# US 2021/0240972 A1 · Systems and methods for occluding vehicle occupant communication

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- Number: US 2021/0240972 A1
- Document ID: US20210240972A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/777,010
- Filed: 2020-01-30
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30
- Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Inventors: Benjamin P. Austin; Joshua E. Domeyer; John K. Lenneman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240972A1

## CPC

- G06V 40/20: Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition (recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16)
- G06F 18/25: Fusion techniques
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- G06V 20/593: {Recognising seat occupancy}
- G06V 40/103: {Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition}
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to addressing occluding potential miscommunication from an occupant of an autonomously operated vehicle. A method of occluding communication from an occupant of an autonomously operated vehicle includes generating sensor data indicating one or more aspects of an environment around the vehicle, analyzing the sensor data to identify a presence of an individual outside of the vehicle determining a position of the individual relative to an occupant inside the vehicle, and occluding at least a portion of at least one window between the individual and the occupant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An occlusion system for an autonomously operated vehicle, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data indicating one or more aspects of an environment around the vehicle;
one or more external communication devices;
one or more processors; and
a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing:
a monitoring module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to analyze the sensor data from the one or more sensors to identify a presence of an individual outside of the vehicle and determine a position of the individual relative to an occupant inside the vehicle; and
an occlusion module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to occlude at least a portion of at least one window between the individual and the occupant and to control the one or more external communication devices to emphasize an upcoming vehicle behavior of the vehicle when the occlusion module occludes the at least a portion of at least one window.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The occlusion system of claim 1, further comprising:
one or more internal sensors to detect body language of the occupant,
wherein the monitoring module further includes instructions to analyze the body language and determine whether the body language presents a communication that is inconsistent with a vehicle behavior, and
wherein the occlusion module further includes instructions to occlude the at least a portion of at least one window when the communication is inconsistent with the vehicle behavior.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The occlusion system of claim 1, wherein the occlusion module further includes instructions to occlude at least one full window of the vehicle that is between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The occlusion system of claim 1, wherein:
the monitoring module further includes instructions to determine an attention direction of the individual; and
the occlusion module further includes instructions to occlude the at least a portion of at least one window when the attention direction is toward the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The occlusion system of claim 1, wherein the occlusion module further includes instructions to occlude the at least a portion of at least one window by:
creating an occlusion having a size that is less than the full window, and
determining a position of the occlusion on the window based at least in part on a line-of-sight estimate between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 6

(canceled)

### Claim 7 (depends on 61)

The occlusion system of claim 61, wherein the one or more external communication devices include one or more of:
one or more secondary lights,
a light bar,
a display panel, and
an audio device.

### Claim 8

A method of occluding communication from an occupant of an autonomously operated vehicle, comprising:
generating sensor data indicating one or more aspects of an environment around the vehicle;
analyzing the sensor data to identify a presence of an individual outside of the vehicle;
determining a position of the individual relative to an occupant inside the vehicle;
occluding at least a portion of at least one window between the individual and the occupant; and
controlling one or more external communication devices to emphasize an upcoming vehicle behavior of the vehicle simultaneously with the occluding the at least a portion of at least one window.

### Claim 9

A method of occluding communication from an occupant of an autonomously operated vehicle, comprising:
generating sensor data indicating one or more aspects of an environment around the vehicle;
analyzing the sensor data to identify a presence of an individual outside of the vehicle determining a position of the individual relative to an occupant inside the vehicle;
occluding at least a portion of at least one window between the individual and the occupant;
detecting body language of the occupant using one or more internal sensors;
determining whether the body language presents a communication that is inconsistent with a vehicle behavior; and
occluding the at least a portion of at least one window when the communication is inconsistent with the vehicle behavior.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
occluding at least one full window of the vehicle that is between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
determining an attention direction of the individual; and
occluding the at least a portion of at least one window when the attention direction is toward the vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the occluding the at least a portion of at least one window comprises:
creating an occlusion having a size that is less than the full window; and
determining a position of the occlusion on the window based at least in part on a line-of-sight estimate between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14 (depends on 138)

The method of claim 138, wherein the one or more external communication devices include one or more of:
one or more secondary lights,
a light bar,
a display panel, and
an audio device.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for occluding communication from an occupant of an autonomously operated vehicle, including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate sensor data indicating one or more aspects of an environment around the vehicle;
analyze the sensor data to identify a presence of an individual outside of the vehicle
determine a position of the individual relative to an occupant inside the vehicle;
occlude at least a portion of at least one window between the individual and the occupant; and
control one or more external communication devices to emphasize an upcoming vehicle behavior of the vehicle simultaneously with the occluding the at least a portion of at least one window.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:
detect body language of the occupant using one or more internal sensors;
determine whether the body language presents a communication that is inconsistent with a vehicle behavior; and
occlude the at least a portion of at least one window when the communication is inconsistent with the vehicle behavior.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:
occlude at least one full window of the vehicle that is between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:
determine an attention direction of the individual; and
occlude the at least a portion of at least one window when the attention direction is toward the vehicle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions to occlude the at least a portion of at least one window comprise instructions to:
create an occlusion having a size that is less than the full window; and
determine a position of the occlusion on the window based at least in part on a line-of-sight estimate between the occupant and the individual.

### Claim 20

(canceled)