Smart multi-contoured seat support system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464446-B2
Application number	US-201715790667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2017
Priority date	Oct 23, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A method of adjusting a vehicle seat support system is provided. In particular, the method includes receiving a user selection at an input device and detecting a mode type associated with the user selection. A plurality of seat support features disposed within a vehicle seat are then adjusted toward a support characteristic that corresponds to the detected mode type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of adjusting a vehicle seat support system, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a user selection at an input device;
detecting, by the controller, a mode indicated by the user selection from a plurality of modes;
adjusting, by the controller, seat support features within a vehicle seat toward a support characteristic defined by the detected mode;
for each of the support features within the vehicle seat, setting, by the controller, a target intensity as the support characteristic based on the detected mode;
increasing, by the controller, the target intensity level for a selected mode by one level when the user selection is an adjustment mode from among the plurality of modes; and
decreasing, by the controller, the target intensity level for a last selected mode by one level when the user selection is an off mode from among the plurality of modes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seat support features are adjusted until the target intensity is reached or until an engagement of the input device is released.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, by the controller, feedback from a sensor that detects pressure exerted onto the vehicle seat; and
determining, by the controller, which of the seat support features to adjust based on the feedback.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to the release of the input device engagement, storing, by the controller, a last selected mode,
wherein the vehicle seat support system restarts based on a last intensity level.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a plurality of modes are stored in a database, wherein an activation order of each seat support feature is defined in the database for each of the modes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the database further defines weighting rank factors used to calculate an effective system state, a number of intervals to reach a maximum intensity level, and target support levels for each seat support feature at each intensity interval.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seat support features are adjusted pneumatically or mechanically.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modes comprise at least one adjustment mode and an off mode.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mode includes at least a sport mode, a touring mode, and a back health mode.

10. A method of adjusting a vehicle seat support system, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a user selection at an input device;
detecting, by the controller, a mode indicated by the user selection from a plurality of modes;
calculating, by the controller, a weighted rank of each of a plurality of seat support features within a vehicle seat by comparing a current intensity level of each seat support feature and an intensity level of a respective seat support feature for the detected mode;
calculating, by the controller, an effective system state based on the detected mode and the weighted rank of each seat support feature;
setting, by the controller, a target intensity level based on the user selection; and
adjusting, by the controller, the intensity of each seat support feature to meet the target intensity level for each seat support feature;
wherein the calculation of the effective system state includes:
increasing, by the controller, the target intensity level for a selected mode by one level when the user selection is an adjustment mode from among the plurality of modes; and
decreasing, by the controller, the target intensity level for a last selected mode by one level when the user selection is an off mode from among the plurality of modes.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the intensity of each seat support feature is adjusted until an engagement of the input device is released.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a support profile is generated for a plurality of mode types to provide an intensity level for each seat support feature corresponding to each mode type.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
storing, by the controller, the current intensity level in response to the release of the input device engagement; and
restarting, by the controller, the vehicle seat support system at the stored intensity level.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment mode includes at least a sport mode, a touring mode, and a back health mode.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Ziolek Scott
• Christiana Amanda

Classifications

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/665

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title

• B60N2002/0268

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/0228

  Hand-activated mechanical switches (B60N2/0229 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/0252 Primary

  with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat · CPC title