IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,547,359
Granted Patent B2
US 12,547,359 · App. 18/519,184 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Audio and visual environment for a pedestrian

Inventors: Benjamin Piya Austin (Saline, MI); Rohit Gupta (Santa Clara, MI); William Patrick Garrett (Plymouth, MI)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
G06F3/14G06F3/011G06F3/165G09F9/30G09F27/00G06F2111/18G06F2203/011G09B21/00G09F2027/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,547,359
App. No.
18/519,184
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving an audio and/or visual environment of a pedestrian. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying at least one device in an environment of a pedestrian that produces an output perceivable by the pedestrian, where the output includes at least one of an audio output and a visual output. The method further includes in response to determining that the output satisfies a change threshold, adjusting the output according to a pedestrian preference.

Claims (51)

1 . An immersion system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

identify one device in an environment of a pedestrian that produces an output perceivable by the pedestrian, wherein the output includes at least one of an audio output and a visual output, wherein the device is a vertically-mounted sign; and

responsive to determining that the output satisfies a change threshold that is based, at least in part, on a pedestrian location and a pedestrian preference, adjust the output according to the pedestrian preference indicating limitations of visual perceptions and limitations of audio perceptions preferred by the pedestrian associated with physiological conditions for viewing and hearing the output.

2 . The immersion system of claim 1 ,

wherein the instructions to determine that the output satisfies the change threshold include instructions to determine that the device satisfies a proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to the pedestrian,

wherein the instructions to determine that the device satisfies the proximity threshold includes instructions to determine that the device is within a viewable range of the pedestrian, and

wherein the at least one device is remote from the pedestrian and perceivable by a group of pedestrians including the pedestrian.

3 . The immersion system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to determine whether the device satisfies the proximity threshold include instructions to determine a device location of the device in relation to the pedestrian by analyzing a difference in a distance between the device location and the pedestrian location.

4 . The immersion system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust the output to invoke a physiological reaction in the pedestrian that is a response to instructions from the device, and

wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust at least a volume of the output and a brightness of the output.

5 . The immersion system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to:

create a communication link between the device and a remote server to identify the output of the device at the remote server; and

communicate an adjustment for the output of the device from the remote server over the communication link to cause the device to adapt the output.

6 . The immersion system of claim 1 ,

wherein the physiological conditions indicate one or more of an age, vision abilities, and hearing abilities of the pedestrian.

7 . The immersion system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine the pedestrian preference, wherein the instructions to determine the pedestrian preference include instructions to determine a group preference for a group of pedestrians in the environment,

wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust the output according to the group preference, and

wherein the instructions to determine that the output satisfies the change threshold includes instructions to determine that the device satisfies a group proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to each pedestrian of the group of pedestrians.

8 . The immersion system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify a vulnerable pedestrian among a group of pedestrians in the environment, wherein the vulnerable pedestrian is at least one of an elderly pedestrian, a disabled pedestrian, a hearing-impaired pedestrian, and a visually-impaired pedestrian,

wherein the instructions to determine the pedestrian preference include instructions to determine a vulnerable pedestrian preference for the vulnerable pedestrian, and

wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust the output according to the vulnerable pedestrian preference for perception by the group of pedestrians.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

identify at least one device in an environment of a pedestrian that produces an output perceivable by the pedestrian, wherein the output includes at least one of an audio output and a visual output, wherein the device is a vertically-mounted sign; and

responsive to determining that the output satisfies a change threshold that is based, at least in part, on a location of the pedestrian and a pedestrian preference, adjust the output according to the pedestrian preference indicating limitations of visual perceptions and limitations of audio perceptions preferred by the pedestrian associated with physiological conditions for viewing and hearing the output.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to determine that the output satisfies the change threshold include instructions to determine that the device satisfies a proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to the pedestrian,

wherein the instructions to determine that the device satisfies the proximity threshold includes instructions to determine that the device is within a viewable range of the pedestrian.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to:

create a communication link between the device and a remote server to identify the output of the device at the remote server; and

communicate an adjustment for the output of the device from the remote server over the communication link to cause the device to adapt the output.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the output is produced by a plurality of devices in the environment, and wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust individual outputs of the plurality of devices according to the pedestrian preference.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine the pedestrian preference, wherein the instructions to determine the pedestrian preference include instructions to determine a group preference for a group of pedestrians in the environment,

wherein the instructions to adjust the output include instructions to adjust the output according to the group preference, and

wherein the instructions to determine that the output satisfies the change threshold includes instructions to determine that the device satisfies a group proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to each pedestrian of the group of pedestrians.

14 . A method, comprising:

identifying at least one device in an environment of a pedestrian that produces an output perceivable by the pedestrian, wherein the output includes at least one of an audio output and a visual output, wherein the device is a vertically-mounted sign; and

in response to determining that the output satisfies a change threshold that is based, at least in part, on a pedestrian location and a pedestrian preference, adjusting the output according to the pedestrian preference indicating limitations of visual perceptions and limitations of audio perceptions preferred by the pedestrian associated with physiological conditions for viewing and hearing the output.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining that the output satisfies the change threshold includes determining that the device satisfies a proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to the pedestrian,

wherein determining that the device satisfies the proximity threshold includes determining that the device is within a viewable range of the pedestrian, and

wherein the at least one device is remote from the pedestrian and perceivable by a group of pedestrians including the pedestrian.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the device satisfies the proximity threshold includes determining a device location of the device in relation to the pedestrian by analyzing a difference in a distance between the device location and the pedestrian location.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the output includes adjusting the output to invoke a physiological reaction in the pedestrian that is a response to instructions from the device.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the output includes:

creating a communication link between the device and a remote server to identify the output of the device at the remote server; and

communicating an adjustment for the output of the device from the remote server over the communication link to cause the device to adapt the output.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the output is produced by a plurality of devices in the environment, and wherein adjusting the output includes adjusting individual outputs of the plurality of devices according to the pedestrian preference.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining the pedestrian preference, wherein determining the pedestrian preference includes determining a group preference for a group of pedestrians in the environment,

wherein, adjusting the output includes adjusting the output according to the group preference, and

wherein determining that the output satisfies the change threshold includes determining that the device satisfies a group proximity threshold that is based, at least in part, on a distance to each pedestrian of the group of pedestrians.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2026
From: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 074397/0543 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2023
From: AUSTIN, BENJAMIN PIYA; GUPTA, ROHIT; GARRETT, WILLIAM PATRICK
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 065694/0535 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250173102A1 · May 29, 2025
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