Systems and methods for securing cargo using inflatable panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12508974-B2
Application number	US-202318108087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Feb 10, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to securing cargo in a cargo area of a vehicle using inflatable panels. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring sensor data about a cargo area of a vehicle from at least one sensor, identifying a presence and a location of an item in the cargo area according to the sensor data, and inflating an inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inflation system, comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
acquire sensor data about a cargo area of a vehicle from at least one sensor;
identify a presence and a location of an item in the cargo area according to the sensor data; and
inflate an inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area.

2 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to identify the item further include instructions to:
monitor a state of the item to determine when the item is loose; and responsive to identifying that the item is loose, inflate at least one additional inflatable panel into contact with the item to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

3 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to identify the item further include instructions to:
monitor a state of the item to determine when the item is loose; and increase a pressure of the inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

4 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to identify the presence and the location of the item further include instructions to:
identify one or more objects in the cargo area; and inflate at least one additional inflatable panel to secure the one or more objects.

5 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to generate a predicted state of the vehicle over a route, wherein the predicted state of the vehicle includes at least one of: a speed, a steering angle, and a braking maneuver the vehicle will execute along the route; and
determine a predicted movement of the item according to the predicted state of the vehicle.

6 . The inflation system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to in response to determining the predicted movement of the item, prevent the item from executing the predicted movement by at least one of: inflating at least one additional panel into contact with the item and increasing a pressure of the inflatable panel.

7 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to inflate the inflatable panel includes instructions to:
determine the inflatable panel is a shortest distance to the item in comparison to one or more additional inflatable panels in the cargo area; and select the inflatable panel that is the shortest distance to the item to inflate into contact with the item.

8 . The inflation system of claim 1 , wherein a location of the inflatable panel is movable, and
wherein the location of the inflatable panel moves in response to disconnecting the inflatable panel from a first housing in the cargo area and connecting the inflatable panel to a second housing in the cargo area.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
acquire sensor data about a cargo area of a vehicle from at least one sensor; identify a presence and a location of an item in the cargo area according to the sensor data; and inflate an inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to identify the item further include instructions to:
monitor a state of the item to determine when the item is loose; and inflate at least one additional inflatable panel into contact with the item to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to identify the item further include instructions to:
monitor a state of the item when the item is loose; and increase a pressure of the inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to generate a predicted state of the vehicle over a route, wherein the predicted state of the vehicle includes at least one of: a speed, a steering angle, and a braking maneuver the vehicle will execute along the route; and
determine a predicted movement of the item according to the predicted state of the vehicle.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to in response to determining the predicted movement of the item, prevent the item from executing the predicted movement by at least one of: inflating at least one additional panel into contact with the item and increasing a pressure of the inflatable panel.

14 . A method, comprising:
acquiring sensor data about a cargo area of a vehicle from at least one sensor; identifying, using a processing device, a presence and a location of an item in the cargo area according to the sensor data; and inflating an inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying the item further includes monitoring a state of the item to determine when the item is loose; and
inflating at least one additional inflatable panel into contact with the item to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying the item further includes monitoring a state of the item to determine when the item is loose; and
increasing a pressure of the inflatable panel to secure the item in the cargo area when the item is loose.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying the presence and the location of the item further includes identifying one or more objects in the cargo area, and
inflating at least one additional inflatable panel to secure the one or more objects.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating a predicted state of the vehicle over a route, wherein the predicted state of the vehicle includes at least one of: a speed, a steering angle, and a braking maneuver the vehicle will execute along the route; and
determining a predicted movement of the item according to the predicted state of the vehicle.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
in response to determining the predicted movement of the item, preventing the predicted movement by at least one of: inflating at least one additional panel into contact with the item and increasing a pressure of the inflatable panel.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein inflating the inflatable panel includes:
determining the inflatable panel is a shortest distance to the item in comparison to one or more additional inflatable panels in the cargo area; and selecting the inflatable panel that is the shortest distance to the item to inflate into contact with the item.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Wang Weiling
• Song Yuyang

Classifications

• B60P7/135

  Securing or supporting by load bracing means · CPC title

• B60P7/065 Primary

  by pressurizing or creating a vacuum in a bag, cover or the like · CPC title