Combination of a seating system and a shared sensor

• US 7,068,178 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Pahngroc
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/995,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 340/667, 340/438, 340/457.1, 340/426.32, 340/441, 296/63, 180/271, 180/282, 701/49, 701/45
• US Class Current: 340/667
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/412 of steering wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/62 Seat occupation; Passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/94 Electronic Stability Program (ESP, i.e. ABS+ASC+EMS)
• 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 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• 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: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence

Abstract

A seating system and a shared sensor is described and shown. The seating system includes a seat section and a back section, adjustable bolsters coupled to the seat section and the back section, and a control unit coupled to the adjustable bolster. The shared sensor is coupled to the control unit of the seating system and to another system in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A combination of a seating system and a shared sensor for a vehicle, comprising:

a seating system having a seat section and a back section, an adjustable bolster coupled to one of said seat section and said back section, and a control unit coupled to said adjustable bolster, the control unit receiving vehicle data and activating said adjustable bolster; and

a shared sensor coupled to said control unit of said seating system and to a second system in the vehicle, the shared sensor collecting vehicle data and transmitting vehicle data to the control unit and to the second system.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the second system is a vehicle dynamics system of the vehicle.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle dynamics system controls a braking subsystem of the vehicle dynamics system of the vehicle.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the second system is a safety system of the vehicle.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the safety system controls an inflatable restraint subsystem of the safety system of the vehicle.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data includes lateral acceleration data.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data includes vehicle speed data and steering wheel angle data.

8. The combination of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data includes yaw rate data.

9. A seating system for a vehicle comprising:

a seat section and a back section;

an adjustable bolster coupled to one of said seat section and said back section;

a shared sensor; and

a control unit coupled to said adjustable bolster and to the shared sensor to receive vehicle data from the shared sensor and to activate said adjustable bolster, the shared sensor further being coupled to a second system, the shared sensor transmitting vehicle data to the second system.

10. The seating system of claim 9, wherein the second system is a vehicle dynamics system of the vehicle.

11. The seating system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle dynamics system controls a braking subsystem of the vehicle dynamics system of the vehicle.

12. The seating system of claim 9, wherein the second system is a safety system of the vehicle.

13. The seating system of claim 12, wherein the safety system is controls an inflatable restraint subsystem of the safely system of the vehicle.

14. The seating system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle data includes lateral acceleration data.

15. The seating system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle data includes vehicle speed data steering wheel angle data.

16. The seating system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle data includes yaw rate data.