Vehicle component identification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12325431-B2
Application number	US-202016808665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 4, 2020
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle component is identified based on a gaze direction of an occupant in a vehicle seat. A first direction of the vehicle seat is determined relative to a forward-facing direction of a vehicle. A second direction is determined from the vehicle seat to the vehicle component. Then, the vehicle seat is rotated based on an angle between the first direction and the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
identify a vehicle component based on a gaze direction of an occupant in a vehicle seat;
determine a first direction of the vehicle seat relative to a forward-facing direction of a vehicle;
determine a second direction from the vehicle seat to the vehicle component, wherein the vehicle component has a fixed position in the vehicle;
then rotate the vehicle seat toward the fixed position of the vehicle component based on identifying the vehicle component and an angle between the first direction and the second direction;
actuate a haptic output device after rotating the seat toward the vehicle component upon detecting a hand of the occupant within a distance threshold of the vehicle component, wherein the haptic output device is on at least one of a portable occupant device and the vehicle seat; and
prevent rotation of the vehicle seat based on the vehicle component being fixed to and moveable with the vehicle seat.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to, upon determining a gaze point based on the gaze direction, determine a third direction from the gaze point to the vehicle component.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a speaker including an audio cue specifying the third direction.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate the vehicle component towards the gaze point.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate an indicator including a visual cue specifying the third direction.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to, upon identifying the vehicle component, actuate a light on the vehicle component.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify the vehicle component based further on receiving an occupant input specifying the vehicle component.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify the vehicle component based further on detecting an occupant gesture.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate the vehicle component towards the first direction to align the first direction and the second direction.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate at least one of a speaker and an indicator upon detecting a hand of the occupant on the vehicle component via a capacitive sensor, wherein the speaker and the indicator each includes a cue specifying one or more controls of the vehicle component.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a haptic output device on the vehicle component upon detecting a hand of the occupant on the vehicle component.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to prevent rotation of the vehicle seat based on the angle being less than a threshold.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Richer Benjamin Solomon
• Carlson Adam
• Phung Peter
• Berry Hussein H

Classifications

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• B60K35/654

  the user being the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K2360/149

  Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60K35/65

  Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive · CPC title