IP Library Granted Patent US 12,469,407
Granted Patent B2
US 12,469,407 · App. 18/319,960 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Systems and methods for training drivers via vehicle light control

Inventors: Hiroshi Yasuda (San Francisco, CA); Jean Marcel dos Reis Costa (San Jose, CA)
Assignees: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
G09B19/167B60Q1/50B60Q3/70H05B47/115
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,469,407
App. No.
18/319,960
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to training a vehicle driver based on in-cabin or external light triggers. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and a memory storing machine-readable instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to monitor a vehicle location along a roadway. A map of the roadway indicates a target location for a driving maneuver to be performed. When the vehicle location is within a threshold distance from a target location on the map, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control a vehicle light based on a vehicle light setting associated with the driving maneuver.

Claims (43)

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

extract from a vehicle data store, vehicle sensor data from vehicle-mounted sensors, the vehicle sensor data indicates a vehicle location along a roadway;

compare the vehicle sensor data to map data for the roadway, the map data indicates a driving maneuver to be performed at a target location;

extract from the map data, a vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver from amongst a set of location-specific vehicle light settings, the vehicle light setting is stored in the map data; and

when the vehicle location is within a threshold distance from the target location, transmit an electrical signal to control a vehicle light based on the vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to return the vehicle light to a pre-maneuver state based on the vehicle location passing the target location.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to return the vehicle light to a pre-maneuver state based on a driver performing the driving maneuver.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to control the vehicle light comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to control the vehicle light based on a difference between the driving maneuver and a user command.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to interrupt vehicle light control based on the vehicle light setting responsive to a driver executing the driving maneuver at the target location.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to monitor the vehicle location further comprises at least one of:

an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to compare data from environmental sensors of a vehicle to environmental data in the map to determine when the vehicle location is within the threshold distance from the target location;

an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to compare coordinate data of the vehicle to coordinate data for the target location to determine when the vehicle location is within the threshold distance from the target location; and

an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to monitor the vehicle location based on data received through a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the driving maneuver is a historically-collected driving maneuver based on collected data from a user navigating the roadway.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the driving maneuver is a model-based driving maneuver based on a machine-learning simulated navigation of the roadway.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle light is at least one of:

an interior light of a vehicle; and

an exterior light of the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine-readable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to extract from the map data, an intensity of the driving maneuver; and

the machine-readable instruction to transmit the electrical signal to control the vehicle comprises a machine-readable instruction that causes the processor to transmit the electrical signal to further control the vehicle light based on a difference between the intensity of the driving maneuver and a user command during the driving maneuver.

11 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

extract from a vehicle data store, vehicle sensor data from vehicle-mounted sensors, the vehicle sensor data indicates a vehicle location along a roadway;

compare the vehicle sensor data to map data for the roadway, the map data indicates a driving maneuver to perform at a target location;

extract from the map data, a vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver from amongst a set of location-specific vehicle light settings, the vehicle light setting is stored in the map data; and

when the vehicle location is within a threshold distance from the target location, transmit an electrical signal to control a vehicle light based on the vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to interrupt vehicle light control based on the vehicle light setting responsive to a driver executing a driving maneuver at a target location.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instruction to control a vehicle light comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to control the vehicle light based on a difference between a driving maneuver and a user command.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to return the vehicle light to a pre-maneuver state based on at least one of the vehicle location passing the target location or a driver performing a driving maneuver.

15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein:

the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to extract from the map data, an intensity of the driving maneuver; and

the instruction to transmit the electrical signal to control the vehicle comprises an instruction that causes the processor to transmit the electrical signal to further control the vehicle light based on a difference between the intensity of the driving maneuver and a user command during the driving maneuver.

16 . A method, comprising:

extracting from a vehicle data store, vehicle sensor data from vehicle-mounted sensors, the vehicle sensor data indicates a vehicle location along a roadway;

comparing the vehicle sensor data to map data for the roadway, the map data indicates a driving maneuver to be performed at a target location;

extracting from the map data, a vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver from amongst a set of location-specific vehicle light settings, the vehicle light setting is stored in the map data; and

when the vehicle location is within a threshold distance from the target location, transmitting an electrical signal to control a vehicle light based on the vehicle light setting specific to the driving maneuver.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising interrupting vehicle light control based on the vehicle light setting responsive to a driver executing the driving maneuver at the target location.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising returning the vehicle light to a pre-maneuver state based on the vehicle location passing the target location.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising returning the vehicle light to a pre-maneuver state based on a driver performing the driving maneuver.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein controlling a vehicle light comprises controlling the vehicle light based on a difference between the driving maneuver and a user command.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2025
From: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 072960/0293 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2023
From: YASUDA, HIROSHI; COSTA, JEAN MARCEL DOS REIS
To: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 063749/0952 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240386814A1 · Nov 21, 2024
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