# US 12,179,656 B2 · Control device, system, vehicle, and determination method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,656 B2 - Document ID: US12179656B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/685,797 - Filed: 2022-03-03 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-25 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shin Sakurada; Satoru Sakuma; Genshi Kuno; Shota Minami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179656B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/50: for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking - B60Q 1/52: for indicating emergencies - B60L 53/63: in response to network capacity - B60Q 5/005: {automatically actuated} - G06V 20/584: {of vehicle lights or traffic lights} - B60L 2250/00: Driver interactions - B60L 2250/10: by alarm - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A control device includes a control unit that acquires an image taken by a vehicle provided with a power supply function for a user, identifies an electric light that is turned off and that is included in the acquired image, refers to definition data that defines whether the identified electric light should be turned on during a time zone when the image was taken to determine whether a power outage has occurred. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device comprising a control unit configured to; (i) acquire an image taken by a camera mounted on a vehicle provided with a power supply function for a user, (ii) identify an electric light that is turned off and that is included in the acquired image, (iii) refer to definition data that defines whether the identified electric light should be turned on during a time when the image was taken, and (iv) determine that a power outage has occurred based on (iii) the referred definition data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit determines that a power outage has occurred, the control unit causes a light of the vehicle to blink under a certain condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control device according to claim 2, wherein when the control unit causes the blinking of the light to stop, the control unit presents the user with guidance regarding use of the power supply function. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit determines that a power outage has occurred, the control unit drives a horn of the vehicle under a certain condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The control device according to claim 4, wherein when the control unit stops the driving of the horn, the control unit presents the user with guidance regarding use of the power supply function. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit determines that a power outage has occurred, the control unit notifies the user that a power outage has occurred. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control device according to claim 6, wherein when the control unit detects approach of the user to the vehicle, the control unit presents the user with guidance regarding use of the power supply function. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the identified electric light is a traffic signal light that is turned off. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the identified electric light is a street light that is turned off. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to identify a building with lights completely turned off as an electric light that is turned off and that is included in the image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive the image from the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control device according to claim 11, wherein: the communication unit is configured to receive an image taken at the time by at least one other vehicle; and the control unit is configured to determine that a power outage has occurred when all electric lights included in a plurality of images received by the communication unit are turned off at the time when the electric lights should be on. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A system comprising: the control device according to claim 11; and the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the control device according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein: the control device further includes a communication unit configured to receive an image taken by at least one other vehicle inat the time from the at least one other vehicle; and the control unit is configured to determine that a power outage has occurred when all electric lights that should be lit during the time included in a plurality of images including the image taken by the vehicle and the image received by the communication unit are turned off. ### Claim 16 A determination method comprising: acquiring, by a control unit, an image taken by a camera mounted on a vehicle provided with a power supply function for a user; identifying, by the control unit, an electric light that is turned off and that is included in the acquired image; referring to, by the control unit, definition data that defines whether the electric light should be turned on during a time when the image was taken; and determining that a power outage has occurred based on the referred definition data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The determination method according to claim 16, wherein when determining that a power outage has occurred, the control unit causes a light of the vehicle to blink under a certain condition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The determination method according to claim 16, wherein when determining that a power outage has occurred, the control unit drives a horn of the vehicle under a certain condition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The determination method according to claim 16, wherein when determining that a power outage has occurred, the control unit notifies the user that a power outage has occurred. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The determination method according to claim 16, wherein the control unit determines that a power outage has occurred when all electric lights included in a plurality of images including the image taken by the vehicle and an image taken by at least one other vehicle are turned off at the time when the electric lights should be on.