Power actuated seat

• US 20030080699A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muirhead Aerospace Ltd. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Muirhead Aerospace Ltd. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rumney, Timothy John
• Granted Patent: US 6,949,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/9
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/904 Stored velocity profile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/909 Monitoring means

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for controlling seats and for monitoring behavior of power-actuated seats. Certain embodiments permit seat occupancy data, e.g., whether the seat is occupied or a weight-dependent characteristic of the occupant of the seat, to be collected by moving a part of the seat with an actuator. This seat occupancy data may then be used to control other aspects of the seat operation, e.g., set an operational limit of the actuator or reduce auxiliary power to other systems associated with the seat if the seat is unoccupied. For example, part of the seat may be moved with a first actuator, including detecting a control parameter at which the part of the seat begins moving. This control parameter may be correlated to an actuator limit.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a seat, comprising:

moving a seat member of the seat with a first actuator, including detecting a control parameter at which the seat member begins moving; and

correlating the control parameter to an actuator limit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting a discontinuity in activation power for the first actuator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting movement of an element of the actuator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the seat comprises increasing activation power supplied to the first actuator from an initial power level in accordance with a ramp profile.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting a deviation of the activation power from the ramp profile.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting movement of an element of the actuator.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the seat member comprises moving at least a portion of the seat member upwardly.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a maximum activation power for the first actuator corresponding to the actuator limit.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein moving the seat member comprises moving the seat member with the first actuator through a range of movement without exceeding the maximum activation power.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the seat includes a back and a back actuator, further comprising setting a maximum activation power for the back actuator corresponding to the actuator limit.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the seat member is initiated in response to actuation of a seat control.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the seat is unoccupied if the control parameter falls outside an occupancy range.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising reducing auxiliary power to the seat if the seat is determined to be unoccupied.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of moving the seat member is initiated at expiration of a check interval.

15. A seat control system for a seat including a seat member, comprising:

a system bus; and

a controller coupled to the system bus, the controller being adapted to;

initiate movement of the seat member with a first actuator, including detecting a control parameter at which the seat member begins moving; and

correlate the control parameter to an actuator limit.

16. A method of controlling a seat, comprising:

moving a seat member of the seat with a first actuator, including detecting a control parameter at which the seat member begins moving; and

determining that the seat is unoccupied if the control parameter falls outside an occupancy range.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising reducing auxiliary power to the seat if the seat is determined to be unoccupied.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of moving the seat member is initiated at expiration of a check interval.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting a discontinuity in activation power for the first actuator.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting movement of an element of the actuator.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein moving the seat comprises increasing activation power supplied to the first actuator from an initial power level in accordance with a ramp profile.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting a deviation of the activation power from the ramp profile.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting the control parameter comprises detecting movement of an element of the actuator.

24. A seat control system for a seat including a seat member, comprising:

a system bus; and

a controller coupled to the system bus, the controller being adapted to;

initiate movement of the seat member with a first actuator, including detecting a control parameter at which the seat member begins moving; and

determine that the seat is unoccupied if the control parameter falls outside an occupancy range.

25. A method of controlling a seat, comprising:

increasing activation power supplied to a first actuator from an initial power level in accordance with a ramp profile;

while increasing the activation power, detecting a motion indicator correlated to motion of the first actuator;

correlating the motion indicator to a maximum activation power for the first actuator.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising limiting activation power supplied to the first actuator over a range of motion to the maximum activation power.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein detecting the motion indicator comprises detecting a deviation of the activation power from the ramp profile.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein detecting the motion indicator comprises detecting movement of an element of the first actuator.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the activation power supplied in accordance with the ramp profile is adapted to move at least a portion of a seat member of the seat upwardly with the first actuator.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising moving a seat member of the seat with the first actuator through a range of motion after detecting the motion indicator.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the seat member is moved through the range of motion without exceeding the maximum activation power.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein the seat includes a back and a back actuator, further comprising correlating the motion indicator to a maximum back activation power for the back actuator and limiting activation power supplied to the back actuator over a range of motion to the maximum back activation power.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of increasing activation power is initiated in response to actuation of a seat control.

34. The method of claim 25 further comprising determining that the seat is unoccupied if the maximum activation power is below an occupancy threshold.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising reducing auxiliary power to the seat if the seat is determined to be unoccupied.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of moving the seat member is initiated at expiration of a check interval.

37. A method of monitoring the behavior of a seat having a seat member coupled to an actuator, the actuator being coupled to a power source having a variable power level, comprising:

delivering power from the power source to the actuator to move the seat member with the actuator;

detecting the power level of the power source during movement of the seat member and a length of time of the movement;

storing performance data in a memory circuit, the performance data reflecting the detected power level and time of movement;

generating a fault if the performance data is not within normal operating parameters.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

repeatedly moving the seat member with the actuator and, for each such movement of the seat member;

delivering power from the power source to the actuator to move the seat member with the actuator;

detecting the power level of the power source during movement of the seat member and a length of time of the movement; and

storing performance data in the memory circuit, the performance data reflecting the detected power level and time of the movement, the performance data stored in the memory circuit for the repeated movements of the seat comprising collective performance data for the seat; and

using the collective performance data to predict service needs for the seat.