IP Library Granted Patent US 12,600,237
Granted Patent B2
US 12,600,237 · App. 17/827,911 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Recommended vehicle-related functionality

Inventors: Simon P. Roberts (Celina, TX); Sergei I. Gage (Dallas, TX); Yang Ding (Montreal, CA); Christopher J. Macpherson (Plano, TX); Michael R. Kushnerik (The Colony, TX); Naohiro J. Matsumura (Dallas, TX); Cory M. Frank (Frisco, TX); Jessica May (Danbury, TX); Matthew J. Everett (Norton Shores, MI)
Assignees: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60K35/654B60K35/656B60K35/85B60K35/26B60K35/28B60K35/29B60K35/80B60K2360/18B60K2360/56
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,600,237
App. No.
17/827,911
Filed
May 30, 2022
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3662
USPC
701/36
Abstract

An example operation includes one or more of analyzing data related to content being delivered to occupant devices in a vehicle; and notifying the devices of additional functionality related to the vehicle based on the analyzing.

Claims (40)

1 . A method, comprising:

establishing a pairing between a mobile device of an occupant of a vehicle and a processor of the vehicle;

identifying, via the processor of the vehicle, content delivered to the mobile device from an Internet service via the established pairing;

upgraded functionality that is offered within the vehicle which is of interest to the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device;

transmitting a notification to the mobile device with information about the upgraded functionality via the established pairing; and

granting permission to use the upgraded functionality to the occupant through activation of a subscription that enables access to the upgraded functionality,

determining a primary occupant and one or more secondary occupants,

wherein a device of the primary occupant triggers the additional upgraded functionality to be provided to devices of the one or more secondary occupants.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the upgraded functionality is customized for the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing the pairing comprises establishing a Bluetooth communication channel between the mobile device and the processor of the vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the upgraded functionality comprises upgraded features for at least one of navigation features, seat features, voice control, gesture control, and high-speed networking.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising conditioning the upgraded functionality on one or more occupants of the vehicle satisfying a safety requirement.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an order between multiple occupants of the vehicle to prioritize access to the upgraded functionality and providing the upgraded functionality based on the order.

7 . A system, comprising:

a memory to store a set of instructions;

a processor to execute the set of instructions to cause the system to:

establishing a pairing between a mobile device of an occupant of a vehicle and a the vehicle;

identifying, via the vehicle, content delivered to the mobile device from an Internet service via the established pairing;

upgraded functionality that is offered within the vehicle which is of interest to the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device;

transmitting a notification to the mobile device with information about the upgraded functionality via the established pairing; and

grant permission to use the upgraded functionality to the occupant through activation of a subscription service that enables access to the upgraded functionality,

determining a primary occupant and one or more secondary occupants,

wherein a device of the primary occupant triggers the upgraded functionality to be provided to devices of the one or more secondary occupants.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the upgraded functionality is customized for the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to establish a Bluetooth communication channel between the mobile device and the processor of the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the upgraded functionality comprises upgraded features for at least one of navigation features, seat features, voice control, gesture control, and high-speed networking.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to condition the upgraded functionality on one or more occupants of the vehicle satisfying a safety requirement.

12 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the system to determine an order between multiple occupants of the vehicle to prioritize access to the upgraded functionality and provide the upgraded functionality based on the order.

13 . A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

establishing a pairing between a mobile device of an occupant of a vehicle and a processor of the vehicle;

identifying, via the processor of the vehicle, content delivered to the mobile device from an Internet service via the established pairing;

upgraded functionality that is offered within the vehicle and which is of interest to the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device;

transmitting a notification to the mobile device with information about the upgraded functionality via the established pairing; and

granting permission to use the upgraded functionality to the occupant through activation of a subscription service that enables access to the upgraded functionality,

determining a primary occupant and one or more secondary occupants,

wherein a device of the primary occupant triggers the additional upgraded functionality to be provided to devices of the one or more secondary occupants.

14 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the upgraded functionality is customized for the occupant based on the content being delivered to the mobile device.

15 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the establishing the pairing comprises establishing a Bluetooth communication channel between the mobile device and the processor of the vehicle.

16 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the upgraded functionality comprises upgraded features for at least one of navigation features, seat features, voice control, gesture control, and high-speed networking.

17 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising determining an order between multiple occupants of the vehicle to prioritize access to the upgraded functionality and providing the upgraded functionality based on the order.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2022
From: ROBERTS, SIMON P.; GAGE, SERGEI I.; DING, YANG; MACPHERSON, CHRISTOPHER J.; KUSHNERIK, MICHAEL R.; MATSUMURA, NAOHIRO J.; FRANK, CORY M.; MAY, JESSICA; EVERETT, MATTHEW J.
To: TOYOTA CONNECTED NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 061113/0806 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230382223A1 · Nov 30, 2023
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