Second row priority seating for vehicles

• US 9,855,860 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waymo LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ahn, YooJung, Lu, David Tse-Zhou, Chan, Min Li, Cullinane, Brian Douglas, Frost, Adam Lee, Holland, Philippe Robert Agostino, Mir, Hassan Rashid, Villaln Caro, Marcos Aniceto, Nogueras, Isaac Lopes
• Primary Examiner(s): LYJAK, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US15/158,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20170334313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/005 Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles , e.g. dismountable auxiliary seatsB60N2/02 takes precedence ; for railway vehicles B61D1/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/206 to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2222 the back-rest having two or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/874 movable to an inoperative or stowed position B60N2/832, B60N2/856 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/91 Panels between front seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/06 of footrests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to vehicles capable of autonomous driving. These vehicles may include seats for accommodating different numbers of passengers. In some cases, the seats may be reconfigurable. For instance, a vehicle may include a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration. The first row may allow a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle. The first row of seating may also have a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded configuration and no longer usable for passenger seating. The vehicle may also have a second row of seating. When the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating may still be usable for seating and may include additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration where the first row allows a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle, the first row of seating having a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded, configuration no longer usable for passenger seating;

a second row of seating, wherein when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating is usable for seating and includes additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration; and

no passenger steering input, no passenger brake input, and no passenger acceleration input.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a computing system configured to control a vehicle autonomously without continuous input from the passenger.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a dashboard including a recess that allows the seat to fold into the dashboard when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration such that the seat becomes integral with the dashboard.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first row of seating includes a hinge line though a seat back portion of the seat configured to support a back of the passenger, and the hinge line allows the seat back portion of the seat to fold at the hinge line.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the seat is folded at the hinge line.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein when the first row of seating is in the first, passenger use configuration, the hinge line is configured to allow the seat back to fold towards the second row of seating.

7. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the seat further includes a headrest, and when the first row of seating is in the first, passenger use configuration, the headrest is configured to fold away from the second row of seating in order to transition the first row of seating to the second, folded configuration.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a dashboard including a recess that allows at least a portion of the seat to fit into the dashboard when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the at least a portion of the seat includes a headrest of the seat.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a set of tracks, and wherein the first row is configured to move along the set of tracks in order to transition between the first, passenger use configuration and the second, folded configuration.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a recess in a floor of the vehicle, wherein the recess is sized to accept the folded first row of seating such that a back surface of the seat is flush with the floor when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a console including the user input controls, wherein the user input controls include one or more user input buttons for initiating an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, wherein the console is configured to move into different positions such that a first position allows the passenger when in the second row of seating to readily access the user input buttons when the first row of seating is in the first, passenger use configuration.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the console is configured to move along a set of tracks into the different positions.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the user input controls include a set of user input buttons configured to allow the passenger to start and stop an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a console including the user input controls, wherein the user input controls include one or more user input buttons for initiating an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle, the console being arranged for use by a priority passenger responsible for controlling aspects of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle is configured for the priority passenger to sit in the first row when three or more passengers are in the vehicle and the first row is in the first, passenger use configuration.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the vehicle is configured for the priority passenger to sit in the second row when two or one passengers are in the vehicle and the first row is in the second, folded configuration.

20. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured to automatically transition the first row between the first, passenger use configuration and the second, folded configuration.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration where the first row allows a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle, the first row of seating having a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded, configuration no longer usable for passenger seating;

a second row of seating, wherein when the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating is usable for seating and includes additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration;

no passenger steering input, no passenger brake input, and no passenger acceleration input; and

a pop-up foot rest, wherein the pop-up foot rest is configured to move away from a floor of the vehicle and into a passenger use configuration when the first row of seating is moved from the first, passenger use configuration to the second, folded configuration.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the pop-up foot rest is configured to move towards a floor of the vehicle into a folded configuration when the first row of seating is moved from the second, folded configuration to the first, passenger use configuration.