Control method for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9514362-B2
Application number	US-201514721257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A control method for a vehicle includes: predicting a position of an eye point of an occupant after a state of a vehicle seat is changed based on amount of adjustment of an adjusting mechanism due to change in state of the vehicle seat; determining whether or not the predicted position of the eye point is located within a measurement range of a camera member installed to a steering member; and if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is not located within the measurement range of the camera member, moving the measurement range of the camera member toward the predicted position of the eye point synchronously with the steering member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for a vehicle including: a steering member that automatically moves in a frontward and backward direction and in an upward and downward direction relative to an instrument panel; a vehicle seat disposed at a position facing the steering member; and a camera member that detects a state of a compartment of the vehicle on a vehicle seat side within a predetermined measurement range, wherein: the vehicle seat includes an adjusting mechanism that changes at least one of a posture of the vehicle seat and a position of the vehicle seat in the compartment of the vehicle, and changes a state of the vehicle seat in accordance with an occupant in a sitting state; the adjusting mechanism is configured to change the state of the vehicle seat in accordance with the occupant in the sitting state, and to position an eye point of the occupant within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member; and the camera member is installed on the steering member, the control method for the vehicle comprising:
predicting a position of the eye point of the occupant after the state of the vehicle seat is changed, based on an amount of adjustment of the adjusting mechanism due to a change in the state of the vehicle seat;
determining whether or not the predicted position of the eye point is located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member;
if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member, determining that a movement of the predetermined measurement range of the camera member is not required; and
if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is not located within the predetermined measurement range of the camera member, moving the predetermined measurement range of the camera member toward the predicted position of the eye point synchronously with the steering member.

2. The control method for the vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting the state of the vehicle seat and coordinates of the eye point before the vehicle seat is moved.

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Sakata Masaru
• Toda Keisuke
• Yamataka Minori
• Enya Takeshi

Classifications

• G06K9/00604 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• B62D1/181

  with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory · CPC title

• G06K9/3208

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60N2/0278

  using sensors external to the seat for measurements in relation to the seat adjustment, e.g. for identifying the presence of obstacles or the appropriateness of the occupants position · CPC title

• B60N2/0273

  taking into account user data, e.g. knee height or physical state · CPC title