# US 10,118,612 B2 · Vehicles, electronic control units, and methods for effecting vehicle changes based on predicted actions of target vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,612 B2 - Document ID: US10118612B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/448,070 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-02 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Nathan C. Westover; Geoffrey D. Gaither; Justin J. Chow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118612B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/16: Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60W 30/14: {Adaptive} cruise control - B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)} - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - B60W 30/188: Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power - B60W 50/0097: {Predicting future conditions} - B60W 60/00274: {considering possible movement changes} - B60W 2510/18: Braking system - B60W 2520/04: Vehicle stop - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects - B60W 2554/4045: Intention, e.g. lane change or imminent movement - B60W 2554/80: Spatial relation or speed relative to objects - B60W 2554/802: Longitudinal distance - B60W 2710/18: Braking system - B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2754/10: Spatial relation or speed relative to objects - B60W 2754/30: Longitudinal distance - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A vehicle includes a sensor system outputting one or more signals and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the sensor system. The electronic control unit may be configured to detect a target vehicle external to the vehicle based on the one or more signals output by the sensor system, identify the detected target vehicle, determine rating information for at least one of the target vehicle and a driver of the target vehicle, predict at least one action of the target vehicle based on the rating information, and effect one or more changes to the vehicle based on the predicted at least one action of the target vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a sensor system outputting one or more signals; and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the sensor system and configured to: detect a target vehicle external to the vehicle based on the one or more signals output by the sensor system; identify the detected target vehicle; determine rating information for at least one of the target vehicle and a driver of the target vehicle; predict at least one action of the target vehicle based on the rating information; and affect one or more changes to the vehicle based on the predicted at least one action of the target vehicle, wherein the rating information is based on one or more user inputs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein effecting the one or more changes to the vehicle comprises one or more of altering one or more vehicle settings and implementing one or more driving maneuvers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the one or more driving maneuvers comprise one or more of adjusting the vehicle position in a lane, changing lanes, passing the target vehicle, adjusting a distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle, braking, accelerating, decelerating, swerving, and stopping. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the vehicle is configured to execute the one or more driving maneuvers from one or more lists with respect to the rating information of the target vehicle or the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2 wherein altering one or more vehicle settings of the vehicle comprises one or more of altering a preprogrammed vehicle route, planning a route to pass the target vehicle, adjusting engine parameters, adjusting one or more regenerative braking parameters, adjusting one or more powertrain control parameters, adjusting one or more accelerator pedal settings, and adjusting the responsiveness of the vehicle acceleration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the vehicle is configured to enable at least one of a manufacturer, an end user, or an intermediate user to define one or more lists of settings to be altered with respect to the rating information of the target vehicle or the driver of the target vehicle and to alter such settings with respect to the rating information of the target vehicle or the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the rating information is determined from both an identity of the target vehicle and an identity of the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 8 An electronic control unit configured to: detect a target vehicle external to a vehicle based on one or more signals output by a sensor system; identify the detected target vehicle; determine rating information for at least one of the target vehicle and a driver of the target vehicle; predict at least one action of the target vehicle based on the rating information; and effect one or more changes to the vehicle based on the predicted at least one action of the target vehicle, wherein the rating information is based on one or more user inputs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic control unit of claim 8 wherein effecting the one or more changes to the vehicle comprises one or more of altering one or more vehicle settings and implementing one or more driving maneuvers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic control unit of claim 9 wherein the one or more driving maneuvers comprise one or more of adjusting the vehicle position in a lane, changing lanes, passing the target vehicle, adjusting a distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle, braking, accelerating, decelerating, swerving, and stopping. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic control unit of claim 10 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to execute the one or more driving maneuvers from one or more lists with respect to the rating information of the target vehicle or the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The electronic control unit of claim 9 wherein altering one or more vehicle settings of the vehicle comprises one or more of altering a preprogrammed vehicle route, planning a route to pass the target vehicle, adjusting engine parameters, adjusting one or more regenerative braking parameters, adjusting one or more powertrain control parameters, adjusting one or more accelerator pedal settings, and adjusting the responsiveness of the vehicle acceleration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The electronic control unit of claim 8 wherein the electronic control unit effects a first change to the vehicle if the rating information meets a particular criteria and the electronic control unit effects a second change if the rating does not meet a particular criteria. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The electronic control unit of claim 8 wherein the rating information is determined from both an identity of the target vehicle and an identity of the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 15 A method of effecting one or more changes to a vehicle comprising: detecting a target vehicle external to the vehicle based on the one or more signals output by a sensor system; identifying the detected target vehicle; determining rating information for at least one of the target vehicle and a driver of the target vehicle; predicting at least one action of the target vehicle based on the rating information; and effecting one or more changes to the vehicle based on the predicted at least one action of the target vehicle, wherein the rating information is based on one or more user inputs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein effecting the one or more changes to the vehicle comprises one or more of altering one or more vehicle settings and implementing one or more driving maneuvers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more driving maneuvers comprise one or more of adjusting the vehicle position in a lane, changing lanes, passing the target vehicle, adjusting a distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle, braking, accelerating, decelerating, swerving, and stopping. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein altering one or more vehicle settings of the vehicle comprises one or more of altering a preprogrammed vehicle route, planning a route to pass the target vehicle, adjusting engine parameters, adjusting one or more regenerative braking, adjusting one or more powertrain control parameters, adjusting one or more accelerator pedal settings, and adjusting the responsiveness of the vehicle acceleration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic control unit effects a first change or no change to the vehicle if the rating information meets a particular criteria and the electronic control unit effects a second change if the rating does not meet a particular criteria. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the rating information is determined from both an identity of the target vehicle and an identity of the driver of the target vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rating information is based on one or more user inputs that include one or more of a textual based rating and a number based rating. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The vehicle of claim 21, wherein one or more users of the vehicle input the user input on demand or the vehicle prompts the one or more users of the vehicle to input the user input.