IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,586,458
Granted Patent B2
US 12,586,458 · App. 18/395,987 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Systems and methods for external display-based pedestrian navigation assistance

Inventors: Benjamin Piya Austin (Saline, MI); Rohit Gupta (Santa Clara, CA); Rebecca L Kirschweng (Bloomfield Hills, MI); Stuart Parson (Tokyo, JP); Stephanie Seohyun Park (Tokyo, JP); Yukiyo Nozawa (Tokyo, JP); Yen Yu Chen (Tokyo, JP); Ryusuke Shimizu (Tokyo, JP); Uyakhan-Egshig Molomjamts (Tokyo, JP)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
G08G1/005B60Q1/525G01C21/3661
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,586,458
App. No.
18/395,987
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to providing navigational guidance to a pedestrian on infrastructure elements or vehicles in the vicinity of the pedestrian based on the pedestrian being identified as unfamiliar with an environment. In one embodiment, a method includes determining that a pedestrian is in an unfamiliar area based on sensor data that characterizes the pedestrian. The method also includes acquiring a navigational instruction presented on a user device of the pedestrian. The method further includes presenting navigational assistance on an electronic display in a vicinity of the pedestrian responsive to an indication that the pedestrian is in the unfamiliar area. The navigational assistance is based on the navigational instruction.

Claims (67)

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor; and

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

determine that a pedestrian is unfamiliar with an area based on sensor data that captures physiological characteristics of the pedestrian that characterize the pedestrian as unfamiliar with the area; and

responsive to an indication that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area:

acquire a navigational route presented on a user device of the pedestrian;

identify a target entity, ahead of the pedestrian at a waypoint along the navigational route, that has an electronic display device;

initiate a handshake operation, with the target entity ahead of the pedestrian, to present navigational assistance on the electronic display device; and

present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device, the navigational assistance is based on the navigational route.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on an electronic display device of an infrastructure element.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on an exterior electronic display device of a vehicle.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine-readable instructions further comprise a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to detect a gaze direction of the pedestrian; and

the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on an electronic display device in the gaze direction of the pedestrian.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to indicate, on the user device, a format of the navigational assistance.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine-readable instructions further comprise a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to collect profile information for the pedestrian that indicates an establishment that the pedestrian has visited; and

the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present a location of the establishment on a map of the user device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine-readable instructions further comprise a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to collect profile information for the pedestrian and profile information for other individuals, the profile information indicates profile characteristics for the pedestrian and the other individuals; and

the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to identify, on the user device, another individual in the area that shares a profile characteristic with the pedestrian.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine travel regulations that pertain to the area; and

present the travel regulations on the user device.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area comprises a machine-learning instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to identify deviations between baseline data and the sensor data; and

the baseline data comprises at least one of:

historical data for the pedestrian; or

historical data for another individual.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to assess at least one of:

biometric data for the pedestrian;

images of the pedestrian; or

location-based sensor data of the user device.

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

determine that a pedestrian is unfamiliar with an area based on sensor data that captures physiological characteristics of the pedestrian that characterize the pedestrian as unfamiliar with the area; and

responsive to an indication that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area:

acquire a navigational route presented on a user device of the pedestrian;

identify a target entity, ahead of the pedestrian at a waypoint along the navigational route, that has an electronic display device;

initiate a handshake operation, with the target entity ahead of the pedestrian, to present navigational assistance on the electronic display device; and

present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device, the navigational assistance is based on the navigational route.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on an electronic display device of at least one of an infrastructure element or a vehicle.

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

the instructions further comprise an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to collect profile information for the pedestrian that indicates an establishment that the pedestrian has visited; and

the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to present a location of the establishment on a map of the user device.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the non-transitory machine-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine travel regulations that pertain to the area; and

present the travel regulations on the user device.

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

the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to identify deviations between baseline data and the sensor data; and

the baseline data comprises at least one of:

historical data for the pedestrian; or

historical data for another individual.

16 . A method, comprising:

determining that a pedestrian is unfamiliar with an area based on sensor data that captures physiological characteristics of the pedestrian that characterize the pedestrian as unfamiliar with the area; and

responsive to an indication that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area:

acquiring a navigational route presented on a user device of the pedestrian;

identifying a target entity, ahead of the pedestrian at a waypoint along the navigational route, that has an electronic display device;

initiating a handshake operation, with the target entity ahead of the pedestrian, to present navigational assistance on the electronic display device; and

presenting the navigational assistance on the electronic display device, the navigational assistance is based on the navigational route.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein presenting the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises presenting the navigational assistance on an electronic display device of at least one of an infrastructure element or a vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the method further comprises collecting profile information for the pedestrian and profile information for other individuals, the profile information indicates profile characteristics for the pedestrian and the other individuals; and

presenting the navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises identifying, on the user device, another individual in the area that shares a profile characteristic with the pedestrian.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the method further comprises determining travel regulations that pertain to the area; and

presenting navigational assistance on the electronic display device comprises presenting the travel regulations on the user device.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining that the pedestrian is unfamiliar with the area comprises assessing biometric data that characterizes the pedestrian.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2026
From: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 074740/0569 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2024
From: AUSTIN, BENJAMIN PIYA; GUPTA, ROHIT; KIRSCHWENG, REBECCA L.; PARSON, STUART; PARK, STEPHANIE SEOHYUN; NOZAWA, YUKIYO; CHEN, YEN YU; SHIMIZU, RYUSUKE; MOLOMJAMTS, UYAKHAN-EGSHIG
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 066426/0820 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250209905A1 · Jun 26, 2025
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