Adaptive seatbelt system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10252694-B2
Application number	US-201715626568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

Adaptive seatbelt systems and methods are provided for adjusting the position of a seatbelt relative to an occupant. An adaptive seatbelt system for a vehicle includes a seat. A belt is configured to restrain an occupant in the seat. An anchor point along the belt is provided at an elevated position. An actuator raises or lowers the anchor point relative to the seat. A controller receives an input signal containing occupant identifying information and biometric data corresponding to occupant identification data. A processor compares the occupant identifying information to occupant identification data to verify an occupant's identity. The processor may determine an optimal comfort height or an optimal restraint height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data. The actuator adjusts the anchor point to the optimal comfort height or to the optimal restraint height in response to signals from the processor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adaptive seatbelt system for a vehicle comprising:
a seat with a seat bottom and a seat back;
a belt configured to restrain an occupant in the seat;
first and second anchor points along the belt;
a third anchor point along the belt at an elevated position relative to the first and second anchor points;
an actuator configured to raise and lower the third anchor point relative to the seat;
a controller having a processor and a data storage device that stores occupant identification data and biometric data corresponding to the occupant identification data, the controller receiving an input signal containing occupant identifying information;
the processor configured to receive the occupant identifying information and to compare it to the occupant identification data to verify occupant identity;
the processor, configured to determine an optimal comfort height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data; and
the actuator configured to adjust the third anchor point to the optimal comfort height in response to a signal from the processor;
wherein the processor is configured to determine an optimal restraint height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data from the data storage device, and wherein the optimal restraint height is different than the optimal comfort height;
wherein the actuator and the processor are configured to adjust the third anchor point to the optimal restraint height based on the biometric data from the data storage device.

2. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to calculate a path of the belt that crosses the occupant at a restrain height, wherein the restrain height is provided when the third anchor point is positioned at the optimal restraint height.

3. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 1 comprising:
a height sensor configured to generate height data indicative of a height of the seat bottom;
an angle sensor configured to generate angle data indicative of an angle of the seat back; and
wherein the processor is configured to determine the optimal comfort height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data, the height data, and the angle data.

4. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 3 wherein:
the processor is configured to determine an optimal restraint height for the third anchor point based on the biometric data, the height data and the angle data, and the optimal restraint height is higher than the optimal comfort height.

5. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 4 comprising:
a retractor configured to take up slack in the belt;
wherein the processor is configured to receive impact risk data and to determine whether an impact risk exceeds a threshold based on the impact risk data; and
wherein the retractor is configured to lock when the impact risk exceeds the threshold, in response to a signal from the processor.

6. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 1 wherein:
the processor is configured to receive impact risk data and to determine whether an impact risk exceeds a threshold based on the impact risk data; and
the actuator is configured to adjust the third anchor point alternately to the optimal comfort height or to an optimal restraint height that is higher than the optimal comfort height, in response to signals from the processor.

7. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 6 comprising:
an exterior sensor configured to generate exterior data indicative of a potential impact;
a retractor taking up slack in the belt; and
the processor is configured to receive the exterior data and to determine the impact risk based thereon, wherein the processor is configured to provide a lock signal to lock the retractor based on the impact risk.

8. The adaptive seatbelt system of claim 1 comprising an interior sensor configured to generate a signal representative of the occupant identifying information.

9. A method of controlling an adaptive seatbelt system for a vehicle having a seat with a seat bottom and a seat back, a belt, and a seatbelt anchor point for the belt that has a height variable by an actuator, the method comprising:
obtaining, from a data storage device occupant identification data and biometric data corresponding to the occupant identification data;
receiving, by a processor, an input representing occupant identifying information;
comparing, by the processor, the occupant identifying information to the occupant identification data to verify occupant identity;
determining, by the processor, an optimal comfort height for the anchor point based on the biometric data;
adjusting the anchor point to the optimal comfort height in response to a signal from the processor to the actuator;
determining, by the processor, an optimal restraint height for the anchor point based on the biometric data from the data storage device, wherein the optimal restraint height is different than the optimal comfort height; and
adjusting, by the processor and the actuator, the anchor point to the optimal restraint height based on the biometric data from the data storage device.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising:
storing the occupant identification data in the data storage device wherein the occupant identification data contains information that is unique and personally identifiable of an occupant.

11. The method of claim 9 comprising:
calculating a path of the belt that crosses the occupant at a restrain height, wherein the restrain height is provided when the anchor point is positioned at the optimal restraint height.

12. The method of claim 9 comprising:
receiving, from a height sensor, height data indicative of a height of the seat bottom;
receiving, from an angle sensor, angle data indicative of an angle of the seat back; and
determining, by the processor, the optimal comfort height for the anchor point based on the biometric data, the height data, and the angle data.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising:
determining, by the processor, an optimal restraint height for the anchor point based on the biometric data, the height data and the angle data, wherein the optimal restraint height is higher than the optimal comfort height.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising:
receiving, by the processor, impact risk data indicative of an impact risk for the vehicle;
determining, by the processor, whether the impact risk exceeds a threshold based on the impact risk data; and
locking a retractor when the impact risk exceeds the threshold, in response to a signal from the processor.

15. The method of claim 9 comprising:
providing a retractor configured to take up slack in the belt;
receiving, by the processor, impact risk data indicative of an impact risk for the vehicle;
determining, by the processor, whether the impact risk exceeds a threshold based on the impact risk data; and
adjusting, by the actuator, the anchor point alternately to the optimal comfort height or to the optimal restraint height in response to a signal from the processor.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising:
generating, by an exterior sensor, the impact risk data as exterior data on an exterior environment of the vehicle; and
when the impact risk exceeds the threshold, providing, by the processor, a lock signal to lock the retractor.

17. The method of claim 9 comprising:
generating, by an interior sensor, a signal representative of the occupant identifying information.

18. The method of claim 9 comprising:
calculating, by the processor, the optimal comfort height so that a path of the belt crosses the oc

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Lin Chin-Hsu
• Wang Jenne-Tai

Classifications

• B60R22/20 Primary

  adjustable in position, e.g. in height · CPC title

• B60R2022/208

  by automatic or remote control means · CPC title

• B60N2/002

  Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon (detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266) · CPC title

• G06K9/00382

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60N2210/24

  Cameras · CPC title