Device and method for controlling vehicle seat, and system having the device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for controlling a vehicle seat and a method thereof, and a system having the device. The device for controlling a vehicle seat comprises: a digital key positioning device, which measures the position of a digital key inside a vehicle and the number of digital keys; an occupant sensor, which senses the condition of an occupant inside the vehicle; a controller, which determines a target for seat control based on the position of the digital key, the number of digital keys and the condition of the occupant; and a seat controller, which controls the position of the seat using seat control information for each user received from the digital key.

Description

[0001] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0128058 filed on October 15, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for controlling a vehicle seat (vehicle seat control device) and a method thereof, and a system having the device, and more particularly to a technology for moving a seat to a previously stored seat position for each occupant registered using a digital key. Background Art

[0004] Usually, a vehicle seat is installed inside the vehicle so that the occupant can arrive at the destination comfortably. For such a vehicle seat, the headrest, seat back and seat cushion can be adjusted based on the height and weight of the occupant, or the seat body can be adjusted back and forth.

[0005] Therefore, conventionally, since only the driver seat and the passenger seat are customized and the seat positions of the driver seat and the passenger seat are stored, a technology for controlling the seat position is developed only for occupants sitting on the driver seat and the passenger seat.

[0006] As described above, conventional techniques for controlling seat positions are limited to those provided for the driver's seat and the front passenger seat. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention has solved the above-mentioned problems arising in the prior art while completely maintaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention provides a device and a method for controlling vehicle seats based on the conditions inside the vehicle (the number of digital keys and the positions of the digital keys) and the conditions of the occupants (the type and position of the occupants), and a system having the device, thereby providing convenience for users.

[0009] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling a vehicle seat may include: a digital key positioning device that measures the position of a digital key inside a vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; an occupant sensor that senses the condition of an occupant inside the vehicle; a controller that determines a target for seat control based on the position of the digital key, the number of digital keys, and the condition of the occupant; and a seat controller that controls the position of the seat using seat control information for each user received from the digital key.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the situation of the occupants may include at least one of the number of occupants, positions of the occupants, or category information of the occupants.

[0012] According to one embodiment, when the number of digital keys inside the vehicle is equal to the number of occupants inside the vehicle, and when the positions of the digital keys inside the vehicle match the positions of the occupants inside the vehicle, the controller can control the position of the corresponding seat where the digital key is located based on the seat control information received from each digital key.

[0013] According to one embodiment, when a digital key is provided inside the vehicle, and when there is an occupant inside the vehicle, the controller may start the vehicle using the digital key inside the vehicle.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the controller may determine whether a seat belt of a seat in which an occupant sits is fastened after the vehicle is started; and control the position of the seat in which the occupant sits based on seat control information received from a digital key.

[0015] According to one embodiment, when the number of occupants inside the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys inside the vehicle, the controller may determine whether the occupant is one of an object, an adult, and a child.

[0016] According to one embodiment, when at least two digital keys are provided inside the vehicle, when the number of occupants inside the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys inside the vehicle, and when the occupants are all adults, the controller may control the position of the occupant seat where the digital key is located.

[0017] According to one embodiment, when at least two digital keys are provided inside the vehicle, when the number of occupants inside the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys inside the vehicle, and when the occupants include children, the controller can determine the target for seat control based on the position of the digital key.

[0018] According to one embodiment, when the digital key is located at a seat where an adult among the passengers sits, the controller may control the position of the seat where the adult sits.

[0019] According to one embodiment, when the digital key is located in the seat where the child among the passengers is located, when the number of the digital keys is equal to the number of adults, the controller can control the position of the seat where the adult is located.

[0020] According to one embodiment, when the number of adults is greater than the number of digital keys, the controller may control the position of the driver's seat.

[0021] According to one embodiment, when occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and one side of the rear seat, when the driver's seat and the front passenger seat are provided with digital keys, and when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, the controller can control the position of the driver's seat based on seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat, and control the position of the front passenger seat based on seat control information received from the digital key located on the front passenger seat.

[0022] According to one embodiment, when occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and a seat located on one side of the rear seat, when digital keys are provided on the driver's seat and one side of the rear seat, when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, and when children sit on one side of the rear seat, the controller can control the position of the driver's seat based on seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat, and control the position of the front passenger seat based on seat control information received from the digital key located on one side of the rear seat.

[0023] According to one embodiment, when occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, and both sides of the rear seats, when digital keys are provided on one side of the driver's seat and the rear seats, when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, and when children sit on the one side of the rear seat, the controller can control the position of the driver's seat based on seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the occupant sensor may determine whether the occupant is an adult or a child based on one of weight, seated height, and breathing rate.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the controller may perform user authentication when accessing a digital key to open a vehicle door.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle system may include: a digital key, which is used to communicate with the vehicle to send or receive information related to opening a door and information related to starting the vehicle; and a vehicle seat control device, which is used to: measure the position of the digital key inside the vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; sense the condition of the occupants inside the vehicle; determine the target for seat control based on the position of the digital key, the number of digital keys and the condition of the occupants; and control the position of the seat using the seat control information of each user received from the digital key.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the digital key can download seat control information for each user from an external server.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the digital key may be in ultra-wideband (UWB) communication with the vehicle and the vehicle seat controls.

[0029] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a vehicle seat includes: measuring the position of a digital key inside the vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; sensing the condition of the occupants inside the vehicle; determining a target for seat control based on the number of digital keys, the position of the digital keys, and the condition of the occupants; and controlling the position of the seat using seat control information for each user received from the digital key. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following detailed description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle system including a vehicle seat control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a detailed overall structure of a vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 is a view showing a vehicle seat control device installed in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 is a view showing that there is one occupant inside a vehicle and one digital key is provided inside the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 is a view showing a process of controlling a vehicle seat when one digital key is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 8 is a view showing a process of controlling a vehicle seat when two digital keys are provided and two occupants exist in addition to a driver according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 9 is a view showing a process of controlling a vehicle seat when two digital keys are provided and three occupants are present according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Fig.10 is a view showing a process of controlling a vehicle seat when three digital keys are provided and four occupants are present according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Fig.11 is a view showing a process of controlling a vehicle seat when three digital keys are provided and there are four occupants including a child according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Fig.12 A computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the exemplary drawings. When adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that even if the same or equivalent components are shown on other drawings, they are represented by the same reference numerals. In addition, when describing the embodiments of the present invention, detailed descriptions of well-known features or functions will be excluded so as not to unnecessarily make the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

[0044] When describing components according to embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are intended only to distinguish one component from another, and these terms do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the constituent components. In addition, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as the contextual meaning of the relevant field, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0045] The present invention discloses a technology that controls the position of a vehicle seat for each occupant using a digital key based on automatic activation and stored seat position information.

[0046] The following will refer to Figures 1 to 12 Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail.

[0047] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle seat control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram showing a detailed overall configuration of a vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a view showing a vehicle seat control device installed in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] refer to Figure 1 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle system includes: a vehicle seat control device 100 , a digital key 300 , and a server 400 .

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle seat control device 100 can be implemented inside the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle seat control device 100 can be formed integrally with the vehicle's internal control unit, or can be implemented separately from the vehicle's internal control unit to be connected to the vehicle's internal control unit through a separate connector.

[0050] When occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and one side of the rear seat, when the driver's seat and the front passenger seat are provided with digital keys, and when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, the vehicle seat control device 100 controls the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat, and controls the position of the front passenger seat based on the seat control information from the digital key located on the front passenger seat.

[0051] To this end, the vehicle seat control apparatus 100 includes a communication device 110 , a memory 120 , a controller 130 , a digital key positioning device 140 , an occupant sensor 150 , and a seat controller 160 .

[0052] In this case, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the communication device 110, the memory 120, the controller 130, the digital key positioning device 140, the occupant sensor 150 and the seat controller 160 included in the vehicle seat control apparatus 100 may be implemented using at least one processor.

[0053] The communication device 110 is a hardware device implemented with various electronic circuits to send and receive signals through wireless or wired connections. In this case, the vehicle network communication technology may include a controller area network (CAN) communication technology, a local interconnect network (LIN) communication technology, a FlexRay communication technology, and vehicle internal communication that can be performed through the above communication technologies.

[0054] In addition, the communication device 110 can wirelessly communicate with the external server of the vehicle and the digital key 300. In this case, the communication device 110 can perform wireless Internet or short-range communication technology. In this case, the wireless Internet technology may include: wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless broadband (Wibro), Wi-Fi, and world interoperability for microwave access (Wimax). Short-range communication technology may include: ultra-wideband (UWB), Bluetooth, wireless personal area network (ZigBee), radio frequency identification (RFID), or infrared data association (IrDA).

[0055] The memory 120 may store data and / or algorithms required for the operation of the controller 130. For example, the memory 120 may store information for user identification using the digital key 300.

[0056] The memory 120 may be implemented using at least one storage medium of a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a micro type, a card type (e.g., a secure digital (SD) card or an extreme digital card), a random access memory (RAM), a static RAM (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a magnetic disk type memory, and / or an optical disk type memory.

[0057] The controller 130 may process signals transmitted between components of the vehicle seat control device 100. The controller 130 may be electrically connected to the communication device 110, the memory 120, etc., may electrically control each component, and may be a circuit that executes software instructions. Therefore, the controller 130 may perform various data processing and calculations as described below.

[0058] The controller 130 performs access and exit of the digital key 300 and user authentication, and transmits seat control information from the digital key 300 to the controller 160. In addition, the controller 130 may perform user authentication when accessing the digital key 300 to open a vehicle door.

[0059] The controller 130 may determine a target for seat control based on the position of the digital key 300, the number of the digital key 300, and the situation of the occupant. In this case, the situation of the occupant may include at least one of the number of occupants, the position of the occupant, or the category information of the occupant.

[0060] When the number of digital keys 300 inside the vehicle is equal to the number of occupants inside the vehicle, and when the positions of the digital keys 300 match the positions of the occupants inside the vehicle, the controller 130 can control the positions of the corresponding seats where the digital keys 300 are located based on the seat control information received from each digital key.

[0061] When a digital key 300 is provided inside the vehicle and there is an occupant inside the vehicle, the controller 130 may perform vehicle startup using the digital key 300 inside the vehicle.

[0062] After the vehicle is started, the controller 130 may determine whether the seat belt of the occupant is fastened, and control the position of the seat in which the occupant sits based on the seat control information received from the digital key 300 .

[0063] When the number of occupants is greater than the number of digital keys inside the vehicle, the controller 130 may determine whether the occupant is any one of an object, an adult, or a child.

[0064] When at least two digital keys are provided inside the vehicle, when the number of passengers inside the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys, and when the passengers are all adults, the controller 130 may control the position of the passenger seat where the digital key is located.

[0065] When at least two digital keys are provided inside the vehicle, when the number of occupants inside the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys, and when children are included among the occupants, the controller 130 may determine a target for seat control based on the position of the digital key.

[0066] When the digital key is located at the position of the seat where the adult sits, the controller 130 may control the position of the seat where the adult sits.

[0067] When the digital key is located at a seat where a child among the passengers sits, and when the number of the digital keys is equal to the number of adults, the controller 130 may control the position of the seat where the adult sits.

[0068] When the number of adults is greater than the number of digital keys 30 , the controller 130 may control the position of the driver's seat.

[0069] When occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and one side of the rear seat, when the driver's seat and the front passenger seat are provided with digital keys, and when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, the controller 130 controls the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat, and controls the position of the front passenger seat based on the seat control information from the digital key located on the front passenger seat.

[0070] When passengers sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and one side of the rear seat, when digital keys are provided on one side of the driver's seat and the rear seat, when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, and when children sit on one side of the rear seat, the controller 130 controls the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat, and controls the position of the front passenger seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located on one side of the rear seat.

[0071] When occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and both sides of the rear seats, when there are digital keys on one side of the driver's seat and the rear seats, when adults sit on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, and when children sit on one side of the rear seat, the controller 130 can control the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located on the driver's seat.

[0072] For example, Figure 2 As shown, the controller 130 may be implemented using an integrated body unit (IBU) 131 .

[0073] The digital key positioning device 140 , which measures the position of the digital key 300 , provides the user position and user information to the occupant sensor 150 and the seat controller 160 .

[0074] For example, Figure 2 As shown, the digital key locating device 140 may be implemented using a UWB antenna 141 , and may receive and transmit user information or information about the location of the digital key through UWB communication.

[0075] The occupant sensor 150 can identify objects and people inside the vehicle by distinguishing between the objects and people, and can sense whether the person is an adult or a child based on one of weight, seat height, and breathing rate. In addition, the occupant sensor 150 can sense an object or a person inside the vehicle within a certain time (e.g., about 5 to 10 seconds) and determine whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt.

[0076] For example, the occupant sensor 150 may be implemented by a rear occupant alert (ROA) device 151, a weight measurement sensor, or a key measurement sensor. Figure 3 As shown, the ROA may be located in the center of the rear seat of the vehicle.

[0077] The ROA 151 may sense whether the occupant is a person, an object, a child, or an adult, sense whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt, and provide the sensing results to the IBU 131 through wireless communication.

[0078] The seat controller 160 controls the seat to move automatically by receiving the position of the digital key user and the seat control information received from the controller 130. For example, the seat controller 160 may use Figure 2 The PSM (Power seat module) 161 shown realizes and adjusts the positions of the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, the rear left seat and the rear right seat.

[0079] The digital key 300 is an authentication tool used by a vehicle user to use the vehicle, and can send and receive information for opening the door and starting the vehicle with the vehicle. The digital key 300 can be a user terminal and can be implemented in the form of a portable terminal such as a smart phone, which can be connected to the vehicle and the server 400 through a network.

[0080] The digital key 300 may receive seat control information of each user from an external server and may provide the seat control information to the vehicle. In this case, the portable terminal as a wireless communication device that ensures portability and mobility may include all types of wireless communication devices based on handheld devices, such as personal communication system (PCS), global mobile communication system (GSM), personal digital cellular (PDC), personal handyphone system (PHS), personal digital assistant (PDA), international mobile telecommunication (IMT)-2000, code division multiple access (CDMA)-2000, W-code division multiple access (W-CDMA), wireless broadband Internet (WiBro) terminal, smart phone, tablet computer (PC), mobile phone, video conferencing, e-book reader, netbook computer and wearable device (such as watch, ring, bracelet, anklet, necklace, glasses, contact lens or head mounted device (HMD). The digital key 300 is installed with a vehicle interaction application, which is used to send and receive seat position information of each user together with the server 400. The vehicle interaction application can be downloaded through wireless communication or the Internet and can be automatically installed after downloading.

[0081] The server 400 may store the seat position information of each user, and may provide the seat position information to the digital key 300 upon receiving a request for the seat position information from the digital key 300 .

[0082] According to the present invention, the user can get in or out of the vehicle and start the vehicle through the digital key without using hands, and can identify the number of digital keys and the exact location of the digital keys inside the vehicle.

[0083] In addition, according to the present invention, the positions of occupants on the vehicle, the number of occupants, and the categories of occupants (adults, children, or objects) may be detected by ROA-based interior vehicle sensors.

[0084] Therefore, according to the present invention, the number of digital keys, the exact positions of the digital keys, the positions of the occupants in the vehicle, the number of occupants, and the categories of the occupants can be used to accurately adjust the positions of the corresponding seats, thereby increasing the convenience of the occupants.

[0085] Therefore, according to the present invention, when a digital key user who has used a vehicle rides in the vehicle using a smartphone and starts the vehicle, the digital key user can obtain the previous seat position without moving the seat personally, regardless of the seat position.

[0086] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] refer to Figure 4 The vehicle 10 performs UWB communication with the digital key 300 and receives a sensing result of the interior of the vehicle and a determination result of the fastening state of the seat belt from the ROA.

[0088] The vehicle 10 can control the vehicle seat of each occupant based on the number and position of the digital key 300, the number of occupants, the type of occupants, and the position of the occupants. The vehicle 10 can control the vehicle seat of each occupant using the vehicle seat information included in the user information received from the server 400 (cloud server) through the digital key 300.

[0089] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 5 A method for controlling a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0090] In the following, it is assumed Figure 1 The vehicle seat control device 100 performs Figure 5 In addition, in the reference Figure 5 In the following description, it will be understood that operations described as being performed by the vehicle seat control device 100 are controlled by the controller 130 of the vehicle seat control device 100 .

[0091] refer to Figure 5 , when the digital key 300 approaches the vehicle, the vehicle seat control device 100 authenticates the digital key user ( S101 ).

[0092] When the digital key user is successfully authenticated, the vehicle seat control device 100 identifies the location and number of digital keys inside the vehicle (S102). The vehicle seat control device 100 can identify the location and number of digital keys inside the vehicle by performing UWB communication with the digital key after the user gets in the vehicle.

[0093] Accordingly, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines whether the number of the digital key 300 is 1 ( S103 ) and whether the position of the vehicle interior occupant is equal to the position of the digital key 300 ( S104 ).

[0094] When the position of the occupant inside the vehicle is equal to the position of the digital key 300, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt after the vehicle is started (S105). In this case, the vehicle seat control device 100 can determine whether the occupant is wearing a seat belt based on the ROA.

[0095] Thereafter, the vehicle seat control device 100 controls the seat position based on the previously stored seat position information of the digital key received from the digital key ( S106 ). In this case, the digital key receives the seat position information from the server 400 and transmits the seat position information to the vehicle seat control device 100 .

[0096] Meanwhile, when at least two digital keys are set in step S103, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines the situation of the occupant (S107). The situation of the occupant may include the position of the occupant, the number of occupants, and the category of the occupant (object, adult, or child).

[0097] Therefore, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines a target for seat control based on the number of digital keys, the positions of the digital keys, and the situation of the occupant ( S108 ), and controls the seat based on previously stored seat position information of each digital key ( S106 ).

[0098] Figure 6 is a view showing that there is one occupant inside a vehicle and there is one digital key inside the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] refer to Figure 6 Referring to figure mark 601, when there is an occupant inside the vehicle and a digital key is provided inside the vehicle, when the position of the digital key inside the vehicle matches the sitting position of the occupant who has registered the digital key, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines that the occupant who has registered the digital key is the driver, and determines whether the occupant has fastened his seat belt after the vehicle is started, and when the occupant has fastened his seat belt, controls the position of the relevant seat based on the previously stored seat control information.

[0100] refer to Figure 6 Referring to figure mark 602, when there is an occupant inside the vehicle and a digital key is provided in the vehicle, and when the position of the digital key inside the vehicle is different from the sitting position of the occupant who has registered the relevant digital key, the vehicle seat control device 100 can sense the situation of the occupant, determine the target for seat control, and control the seat after determining that the occupant has fastened his seat belt.

[0101] Will refer to Figures 7 to 11 A detailed process of determining a target for seat control based on the situation of the occupant, the number of digital keys, and the location of the digital keys is described.

[0102] Figure 7 is a view illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat when one digital key is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0103] refer to Figure 7 Referring to reference numeral 701 , when a digital key 300 is provided inside the vehicle and an occupant sits on the driver's seat, and when the position of the digital key matches the position of the occupant, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines that the occupant is determined to be a driver who has registered the digital key.

[0104] In addition, when one digital key 300 is provided inside the vehicle and two occupants are sensed, and when one of the two occupants is an adult and the other of the two occupants is a child, the vehicle can be started regardless of the position of the adult among the occupants, determining that the seat belt is fastened, and automatically moving and adjusting the driver's seat according to previously stored seat control information. In this case, the digital key located at the driver's seat is associated with starting the vehicle.

[0105] In other words, as shown in reference numeral 702, when a user with a digital key approaches the vehicle, access authentication and user authentication are performed. As shown in reference numeral 703, since the authentication is successful, the door is opened and the user gets in the vehicle. In this case, it can be recognized that the position of the digital key matches the position of the occupant. As shown in reference numeral 704, when the seat belt of the driver's seat is fastened, as shown in reference numeral 705, the driver's seat is controlled based on the previously stored seat control information.

[0106] Figure 8 is a view illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat when two digital keys are provided and two occupants exist in addition to a driver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 8 Reference numeral 801 describes seat control when two digital keys are sensed inside the vehicle and two adults are sensed as occupants in addition to a driver.

[0108] As shown in the reference numeral 802, when three occupants of the driver's seat, the co-pilot seat and the rear right seat are sensed, and when the digital key is present only in the driver's seat and the co-pilot seat, the vehicle seat control device 100 senses whether the three occupants are adults, children or objects. Then, when the three occupants are all adults, the vehicle is started based on the digital key located in the driver's seat, and it is determined whether the seat belts of each seat are fastened. As shown in the reference numeral 803, when it is determined that the seat belts are fastened, the vehicle seat control device 100 controls the driver's seat and the co-pilot seat with the digital keys 311 and 312. In other words, the vehicle seat control device 100 can control the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the driver's digital key, and can control the co-pilot seat based on the seat control information received from the co-pilot's digital key. At this time, since the rear seat where the occupant is sitting does not have a digital key, it may not be possible to control the seat.

[0109] Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat when two digital keys are provided and three occupants exist according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] refer to Fig. 9 Referring to figure 901, when there are two digital keys in the vehicle and when occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger's seat and the rear seat, the vehicle seat control device 100 measures the position of each digital key and senses whether the occupant is an adult, a child or an object.

[0111] As indicated by reference numeral 902 , when the digital key is present at the driver seat and the passenger seat, and when the occupant sitting on the rear seat is a child, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines whether the seat belts of the driver seat and the passenger seat are fastened.

[0112] As shown in the figure mark 903, when the digital keys 311 and 312 are respectively located at the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, the vehicle seat control device 100 can control the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the driver's seat, and can control the position of the front passenger seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the front passenger seat.

[0113] When the image is presented to the child via the smartphone used as the digital key 312 , the vehicle seat control operation is performed as indicated by reference numeral 904 or 905 .

[0114] At reference numeral 904, when the driver seat and the rear seats are provided with digital keys, but the passenger seat does not have a digital key, the vehicle seat control device 100 determines that the user of the digital key for the child sitting in the rear seat to watch the image is the passenger sitting in the passenger seat. Therefore, the vehicle seat control device 100 controls the position of the driver seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key for the driver seat, and can control the position of the passenger seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key located in the rear seat.

[0115] Reference numeral 905 shows a situation where there are four passengers including children in total. In this case, the digital key is located at the driver's seat and the rear right seat where the passengers sit, while the digital key does not exist at the front passenger seat and the rear left seat. In this case, it may not be determined whether the user of the digital key located at the rear right seat is the passenger on the front passenger seat or the passenger on the rear left seat. Therefore, the vehicle seat control device 100 may control only the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the driver's seat, but may not control the positions of the front passenger seat and the rear left seat.

[0116] Fig.10 is a view illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat when three digital keys are provided and four occupants exist according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] like Fig.10 As shown in the figure marks 1001 and 1002, three digital keys 311, 312 and 313 are arranged inside the vehicle, and all passengers sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, the rear left seat and the rear right seat and are all adults.

[0118] As shown in reference numeral 1003, the digital keys are respectively located on the driver seat, the passenger seat and the rear right seat, so the vehicle seat control device 100 determines whether the seat belt of each seat is fastened after the vehicle is started. Then, the vehicle seat control device 100 can control the position of the driver seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the driver seat, can control the position of the passenger seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the passenger seat, and can control the position of the rear right seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the rear right seat.

[0119] Fig.11 is a view illustrating a process of controlling a vehicle seat when three digital keys are provided and there are four occupants including a child according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0120] refer to Fig.11As shown in the figure mark 1101, when three digital keys are provided inside the vehicle and there are four passengers including a child, as shown in the figure mark 1102, when an adult sits on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and the left rear seat, and a child sits on the right rear seat, digital keys 311, 312 and 313 are located on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat and the right rear seat.

[0121] The vehicle seat control device 100 determines that the adult sitting on the rear left seat is the user of the digital key 313 located on the right seat where the rear child sits, and as shown by reference numeral 1103, the vehicle seat control device 100 can determine whether the seat belt of each seat is fastened after the vehicle is started. The vehicle seat control device 100 can control the position of the driver's seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the driver's seat, can control the position of the passenger seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the passenger seat, and can control the position of the rear left seat based on the seat control information received from the digital key of the rear right seat.

[0122] As described above, according to the present invention, the seats are controlled using the seat control information registered for each digital key based on the situation inside the vehicle (the position of the digital key and the number of digital keys) and the situation of the occupants (the number of occupants, the position of the occupants, and the category of the occupants), thereby increasing the convenience of the occupants.

[0123] Fig.12 A computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0124] refer to Fig.12 The computing system 1000 may include: at least one processor 1100 , a memory 1300 , a user interface input device 1400 , a user interface output device 1500 , a storage device 1600 , and a network interface 1700 , which are connected to each other via a bus 1200 .

[0125] The processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device for processing instructions stored in the memory 1300 and / or the storage device 1600. Each of the memory 1300 and the storage device 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 1300 may include a read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and a random access memory (RAM) 1320.

[0126] Therefore, the operations of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in the present invention may be implemented directly by a hardware module, a software module, or a combination thereof executed by the processor 1100. The software module may reside on a storage medium (i.e., the memory 1300 and / or the storage device 1600), such as a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM), a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, or a compact disk-ROM (CD-ROM).

[0127] An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor 1100. The processor 1100 may read information from the storage medium and may write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium may reside as separate components of a user terminal.

[0128] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto and it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0129] Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided to explain the spirit and scope of the present invention, but not to limit them, so that the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited by the embodiments. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the scope equivalent to the claims should be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0130] According to the present technology, the seats of the vehicle can be controlled based on the situation inside the vehicle (the number of digital keys and the positions of the digital keys) and the situation of the occupants (the type and position of the occupants), thereby providing convenience to the user.

[0131] Furthermore, various effects directly or indirectly realized by the present invention can be provided.

[0132] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto and it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a vehicle seat, the device include: a digital key locating device configured to measure the location of a digital key inside a vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; an occupant sensor configured to sense a condition of an occupant inside the vehicle; a controller configured to determine a target for seat control based on a position of the digital key, a number of the digital keys, and a condition of an occupant; as well as a seat controller configured to control a position of a seat using seat control information for each user received from the digital key; Wherein, the seat controller is configured as follows: When the number of digital keys in the vehicle is two or more, the first seat control information received from the first digital key is used to control the first seat where the first digital key is located, and the second seat control information received from the second digital key is used to control the second seat where the second digital key is located.

2. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The conditions of the occupants include: At least one of the number of occupants, positions of occupants, or category information of occupants.

3. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the number of digital keys inside the vehicle is equal to the number of occupants inside the vehicle, and When the position of the digital key inside the vehicle matches the position of the occupant inside the vehicle, The position of the corresponding seat at which the digital key is located is controlled based on the seat control information received from each digital key.

4. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When a digital key is set inside the vehicle and there is an occupant inside the vehicle, Start the vehicle using the Digital Key from inside the vehicle.

5. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 4, in, The controller is configured as follows: After the vehicle is started, determine whether the seat belts of the seats occupied by the occupants are fastened; The position of the seat in which the occupant sits is controlled based on the seat control information received from the digital key.

6. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the number of occupants in the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys in the vehicle, Determine if the occupant is one of an object, an adult, and a child.

7. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When at least two digital keys are installed inside the vehicle, When the number of occupants in the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys in the vehicle, and When all passengers are adults, Controls the position of the passenger seat where the Digital Key is located.

8. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When at least two digital keys are installed inside the vehicle, When the number of occupants in the vehicle is greater than the number of digital keys in the vehicle, and When there are children among the passengers, The target for seat control is determined based on the position of the digital key.

9. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 8, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the digital key is in the seat where an adult passenger sits, Controls the position of the seat in which the adult sits.

10. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 8, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the digital key is in the child seat among the passengers, When the number of digital keys is equal to the number of adults, the position of the seat where the adults are located is controlled.

11. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 10, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the number of adults is greater than the number of digital keys, Controls the position of the driver's seat.

12. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the occupants sit on the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, or one side of the rear seat, When the driver's seat and the front passenger seat are equipped with a digital key, and When an adult sits in the driver's seat or the front passenger seat, controlling a position of a driver's seat based on seat control information received from a digital key located at the driver's seat; The position of the passenger seat is controlled based on seat control information received from the digital key located on the passenger seat.

13. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When the occupants are sitting in the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, or the seats on one side of the rear seat, When the driver's seat and one side of the rear seat are equipped with a digital key, When an adult is sitting in the driver's seat or the front passenger seat, and When a child is seated on one side of the rear seat, controlling a position of a driver's seat based on seat control information received from a digital key located at the driver's seat; The position of the passenger seat is controlled based on seat control information received from the digital key located on one side of the rear seat.

14. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: When passengers sit in the driver's seat, the front passenger seat, and both sides of the rear seats, When the driver's seat and one side of the rear seat are equipped with a digital key, When an adult is sitting in the driver's seat or the front passenger seat, and When a child is seated on said side of the rear seat, The position of the driver's seat is controlled based on seat control information received from a digital key located at the driver's seat.

15. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The occupant sensor determines whether the occupant is an adult or a child based on one of weight, seat height, and breathing rate.

16. The device for controlling a vehicle seat according to claim 1, in, The controller is configured as follows: Perform user authentication when accessing the Digital Key to open the door.

17. A vehicle system, wherein include: a digital key configured to communicate with the vehicle to send or receive information related to unlocking a door and information related to starting the vehicle; as well as A vehicle seat control device, which is configured as follows: Measure the location of digital keys inside the vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; Sensing the condition of occupants inside the vehicle; determining a target for seat control based on the position of the digital key, the number of the digital keys, and the condition of the occupant; Controlling the seat position using seat control information for each user received from the digital key; Wherein, the vehicle seat control device is configured as follows: When the number of digital keys in the vehicle is two or more, the first seat control information received from the first digital key is used to control the first seat where the first digital key is located, and the second seat control information received from the second digital key is used to control the second seat where the second digital key is located.

18. The vehicle system according to claim 17, in, The digital key downloads seat control information for each user from an external server.

19. The vehicle system according to claim 17, in, The digital key performs ultra-wideband communications with the vehicle and vehicle seat controls.

20. A method for controlling a vehicle seat, the method include: Measure the location of digital keys inside the vehicle and the number of digital keys inside the vehicle; Sensing the condition of occupants inside the vehicle; determining a target for seat control based on the number of digital keys, the location of the digital keys, and the condition of the occupant; Controlling the seat position using seat control information for each user received from the digital key; Among them, the control seat position includes: When the number of digital keys in the vehicle is two or more, the first seat control information received from the first digital key is used to control the first seat where the first digital key is located, and the second seat control information received from the second digital key is used to control the second seat where the second digital key is located.

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