IP Library Granted Patent US 12,567,291
Granted Patent B2
US 12,567,291 · App. 17/829,525 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Setting a mode of a vehicle

Inventors: Edward Allen Cain, Jr. (Plano, TX); Satyajit P. Patne (The Colony, TX); Ryan N. Wilson (Melissa, TX)
Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G07C5/0808G06F8/65G07C5/0816
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,567,291
App. No.
17/829,525
Granted
Mar 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example operation includes setting a mode of a vehicle based on an operation of the vehicle, a characteristic of the vehicle, a time, and/or a location of the vehicle. The mode is any of a service mode wherein personal information of a user of the vehicle is inaccessible; a development mode wherein a functionality of the vehicle is able to be modified, tested and/or validated, and wherein a security control of the vehicle is limited; and a normal mode wherein the functionality of the vehicle is enabled and the personal information of the user of the vehicle is accessible and modifiable.

Claims (39)

1 . A method, comprising:

setting a mode of a vehicle from among a plurality of modes that manage access to at least one of data and controls on the vehicle based on a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location associated with the vehicle, wherein the plurality of modes comprise a first mode wherein personal information of a user stored by the vehicle is inaccessible, and a second mode wherein functionality of the vehicle is enabled and personal information of the user stored by the vehicle is accessible and modifiable,

wherein the first mode is set in response to a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location;

preventing, in the first mode, a retrieval of personal information from a vehicle data storage device;

receiving telemetry data from the vehicle, wherein the telemetry data includes status information for the vehicle; and

analyzing the status information to perform at least one of: a proactive failure analysis, a risk assessment, an engine life health report, or a degradation status report, for the vehicle;

wherein the analyzing compares the status information to factory specifications for the vehicle to predict a percentage of degradation of one or more components of the vehicle based upon the factory specifications.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting the mode to the first mode based on a current geographic location of the vehicle being within a predefined radius of a location for servicing the vehicle.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for enabling one or more user-customizable, performance-enhancing modifications to the vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for disabling a security control of an engine control unit of the vehicle, thereby allowing one or more customizable updates and/or feature modifications of the engine control unit to be performed.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the third mode further comprises an application configured for accepting one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features, and the method further comprising providing an information exchange portal associated with the application for enabling an exchange of functionality information of the vehicle between an OEM supplier and at least one of a third-party repair shop, the user of the vehicle, or a customer of the vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the third mode further comprises an application configured for accepting one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features, and wherein the one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features are configured to maintain one or more components of the vehicle within a predetermined tolerance.

7 . A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, wherein the memory and the processor are communicably coupled to each other and the processor is configured to

set a mode of a vehicle from among a plurality of modes that manage access to at least one of data and controls on the vehicle based on a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location associated with the vehicle,

wherein the plurality of modes comprise a first mode wherein personal information of a user stored by the vehicle is inaccessible, and a second mode wherein functionality of the vehicle is enabled and personal information of the user stored by the vehicle is accessible and modifiable,

wherein the first mode is set in response to a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location;

prevent, in the first mode, a retrieval of personal information from a vehicle data storage device;

receive telemetry data from the vehicle, wherein the telemetry data includes status information for the vehicle; and

analyze the status information to perform at least one of: a proactive failure analysis, a risk assessment, an engine life health report, or a degradation status report, for the vehicle;

wherein the analyzing compares the status information to factory specifications for the vehicle to predict a percentage of degradation of one or more components of the vehicle based upon the factory specifications.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to set the mode to the first mode when a current geographic location of the vehicle is within a predefined radius of a location for servicing the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode to enable one or more user-customizable, performance-enhancement modifications to the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for disabling a security control of an engine control unit of the vehicle, to allow one or more customizable updates and/or feature modifications of the engine control unit to be performed.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the third mode further comprises an application configured to accept one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features, and the processor is further configured to provide an information exchange portal associated with the application to enable an exchange of functionality information of the vehicle between an OEM supplier and at least one of a third-party repair shop, the user of the vehicle, or a customer of the vehicle.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the third mode further comprises an application configured to accept one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features, and wherein the one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features are configured to maintain one or more components of the vehicle within a predetermined tolerance.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

setting a mode of a vehicle from among a plurality of modes that manage access to at least one of data and controls on the vehicle based on a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location associated with the vehicle,

wherein the plurality of modes comprise a first mode wherein personal information of a user stored by the vehicle is inaccessible, and a second mode wherein functionality of the vehicle is enabled and personal information of the user stored by the vehicle is accessible and modifiable,

wherein the first mode is set in response to a distance between the vehicle and a predefined location;

preventing, in the first mode, a retrieval of personal information from a vehicle data storage device;

receiving telemetry data from the vehicle, wherein the telemetry data includes status information for the vehicle; and

analyzing the status information to perform at least one of: a proactive failure analysis, a risk assessment, an engine life health report, or a degradation status report, for the vehicle;

wherein the analyzing compares the status information to factory specifications for the vehicle to predict a percentage of degradation of one or more components of the vehicle based upon the factory specifications.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for setting the mode to the first mode based on a current geographic location of the vehicle being within a predefined radius of a location for servicing the vehicle.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for enabling one or more user-customizable, performance-enhancing modifications to the vehicle.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of modes further comprise a third mode for disabling a security control of an Engine Control Unit of the vehicle, thereby allowing one or more customizable updates and/or feature modifications of the Engine Control Unit to be performed.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the third mode further comprises an application configured for accepting one or more Engine Control Unit updates and/or features, and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions for providing an information exchange portal associated with the application for enabling an exchange of functionality information of the vehicle between an OEM supplier and at least one of a third-party repair shop, the user of the vehicle, or a customer of the vehicle.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2026
From: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 074828/0217 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2022
From: CAIN, EDWARD ALLEN, JR.; PATNE, SATYAJIT P.; WILSON, RYAN N.
To: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 060066/0647 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230394894A1 · Dec 7, 2023
References Cited (41)
US 6769009B1 · Reisman · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 8838332B2 · Moinzadeh et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9082238B2 · Ricci · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9082239B2 · Ricci · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9098367B2 · Ricci · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9111105B2 · Barton et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9134986B2 · Ricci · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9283931B2 · Skelton · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9374423B2 · Crosbie et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9545930B2 · Ricci · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9767626B2 · Makke · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9815470B2 · Luther et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9858174B2 · Straub et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10020995B2 · Ricci et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10286919B2 · Penilla et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10289288B2 · Penilla et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10324463B1 · Konrardy et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10337872B2 · Abe et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10464575B2 · Abe et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10657825B2 · Oshida et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10764735B2 · Horton et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10824415B1 · Fields et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11163931B2 · Ricci · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20020069282A1 · Reisman · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20120197513A1 · Gatti · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20140309866A1 · Ricci · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160027307A1 · Abhyanker et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160041820A1 · Ricci et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160070527A1 · Ricci · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170213459A1 · Ogaz · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170247000A1 · Ricci · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180181378A1 · Bakman · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190227547A1 · Sugahara · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190256094A1 · Kasaiezadeh Mahabadi · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200225930A1 · Teraoka · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200282951A1 · Elangovan · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210287458A1 · Kyes · 2021 [cited by examiner]
EP 2895347A2 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 6291680B2 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 6429203B2 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018208796A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]