IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,528,465
Granted Patent B2
US 12,528,465 · App. 17/746,277 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Mobile device with adaptable speed for assisting a user

Inventors: Christopher T. Standley (Ann Arbor, MI); John Charles Rafferty (Dexter, MI)
Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
B60W30/146A61B5/0205A61B5/024A61B5/112A61B5/14542A61B5/6801B60W2300/40B60W2540/221B60W2555/20B60W2555/60B60W2556/40B60W2720/10B62B5/0069
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,528,465
App. No.
17/746,277
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Mobile devices described herein relate to assisting users. In one embodiment, a mobile device for assisting a user is disclosed. The mobile device includes a motor, one or more sensors, a processor, and a memory communicably coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine, using sensor data from the one or more sensors, a signature of the user that is operating the mobile device, the signature indicating at least attributes about movement of the user. The instructions include instructions to responsive to determining that the signature satisfies a trigger, adjust a speed of the mobile device by controlling the motor.

Claims (17)

1 . A mobile device for assisting a user, comprising:

a motor;

one or more sensors;

a processor; and

a memory communicably coupled to the processor and including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine, using sensor data from the one or more sensors, a signature of the user that is operating the mobile device, the signature indicating at least attributes about movement of the user relating to a gait including a walking habit that specifies at least a width of steps and physiological attributes including a heart rate; and

responsive to determining that the signature satisfies a trigger that indicates a deviation in the signature, including identifying a change in the width of the steps of the gait, and a change in the physiological attributes including an increase in the heart rate of the user, adjust a speed of the mobile device in proportion to a speed of the user and the heart rate by controlling the motor, wherein the instructions to identify the deviation include instructions to compare baseline gait data with the signature to determine the deviation.

2 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the trigger is identified from a group including: a speed of the user, a gait of the user, a presence of an obstacle, adverse weather, a speed limit, and a biometric signal of the user, wherein the biometric signal of the user is at least one of: the heart rate and a blood oxygen level, and

wherein the instructions to adjust the speed of the mobile device include instructions to maintain a predetermined distance between the mobile device and the user.

3 . The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to determine the signature of the user include instructions to extrapolate the biometric signal of the user from a wearable device.

4 . The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to adjust the speed of the mobile device include instructions to decrease the speed in response to at least one of: the heart rate of the user increasing, the blood oxygen level of the user decreasing, and irregularities in the heart rate of the user.

5 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to control the mobile device to follow a path derived from at least one of: a manual input, a cloud-based map, and a path of the user.

6 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to determine the signature of the user include instructions to determine the gait of the user, wherein the gait of the user depends, at least in part on, a height of the user, an age of the user, and an environment of the user, the environment including a terrain, shoes of the user, and a location of the user.

7 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device further comprises a user profile for the user, and wherein the user profile contains at least one of: baseline biometric data, baseline speed data, and the baseline gait data about the user.

8 . The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions to determine that the signature satisfies the trigger include instructions to determine that the signature of the user deviates from the at least one of: the baseline biometric data, the baseline speed data, and the baseline gait data about the user.

9 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein determining, using the sensor data of the one or more sensors, the signature of the user includes using the sensor data to identify at least attributes about the movement of the user, and

wherein the attributes about the movement of the user include at least a speed of the user, a gait of the user, a heart rate of the user, and a blood oxygen level of the user.

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 May 24, 2022
From: STANDLEY, CHRISTOPHER G.; RAFFERTY, JOHN CHARLES
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 059996/0782 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230391330A1 · Dec 7, 2023
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