Operator feedback system

• US 10,384,601 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2018
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ricketts, Brandon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Leon Viet Q
• Application Number:
  US16/003,426
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/90 Single sensor for two or more measurements
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

An operator feedback system of a vehicle includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and control circuitry. The inertial measurement unit (IMU) is integrated in one or more components of the vehicle. The IMU is configured to measure one or more acceleration parameters of the one or more components along one or more axes of the IMU. The control circuitry is configured to compare the one or more measured acceleration parameters to one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters. Further, the control circuitry is configured to notify an operator of the vehicle based on the measured one or more acceleration parameters exceeding the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters.

Claims

1. An operator feedback system of a vehicle for reporting acceleration experienced by one or more passengers in a rear passenger seating area to an operator of the vehicle, the operator feedback system comprising:

an inertial measurement unit (IMU) integrated in one or more components of the vehicle in the rear passenger seating area, the IMU configured to measure one or more acceleration parameters of the one or more components along one or more axes of the IMU;

an in-vehicle electronic device that reports the one or more measured acceleration parameters and one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters to the operator and the one or more passengers of the vehicle; and

a control circuitry configured to;

compare the one or more measured acceleration parameters to the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters; and

notify the operator of the vehicle via the in-vehicle electronic device based on the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeding the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters;

wherein the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters are configured to be modified by the one or more passengers or the operator of the vehicle.

2. The operator feedback system according to claim 1, wherein notifying the operator comprises generating one of an audio notification, a visual notification, and an audio-visual notification via the control circuitry.

3. The operator feedback system according to claim 2, wherein the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification is configured to be cleared based on an input received from the operator via the control circuitry, after which time the in-vehicle electronic device resumes to a normal indication without the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification until the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeds the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters again.

4. The operator feedback system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle, wherein the IMU is configured to measure the one or more acceleration parameters of the one or more components only if the one or more sensors detects the presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

5. The operator feedback system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or a combination of a load sensor, an image-processing sensor, a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, and a seat belt position sensor.

6. The operator feedback system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more components comprise one of an armrest, a backrest, a seating cushion insert of a seating equipment, and a rear passenger seating area component.

18. The operator feedback system according to claim 3, wherein the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters are configured to be modified by the operator of the vehicle and the one or more passengers.

19. The operator feedback system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters are configured to be modified by the operator and the one or more passengers;

wherein notifying the operator comprises generating one of an audio notification, a visual notification, and an audio-visual notification via the control circuitry;

wherein the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification is configured to be cleared based on an input received from the operator via the control circuitry, after which time the in-vehicle electronic device resumes to a normal indication without the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification until the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeds the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters again;

wherein the operator feedback system further comprises one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle, wherein the IMU is configured to measure the one or more acceleration parameters of the one or more components only if the one or more sensors detects the presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle;

wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or a combination of a load sensor, an image-processing sensor, a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, and a seat belt position sensor; and

wherein the one or more components comprise one of an armrest, a backrest, a seating cushion insert of a seating equipment, and a rear passenger seating area component.

7. A method for providing feedback to an operator of a vehicle of accelerations experienced by one or more passengers in a rear passenger seating area of the vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring, via an inertial measurement unit (IMU) in the rear passenger seating area, one or more acceleration parameters of one or more interior components along one or more axes of the IMU;

comparing, via a control circuitry, the one or more measured acceleration parameters to one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters modifiable by the one or more passengers in the rear passenger seating area of the vehicle;

reporting the one or more measured acceleration parameters and the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters to the operator and the one or more passengers of the vehicle; and

notifying the operator of the vehicle based on the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeding the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising detecting a presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle via one or more sensors.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the IMU is configured to measure the one or more acceleration parameters of the one or more interior components only when the one or more sensors detects the presence of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or a combination of a load sensor, an image-processing sensor, a proximity sensor, a seat belt position sensor, and a motion sensor.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising reporting the one or more measured acceleration parameters and the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters to the one or more passengers of the vehicle, via an in-vehicle electronic device.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein notifying the operator comprises generating one of an audio notification, a visual notification, and an audio-visual notification via the control circuitry.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification is configured to be cleared based on an input received from the operator via the control circuitry, after which time the in-vehicle electronic device resumes to a normal indication without the one of the audio notification, the visual notification, and the audio-visual notification until the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeds the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters again.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the IMU is one of a single axis accelerometer, a dual axis accelerometer, and a triple axis accelerometer.

15. A method for providing feedback to an operator of a vehicle of accelerations experienced by one or more passengers in a rear passenger seating area of the vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring, via an accelerometer in the rear passenger seating area, one or more acceleration parameters of the rear passenger seating area of the vehicle along one or more axes of the accelerometer;

comparing, via a control circuitry, the one or more measured acceleration parameters to one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters modifiable by the one or more passengers seated in the rear passenger seating area;

reporting the one or more measured acceleration parameters and the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters to the operator and the one or more passengers of the vehicle; and

notifying the operator of the vehicle when the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceed the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising detecting when the one or more passengers are seated in the rear passenger compartment, and wherein the accelerometer is configured to measure the one or more acceleration parameters of the rear passenger seating area only when the one or more passengers are present in the rear passenger seating area.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the notification that the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeds the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters is cleared based on an input received from the operator, after which time a normal indication resumes without the notification until the one or more measured acceleration parameters exceeds the one or more preset limiting acceleration parameters again.