# US 11,027,764 B2 · Vehicle driving mode safety system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,764 B2 - Document ID: US11027764B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/020,885 - Filed: 2018-06-27 - Published: 2020-01-02 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-27 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Justin J. Chow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027764B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 35/50: Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - B60N 2/0022: {for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature} - B60N 2/0025: {by using weight measurement} - B60N 2/0027: {for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part} - B60N 2/0028: {of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg} - B60N 2/003: {characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat} - B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling} - B62D 6/007: {adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode} - B60K 35/235: with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points - B60K 2360/172: Driving mode indication - B60K 2360/175: Autonomous driving - B60K 2360/48: Sensors - B60K 2360/782: on the steering wheel - B60N 2210/24: Cameras - B60N 2210/40: Force or pressure sensors - B60N 2220/10: using a database - B60N 2220/20: using a deterministic algorithm - B60N 2230/20: Wireless data transmission - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - B60W 50/0098: {Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for} - B60W 50/085: {Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input} - B60W 2540/215: Selection or confirmation of options - B60W 2540/223: Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined - B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 Methods, systems, and apparatus for automatically regulating activation of one or more driving modes of a vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel sensor connected to a steering wheel and configured to detect whether two hands of a driver are in contact with the steering wheel. The system, includes a driving mode button configured to receive an indication from the driver to activate a driving mode, the driving mode adjusting at least one vehicle performance setting including a throttle sensitivity setting, a shift control setting, a traction control setting, or a stability control setting. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to adjust the at least one vehicle performance setting in response to receiving the indication from the driver to activate the driving mode and receiving an indication from the steering wheel sensor that the two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for automatically regulating activation of one or more driving modes of a vehicle, the system comprising: a steering wheel sensor connected to a steering wheel and configured to detect whether two hands of a driver are in contact with the steering wheel; a driving mode button configured to be engaged by the driver to activate a driving mode, the driving mode adjusting a traction control setting and a stability control setting; and an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the driving mode button and the steering wheel sensor and configured to: adjust the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the driving mode button is engaged by the driver to activate the driving mode and when the steering wheel sensor detects that the two hands of the driver are in continuous contact with the steering wheel for a predetermined threshold time, indicating that the driver is prepared to operate the vehicle when the driving mode is activated, prevent adjusting of the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the steering wheel sensor detects that fewer than two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel, and provide an alert when the activation of the driving mode is prevented. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the driving mode is a sport driving mode, and wherein adjusting the traction control setting and the stability control setting includes decreasing traction control sensitivity and decreasing stability control sensitivity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the steering wheel sensor is configured to detect whether the two hands of the driver are contacting the steering wheel in a steering wheel control configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver configured to receive, from a remote server, at least one of weather data or traffic data, and wherein the ECU is configured to adjust vehicle performance settings based on the weather data and/or the traffic data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a battery state of charge sensor, a tire pressure sensor, a door lock sensor, or an engine oil sensor, and wherein the ECU is configured to adjust vehicle performance settings based on state of charge data from the battery state of charge sensor, tire pressure data from the tire pressure sensor, door lock data from the door lock sensor, or engine oil data from the engine oil sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an infotainment unit located within a passenger cabin of the vehicle configured to provide a plurality of functions including playing music, providing navigation directions, interfacing with a mobile communications device, or displaying images and/or video, and wherein the ECU is further configured to disable at least one of the plurality of functions of the infotainment unit when the driving mode is activated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is further configured to determine an amount of time that the two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel prior to the driving mode button being engaged by the driver to activate the driving mode, and wherein the adjusting the traction control setting and the stability control setting is additionally in response to the amount of time that the two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel exceeding a threshold two-hand engagement time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein a degree of adjustment of the traction control setting and the stability control setting is based on the amount of time that the two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is further configured to disable the driving mode in response to receiving an indication from the steering wheel sensor that the two hands of the driver are no longer in contact with the steering wheel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the driving mode button is a physical button, a physical switch, a physical sliding lever, a selectable icon on a touchscreen display, or a voice-activated button. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ECU is further configured to: determine, after the driving mode is activated, whether at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel, when the at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel for at least a threshold temporary removal time, disable the driving mode, and when the at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel for a duration under the threshold temporary removal time, maintain the driving mode. ### Claim 12 A method for automatically regulating activation of one or more driving modes of a vehicle, the method comprising: detecting, by a steering wheel sensor, whether two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel; receiving, by a driving mode button, an indication from a driver to activate a driving mode, the driving mode adjusting a traction control setting and a stability control setting; adjusting, by an electronic control unit (ECU), the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the driving mode button is engaged to activate the driving mode and when the steering wheel sensor detects that the two hands of the driver are in continuous contact with the steering wheel for a predetermined threshold time, indicating that the driver is prepared to operate the vehicle when the driving mode is activated; preventing, by the ECU, adjusting of the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the steering wheel sensor detects that fewer than two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel; and providing, by the ECU, an alert when the activation of the driving mode is prevented. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the driving mode is a sport driving mode, and wherein adjusting the traction control setting and the stability control setting includes decreasing traction control sensitivity and decreasing stability control sensitivity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein detecting whether the two hands of the driver are contacting the steering wheel further comprises detecting whether the two hands of the driver are in a steering wheel control configuration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising disabling, by the ECU, at least one of a plurality of functions of an infotainment unit when the driving mode is activated, the plurality of functions including playing music, providing navigation directions, interfacing with a mobile communications device, or displaying images and/or video. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising disabling, by the ECU, the driving mode in response to receiving an indication from the steering wheel sensor that the two hands of the driver are no longer in contact with the steering wheel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein a degree of adjustment of the traction control setting and the stability control setting is based on the amount of time that the two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining, by the ECU, after the driving mode is activated, whether at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel; disabling, by the ECU, the driving mode when the at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel for at least a threshold temporary removal time; and maintaining the driving mode when the at least one hand of the driver is removed from the steering wheel for a duration under the threshold temporary removal time. ### Claim 19 A vehicle having one or more driving modes, the vehicle comprising: a steering wheel sensor configured to detect whether two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel; a driving mode button configured to receive an indication from the driver to change driving mode from a current first driving mode to a desired second driving mode, the second driving mode adjusting a traction control setting and a stability control setting; and an electronic control unit (ECU) connected to the driving mode button and the steering wheel sensor, and configured to: adjust the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the driving mode button receives the indication from the driver to change driving mode and when the sensor detects that the two hands of the driver are in continuous contact with the steering wheel for a predetermined threshold time, indicating that the driver is prepared to operate the vehicle when the driving mode is activated, prevent adjusting of the traction control setting and the stability control setting when the steering wheel sensor detects that fewer than two hands of the driver are in contact with the steering wheel, and provide an alert when the activation of the second driving mode is prevented. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the ECU is further configured to disable the second driving mode or change driving mode from the second driving mode to the first driving mode in response to receiving an indication from the sensor that the two hands of the driver are no longer in a controlled driving position.