Seat system for autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908440-B2
Application number	US-201615284939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2016
Priority date	Oct 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a seat assembly, and corresponding method and computer readable medium, for adjusting a seat in an autonomous vehicle. The adjustment is provided such that a seat occupant may control the adjustment may providing a natural pushing force once the vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting a seat in an autonomous vehicle, the seat comprising a locking mechanism configured to prevent position adjustments of the seat initiated by a pushing force, the method comprising:
detecting, by a control a start of an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle;
deactivating, by the control unit the locking mechanism in response to detecting the start of the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle; and
adjusting, by the control unit the seat, after deactivating the locking mechanism, according to a pushing force on the seat provided by an occupant of the seat.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, with at least one sensor, the pushing force provided by the occupant of the seat.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor is a pressure sensor and the detecting the pushing force further comprises at least one of:
detecting the pushing force via the occupant pressing down on a floor of the vehicle with the occupant's feet,
leaning back on a back rest of the seat, or
pushing down on an arm rest of the seat.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor and the detecting the pushing force further comprises detecting a change in translation distance or back inclination angle as result of the pushing force.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor is a magnetic sensor and the detecting the pushing force further comprises detecting a change in translation distance or back inclination angle due to a resulting magnetic field upon an application of the pushing force.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein when an amount of the detected pushing force is greater than a threshold force, the adjusting further comprises at least one of:
retracting the seat in a rearward direction to a predetermined distance within the vehicle, or
reclining the seat in a downward position to a predetermined angle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting further comprises at least one of:
retracting the seat in a rearward direction to a retracting distance within the vehicle, wherein a greater amount of the pushing force yields a higher rate of change in the retracting distance, or
reclining the seat in a downward position to a reclining angle, wherein a greater amount of the pushing force yields a higher rate of change in the reclining angle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting at least one environmental condition within the vehicle as the seat is adjusted, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises:
a reachability of control input devices,
a tinting of vehicle windows,
a dimming of internal lights,
air vent settings,
a deployment of viewing screens,
available content on viewing screens,
a retraction of driving control inputs,
voicemail settings, or
automatic message settings.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting an end of the autonomous driving mode; and
returning the seat to a manual driving position in response to detecting the end of the autonomous driving mode.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for adjusting seat in an autonomous vehicle, the seat comprising a locking mechanism configured to prevent position adjustments of the seat initiated by a pushing force, wherein execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system causes the one or more processors to:
detect a start of an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle;
deactivate the locking mechanism in response to detecting the start of the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle; and
adjust, after deactivating the locking mechanism, the seat according to a pushing force on the seat provided by an occupant of the seat.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
detect, with at least one sensor, the pushing force provided by the occupant of the seat.

12. A seat assembly for an autonomous vehicle, the seat assembly comprising:
a seat;
a locking mechanism configured to prevent position adjustments of the seat initiated by a pushing force; and
a control unit;
wherein the control unit is configured to:
detect a start of an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle;
deactivate the locking mechanism once a in response to detecting the start of the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle; and
adjust the seat according to a pushing force provided on the seat by an occupant of the seat.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect the pushing force provided by the occupant of the seat.

14. The seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect the pushing force via at least one of:
the occupant pressing down on a floor of the vehicle with the occupant's feet,
leaning back on a back rest of the seat, or
pushing down on an arm rest of the seat.

15. The seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor configured to detect a change in translation distance or a back inclination angle as a result of the pushing force.

16. The seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor is a magnetic sensor configured to detect a change in translation distance or a back angle inclination angle due to a resulting magnetic field upon an application of the pushing force.

17. The seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein when an amount of the detected pushing force is greater than a threshold force, the control unit is further configured to at least one of:
retract the seat in a rearward direction to a predetermined distance within the vehicle, or
recline the seat in a downward position to a predetermined angle.

18. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is further configured to at least one of:
retract the seat in a rearward direction to a retracting distance within the vehicle, or
recline the seat in a downward position to a reclining angle,
wherein a greater amount of the pushing force yields a higher rate of change in the retracting distance or the reclining angle.

19. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
adjust at least one environmental condition within the vehicle as the seat is adjusted, wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises:
a reachability of control input devices,
a tinting of vehicle windows,
a dimming of internal lights,
air vent settings,
a deployment of viewing screens,
available content on viewing screens,
a retraction of driving control inputs,
voicemail settings, or
automatic message settings.

20. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
detect an end of the autonomous driving mode, and
return the seat to a manual driving position in response to detecting the end of the autonomous driving mode.

21. A vehicle comprising the seat assembly of claim 12 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Sugioka Ichiro
• Frasher Douglas
• Norberg Stefan

Classifications

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/1892

  characterised by a lock · CPC title

• B60N2/0881

  Activation of the latches by the control mechanism · CPC title

• B60N2002/924

  using electric or hydraulic energy · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title