IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,337,686
Granted Patent B2
US 12,337,686 · App. 18/304,846 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Methods for controlling a sequence of vehicle actions using a non-fungible token

Inventors: David Tsai (Irvine, CA); Will Hargis (Celina, TX); Charan S. Lota (Frisco, TX)
Assignee: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC.
B60K35/00H04L9/50B60K35/28B60K35/85B60K2360/177B60K2360/33H04L2209/84
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,337,686
App. No.
18/304,846
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for generating a non-fungible token for controlling a physical vehicle and methods of controlling a physical vehicle are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of generating a non-fungible token for controlling a physical vehicle includes generating a virtual vehicle within a virtual environment, wherein the virtual vehicle corresponds to the physical vehicle, receiving, within the virtual environment, requests corresponding to a sequence of actions for one or more virtual vehicle components, controlling the virtual vehicle such that the virtual vehicle performs the sequence of actions, generating instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle, and generating the non-fungible token, wherein the non-fungible token comprises the instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle such that the non-fungible token is configured to control one or more physical vehicle components of the physical vehicle to perform the sequence of actions.

Claims (38)

1. A method of generating a non-fungible token for controlling a physical vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a virtual vehicle within a virtual environment, wherein the virtual vehicle corresponds to the physical vehicle;

receiving, within the virtual environment, requests corresponding to a sequence of actions for one or more virtual vehicle components;

controlling the virtual vehicle such that the virtual vehicle performs the sequence of actions;

generating instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle; and

generating the non-fungible token, wherein the non-fungible token comprises the instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle such that the non-fungible token is configured to control one or more physical vehicle components of the physical vehicle to perform the sequence of actions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a virtual reality environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual environment comprises an augmented reality environment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual vehicle components correspond to the one or more physical vehicle components.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more virtual vehicle components and the one or more physical vehicle components each comprises one or more of vehicle headlights, vehicle front turn signals, vehicle tail lights, vehicle rear turn signals, vehicle brake lights, vehicle interior lights, vehicle wheels, vehicle side mirrors, and vehicle sound system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of actions comprises controlling a sound system to play audio over a period of time, and to control one or more lights of the virtual vehicle and the physical vehicle over at least a portion of the period of time.

7. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of a vehicle, a non-fungible token comprising instructions for controlling one or more components of the vehicle such that the one or more components perform a sequence of actions; and

executing, by the one or more processors, the instructions to generate a plurality of signals, wherein the plurality of signals control the one or more components such that the one or more components perform the sequence of actions.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the non-fungible token is provided on a blockchain.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more components comprises one or more of vehicle headlights, vehicle front turn signals, vehicle tail lights, vehicle rear turn signals, vehicle brake lights, vehicle interior lights, vehicle wheels, vehicle side mirrors, and vehicle sound system.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sequence of actions comprises controlling a sound system to play audio over a period of time, and to control one or more lights of the vehicle over at least a portion of the period of time.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

displaying one or more non-fungible tokens comprising instructions for controlling the one or more components of the vehicle on a display within the vehicle; and

receiving a selection of the non-fungible token from the one or more non-fungible tokens by way of the display.

12. A method of controlling a physical vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a virtual vehicle within a virtual environment, wherein the virtual vehicle corresponds to the physical vehicle;

receiving, within the virtual environment, requests corresponding to a sequence of actions for one or more virtual vehicle components;

controlling the virtual vehicle such that the virtual vehicle performs the sequence of actions;

generating instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle;

generating a non-fungible token, wherein the non-fungible token comprises the instructions for performing the sequence of actions by the physical vehicle such that the non-fungible token is configured to control one or more physical vehicle components of the physical vehicle to perform the sequence of actions;

receiving, by one or more processors of a vehicle, the non-fungible token; and

executing, by the one or more processors, the instructions to generate a plurality of signals, wherein the plurality of signals control the one or more physical vehicle components such that the one or more physical vehicle components perform the sequence of actions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the virtual environment comprises a virtual reality environment.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the virtual environment comprises an augmented reality environment.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more virtual vehicle components correspond to the one or more physical vehicle components.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more virtual vehicle components and the one or more physical vehicle components each comprises one or more of vehicle headlights, vehicle front turn signals, vehicle tail lights, vehicle rear turn signals, vehicle brake lights, vehicle interior lights, vehicle wheels, vehicle side mirrors, and vehicle sound system.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sequence of actions comprises controlling a sound system to play audio over a period of time, and to control one or more lights of the virtual vehicle and the physical vehicle over at least a portion of the period of time.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the non-fungible token is provided on a blockchain.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

displaying one or more non-fungible tokens comprising instructions for controlling one or more components of the vehicle on a display within the vehicle; and

receiving a selection of the non-fungible token from the one or more non-fungible tokens by way of the display.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more physical vehicle components comprises an external speaker.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: TSAI, DAVID; HARGIS, WILL; LOTA, CHARAN S.
To: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 063403/0688 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240351434A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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