Arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item of a seat

• US 6,784,379 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US10/303,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20030121704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 180/273, 280/735, 177/144, 701/45, 701/49
• US Class Current: 177/144
• 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 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• 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 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• 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 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 : with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 : with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 : including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 : using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 : using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 : using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 : using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 : in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 : with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 : for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

Arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item of a seat having a seat portion and a back portion. The arrangement including a distance-determining sensor arranged in the back portion of the seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and the back portion, an angle sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting an angle between the back portion and the seat portion, and a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of the seat. Additional sensors systems can be used to provide additional information about the occupying item, such as a weight sensing system arranged in connection with the seat for measuring weight applied to the seat by the occupying item and one or more wave-based, capacitance or electric field sensor systems arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item. A component adjustment system may be coupled to the arrangement and adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by the arrangement. The component may be a steering column or a pedal.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a seat portion and a back portion;

an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,

said arrangement comprising;

a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion;

an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion; and

a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; and

a seat adjustment system coupled to said arrangement for obtaining information about the occupying item in said seat and arranged to move said seat based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises weight sensing means arranged in connection with said seat for measuring weight applied to said seat by the occupying item.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one wave-based sensor system arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one capacitance sensor arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprise at least one electric field sensor system arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a processor coupled to said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on information provided by said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a component adjustment system coupled to said arrangement, said component adjustment system being arranged to adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the component is a steering column or a pedal.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an airbag system coupled to said arrangement for protecting the occupying item in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, said airbag system being controlled based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensors comprises a capacitance sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises an electric field sensor.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave transmitter arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and a wave receiver arranged to receive waves reflected from the occupying item when situated in said seat.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor and arranged to determine the distance between the occupying item and said back portion based on the time between the transmission and reception of the waves.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said wave transmitter is an ultrasonic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an ultrasonic wave receiver.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said wave transmitter is an electromagnetic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an electromagnetic wave receiver.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a combined wave transmitter/receiver arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and receive waves reflected from the occupying item when situated in said seat.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave receiver arranged to receive waves from an area in front of said back portion of said seat.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said back portion of said seat includes a headrest, said distance-determining sensor being arranged in said headrest and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said headrest.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said seat comprises a coupling portion between said back portion and said seat portion, said angle sensor being arranged in connection with said coupling portion.

33. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said seat adjustment system is arranged to move said seat portion of said seat forward and backward in the longitudinal direction to thereby change the location of said seat relative to a remaining portion of the vehicle or tilt said back portion of said seat relative to said seat portion of said seat.

20. A seat in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat portion;

a back portion pivotable relative to said seat portion;

a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion and enabling the determination of the distance between an occupying item of the seat and said back portion;

an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion and said back portion for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;

a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle; and

a seat adjustment system arranged to move said seat, said seat adjustment system being coupled to said distance-determining sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and being controlled to move said seat based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle.

21. The seat of claim 20, further comprising weight sensing means arranged in connection with said seat portion for measuring weight applied to said seat portion.

22. The seat of claim 20, further comprising a processor coupled to said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on information provided by said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor.

23. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave transmitter arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and a wave receiver arranged to receive waves reflected from an occupying item when situated in said seat.

24. The seat of claim 23, further comprising a processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor and arranged to determine the distance between the occupying item and said back portion based on the time between the transmission and reception of the waves.

25. The seat of claim 23, wherein said wave transmitter is an ultrasonic wave transmitter and an ultrasonic wave receiver.

26. The seat of claim 23, wherein said wave transmitter is an electromagnetic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an electromagnetic wave receiver.

27. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensors comprises a capacitance sensor.

28. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises an electric field sensor.

29. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a combined wave transmitter/receiver arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and receive waves reflected from an occupying item when situated in said seat.

30. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave receiver arranged to receive waves from an area in front of said back portion of said seat.

31. The seat of claim 20, wherein said back portion of said seat includes a headrest, said distance-determining sensor being arranged in said headrest and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said headrest.

32. The seat of claim 20, wherein said seat comprises a coupling portion between said back portion and said seat portion, said angle sensor being arranged in connection with said coupling portion.

34. The vehicle of claim 20, wherein said seat adjustment system is arranged to move said seat portion forward and backward in the longitudinal direction to thereby change the location of said seat relative to a remaining portion of the vehicle or tilt said back portion relative to said seat portion.

35. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a seat portion and a back portion; and

an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,

said arrangement comprising;

a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion;

an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;

a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; and

a processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat.

36. A seat in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat portion;

a back portion pivotable relative to said seat portion;

a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion and enabling the determination of the distance between an occupying item of the seat and said back portion;

an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion and said back portion for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;

a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to said distance-displacement sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat.

37. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a seat portion and a back portion;

an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,

said arrangement comprising;

a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion,

an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion, and

a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; and

a component adjustment system coupled to said arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat, said component adjustment system being arranged to adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement,

the component being a steering column or a pedal.