System, methodologies, and components acquiring, analyzing, and using occupant body specifications for improved seating structures and environment configuration

• US 9,428,082 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Hotary, James T, Fitzpatrick, Robert C, Lowell, Dana R, Baudu, Samuel, Brncick, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/591,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/48, 701/49, 297/284.3, 280/735, 382/104
• 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 2/0022 for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0233 Touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0237 using portable terminals, e.g. smartphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• 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 2/0273 taking into account user data, e.g. knee height or physical state
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/52 using fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 : using gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 : Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 : using inflatable bladders
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 : vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/838 : Tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 : Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• 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 2210/24 : Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 : Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 : using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 : using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 : Wireless data transmission

Abstract

Equipment and processes generate a seating solution by obtaining occupant data, calculating body dimensions from the occupant data, and calculating a best-fit body arrangement for an occupant. Occupant data may be obtained in various ways using available computational devices and software or by manually measuring the relevant dimensions on the occupant. A user interface for inputting occupant metrics and/or occupant measurements may be provided in a mobile terminal included in the vehicle or separate from the vehicle, thus giving users increased flexibility while maximizing simplicity and usability for the user or other personnel obtaining the data. Once an occupant'"'"'s best-fit body arrangement is determined, it may be altered by changing the predetermined criteria to achieve optimum comfort, safety, and therapeutic benefit as well as used for providing improved comfort on a continuous basis and/or in response to detected or predicted vehicle, road, or atmospheric conditions.

Claims

1. An occupant support system comprising

a vehicle seat including a seat bottom configured to mount to a vehicle frame included in a vehicle for movement relative to the vehicle frame, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom to pivot about a seat-back pivot axis relative to the seat bottom, and a seat-movement system coupled to the seat back and seat bottom to control movement of the seat back and seat bottom and

a pneumatic system including a pneumatic bladder coupled to the vehicle seat and configured to support an occupant resting on the vehicle seat, a pressurized air source coupled to the pneumatic bladder to provide pressurized air to the bladder and coupled to the seat-movement system to receive commands from the seat-movement system, and a pressure sensor coupled to the pneumatic bladder and configured to sense air pressure in the bladder and coupled to the seat-movement system to communicate the sensed pressure to the seat-movement system,

wherein the seat-movement system is configured to command the pressurized air source to maintain the air pressure in the pneumatic bladder in an acceptable pressure range.

2. An occupant support system comprising

a vehicle seat including a seat bottom configured to be mounted to a vehicle frame included in a vehicle for movement relative to the vehicle frame, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom to pivot about a seat-back pivot axis relative to the seat bottom, and a seat-movement system coupled to the seat back and seat bottom to control movement of the seat back and seat bottom and

a prediction system including a GPS unit configured to determine an actual position of a vehicle relative to earth, a mapping unit coupled to the GPS unit to receive the position of the vehicle and determine a predicted future position of the vehicle relative to earth as the vehicle moves along a path, the mapping unit being coupled to the seat-movement system to send corresponding predicted future-position data to the seat-movement system, the seat-movement system calculating a predicted arrangement of the vehicle seat using the predicted future-position data and moving the seat bottom and seat back to cause the predicted arrangement of the vehicle seat to be achieved so that the occupant is supported by the vehicle seat as the vehicle moves through the predicted future position.

3. An occupant support system comprising a configuration control system for a seat, the configuration control system comprising

an interface configured to obtain occupant data associated with an occupant,

a computer configured to receive the occupant data, calculate external body dimensions using the occupant data, calculate internal body dimensions using at least the external body dimensions, and calculate a best-fit body arrangement of the occupant using the internal body dimensions and predetermined criteria, and

an actuator adapted to move the seat to the best-fit body arrangement.

4. The occupant support system of claim 3, wherein the computer is further configured to calculate a set of body ratios using the occupant data.

5. The occupant support system of claim 3, wherein the computer is further configured to calculate external body dimensions using the occupant data and the set of body ratios.

6. The occupant support system of claim 3, further comprising a seat and wherein the interface is further configured to obtain seat data associated with the seat and the computer is further configured to calculate a best-fit body arrangement using the internal body dimensions, the predetermined criteria, and the seat data.

7. The occupant support system of claim 3, wherein the interface obtains occupant data as a result of measuring body parts of the occupant.

8. The occupant support system of claim 3, wherein the configuration control system further comprises a sensor configured to generate occupant data in response to scanning the occupant and the sensor is coupled to the computer to communicate the occupant data to the computer.