Alert systems and methods for a vehicle

• US 9,266,451 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kiefer, Raymond J., McQueen, Diane K., Stebbins, Mark A., Green, Charles A., Ballios, Alexander N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/894,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20130341977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/575, 340/576, 340/903, 340/435, 297/217.1, 297/217.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Haptic feedback systems, vehicle seat assemblies, and vehicles are provided. The haptic feedback system includes a bottom seat member, a first motor, and a second motor. The bottom seat member includes a seat pan with a first side, a second side, a first bolster, and a second bolster. The first bolster is positioned on the first side of the seat pan and the second bolster is positioned on the second side of the seat pan, wherein the first bolster and the second bolster include a resilient material. The first motor supported by the resilient material of the first bolster and the second motor is supported by the resilient material of the second bolster.

Claims

1. A haptic feedback system, comprising:

a bottom seat member comprising a seat pan with a first side and a second side, a first bolster positioned on the first side of the seat pan, and a second bolster positioned on the second side of the seat pan, wherein the first bolster and the second bolster include a resilient material;

a first motor supported by the resilient material of the first bolster;

a second motor supported by the resilient material of the second bolster,

wherein the first bolster defines a first depression in a first upper surface and the second bolster defines a second depression in a second upper surface, and wherein the first motor is disposed within the first depression and the second motor is disposed within the second depression; and

a seat frame, wherein the resilient material of the first bolster is disposed between the first motor and the seat frame to attenuate vibrations between the first motor and the seat frame, and wherein the resilient material of the second bolster is disposed between the second motor and the seat frame to attenuate vibrations between the second motor and the seat frame; and

a controller in communication with the first motor and that generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to command the first motor and the second motor,

wherein the controller generates the PWM signal that commands the first motor to generate haptic pulses so that a first peak vertical acceleration at the first upper surface of the first bolster in a vertical direction is at least five times greater than a second peak acceleration in a fore-aft direction and a third peak acceleration in a lateral direction.

2. The haptic feedback system of claim 1 wherein the resilient material of the first bolster substantially encompasses the first motor to attenuate the vibrations between the first motor and the seat frame, and wherein the resilient material of the second bolster substantially encompasses the second motor to attenuate the vibrations between the second motor and the seat frame.

3. The haptic feedback system of claim 1 wherein the controller generates the PWM signal to command the first motor based on a vibrational coupling between the first motor and the second bolster and to command the second motor based on a vibrational coupling between the second motor and the first bolster.

4. The haptic feedback system of claim 3 wherein the first motor include a first axis of rotation, and wherein the controller generates the PWM signal to command the first motor to generate haptic pulses with the peak vertical acceleration normal to the first bolster that is at least seven times greater than the second and third peak accelerations.

5. The haptic feedback system of claim 3 wherein the PWM signal that commands the first motor is a first PWM signal, and wherein the controller generates a second PWM signal to command the second motor to generate haptic pulses with a fourth peak vertical acceleration that is within about 10% of the first peak vertical acceleration of the haptic pulses generated by the first motor.

13. The haptic feedback system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to selectively and individually command the first motor and the second motor.

6. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a seat frame;

a bottom seat member secured to the seat frame, the bottom seat member comprising a seat pan with a first side and a second side, a first bolster positioned on the first side of the seat pan, and a second bolster positioned on the second side of the seat pan, wherein the first bolster and the second bolster include a resilient material, wherein the first bolster defines a first depression in a first upper surface and the second bolster defines a second depression in a second upper surface;

a first motor disposed in the first depression and separated from the seat frame by the resilient material of the first bolster to attenuate vibrations between the first motor and the seat frame;

a second motor disposed in the second depression and separated from the seat frame by the resilient material of the second bolster to attenuate vibrations between the second motor and the seat frame,

wherein the resilient material of the first bolster substantially encompasses the first motor, and wherein the resilient material of the second bolster substantially encompasses the second motor; and

a controller in communication with the first motor and that generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to command the first motor and the second motor,

wherein the controller generates the PWM signal that commands the first motor to generate haptic pulses so that a first peak vertical acceleration at the first upper surface of the first bolster in a vertical direction is at least five times greater than a second peak acceleration in a fore-aft direction and a third peak acceleration in a lateral direction.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the controller generates the PWM signal to command the first motor based on a vibrational coupling between the first motor and the second bolster.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the first motor include a first axis of rotation, and wherein the controller generates the PWM signal to command the first motor to generate haptic pulses with the first peak vertical acceleration normal to the first bolster that is at least seven times greater than the second and third peak accelerations.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the PWM signal that commands the first motor is a first PWM signal, and wherein the controller generates a second PWM signal to command the second motor to generate haptic pulses with fourth peak vertical acceleration that is within about 10% of the first peak vertical acceleration of the haptic pulses generated by the first motor.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat frame;

a bottom seat member secured to the seat frame, the bottom seat member comprising a seat pan with a first side and a second side, a first bolster positioned on the first side of the seat pan, and a second bolster positioned on the second side of the seat pan, wherein the first bolster and the second bolster include a resilient material, wherein the first bolster defines a first depression in a first upper surface and the second bolster defines a second depression in a second upper surface;

a first motor disposed in the first depression and separated from the seat frame by the resilient material of the first bolster to attenuate vibrations between the first motor and the seat frame;

a second motor disposed in the second depression and separated from the seat frame by the resilient material of the second bolster to attenuate vibrations between the second motor and the seat frame; and

a controller in communication with the first motor and the second motor and that generates a first pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to command the first motor based on a vibrational coupling between the first motor and the second bolster and that generates a second PWM signal to command the second motor based on a vibrational coupling between the second motor and the first bolster,

wherein the controller generates the first PWM signal that commands the first motor to generate haptic pulses so that a first peak vertical acceleration at the first upper surface of the first bolster in a vertical direction is at least five times greater than a second peak acceleration in a fore-aft direction and a third peak acceleration in a lateral direction.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the first motor include a first axis of rotation, and wherein the controller generates the first PWM signal to command the first motor to generate haptic pulses with the first peak vertical acceleration normal to the first bolster that is at least seven times greater than the second and third peak accelerations.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the controller generates the second PWM signal to command the second motor to generate haptic pulses with a fourth peak vertical acceleration that is within about 10% of the first peak vertical acceleration of haptic pulses generated by the first motor with the first PWM signal, and wherein the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal include substantially a same PWM pattern.