured to cause the loaded vehicle to generate a visual indication representing at least one of a suggested vehicle speed adjustment, a suggested magnitude of steering wheel rotation, and a suggested lane of a roadway.

10. A method comprising:

determining a weight distribution of a vehicle loaded with load components based on weight data from one or more weight sensors;

determining a trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle; and

generating a vehicle recommendation based on the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle and the trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle,

wherein the generated vehicle recommendation is to reposition the load components within the loaded vehicle to improve the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the one or more weight sensors are a plurality of tire pressure sensors;

the weight data are pressure values generated by the plurality of tire pressure sensors; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data further comprises:

determining a weight of the load components of the loaded vehicle based on the pressure values;

determining a center of gravity of the load components based on a location of the load components within the loaded vehicle and a distance between a front axle of the loaded vehicle and a rear axle of the loaded vehicle; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the center of gravity of the load components and the weight of the load components.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining whether the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle has changed based on data obtained from at least one of a camera and an accelerometer;

in response to a determination that the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle has changed, determining an updated weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data; and

generating an updated recommendation based on the updated weight distribution of the loaded vehicle and the trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining speed data from a speed sensor, wherein the speed data represents a speed of the loaded vehicle; and

generating the vehicle recommendation based on the speed data.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining steering wheel position data from a steering wheel position sensor, wherein the steering wheel position data represents an angular position of a steering wheel of the loaded vehicle; and

generating the vehicle recommendation based on the steering wheel position data.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining lane data from a camera, wherein the lane data represents a lane of a roadway that the loaded vehicle is occupying; and

generating the vehicle recommendation based on the lane data.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining second vehicle recommendation data using a dedicated short range communication (DSRC) system, wherein:

the second vehicle recommendation data represents a second vehicle recommendation associated with a second vehicle; and

the second vehicle recommendation data is obtained from the second vehicle; and

generating the vehicle recommendation based on the second vehicle recommendation data.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the trajectory comprises:

obtaining trajectory data from at least one of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensor of the loaded vehicle and an input device in communication with the loaded vehicle.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle recommendation is configured to cause the loaded vehicle to generate a visual indication representing at least one of a suggested vehicle speed adjustment, a suggested magnitude of steering wheel rotation, and a suggested lane of a roadway.

19. A vehicle comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a weight distribution of the vehicle loaded with load components;

determine a trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle; and

generate a vehicle recommendation based on the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle and the trajectory associated with the loaded vehicle,

wherein the generated vehicle recommendation is to reposition the load components within the loaded vehicle to improve the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain weight data from one or more weight sensors; and

determine the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data, wherein:

the one or more weight sensors are a plurality of tire pressure sensors;

the weight data are pressure values generated by the plurality of tire pressure sensors; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the weight data further comprises:

determining a weight of the load components of the loaded vehicle based on the pressure values;

determining a center of gravity of the load components based on a location of the load components within the loaded vehicle and a distance between a front axle of the loaded vehicle and a rear axle of the loaded vehicle; and

determining the weight distribution of the loaded vehicle based on the center of gravity of the load components and the weight of the load components.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2020
From: MCFARLAND, STEPHEN; LANGE, ARMIN
To: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 051637/0396 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210158185A1 · May 27, 2021