Method and system for measuring head position of driver

• US 9,399,419 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kwon, Gideok, Kim, Sung Un
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faye, Mamadou
• Application Number:
  US13/967,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/806 movable or adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors

Abstract

A method and system that measure the head position of a driver in a vehicle include an infrared lamp that is disposed on a driver B-pillar and transmits an infrared signal and an infrared receiving sensor that is disposed on a passenger A-pillar to receive infrared signal from the infrared lamp. In addition, a plurality of infrared lamps are disposed on the headrest of the driver'"'"'s seat and transmit infrared signals and an infrared receiving sensor is disposed on a dashboard disposed in front of a steering wheel to receive infrared signals from the infrared lamps on the headrest. A controller operates the infrared lamps to transmit infrared signals and measures the head position of a driver based on infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensors.

Claims

1. A system for measuring the head position of a driver, comprising:

an infrared lamp disposed on a driver B-pillar and is configured to transmit an infrared signal;

an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a passenger A-pillar to receive infrared signal from the infrared lamp disposed on the driver B-pillar;

a plurality of infrared lamps disposed on the headrest of the driver'"'"'s seat and configured to transmit infrared signals;

an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a dashboard disposed in front of a steering wheel to receive infrared signals from the infrared lamps on the headrest; and

a controller configured to operate the infrared lamps to transmit infrared signals and measure the head position of a driver based on infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a door switch configured to detect an opening and a closing of the driver'"'"'s seat door;

a driver'"'"'s seat sensor configured to detect a sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat,

wherein the controller is configured to set a magnitude of the infrared signal received by the infrared receiving sensor at a reception default value of an infrared signal by operating the infrared lamp a predetermined number of times, when the driver'"'"'s seat door switch detects the opening of the driver'"'"'s seat door.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the plurality of infrared lamps a predetermined time and measure the head position of the driver based on the infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensor in response to determining the sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat after the reception default value of an infrared signal is set.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of infrared lamps are transversely disposed.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the height of the headrest based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the display angle of a cluster in a vehicle based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the height of the driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to sequentially operate the plurality of infrared lamps on the headrest.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the plurality of infrared lamps on the headrest at specific modulated pulses, respectively.

10. A method for measuring the head position of a driver, comprising:

transmitting, by an infrared lamp disposed on a driver B-pillar, an infrared signal to an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a passenger A-pillar;

transmitting, by a plurality of infrared lamps disposed on the headrest of the driver'"'"'s seat, infrared signals to an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a dashboard disposed in front of a steering wheel;

operating, by a controller, the infrared lamps to transmit infrared signals; and

measuring, by the controller, the head position of a driver based on infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensors,.

wherein the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared lamp disposed on the driver B-pillar is received by the infrared receiving sensor disposed on the passenger A-pillar, and

the infrared signals transmitted by the plurality of infrared lamps disposed on the headrest are received by the infrared receiving sensor disposed on the dashboard.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting, by the controller, an opening and a closing of the driver'"'"'s seat door using a door switch;

detecting, by a driver'"'"'s seat sensor, a sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat; and

setting, by the controller, a magnitude of the infrared signal received by the infrared receiving sensor at a reception default value of an infrared signal by operating the infrared lamp a predetermined number of times, when the driver'"'"'s seat door switch detects the opening of the driver'"'"'s seat door.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

operating, by the controller, the plurality of infrared lamps a predetermined time; and

measuring, by the controller, the head position of the driver based on the infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensor in response to determining the sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat after the reception default value of an infrared signal is set.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operating, by the controller, the height of the headrest based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operating, by the controller, the display angle of a cluster in a vehicle based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operating, by the controller, the height of the driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle based on the result of measuring the head position of the driver.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sequentially operating, by the controller, the plurality of infrared lamps on the headrest.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

operating, by the controller, the plurality of infrared lamps on the headrest at specific modulated pulses, respectively.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that control an infrared lamp disposed on a driver B-pillar to transmit an infrared signal to an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a passenger A-pillar;

program instructions that control a plurality of infrared lamps disposed on the headrest of the driver'"'"'s seat to transmit infrared signals to an infrared receiving sensor disposed on a dashboard disposed in front of a steering wheel;

program instructions that control the infrared lamps to transmit infrared signals; and

program instructions that measure the head position of a driver based on infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensors,.

wherein the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared lamp disposed on the driver B-pillar is received by the infrared receiving sensor disposed on the passenger A-pillar, and

the infrared signals transmitted by the plurality of infrared lamps disposed on the headrest are received by the infrared receiving sensor disposed on the dashboard.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

program instructions that detect an opening and a closing of the driver'"'"'s seat door using a door switch;

program instructions that control a driver'"'"'s seat sensor to detect a sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat; and

program instructions that set a magnitude of the infrared signal received by the infrared receiving sensor at a reception default value of an infrared signal by operating the infrared lamp a predetermined number of times, when the driver'"'"'s seat door switch detects the opening of the driver'"'"'s seat door.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

program instructions that operate the plurality of infrared lamps a predetermined time; and

program instructions that measure the head position of the driver based on the infrared signals received by the infrared receiving sensor in response to determining the sitting motion on the driver'"'"'s seat after the reception default value of an infrared signal is set.