Vehicle seat control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399462-B2
Application number	US-201715814783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Jul 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus includes a mode switching unit configured to switch a driving mode of a vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode different from the first driving mode, or from the second driving mode to the first driving mode; and a changing unit configured to (i) change a position of a first seat of the vehicle, in a case in which the first driving mode is switched to the second driving mode by the mode switching unit, and (ii) change the position of the first seat to a position which is occupied by a second seat different from the first seat during the second driving mode, in a case in which the second driving mode is switched to the first driving mode by the mode switching unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a microcomputer configured to switch a driving mode of a vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode different from the first driving mode, or from the second driving mode to the first driving mode; and
actuators on the vehicle, the actuators configured to (i) change a position of a first seat of the vehicle, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and (ii) change the position of the first seat to a position which is occupied by a second seat different from the first seat during the second driving mode, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators move the first seat in a direction that opposes a traveling direction of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled based on sensors mounted on the vehicle, and the second driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled by operation by a driver of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the microcomputer is further configured to select an occupant who is suitable to drive from among occupants riding in the vehicle, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the microcomputer selects the occupant who is suitable to drive based on biological information of the occupants riding in the vehicle, positions and facing directions of seats in which the occupants are seated, and information relating to suitability of the occupants.

6. An apparatus comprising:
a microcomputer configured to switch a driving mode of a vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode different from the first driving mode, or from the second driving mode to the first driving mode; and
actuators on the vehicle, the actuators configured to (i) change a position of a first seat of the vehicle in a case in which the microcomputer switches the first driving mode to the second driving mode, and (ii) change the position of the first seat and a position of a second seat different from the first seat such that the first seat and the second seat do not interfere with each other, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the actuators move the first seat in a direction that opposes a traveling direction of the vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled based on sensors mounted on the vehicle, and the second driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled by operation by a driver of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the microcomputer is further configured to select an occupant who is suitable to drive from among occupants riding in the vehicle, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the microcomputer selects the occupant who is suitable to drive based on biological information of the occupants riding in the vehicle, positions and facing directions of the seats in which the occupants are seated, and information relating to suitability of the occupants.

11. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
switching, by a microcomputer, a driving mode of the vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode different from the first driving mode, or from the second driving mode to the first driving mode;
changing, by actuators of the vehicle, a position of a first seat of the vehicle, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the first driving mode to the second driving mode; and
changing, by the actuators, the position of the first seat to a position which is occupied by a second seat different from the first seat during the second driving mode, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the actuators move the first seat in a direction that opposes a traveling direction of the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled based on sensors mounted on the vehicle, and the second driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled by operation by a driver of the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
selecting, by the microcomputer, an occupant who is suitable to drive from among occupants riding in the vehicle, in a case in which the driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the occupant who is suitable to drive is selected based on biological information of the occupants riding in the vehicle, positions and facing directions of seats in which the occupants are seated, and information relating to suitability of the occupants.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
switching, by a microcomputer, a driving mode of the vehicle from a first driving mode to a second driving mode different from the first driving mode, or from the second driving mode to the first driving mode;
changing, by actuators of the vehicle, a position of a first seat of the vehicle in a case in which the microcomputer switches the first driving mode to the second driving mode; and
changing, by the actuators, the position of the first seat and a position of a second seat different from the first seat such that the first seat and the second seat do not interfere with each other, in a case in which the microcomputer switches the second driving mode to the first driving mode.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the actuators move the first seat in a direction that opposes a traveling direction of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled based on sensors mounted on the vehicle, and the second driving mode is a mode in which behavior of the vehicle is controlled by operation by a driver of the vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
selecting, by the microcomputer, an occupant who is suitable to drive from among occupants riding in the vehicle, in a case in which the driving mode from the first driving mode to the second driving mode.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the occupant who is suitable to drive is selected based on biological information of the occupants riding in the vehicle, positions and facing directions of the seats in which the occupants are seated, and information relating to suitability of the occupants.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamada Yoshinori

Classifications

• B60N2/06

  slidable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2209} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/012

  The seat support being a part of the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60N2/04

  the whole seat being movable · CPC title

• B60R16/037 Primary

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60N2/01

  Arrangement of seats relative to one another · CPC title