Apparatus and method for adjusting front passenger seat

• US 10,427,635 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Alequin, Joseph Anthony, Yamamoto, Stuart Masakazu, Zhang, Junlei, Sullivan, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US15/631,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20180370476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/00 Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles railway seats B61D33/00; cycle seats B62J1/00; aircraft seats B64D11/06, B64D25/04, B64D25/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adjusting a front passenger seat in a motor vehicle includes the steps of identifying a user identification apparatus proximate to the motor vehicle, and accessing a user profile associated with the user identification apparatus. The user profile includes a predetermined home position for the front passenger seat. If the front passenger seat is unoccupied, the position of the front passenger seat is adjusted to the predetermined home position.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a front passenger seat in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

identifying a user identification apparatus proximate to the motor vehicle;

accessing a user profile associated with the user identification apparatus, the user profile including a predetermined home position for the front passenger seat;

determining whether the front passenger seat is occupied; and

adjusting a position of the front passenger seat to the predetermined home position if the front passenger seat is not occupied.

2. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of determining whether the front passenger seat is occupied, further comprising the step of:

implementing a delay for a predetermined amount of time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of implementing a delay further comprises the step of:

performing a pre-specified system check in the motor vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the delay for the predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to an amount of time required to complete the pre-specified system check.

5. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of determining whether the front passenger seat is occupied, further comprising the step of:

implementing a delay until an ignition of the motor vehicle is engaged.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

stopping adjustment of the front passenger seat if the front seat becomes occupied.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined home position of the front passenger seat comprises:

a longitudinal position of a seat cushion of the front passenger seat;

a height of the seat cushion of the front passenger seat; and

a rotatable position of a seat back of the front passenger seat.

8. The method of claim 1 first comprising the step of:

setting the predetermined home position for the front passenger seat.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of setting predetermined home position of the front passenger seat further comprises the step of:

storing the predetermined home position for the front passenger seat in the user profile.

10. A front passenger seat assembly of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a driver seat on which a driver sits, comprising:

a front passenger seat, comprising;

a seat cushion disposed in a relatively horizontal alignment, wherein the seat cushion is moveable in at least one direction; and

a seat back rotatable about a first axis proximate a rear portion of the seat portion;

an ECU for storing a user profile of the driver; and

a memory seat module controlled by the ECU and configured to control movement of the seat cushion and the seat back to a predetermined positioned based upon the user profile.

11. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 10 further comprises:

a user identification apparatus, the user identification apparatus including indicia for identifying the user identification apparatus; and

a detector in electrical communication with the ECU, the detector configured to detect the indicia associated with the user identification apparatus.

12. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 11 further comprises:

a sensor disposed in the motor vehicle for detecting a passenger in the front passenger seat; and

wherein the ECU prevents the memory seat module from moving the seat cushion and the seat back if the sensor detects a passenger in the front passenger seat.

13. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the ECU is configured to provide a delay for a predetermined amount of time in moving of the seat cushion and the seat back to the predetermined positioned based upon the user profile.

14. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the delay for the predetermined amount of time is approximately equal to an amount of time required to complete the pre-specified system check.

15. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the ECU is configured to provide a delay until an ignition of the motor vehicle is engaged.

16. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the predetermined home position for the front passenger seat is set by saving a position of the seat cushion and a position of the seat back when the ignition of the motor vehicle is disengaged.

17. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the predetermined home position for the front passenger seat is set by actuating a button in electrical communication with the memory seat module.

18. A front passenger seat assembly of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a front passenger seat, comprising;

a seat cushion disposed in a relatively horizontal alignment, wherein the seat cushion is moveable in longitudinally forward and rearward direction and transversely in an upward and downward direction;

a seat back rotatable about a first axis proximate a rear portion of the seat portion; and

a sensor disposed in the motor vehicle for detecting a passenger in the front passenger seat;

an electronic control unit for storing a user profile;

a user identification apparatus, the user identification apparatus including indicia for identifying the user identification apparatus;

a detector in electrical communication with the electronic control unit, the detector configured to detect the indicia associated with the user identification apparatus;

a memory seat module controlled by the electronic control unit and configured to control movement of the seat cushion and the seat back to a predetermined home position saved by a vehicle user in the user profile associated with the user identification apparatus; and

wherein the electronic control unit prevents the memory seat module from automatically moving the seat cushion and the seat back if the sensor detects a passenger in the front passenger seat.

19. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 18 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to provide a delay for a predetermined amount of time in moving of the seat cushion and the seat back to the predetermined positioned based upon the user profile.

20. The front passenger seat assembly of claim 18 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to provide a delay until an ignition of the motor vehicle is engaged.