IP Library Granted Patent US 12,460,939
Granted Patent B2
US 12,460,939 · App. 17/740,613 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Systems and methods for vacant property identification and display

Inventors: Satoshi Nagashima (Long Island City, NY); John F. Daly (Frisco, TX); Adrian Lombard (Royal Oak, MI); Paul Li (Mountain View, CA); Kruti Vekaria (Arlington, VA); Baik Hoh (Mountain View, CA)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
G01C21/3685G01C21/3605G01C21/3617G01C21/3679G01C21/3682G01C21/3804G05D1/0225G06F16/29G06F16/583G06F16/9535G06F16/9537G06V10/40G06V20/56G08G1/141
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,460,939
App. No.
17/740,613
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A location matching method is provided. The method comprises receiving one or more photos of one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties, processing the one or more photos of the one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties to extract features related to the surroundings of the one or more vacant properties, generating one or more tags descriptive of the one or more photos based on the features that are extracted, receiving a preference from a user, and generating for output to the user one or more recommended properties based on a comparison of the one or more tags and the preference.

Claims (55)

1 . A location matching method, comprising:

receiving one or more photos of one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties;

processing the one or more photos of the one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties to extract features related to the surroundings of the one or more vacant properties;

generating one or more tags descriptive of the one or more photos based on the features that are extracted, wherein the one or more tags are digital;

receiving a preference from a user, wherein the preference from the user is input into one or more text fields by the user; and

generating for output to the user one or more recommended properties based on a comparison of the one or more tags and the preference,

wherein the one or more tags each include:

type of view, including an ocean view or a sunset view from at least one of the one or more vacant properties,

information on available time of the one or more vacant properties, and

an indication as to whether the one or more vacant properties are available for use based on zoning and/or usage information retrieved from a regulatory zoning authority, wherein the indication describes whether the one or more vacant properties are available for use as a temporary showroom.

2 . The location matching method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tags include a type of a point of interest (POI) within a threshold distance from the at least one of the one or more vacant properties.

3 . The location matching method of claim 1 , wherein generating one or more tags comprises:

extracting metadata from the one or more photos;

querying a type of a point of interest (POI) database with the metadata;

receiving a plurality of POIs from the POI database; and

categorizing the plurality of POIs into types.

4 . The location matching method of claim 1 , wherein generating one or more tags is automatically performed by one or more computer vision techniques.

5 . The location matching method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of a property from the one or more recommended properties from the user;

receiving a location of a vehicle of the user; and

directing the vehicle to drive to the location.

6 . The location matching method of claim 1 , wherein a machine learning algorithm generates the one or more tags descriptive of the one or more photos based on the extracted features.

7 . The location matching method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting locations of the one or more vacant properties to a remote server; and

updating availability information of the one or more vacant properties in response to receiving authorization on the one or more vacant properties from the remote server.

8 . The location matching method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more photos of one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties are captured by one or more vehicles.

9 . The location matching method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting, on a user interface, the one or more vacant properties on a map along with the one or more tags associated with the one or more vacant properties.

10 . A location matching system, comprising:

a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving one or more photos of one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties;

processing the one or more photos of the one or more vacant properties and surroundings of the one or more vacant properties to extract features related to the surroundings of the one or more vacant properties;

generating one or more tags descriptive of the one or more photos based on the features that are extracted, wherein the one or more tags are digital;

receiving a preference from a user, wherein the preference from the user is input into one or more text fields by the user; and

generating for output to the user one or more recommended properties based on a comparison of the one or more tags and the preference,

wherein the one or more tags each include:

a type of view, including an ocean view or a sunset view from at least one of the one or more vacant properties,

information on available time of the one or more vacant properties, and

an indication as to whether the one or more vacant properties are available for use based on zoning and/or usage information retrieved from a regulatory zoning authority, wherein the indication describes whether the one or more vacant properties are available for use as a temporary showroom.

11 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more tags include a type of a point of interest (POI) within a threshold distance from at least one of the one or more vacant properties.

12 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein generating one or more tags comprises:

extracting metadata from the one or more photos;

querying a type of a point of interest (POI) database with the metadata;

receiving a plurality of POIs from the POI database; and

categorizing the plurality of POIs into types.

13 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein generating one or more tags is automatically performed by one or more computer vision techniques.

14 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein the preference from the user is at least a time and a location.

15 . The location matching system of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of a property from the one or more recommended properties from the user;

receiving a location of a vehicle of the user; and

directing the vehicle to drive to the location.

16 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein a machine learning algorithm generates the one or more tags descriptive of the one or more photos based on the extracted features.

17 . The location matching system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

transmitting locations of the one or more vacant properties to a remote server; and

updating availability information of the one or more vacant properties in response to receiving authorization on the one or more vacant properties from the remote server.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2025
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 072948/0604 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2022
From: NAGASHIMA, SATOSHI; DALY, JOHN F.; LOMBARD, ADRIAN; LI, PAUL; VEKARIA, KRUTI; HOH, BAIK
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 059985/0305 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230366695A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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