Occupant and fidget detection of a seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569668-B2
Application number	US-201715851003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A seat assembly is provided with sensors. A controller measures pressure in a plurality of regions with a seated occupant over a period of time. A change in pressure is determined from an initial seating position to a second seating position and evaluated to determine a vector of pressure change. A fidget is identified if the vector exceeds a predetermined value. A camera is directed at the seat bottom and the seat back. The controller evaluates a camera input to determine anatomical dimensions of the seated occupant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting a fidget from a seated occupant comprising:
measuring pressure in a plurality of regions of a seat assembly with a seated occupant over a period of time;
determining a change in pressure from an initial seating position to a second seating position in the plurality of regions of the seat assembly with the seated occupant over the period of time;
evaluating the change in pressure in the plurality of regions to determine at least one vector of pressure change;
identifying a fidget if the at least one vector of pressure change exceeds a predetermined value;
determining a change in pressure from the second seating position back to the initial seating position; and
identifying the fidget if the seating position returns to the initial seating position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring a period of time from the initial seating position to the second seating position and back to the initial seating position; and
identifying the fidget if the period of time is within a predetermined range.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined range is one to thirty seconds.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying a plurality of fidgets over a period of time;
determining a period of time between fidgets; and
identifying a fidget pattern if the period of time between fidgets is within a predetermined range.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined range for an identified fidget pattern is thirty seconds to ten minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined value is a standard deviation of at least one.

7. A seat assembly comprising:
a seat bottom;
a seat back adapted to extend upright and adjacent to the seat bottom;
a plurality of sensors provided in at least one of a frame, foam and trim of at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
a controller in communication with the plurality of sensors and programmed to detect a fidget according to a method comprising:
measuring pressure in a plurality of regions of a seat assembly with a seated occupant over a period of time,
determining a change in pressure from an initial seating position to a second seating position in the plurality of regions of the seat assembly with the seated occupant over the period of time,
evaluating the change in pressure in the plurality of regions to determine at least one vector of pressure change,
identifying a fidget if the at least one vector of pressure change exceeds a predetermined value,
determining a change in pressure from the second seating position back to the initial seating position, and
identifying the fidget if the seating position returns to the initial seating position.

8. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of adjustable air bladder assemblies in communication with the controller; and
wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, force sensor, movement sensor and an electro-dermal potential sensor.

9. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate a weight of the seated occupant.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate a body mass index of the seated occupant.

11. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising at least one actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to adjust the at least one actuator to reposition the seated occupant in response to detecting the fidget.

12. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising at least one pneumatic actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to adjust the at least one pneumatic actuator to reposition the seated occupant in response to detecting the fidget.

13. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising at least one actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to adjust the at least one actuator to vibrate the seated occupant in response to detecting the fidget.

14. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising at least one pneumatic actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to rhythmically adjust the at least one pneumatic actuator to deliver at least one of a whole seat massage or a localized massage to the seated occupant in response to detecting the fidget.

15. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising at least one thermal actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to adjust a temperature of the at least one thermal actuator in response to detecting the fidget.

16. The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
a camera directed at the seat bottom and the seat back; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to receive input indicative of a visual representation of a seated occupant from the camera, and evaluate the camera input to determine anatomical dimensions of the seated occupant.

17. The seat assembly of claim 16 wherein the controller is further programmed to determine at least one of occupant height, hip width, chest width, shoulder width, and a height of a head relative to a shoulder and a neck.

18. The seat assembly of claim 16 further comprising at least one actuator in communication with the controller and operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of seating positions of the seat assembly; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to compare the anatomical dimensions with predetermined ranges and adjust the at least one actuator to one of the plurality of seating positions corresponding to one of the predetermined ranges.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Migneco Francesco
• Gallagher David
• Hanlon Samuel
• Henn Karl
• Pereny Michelle A

Classifications

• G06F2218/12

  Classification; Matching · CPC title

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/04

  the whole seat being movable · CPC title

• B60N2/665 Primary

  using inflatable bladders · 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