Tactile alert and massaging system
First Claim
1. A tactile alert system for an occupant support structure, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of vibratory transducers for location in plural zones of the support structure;
(b) a driver circuit for powering each of the transducers in response to a corresponding drive signal; and
(c) a controller responsive to external conditions for selectively activating the drive signals in a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating muscle groups of an occupant of the structure, successive alert stimulation cycles differing in at least one of intensity, frequency, and transducers activated, thereby to alert the occupant of the particular condition and to improve the occupant'"'"'s alertness.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tactile alert stimulation and massaging system for equipment such as a vehicle includes a pad; a heater element, and motorized vibrators in respective regions of the pad; a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat, each transducer being responsive to a transducer power signal; a microprocessor controller having program and variable memory and an input and output interface; an array of input elements connected to the input interface for signaling the microprocessor in response to operator input, the signaling including an intensity control value, a plurality of mode signals, and a plurality of region signals relating transducers to be enabled; a driver circuit responsive to the output interface for producing, separately for each of the transducers, the power signal; and the microprocessor controller being operative in response to the input elements for activating the transducers for operation thereof in a plurality of modes including a massaging mode selectively producing activation of the drive signals at adjustable intensity corresponding to the intensity control value for soothingly massaging muscle groups of the driver; and an alert mode producing a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles, each alert stimulation cycle having an idle portion of between 1 second and 30 seconds, and an active portion of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating the muscle groups of the driver thereby to improve the driver'"'"'s alertness, wherein successive alert stimulation cycles differ in at least one of intensity, frequency, active portion duration, idle portion duration, and transducers enabled.
140 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A tactile alert system for an occupant support structure, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of vibratory transducers for location in plural zones of the support structure; (b) a driver circuit for powering each of the transducers in response to a corresponding drive signal; and (c) a controller responsive to external conditions for selectively activating the drive signals in a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating muscle groups of an occupant of the structure, successive alert stimulation cycles differing in at least one of intensity, frequency, and transducers activated, thereby to alert the occupant of the particular condition and to improve the occupant'"'"'s alertness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A tactile alert system for a user support structure, comprising:
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(a) a vibratory transducer for location in the support structure; (b) a driver circuit for powering the transducer in response to a drive signal; and (c) a controller responsive to external conditions for selectively activating the drive signal in a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for stimulating muscle tissue of a user of the structure thereby to alert the user of the particular condition and to improve the user'"'"'s alertness, each alert stimulation cycle having an active portion and an idle portion, wherein successive alert stimulation cycles differ in at least one of intensity, frequency, active portion duration, and idle portion duration. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A vehicle tactile alert system for an operator-driven vehicle having a driver'"'"'s seat, the system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat, each transducer being responsive to a transducer power signal; (b) a microprocessor controller having program and variable memory and an input and output interface; (c) an array of input elements connected to the input interface for signaling the microprocessor in response to operator input, the signaling including an intensity control value, a plurality of mode signals, and a plurality of region signals relating transducers to be enabled; (d) a driver circuit responsive to the output interface for producing, separately for each of the transducers, the power signal; and (e) the microprocessor controller being operative for activating the transducers for operation thereof in a plurality of modes including; (i) a massaging mode selectively producing activation of the drive signals in response to the input elements at adjustable intensity corresponding to the intensity control value for soothingly massaging muscle groups of the driver; and (ii) an alert mode producing a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles in response to external input and independently of the intensity control value, each alert stimulation cycle having an idle portion of between 1 second and 30 seconds, and an active portion of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating the muscle groups of the driver thereby to improve the driver'"'"'s alertness, wherein successive alert stimulation cycles differ in at least one of intensity, frequency, active portion duration, idle portion duration, and transducers enabled. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for alerting a vehicle driver, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a plurality of vibratory transducers in plural zones of a driver'"'"'s seat, a driver circuit connected to the transducers and having respective inputs for receiving corresponding drive signals, and a controller for producing the drive signals, the controller having an alert input; (b) activating the alert condition input; (c) operating the controller to produce the drive signals, in response to the alert input, in alert stimulation cycles of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating muscle groups of the driver; and (d) sequencing plural cycle segments of the alert stimulation cycles, successive cycles varying in at least one of intensity, frequency, and transducers enabled, thereby to alert the driver of the particular condition input and to improve the driver'"'"'s alertness. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification