Haptic cues to help locate seat controls and belt buckles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257973-B2
Application number	US-202217822170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A system to locate seat controls and belt buckles includes a vehicle having at least one seat. A seat belt system is provided with the at least one seat having a seat belt, a belt latch and a seat belt buckle. A haptic device is provided with the seat belt system, the haptic device generating a haptic signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A haptic system to locate seat components, comprising:
a vehicle having at least one seat;
a seat belt system provided with the at least one seat having a seat belt, a belt latch and a seat belt buckle; and
a haptic device provided with the seat belt system, the haptic device generating a haptic signal, wherein the haptic device includes a body having or in communication with an electrical circuit which communicates an electrical control signal to a mechanical device including a motor or a rotating device having an off-balanced member to generate a vibrational energy, and wherein the vibrational energy increases with an increasing signal strength generated by the mechanical device, induced by an object approaching within a predetermined threshold distance of the haptic device.

2. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the haptic device is embedded in the seat belt buckle.

3. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the haptic device is embedded in the seat belt buckle during a manufacturing step that separately inserts the haptic device into a cavity of the seat belt buckle prepared to receive the haptic device.

4. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the haptic device is outwardly fixedly attached to the seat belt buckle.

5. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the haptic signal defines a vibration felt by a user seated in the seat when the belt latch is brought into a predetermined distance to the seat belt buckle.

6. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , defines further comprising an array having multiple ultrasonic speakers, the ultrasonic speakers emitting and receiving reflected ultrasonic waves as the object or another object is moved within a predetermined distance of the array.

7. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 6 , wherein, the other object defines a hand of a user seated in the at least one seat.

8. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the haptic device or a similar haptic device is embedded in, fixed onto, or positioned within in a predetermined distance to a seat control switch.

9. The haptic system to locate seat components of claim 1 , wherein the seat belt buckle includes at least one of:
a light which is configured to define a steady-on light or a blinking light to help a user seated in the at least one seat visually locate the seat belt buckle; and
a buckle sensor detecting when the user releasably buckles the belt latch to the seat belt buckle.

10. A vehicle user notification system, comprising:
a seat system supporting a user;
a haptic device provided with the seat system, the haptic device generating a haptic signal to notify the user of a location of an object of the seat system, wherein the haptic device includes a body having or in communication with an electrical circuit which communicates an electrical control signal to a mechanical device including a motor or a rotating device having an off-balanced member to generate a vibrational energy, and wherein the vibrational energy increases with an increasing signal strength generated by the mechanical device, induced by an object approaching within a predetermined threshold distance of the haptic device; and
a computer in communication with a vehicle control device, the computer communicating and the vehicle control device receiving data including a user seat occupancy and a vehicle operating status to assist the computer and the vehicle control device to generate control signals to initiate the haptic device.

11. The vehicle user notification system of claim 10 , wherein the seat system includes at least one seat positioned in a vehicle, and wherein the at least one seat includes a seat belt system to releasably restrain the user when the user is seated on the at least one seat.

12. The vehicle user notification system of claim 11 , wherein the seat belt system includes a seat belt, a belt latch and a seat belt buckle.

13. The vehicle user notification system of claim 12 , wherein the haptic device is incorporated on or in the seat belt buckle.

14. The vehicle user notification system of claim 11 , wherein the seat belt system includes a seat control switch.

15. The vehicle user notification system of claim 14 , wherein the haptic device is incorporated on or in the seat control switch.

16. The vehicle user notification system of claim 10 , including:
a user occupancy sensor embedded within the seat system identifying when the user is present on the seat system;
a seat belt payout sensor incorporated within a seat belt assembly detecting a seat belt webbing movement when the user releasably connects a seat belt latch to a seat belt buckle; and
a proximity sensor including one of a camera, a radar device, and a light source directed at the seat belt buckle identifying a position of the seat belt buckle.

17. A vehicle haptic system, comprising:
a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle;
a seat belt system provided with the vehicle seat having a seat belt, a belt latch and a seat belt buckle, the belt latch releasably coupled to the seat belt buckle;
a first sensor identifying when a user is seated on the vehicle seat;
a second sensor identifying when the belt latch approaches within a predetermined distance of the seat belt buckle; and
a haptic device provided with the seat belt system, the haptic device generating a haptic signal when the second sensor identifies the belt latch is within the predetermined distance, wherein the haptic device includes a body having or in communication with an electrical circuit which communicates an electrical control signal to a mechanical device including a motor or a rotating device having an off-balanced member to generate a vibrational energy, and wherein the vibrational energy increases with an increasing signal strength generated by the mechanical device, induced by an object approaching within a predetermined threshold distance of the haptic device.

18. The vehicle haptic system of claim 17 , further including a current buckle to drive feature providing a haptic feedback when a Buckle-to-Shift message is displayed to the user, the Buckle-to-Shift message displayed when the user attempts to shift the vehicle out of a park mode.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Ali Kamran
• Grimm Donald K
• Lusk Anna M
• Davila Maria Del Mar

Classifications

• B60R2022/4816

  for sensing locking of buckle · CPC title

• B60R2022/4825

  for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor · CPC title

• B60R2022/4858

  for sensing pressure on seat · CPC title

• B60R2022/4866

  Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof · CPC title

• B60R2022/485

  for sensing belt anchor position, belt orientation, or the like · CPC title