Controlling active isolation platform in a moving vehicle

• US 9,944,206 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
• Original Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
• Inventors: Knox, Lawrence D., Hein, Travis Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gordon, Mathew Franklin
• Application Number:
  US14/934,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• 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 2/10 tiltable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0212 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a longitudinal axis

Abstract

Systems and methods for actively isolating a payload from a disturbance. In one example, a seat system for a vehicle includes a seat, a support structure that allows the seat to move about an axis of a pivot, a first sensor positioned to detect movement of the vehicle, a second sensor positioned to detect lateral acceleration of the pivot, an actuator configured to move the seat, and a controller configured to receive a first signal from the first sensor and a second signal from the second sensor, generate a command signal based at least on the first and the second signal to instruct the actuator to position the seat at a desired command angle, wherein the controller is configured to correct the command signal for lateral accelerations caused by steering the vehicle, and provide a force command to the actuator to move the seat at the desired command angle.

Claims

1. A seat system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a seat;

a support structure coupled to the seat that allows the seat to move about a first axis of a pivot;

a first sensor positioned to detect movement of the vehicle;

a second sensor positioned to detect lateral acceleration of the pivot;

an actuator configured to move the seat; and

a controller configured to;

receive a first signal from the first sensor and a second signal from the second sensor;

generate a command signal based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal to instruct the actuator to position the seat at a desired command angle, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the second sensor signal by accelerations caused by steering the vehicle to correct the command signal; and

provide a force command to the actuator to move the seat at the desired command angle based on at least the corrected command signal.

2. The seat system according to claim 1, wherein the first signal includes at least a roll rate of the vehicle about a second axis, and wherein the second signal includes a lateral acceleration of the pivot in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

3. The seat system according to claim 2, further comprising a third sensor positioned to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to:

4. The seat system according to claim 3, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) configured to calculate the speed of the vehicle.

5. The seat system according to claim 3, wherein the second sensor is positioned at the pivot.

6. The seat system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a frequency of the first signal and generate the command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal and correct the command signal if the frequency of the first signal is greater than or equal to a reference threshold, and generate the command signal based on the first signal when the frequency of the first signal is less than the reference threshold.

7. The seat system according to claim 6, wherein the reference threshold includes a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1.0 Hz.

8. The seat system according to claim 7, further comprising a third sensor positioned to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to:

9. The seat system according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to:

10. The seat system according to claim 2, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the actuator is further configured to rotate the seat in substantially an opposite direction from a rotation of the vehicle.

11. A method of controlling seat movement in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first sensor positioned to detect movement of the vehicle;

receiving a second signal from a second sensor positioned to detect lateral acceleration of a pivot including a first axis about which a support structure coupled to a seat allows movement of the seat;

generating a command signal based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal to instruct an actuator to position the seat at a desired command angle, wherein

generating the command signal includes reducing the second sensor signal by lateral accelerations caused by steering the vehicle to correct the command signal; and

providing a force command to the actuator to move the seat at the desired command angle based on at least the corrected command signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first signal includes at least a roll rate of the vehicle about a second axis, and wherein the second signal includes a lateral acceleration of the pivot in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising receiving a third signal from a third sensor positioned to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein generating the command signal includes generating the command signal according to:

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising receiving the speed of the vehicle from a global positioning system (GPS).

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising determining a frequency of the first signal, and wherein generating the command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal includes generating the command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal when a frequency of the first signal is greater than or equal to a reference threshold, and the method further comprises generating the command signal based on the first signal when the frequency of the first signal is less than the reference threshold.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the reference includes a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1.0 Hz.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising receiving a third signal from a third sensor positioned to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein generating the command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal when the frequency of the first signal is greater than or equal to the reference threshold includes generating the command signal according to:

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein generating the command signal based on the first signal when the frequency of the first signal is less than the reference threshold includes generating the command signal according to:

19. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat configured to move at a command angle about a first axis of a pivot relative to a substantially horizontal orientation; and

a controller configured to;

receive a first signal of detected movement of a vehicle and a second signal of detected lateral acceleration of the pivot; and

generate a command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal to instruct an actuator to position the seat at a desired command angle, wherein the controller is configured to reduce the second signal by lateral accelerations caused by steering the vehicle to correct the command signal.

20. The vehicle seat of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a force command to move the seat at the desired command angle based on at least the corrected command signal.

21. The vehicle seat of claim 19, wherein the first signal includes at least a roll rate of the vehicle about a second axis, and wherein the second signal includes a lateral acceleration of the pivot in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle seat of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a detected yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to:

23. The vehicle seat of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a frequency of the first signal and generate the command signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal if the frequency of the first signal is greater than or equal to a reference threshold, and generate the command signal based on the first signal when the frequency of the first signal is less than the reference threshold.

24. The vehicle seat of claim 23, wherein the reference threshold includes a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1.0 Hz.

25. The vehicle seat of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a detected yaw rate of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to:

26. The vehicle seat of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to generate the command signal according to: