Vehicle display with automatic positioning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9386335-B2
Application number	US-201314083572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A display system mounted within a vehicle is provided, where the system monitors the user's position within the vehicle's seat and automatically adjusts the location of the display to compensate for variations in the size or seating position of the user, thereby helping to alleviate the eye strain, fatigue, neck and back pain that often accompany the improper use of a monitor for an extended period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display system, comprising:
a display mounted within and to a vehicle, wherein said display is adjustable within a range of display positions;
a display positioning system coupled to said display;
a vehicle seat mounted within said vehicle, wherein said vehicle seat is positioned within said vehicle to allow an occupant of said vehicle seat to utilize said display;
an occupant position sensor system, wherein said occupant position sensor system outputs occupant position data corresponding to a current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat;
a control system coupled to said display positioning system and to said occupant position sensor system, wherein said control system monitors said occupant position data and automatically adjusts said display with said display positioning system to a current display position within said range of display positions in response to said current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat;
a linkage assembly controllable by said display positioning system, wherein said display is mounted to said vehicle with said linkage assembly, said linkage assembly further comprising a guide track mounted to said vehicle, wherein an arm of said linkage assembly slides within said guide track, wherein a position of said arm within said guide track is controlled by said display positioning system, and wherein said display positioning system and said control system utilizes said guide track and said arm of said linkage assembly to adjust said display to said current display position.

2. The display system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory coupled to said control system, wherein stored within said memory is a look-up table providing a plurality of compatible display positions that correspond to a plurality of occupant positions within said vehicle seat, wherein said control system utilizes said look-up table to select said current display position from said plurality of compatible display positions based on said current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat.

3. The display system of claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display viewing distance within a preset range.

4. The display system of claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display vertical tilt angle relative to said occupant within a preset range.

5. The display system of claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display horizontal tilt angle relative to said occupant within a preset range.

6. The display system of claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display horizontal tilt angle relative to a horizontal vehicle axis within a preset range.

7. The display system of claim 1 , wherein said occupant position sensor system is comprised of a plurality of pressure sensors integrated into said vehicle seat.

8. The display system of claim 1 , wherein said occupant position sensor system is comprised of at least one transducer.

9. The display system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one transducer is comprised of at least one electromagnetic transducer.

10. The display system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one transducer is comprised of at least one ultrasonic transducer.

11. The display system of claim 8 , wherein said at least one transducer is mounted to said display.

12. The display system of claim 1 , said display positioning system further comprising an electro-mechanical positioning system.

13. The display system of claim 1 , said display positioning system further comprising a hydraulic positioning system.

14. The display system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle seat position sensor coupled to said control system, wherein said vehicle seat position sensor outputs seat position data corresponding to a current seat position of said vehicle seat, and wherein said control system monitors said seat position data and automatically adjusts said current display position in response to a change in said current seat position.

15. The display system of claim 14 , further comprising a memory coupled to said control system, wherein stored within said memory is a look-up table providing a plurality of compatible display positions that correspond to a plurality of occupant positions within said vehicle seat and to a range of seat positions for said vehicle seat, wherein said control system utilizes said look-up table to select said current display position from said plurality of compatible display positions based on said current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat and said current seat position.

16. A display system, comprising:
a display mounted within and to a vehicle, wherein said display is adjustable within a range of display positions;
a display positioning system coupled to said display;
a vehicle seat mounted within said vehicle, wherein said vehicle seat is positioned within said vehicle to allow an occupant of said vehicle seat to utilize said display;
an occupant position sensor system, wherein said occupant position sensor system outputs occupant position data corresponding to a current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat;
a control system coupled to said display positioning system and to said occupant position sensor system, wherein said control system monitors said occupant position data and automatically adjusts said display with said display positioning system to a current display position within said range of display positions in response to said current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat;
a linkage assembly controllable by said display positioning system, wherein said display is mounted to said vehicle with said linkage assembly, said linkage assembly further comprising a telescoping link, wherein a link length corresponding to said telescoping link is controlled by said display positioning system, said linkage assembly further comprising a guide track mounted to said vehicle, wherein said telescoping link of said linkage assembly slides within said guide track, wherein a position of said telescoping link within said guide track is controlled by said display positioning system, and wherein said display positioning system and said control system utilizes said guide track and said telescoping link of said linkage assembly to adjust said display to said current display position.

17. The display system of claim 16 , further comprising a memory coupled to said control system, wherein stored within said memory is a look-up table providing a plurality of compatible display positions that correspond to a plurality of occupant positions within said vehicle seat, wherein said control system utilizes said look-up table to select said current display position from said plurality of compatible display positions based on said current position of said occupant within said vehicle seat.

18. The display system of claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display viewing distance within a preset range.

19. The display system of claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display vertical tilt angle relative to said occupant within a preset range.

20. The display system of claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of compatible display positions maintains a display horizontal tilt angle relative to said occupant within a preset range.

21. The display system

Assignees

• Atieva Inc

Inventors

• Rawlinson Peter Dore
• Obers Eric

Classifications

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/53

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title