Walking infant seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241982-B2
Application number	US-201916457708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure provides an infant vehicle seat that is capable of independent movement. The infant vehicle seat may include a base including a shell enclosing a seating area and an infant restraint harness. The infant vehicle seat may include four legs, each pivotably mounted to the base and including a joint between an upper segment and a lower segment. The infant vehicle seat may include a first actuator for each leg coupled with the base and the respective upper segment and configured to pivot the leg with respect to the base. The infant vehicle seat may include a second actuator for each leg coupled with the upper segment and the lower segment and configured to bend and extend the leg. The infant vehicle seat may include a control system configured to translate an input command into a series of control signals for each of the first actuators and second actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An infant vehicle seat, comprising:
a base including a shell enclosing a seating area and an infant restraint harness;
four legs, each pivotably mounted to the base, wherein each leg includes a joint between an upper segment and a lower segment allowing the leg to bend between a straight configuration and a folded configuration;
a first actuator for each leg coupled with the base and the respective upper segment and configured to pivot the leg with respect to the base;
a second actuator for each leg coupled with the upper segment and the lower segment and configured to bend and extend the leg at the joint; and
a control system configured to translate an input command into a series of control signals for each of the first actuators and second actuators.

2. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a program to generate the series of control signals to:
starting from a retracted state with each of the legs in the folded configuration, extend each leg at least partially to raise the shell; and
alternatingly bend and extend the joints to walk the infant vehicle seat out of a vehicle.

3. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a program to generate the series of control signals to:
starting from an extended state with each of the legs in the straight configuration, alternatingly bend and extend the joints to walk the infant vehicle seat to a vehicle entrance;
walk the infant vehicle seat into the vehicle; and
position the infant vehicle seat at a designated mounting location within the vehicle in a retracted state with each of the legs in the folded configuration.

4. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a machine learning model trained to maintain the shell in a level orientation.

5. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein each leg further includes a linear actuator configured to extend a length of the lower segment of the respective leg.

6. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the shell is detachable from the base.

7. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the base allows horizontal and vertical pivoting of each leg.

8. The infant vehicle seat of claim 1 , further comprising a holographic display configured to present a hologram and receive the input command based on a user interaction with the hologram.

9. A method of operating a robotic infant vehicle seat including four legs, each pivotably mounted to a base, wherein each leg includes a joint between an upper segment and a lower segment allowing the leg to bend between a straight configuration and a folded configuration, comprising:
providing measurements from one or more sensors to a machine learning model trained to maintain the base in a level orientation;
generating, by the machine learning model, first control signals for respective actuators located in each of the legs; and
controlling the respective actuators according to the first control signals.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the respective actuators located in each of the legs include:
a first actuator for each leg coupled with the base and the respective upper segment and configured to pivot the leg with respect to the base; and
a second actuator for each leg coupled with the upper segment and the lower segment and configured to bend and extend the leg at the joint.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a user input to move the infant seat; and
executing a program to generate second control signals to move the infant seat according to the user input; and
controlling the respective actuators according to the second control signals in addition to the first control signals.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the program generates the second control signals to:
starting from a retracted state with each of the legs in the folded configuration, extend each leg at least partially to raise the base; and
alternatingly bend and extend the joints to walk the infant vehicle seat out of a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the program generates the second control signals to:
starting from an extended state with each of the legs in the straight configuration, alternatingly bend and extend the joints to walk the infant vehicle seat to a vehicle entrance;
walk the infant vehicle seat into the vehicle; and
position the infant vehicle seat at a designated mounting location within the vehicle in a retracted state with each of the legs in the folded configuration.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising projecting a hologram via a holographic display located within the base, wherein receiving the user input to move the infant seat comprises receiving an input command based on a user interaction with the hologram.

15. A robotic infant seat control system, comprising:
a memory;
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to:
provide measurements from one or more sensors to a machine learning model trained to maintain a base of the robotic infant seat in a level orientation;
generate, by the machine learning model, first control signals for respective actuators located in each leg of the robotic infant seat; and
control the respective actuators according to the first control signals.

16. The robotic infant seat control system of claim 15 , wherein the respective actuators located in each leg include:
a first actuator for each leg coupled with the base and a respective upper segment and configured to pivot the leg with respect to the base; and
a second actuator for each leg coupled with the respective upper segment and a respective lower segment and configured to bend and extend the leg at a joint.

17. The robotic infant seat control system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a user input to move the infant seat; and
execute a program to generate second control signals to move the infant seat according to the user input; and
control the respective actuators according to the second control signals in addition to the first control signals.

18. The robotic infant seat control system of claim 17 , wherein the program generates the second control signals to:
starting from a retracted state with each leg in a folded configuration, extend each leg at least partially to raise the base; and
alternatingly bend and extend joints in the legs to walk the robotic infant seat out of a vehicle.

19. The robotic infant seat control system of claim 17 , wherein the program generates the second control signals to:
starting from an extended state with each leg in a straight configuration, alternatingly bend and extend respective joints of the legs to walk the robotic infant seat to a vehicle entrance;
walk the robotic infant seat into the vehicle; and
position the infant vehicle seat at a designated mounting location within the vehicle in a retracted state with each of the legs in a folded configuration.

20. The robotic infant seat control system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to:
project a hologram via a holographic display located within the base; and
receive the user input to move the infant seat as an input command based on a user interaction with the hologram.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hsu Ricky Jukuei

Classifications

• B60N2220/30

  using a neural network · CPC title

• B60N2210/50

  Inertial sensors · CPC title

• B60N2210/24

  Cameras · CPC title

• B60N2230/20

  Wireless data transmission · CPC title

• B60N2/0237

  using portable terminals, e.g. smartphones · CPC title