Wireless vehicle seat sensor unit adapted for removable vehicle seats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018154863-A1
Application number	US-201615579526-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Jun 7, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle seat sensor unit includes a seat occupancy sensor configured for wirelessly communicating with a control unit, at least one first seat detection sensor member and at least one second seat detection sensor member. The first seat detection sensor member is arrangeable in one out of a lower vehicle seat portion of a vehicle seat that is mountable in a vehicle in a removable manner, and a vehicle cabin floor, and the second seat detection sensor member is attachable to the other one of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor. The first seat detection sensor member and the second seat detection sensor member are configured to physically interact if mutually arranged within a specific distance. The physical interaction results in a detectable change of a status of at least one out of the first seat detection sensor member and the second seat detection sensor member.

First claim

1 . A vehicle seat sensor unit, comprising at least one seat occupancy sensor arrangeable at a surface of a vehicle seat, the seat occupancy sensor being configured for wirelessly communicating with a control unit to be mounted in a vehicle, characterized by
at least one first seat detection sensor member and at least one second seat detection sensor member, wherein
the at least one first seat detection sensor member is arrangeable in one out of a lower vehicle seat portion and a vehicle cabin floor, and the at least one second seat detection sensor member is attachable to the other one out of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor to which the vehicle seat is fixedly mountable in a removable manner,
the at least one first seat detection sensor member and the at least one second seat detection sensor member are configured to physically interact if mutually arranged within a specific distance, and
the physical interaction results in a detectable change of a status of at least one out of the at least one first seat detection sensor member and the at least one second seat detection sensor member.

2 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , comprising
a number of at least n first seat detection sensor members, with n being a natural number larger than one, wherein the at least n first seat detection sensor members are arrangeable in one out of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor at mutually different mounting locations, and a number of m second seat detection sensor members, with m being a natural number larger than one and equal to or smaller than n, wherein the m second seat detection sensor members are attachable to the other one out of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor at mutually different mounting locations, such that at least two of the m second seat detection sensor members are arrangeable within the specific distance to two different first seat detection sensor members of the at least n first seat detection sensor members.

3 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the m second seat detection sensor members are attachable to the other one out of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor at mutually different mounting locations, such that each one of the m second seat detection sensor members is arrangeable within the specific distance to a different one of the at least n first seat detection sensor members.

4 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the physical interaction is of at least one out of magnetic, electromagnetic and optical nature.

5 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one first seat detection sensor member or at least one of the n first seat detection sensor members comprises at least one reed switch, and the at least one of the second seat detection sensor member or at least one of the second seat detection sensor members is configured to generate a magnetic field at least within a distance equal to the specific distance.

6 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , further including a decoder unit for detecting and evaluating the detectable changes of statuses of the first seat detection sensor members and the second seat detection sensor members.

7 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , further including a seat belt fastening detector that is configured for detecting a seat belt usage condition and for generating a signal indicative thereof, the seat belt fastening detector being configured for providing the signal to the control unit.

8 . The vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second seat detection sensor member is or either the first or the second seat detection sensor members are arrangeable in the vehicle seat, and the other one out of the first and second seat detection sensor member is or the other one out of the first and second seat detection sensor members are fixedly attachable at the vehicle cabin floor.

9 . A vehicle seat sensor system, comprising
a number of k vehicle seat sensor units as claimed in claim 1 , wherein k is a natural number and is equal to or smaller than 2 (n−1) −1, with n being a natural number larger than one, wherein
the seat occupancy sensor,
if applicable the seat belt fastening detector, and
either the at least n first seat detection sensor members or the m second seat detection sensor members
of each one of the k vehicle seat sensor units are arrangeable at a different vehicle seat of a vehicle.

10 . A seat belt reminder system, including a vehicle seat sensor system as claimed in claim 9 and a control unit configured for wireless communication with the seat occupancy sensors, the seat belt fastening detectors and the decoder units.

11 . A vehicle seat that is mountable in a vehicle in a removable manner, including a vehicle seat sensor unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein
the seat occupancy sensor is arranged at a surface of the vehicle seat, either the first or the second seat detection sensor member is or either the first or the second seat detection sensor members are arranged in the vehicle seat, the decoder unit is arranged in the vehicle seat, and the seat belt fastening detector is installed in the vehicle seat.

12 . A method for providing seat belt reminder function for vehicle seats that are mountable in a vehicle in a removable manner, using the seat belt reminder system as claimed in claim 10 comprising the vehicle seat sensor unit having a decoder unit for detecting and evaluating the detectable changes of statuses of the first seat detection sensor members and the second seat detection sensor members, the method comprising steps of
for each vehicle seat, detecting the status of each one of the first seat detection sensor members or the second seat detection sensor members,
for each vehicle seat, comparing the detected status with a set of predetermined codes,
in case of the detected status matching a specific code of the set of predetermined codes, communicating at least the specific code to the control unit.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising steps of
repetitively detecting, for each vehicle seat, the status of each one of the first seat detection sensor members or the second seat detection sensor members, recording the detected statuses, checking if at least one detected sensor member status has changed in comparison to a preceding recorded status of the sensor member, conducting at least the last two steps of the method as claimed in claim 12 , if at least one changed sensor member status has been detected.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising steps of
for each vehicle seat, retrieving a contents of a communication with the seat occupancy sensor of a specific vehicle seat and a signal provided by the seat belt fastening detector of the specific vehicle seat, for each vehicle seat, generating a warning signal related to seat belt fastening, based on a combination of the contents of the communication with the seat occupancy sensor of the specific vehicle seat, the signal provided by the seat belt fastening detector of the specific vehicle seat, and the communicated code representing a status of the seat detection sensor members arranged at the specific vehicle seat
matching at least one predetermined condition.

Assignees

• Iee Sa

Inventors

• Watgen Claude
• Lorenz Holger

Classifications

• B60R2022/4858

  for sensing pressure on seat · CPC title

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60N2/01508 Primary

  using quick release attachments · CPC title

• B60R2022/4841

  for sensing belt tension · 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