Method for controlling a seat adjustment

• US 7,136,734 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Durach, Stephan, Augst, Alexander, Borke, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US11/211,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/49, 340/5.1, 340/5.53, 318466-468, 307/10.1, 296/63, 296/65.01
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a seat adjustment by means of a passenger compartment camera system, with which images of at least one portion of an individual sitting on a vehicle seat are recorded, and by means of a control unit, via which at least one type of movement of the individual sitting on the vehicle seat is identified from a series of images. The identified type of movement is compared with types of movement already stored in the control unit. When a stored type of movement is identified, a seat adjustment is carried out that is assigned to this type of movement.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a seat adjustment using a seat compartment camera system and a control unit operably configured to carry out adjustments of a seat, the method comprising the acts of:

recording images of at least one portion of an individual sitting in a seat using the seat compartment camera system;

identifying, from a sequence of the recorded images, at least one type of movement of the individual sitting in the seat;

comparing the identified type of movement with types of movement previously stored; and

when a stored type of movement matches the identified type of movement, a seat adjustment is carried out that is assigned to the stored type of movement,

wherein the seat is a vehicle seat and the camera system is a vehicle compartment camera system, and

wherein the method of controlling the seat adjustment is deactivated as a function of operating parameters of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method of controlling the seat adjustment is activated for a predefined time.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of assigning an actual sitting position to the individual sitting in the seat and storing the assigned actual sitting position in the control unit after seat adjustment is terminated.

4. A method of controlling a seat adjustment using a seat compartment camera system and a control unit operably configured to carry out adjustments of a seat, the method comprising the acts of:

recording images of at least one portion of an individual sitting in a seat using the seat compartment camera system;

identifying, from a sequence of the recorded images, at least one type of movement of the individual sitting in the seat;

comparing the identified type of movement with types of movement previously stored; and

when a stored type of movement matches the identified type of movement, a seat adjustment is carried out that is assigned to the stored type of movement,

wherein the seat is a vehicle seat and the camera system is a vehicle compartment camera system, and

wherein the method is activated as a function of operating parameters of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method of controlling the seat adjustment is activated for a predefined time.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method of controlling the seat adjustment is deactivated via at least one of an operating element and as a function of the operating parameters of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the act of assigning an actual sitting position to the individual sitting in the seat and storing the assigned actual sitting position in the control unit after seat adjustment is terminated.

8. A method of controlling a seat adjustment, the method comprising the acts of:

determining whether an operating element is operated;

determining whether operating parameters satisfy predetermined operating parameters, wherein when the operating element is operated and the operating parameters satisfy the predetermined operating parameters, the method comprises the acts of

recording images of at least one portion of an individual sitting in a seat using a seat compartment camera system;

identifying, from a sequence of the recorded images, at least one type of movement of the individual sitting in the seat;

comparing the identified type of movement with types of movement previously stored; and

when a stored type of movement matches the identified type of movement, a seat adjustment is carried out that is assigned to the stored type of movement.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method is activated and deactivated by one of a key pressure, a voice input and a gesture, and as a function of the operating parameters.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the operating parameters comprise a starting of an engine and traveling at a low speed.