Vehicle control system, vehicle control method, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10434900-B2
Application number	US-201815866608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle control system includes a seat (41) on which an occupant of a vehicle sits, a first protruding mechanism (45) configured to move a pushing member (45A) provided inside the seat to adjust a protruding position and a displacement of the seat, a second protruding mechanism (46) configured to inject a gas or liquid into a bag-like member (46B) provided inside the seat to adjust the protruding position and the displacement of the seat, and a seat control unit configured to control the first protruding mechanism to cause at least a part of a contact portion between the occupant and the seat to protrude in a case that the vehicle performs a first driving mode having a degree of automated driving less than a predetermined reference and to control the second protruding mechanism to cause at least a part of the contact portion between the occupant and the seat to protrude in a case that the vehicle performs a second driving mode having a degree of automated driving equal to or higher than the predetermined reference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle control system comprising:
a seat on which an occupant of a vehicle sits;
a first protruding mechanism configured to move a pushing member provided inside the seat to adjust a protruding position and a displacement of the seat;
a second protruding mechanism configured to inject a gas or liquid into a bag-like member provided inside the seat to adjust the protruding position and the displacement of the seat; and
a seat control unit configured to control the first protruding mechanism to cause at least a part of a contact portion between the occupant and the seat to protrude in a case that the vehicle performs a first driving mode having a degree of automated driving less than a predetermined reference and to control the second protruding mechanism to cause at least a part of the contact portion between the occupant and the seat to protrude in a case that the vehicle performs a second driving mode having a degree of automated driving equal to or higher than the predetermined reference.

2. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case that the first protruding mechanism is actuated, the seat control unit is configured to make it more difficult for the occupant sitting on the seat to shake than in a case that the second protruding mechanism is actuated.

3. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case that the vehicle switches from the second driving mode to the first driving mode, the seat control unit is configured to control the second protruding mechanism such that the bag-like member discharges the gas or liquid and to control the first protruding mechanism such that the first protruding mechanism supports a posture of the occupant.

4. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein the bag-like member is formed of an elastic body and expands when the gas or liquid is injected and discharges the gas or liquid by an elastic force of returning to an original shape.

5. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein the seat control unit is configured to control the first protruding mechanism such that the first protruding mechanism moves the pushing member to a reference position in a case that the vehicle switches from the first driving mode to the second driving mode and then to control the second protruding mechanism to cause at least a part of the contact portion between the occupant and the seat to protrude.

6. The vehicle control system according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of bag-like members for storing the gas or liquid are provided inside the seat, and
the seat control unit is configured to control the second protruding mechanism such that the gas or liquid is injected into one of the plurality of bag-like members associated with a part of the occupant which is in contact with the seat.

7. The vehicle control system according to claim 6 , wherein the seat control unit is configured to control the second protruding mechanism such that the second protruding mechanism adjusts at least one of an amount of injection, an amount of discharge, an injection speed, or a discharge speed of the gas or liquid of each of the plurality of bag-like members.

8. A vehicle control method using an in-vehicle computer, comprising:
controlling a first protruding mechanism configured to move a pushing member provided in a seat on which an occupant of a vehicle sits to adjust a protruding position and a displacement of the seat in a case that the vehicle performs a first driving mode having a degree of automated driving less than a predetermined reference; and
controlling a second protruding mechanism configured to inject a gas or liquid into a bag-like member provided in the seat to adjust the protruding position and the displacement of the seat in a case that the vehicle performs a second driving mode having a degree of automated driving equal to or higher than the predetermined reference.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a vehicle control program causing an in-vehicle computer to:
control a first protruding mechanism configured to move a pushing member provided in a seat on which an occupant of a vehicle sits to adjust a protruding position and a displacement of the seat in a case that the vehicle performs a first driving mode having a degree of automated driving less than a predetermined reference; and
control a second protruding mechanism configured to inject a gas or liquid into a bag-like member provided in the seat to adjust the protruding position and the displacement of the seat in a case that the vehicle performs a second driving mode having a degree of automated driving equal to or higher than the predetermined reference.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hirayama Kenta
• Ishihara Hajime
• Matsumoto Manabu
• Minato Muneatsu
• Nishimura Yosuke

Classifications

• B60N2/914

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60W50/0098 Primary

  Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60N2002/026

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/0224 Primary

  Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation · CPC title

• B60N2/665 Primary

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title