Vehicle seat headrest adjustment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024308402-A1
Application number	US-202318185931-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2023
Priority date	Mar 17, 2023
Publication date	Sep 19, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure generally pertains to a vehicle seat headrest adjustment system. An example method executed by a processor includes determining, based on data received from a first sensor, a spatial parameter associated with a headrest of a seat in a vehicle and determining, based on data received from the first sensor and/or a second sensor, a spatial parameter associated with a head of an occupant of the seat. The processor evaluates the spatial parameters with respect to a reference spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant and issues an audible alert and/or a visual advisory to reposition and/or reorient the headrest based on the evaluation. The spatial parameters can be, for example, an orientation of the headrest, a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant, or a relative orientation of the head of the occupant with respect to the headrest.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining, by a processor, based on data received from a first sensor, a first spatial parameter associated with a headrest of a seat in a vehicle; determining, by the processor, based on data received from at least one of the first sensor or a second sensor, a second spatial parameter associated with a head of an occupant of the seat in the vehicle; evaluating, by the processor, the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter with respect to a reference spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat; and issuing, by the processor, at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the evaluation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first spatial parameter comprises at least one of a size, a position, or an orientation of the headrest, wherein the second spatial parameter comprises at least one of a separation distance or a relative orientation of the head of the occupant with respect to the headrest, wherein the audible alert is issued through a speaker, and wherein the visual advisory is displayed on a display screen of a device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data received from the first sensor comprises an image of the headrest, and wherein the data received from the at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor is an image of the occupant of the seat.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data received from the first sensor indicates the separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor, the reference spatial relationship based on empirical data.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein evaluating the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter with respect to the reference spatial relationship comprises executing a convolutional neural network procedure.

7 . A method comprising:
determining, by a processor, based on data received from at least a first sensor, a first spatial relationship between a headrest of a seat in a vehicle and a head of an occupant of the seat; comparing, by the processor, the first spatial relationship to a reference spatial relationship; detecting, by the processor at least a first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship; and issuing, by the processor, at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the first difference.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat comprises a first separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship comprises a difference between the first separation distance and a reference separation distance.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat comprises a first angular tilt of the head of the occupant of the seat with respect to the headrest.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first angular tilt is one of a positive angular tilt or a negative angular tilt of the head of the occupant and wherein the first angular tilt is different than a reference angular tilt.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship comprises a first angular tilt of the headrest.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
operating, by the processor, an automated headrest adjustment apparatus for modifying the first angular tilt of the headrest.

14 . A vehicle comprising:
a detector system; and a vehicle headrest adjusting system comprising:
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least:
determining, based on data received from the detector system, a first spatial relationship between a headrest of a seat in the vehicle and a head of an occupant of the seat;
comparing the first spatial relationship to a reference spatial relationship;
detecting at least a first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship; and
issuing at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the first difference.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the detector system comprises a camera, wherein the data received by the processor comprises an image captured by the camera, and wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant comprises at least one of a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant or a relative angular tilt between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising an automated headrest adjustment apparatus, and wherein the processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
cause the automated headrest adjustment apparatus to at least one of modify the separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant by moving the headrest one of towards or away from the head of the occupant or modify an angular tilt of the headrest.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant further comprises a relative elevation difference between the headrest and the head of the occupant and wherein the processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
cause the automated headrest adjustment apparatus to at least one of raise or lower the headrest.

18 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the detector system comprises a distance measuring device, wherein the data received by the processor comprises distance information captured by the distance measuring device, and wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant comprises a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the distance measuring device comprises one of a radar detector, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, an ultrasonic distance measuring device, a time-of-flight (ToF) distance measuring device, or an infrared device.

20 . The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising an infotainment system and wherein the processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
issue the at least one of the audible alert or the visual advisory via the infotainment system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Amodeo Catherine Marie
• Herman david michael
• Jain Yashanshu
• Warner Keith Richard

Classifications

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60N2/882

  detachable · CPC title

• B60N2/838

  Tiltable · CPC title

• B60N2/806 Primary

  movable or adjustable · CPC title

• B60N2/0028

  of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg · CPC title