Seat assembly sensors and controls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025313131-A1
Application number	US-202519169855-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2025
Priority date	Apr 4, 2024
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a seat configured to receive a passenger, a sensor system configured to detect passenger characteristics including one or more forces or pressures of the passenger against the seat and a contact area of the passenger across the seat, memory circuitry storing instructions thereon, and processing circuitry. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to receive the passenger characteristics from the sensor system, and perform an action based on the passenger characteristics.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a seat configured to receive a passenger; a sensor system configured to detect passenger characteristics including one or more forces or pressures of the passenger against the seat and a contact area of the passenger across the seat; memory circuitry storing instructions thereon; and processing circuitry, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:
receive the passenger characteristics from the sensor system; and
perform an action based on the passenger characteristics.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured to detect one or more restraint characteristics indicative of a status of a restraint corresponding to the seat.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:
determine, based on the passenger characteristics and the one or more restraint characteristics, a recommended adjustment to the restraint or a recommended status of the restraint; and transmit an alert indicative of the recommended adjustment or the recommended status, or actuate the restraint based the recommended adjustment or the recommended status.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate a heat map of the seat based on the passenger characteristics.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured to detect additional passenger characteristics including one or more additional forces or pressures of the passenger against a seatback coupled to the seat and an additional contact area of the passenger across the seatback, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:
receive the additional passenger characteristics from the sensor system; and perform the action or an additional action based on the additional passenger characteristics.

6 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a ride path; and a ride vehicle comprising the seat, wherein the ride vehicle is coupled to the ride path, and configured to travel along the ride path.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory circuitry is configured to store data indicative of a plurality of rider baseline profiles thereon, wherein each rider baseline profile of the plurality of rider baseline profiles includes a respective one or more baseline forces or pressures and a respective baseline contact area, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to:
select, from the plurality of rider baseline profiles, a rider baseline profile based on a resemblance between the rider baseline profile and the passenger characteristics; and determine the action based on the rider baseline profile.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory circuitry is configured to store data indicative of a plurality of rider baseline profiles thereon, wherein each rider baseline profile of the plurality of rider baseline profiles includes a respective one or more baseline forces or pressures and a respective baseline contact area, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to modify, based on the passenger characteristics, the plurality of rider baseline profiles by:
adding an additional rider baseline profile to the plurality of rider baseline profiles; or changing an existing rider baseline profile of the plurality of rider baseline profiles.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to perform the action based on the passenger characteristics by:
transmitting an alert indicative of a recommended adjustment to a restraint corresponding to the seat, a recommended status of the restraint, or both; or actuating the restraint based on the recommended adjustment, actuating the restraint to achieve the recommended status, or both.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors distributed across the seat, and each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect a respective point force of the one or more forces or pressures of the passenger against a respective portion of the seat.

11 . One or more non-transitory, computer readable media, storing instructions thereon that, when executed by a processing system comprising one or more processors, are configured to cause the processing system to:
determine, based on sensor feedback from a sensor system comprising a plurality of sensors, passenger characteristics including one or more forces or pressures of a passenger against a seat and a contact area of the passenger across the seat; receive restraint data indicative of a status of a restraint corresponding to the seat; determine, based on the passenger characteristics and the restraint data, a recommended adjustment to the restraint; and transmit an alert indicative of the recommended adjustment or control the restraint based on the recommended adjustment.

12 . The one or more non-transitory, computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing system, are configured to cause the processing system to receive the restraint data from the sensor system.

13 . The one or more non-transitory, computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the status of the restraint includes a position of the restraint, an additional one or more forces or pressures between the passenger and the restraint, or both.

14 . The one or more non-transitory, computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing system, are configured to cause the processing system to:
determine, based on sensor feedback, additional passenger characteristics including an additional one or more forces or pressures of the passenger against a seatback coupled to the seat and a contact area of the passenger across the seatback; and determine, based on the additional passenger characteristics, the recommended adjustment to the restraint.

15 . The one or more non-transitory, computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing system, are configured to cause the processing system to:
select, from a plurality of rider baseline profiles, a rider baseline profile based on a resemblance between the rider baseline profile and the passenger characteristics, wherein each rider baseline profile of the plurality of rider baseline profiles includes a respective one or more baseline forces or pressures and a respective baseline contact area; and determine, based on the rider baseline profile, the recommended adjustment to the restraint.

16 . The one or more non-transitory, computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing system, are configured to cause the processing system to generate a heat map based on the passenger characteristics.

17 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
detecting, via a first sensor, a first force or pressure of passenger against a first area of a seat; detecting, via a second sensor, a second force or pressure of the passenger against a second area of the seat; receiving, via a processing system comprising one or more processors, sensor feedback from the first sensor and the second sensor; determining a contact area of the passen

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Tam Francis
• Zielkowski Amanda Kate
• Osborn Byron Thomas
• Dean Rebecca Barbara
• Dembinski Kyle Andrew

Classifications

• B60N2210/40

  Force or pressure sensors · CPC title

• B60N2/0034

  in, under or on the seat cover · CPC title

• B60N2/0027 Primary

  for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part · CPC title

• B60N2/0035 Primary

  characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information · CPC title