Granted Patent B2

US 12,597,345 · App. 18/668,029 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Inventor: Coh L. Yoshizaki (Wixom, MI)

Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

G08G1/09626G01C21/3658G08G1/0112G08G1/0125

Abstract

Claims (53)

1 . A traffic lane identification system for assisting a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

a display located on or within the vehicle; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the display and configured to:

transmit a real-time video data to the display so as to display a field of view of a surrounding area of the vehicle via the display;

generate a lane identifier indicating a current traffic lane of the vehicle;

transmit the lane identifier to the display so as to display the lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display;

determine that the vehicle is performing a lane change maneuver;

generate an updated lane identifier indicating a new current traffic lane of the vehicle;

transmit the updated lane identifier to the display so as to display the updated lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display; and

turn off the lane identifier from the display during the lane change maneuver.

2 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera coupled to the ECU and configured to capture the real-time video data of the field of view of the surrounding area of the vehicle.

3 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 2 , wherein the field of view of the surrounding area of the vehicle includes a rearward field of view with respect to the vehicle.

4 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 3 , wherein the display includes a digital rearview mirror configured to display the rearward field of view and/or the lane identifier.

5 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 1 , wherein the lane identifier includes a marker highlighting a lane marking of the current traffic lane of the vehicle.

6 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 1 , wherein the lane identifier includes a first zone including the current traffic lane of the vehicle and a second zone.

7 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of a color or a brightness of the second zone is adjusted with respect to the first zone.

8 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 1 , wherein the lane identifier includes a plurality of colors, each color of the plurality of colors is assigned to a respective traffic lane of a plurality of traffic lanes identified in the field of view.

9 . A traffic lane identification system for assisting a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

a camera configured to capture a real-time video data of a field of view of a surrounding area of the vehicle;

a display located on or within the vehicle; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the display and the camera and configured to:

transmit the real-time video data to the display so as to display the field of view of the surrounding area of the vehicle via the display;

generate a lane identifier indicating a current traffic lane of the vehicle;

transmit the lane identifier to the display so as to display the lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display;

determine that the vehicle is performing a lane change maneuver;

turn off the lane identifier from the display during the lane change maneuver;

determine that the vehicle has completed the lane change maneuver;

generate an updated lane identifier indicating a new current traffic lane of the vehicle; and

transmit the updated lane identifier to the display so as to display the updated lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display.

10 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 9 , wherein:

the field of view of the surrounding area of the vehicle includes a rearward field of view with respect to the vehicle; and

the display includes a digital rearview mirror configured to display the rearward field of view and/or the lane identifier.

11 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 9 , wherein the lane identifier includes a marker highlighting a lane marking of the current traffic lane of the vehicle.

12 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 9 , wherein:

the lane identifier includes a first zone including the current traffic lane of the vehicle and a second zone; and

at least one of a color or a brightness of the second zone is adjusted with respect to the first zone.

13 . The traffic lane identification system of claim 9 , wherein the lane identifier includes a plurality of colors, each color of the plurality of colors is assigned to a respective traffic lane of a plurality of traffic lanes identified in the field of view.

14 . A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

transmitting, via an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle, a real-time video data to a display so as to display a field of view of a surrounding area of the vehicle via the display;

generating, via the ECU, a lane identifier indicating a current traffic lane of the vehicle;

transmitting, via the ECU, the lane identifier to the display so as to display the lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display:

determining, via the ECU, that the vehicle is performing a lane change maneuver;

disabling, via the ECU, the lane identifier from the display during the lane change maneuver;

determining, via the ECU, that the vehicle has completed the lane change maneuver;

generating, via the ECU, an updated lane identifier indicating a new current traffic lane of the vehicle; and

transmitting, via the ECU, the updated lane identifier to the display so as to display the updated lane identifier overlaid within the field of view via the display.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the field of view of the surrounding area of the vehicle includes a rearward field of view with respect to the vehicle; and

the display includes a digital rearview mirror configured to display the rearward field of view and/or the lane identifier.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the lane identifier includes at least one of:

a marker highlighting a lane marking of the current traffic lane of the vehicle;

a first zone including the current traffic lane of the vehicle and a second zone, and at least one of a color or a brightness of the second zone is adjusted with respect to the first zone; or

a plurality of colors, each color of the plurality of colors is assigned to a respective traffic lane of a plurality of traffic lanes identified in the field of view.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (24)