Control method for vehicle

• US 9,514,362 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sakata, Masaru, Toda, Keisuke, Yamataka, Minori, Enya, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/721,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• 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 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• 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: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

A control method for a vehicle includes: predicting a position of an eye point of an occupant after a state of a vehicle seat is changed based on amount of adjustment of an adjusting mechanism due to change in state of the vehicle seat; determining whether or not the predicted position of the eye point is located within a measurement range of a camera member installed to a steering member; and if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is not located within the measurement range of the camera member, moving the measurement range of the camera member toward the predicted position of the eye point synchronously with the steering member.

Claims

1. A control method for a vehicle including:

a steering member that automatically moves in a frontward and backward direction and in an upward and downward direction relative to an instrument panel;

a vehicle seat disposed at a position facing the steering member; and

a camera member that detects a state of a compartment of the vehicle on a vehicle seat side within a predetermined measurement range, wherein;

the vehicle seat includes an adjusting mechanism that changes at least one of a posture of the vehicle seat and a position of the vehicle seat in the compartment of the vehicle, and changes a state of the vehicle seat in accordance with an occupant in a sitting state;

the adjusting mechanism is configured to change the state of the vehicle seat in accordance with the occupant in the sitting state, and to position an eye point of the occupant within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member; and

the camera member is installed on the steering member, the control method for the vehicle comprising;

predicting a position of the eye point of the occupant after the state of the vehicle seat is changed, based on an amount of adjustment of the adjusting mechanism due to a change in the state of the vehicle seat;

determining whether or not the predicted position of the eye point is located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member;

if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member, determining that a movement of the predetermined measurement range of the camera member is not required; and

if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is not located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member, moving the predetermined measurement range of the camera member toward the predicted position of the eye point synchronously with the steering member.

2. The control method for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising detecting the state of the vehicle seat and coordinates of the eye point before the vehicle seat is moved.