Dynamic geometry support for vehicle components

• US 9,085,270 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Rovik, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/574,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20150094881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for adjusting a position of at least one component of a vehicle for a user of the vehicle. A user is identified with a user key associated with the user. The user key and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle are transmitted to a server remote from the vehicle. At least one user setting for the vehicle is received from the remote server, with the at least one user setting relating to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component. A vehicle system setting is updated with the at least one user setting so as to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when the vehicle system setting does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

at least one component having an adjustable position;

an actuator coupled to the at least one component to adjust the position of the at least one component;

a controller connected to the actuator and configured to control the actuator;

a memory storing a vehicle system setting for the position of the at least one component; and

a telematics unit configured to;

identify a user of the vehicle with a user key associated with the user;

transmit the user key and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle to a server remote from the vehicle when the user is detected in or near the vehicle;

receive at least one user setting from the remote server, wherein the at least one user setting relates to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component; and

update a vehicle system setting for the at least one component with the at least one user setting;

wherein the controller controls the actuator to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when the vehicle system setting does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes a seat, a mirror, a steering wheel, or a pedal.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the user key and vehicle identifier are transmitted by the telematics unit to the remote server via a mobile device of the user and the at least one user setting is received by the telematics unit from the remote server via the mobile device.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the telematics unit identifies the user by using a mobile phone, a fob, an ignition key, a smart card, a memory card, a biometric sensor of the vehicle, or a user interface of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the telematics unit is further configured to receive an entertainment setting, a climate setting, or a navigation setting from the remote server.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device connected to the controller for accepting an input from the user to change the position of the at least one component; and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

change the vehicle system setting in accordance with the accepted input; and

transmit the changed vehicle system setting to the telematics unit; and

wherein the telematics unit is further configured to transmit the changed vehicle system setting to the remote server so as to update the at least one user setting stored in a memory of the remote server.

7. A method for adjusting a position of at least one component of a vehicle for a user of the vehicle, the method comprising:

identifying the user with a user key associated with the user;

transmitting the user key and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle to a server remote from the vehicle;

receiving at least one user setting for the vehicle from the remote server, wherein the at least one user setting relates to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component; and

updating a vehicle system setting stored in a memory with the at least one user setting so as to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when the vehicle system setting does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes a seat, a mirror, a steering wheel, or a pedal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the user key and the vehicle identifier are transmitted to the remote server via a mobile device of the user and the at least one user setting is received from the remote server via the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the user is identified by using a mobile phone, a fob, an ignition key, a smart card, a memory card, a biometric sensor of the vehicle, or a user interface of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the at least one user setting from the remote server further comprises receiving an entertainment setting, a climate setting, or a navigation setting.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a changed vehicle system setting from the vehicle, wherein the changed vehicle system setting is based on an input accepted from the user; and

modifying the user profile based on the changed vehicle system setting.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

accepting an input from the user to adjust the position of the at least one component;

changing the vehicle system setting in accordance with the accepted input; and

transmitting the changed vehicle system setting to the remote server so as to update the at least one user setting in a memory of the remote server.

14. A method for adjusting a position of at least one component of a vehicle for a user of the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving from the vehicle a user key associated with the user and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle;

matching the user key and the vehicle identifier with at least one user setting stored in a memory, the at least one user setting relating to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component of the vehicle; and

transmitting the at least one user setting to the vehicle so as to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when a vehicle system setting for the position of the at least one component does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes a seat, a mirror, a steering wheel, or a pedal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein transmitting the at least one user setting to the vehicle further comprises transmitting an entertainment setting, a climate setting, or a navigation setting to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a changed vehicle system setting from the vehicle, wherein the changed vehicle system setting is based on an input accepted from the user; and

updating the at least one user setting with the changed vehicle system setting in the memory.

18. A method for adjusting a position of at least one component of a vehicle for a user of the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a user key associated with the user and a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle;

matching the user key with a user profile stored in a memory;

matching the vehicle identifier with a vehicle profile stored in the memory;

generating at least one user setting relating to the user key, the vehicle identifier, and the position of the at least one component based on the user profile and the vehicle profile; and

transmitting the at least one user setting to the vehicle so as to adjust the position of the at least one component based on the at least one user setting when a vehicle system setting for the position of the at least one component does not correspond with the at least one user setting.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user profile includes an eye-point distance or a hip-point distance for the user.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes a seat, a mirror, a steering wheel, or a pedal.