Attitude control system for driver's seat

• US 4,404,632 A
• Filed: 02/17/1981
• Issued: 09/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Fujie, Naofumi, Harada, Kuniyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wise, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US06/235,173
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 364/425, 364/715, 364/706, 296/65 R, 297/346, 318/466, 318/467
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/238 the positional error is only used to control speed in steps according to distance left, or to give a stop signal when error reaches zero
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41092 References, calibration positions for correction of value position counter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45022 Auto seat, dentist chair, roll wheel chair

Abstract

An attitude control system for driving and controlling an attitude controlling mechanism associated with a driver'"'"'s seat. A semiconductor read-only memory stores attitude establishing standard data corresponding to values of a physical stature and an input/output controlling program data associated with a microcomputer. When a value of the stature is inputted into the microcomputer from a keyboard, the microcomputer reads attitude establishing standard data which corresponds to the stature value inputted from the semiconductor read-only memory, and controls the energization of the attitude controlling mechanism until an attitude indicated by such data is reached. An adjustment of the attitude is possible by a key operation. Data representing the prevailing attitude of the attitude controlling mechanism can be stored in a non-volatile semiconductor memory in association with a driver identification code. When an identification code is inputted, the microcomputer reads attitude data from the non-volatile semiconductor memory and controls the energization of the attitude controlling mechanism until an attitude indicated by such data is reached.

Claims

1. Attitude control system for driver'"'"'s seat comprising:

seat attitude setting means;

driving means adapted to drive the seat attitude setting means;

signal generator means coupled to the seat attitude setting means for generating an electric pulse for each movement of the seat attitude setting means;

a plurality of key switches;

a character display; and

an electronic control device comprising electronic processor means and memory means including a read only memory, a read-write memory and a non-volatile, read-write memory, said memory means storing standard attitude data corresponding to human data indicative of the physical features of a driver,

said electronic control device being capable of reading standard attitude data which corresponds to the human data inputted with the key switches from the memory means and controlling the energization of the driving means for establishing an attitude indicated by the read-out standard attitude data with reference to actual attitude data based on the counting of electric pulses,

said electronic control device storing acutal attitude data at a predetermined address of the non-volatile, read-write memory when an identification code and a memory instruction are inputted by the key switches, said address corresponds to the identification code inputted,

said electronic control device being responsive to input of an identification code and a set instruction with the key switches, reading the attitude data at the address which corresponds to the inputted identification code, controlling the energization of the driving means for establishing an attitude indicated by the attitude data corresponding to the inputted identification code with reference to the actual attitude data based on the counting of the electric pulses, and

said electronic control device, during the energization of the driving means, forming the actual attitude data by counting up or down the electric pulses depending on the drive direction of the seat attitude setting means and storing the actual attitude data in the non-volatile, read-write memory as the current attitude data after it stops the energization of the driving means.

2. Attitude control system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic control device energizes the driving means in a direction which corresponds to a key switch operation as long as the key switch is maintained operated.

3. Attitude control system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device includes up/down counter means which counts up or down the electric pulses corresponding to the drive direction of the driving means.

4. Attitude control system according to claim 1, further including limit position detecting means coupled to the seat attitude setting means.

5. Attitude control system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control device stops energization of the driving means when the limit position detecting means detects the seat attitude setting means is at a limit position.

6. Attitude control system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control device sets the actual data to a predetermined one when the limit position detecting means detects the seat attitude setting means is at a limit position.

7. Attitude control system according to claim 1, further including limit position detecting means coupled to the seat attitude setting means, the electronic control device including up/down counter means which counts up or down the electric pulses corresponding to the drive direction of the driving means, and the electric control device setting the counter to a predetermined data output condition when the limit position detecting means detects the seat attitude setting means is at a limit position.