Vehicle seating system and methods for improving the comfort of a vehicle seat

Abstract

The invention enables improvements in comfort for persons (12, 14) during journeys in a motor vehicle. It provides a vehicle seating system (11) comprising a vehicle seat (16), an adjustable damping element (18) for damping vibrations of the vehicle seat (16), a control unit (24), and an interior camera (20) connected to the control unit (24), wherein the vehicle seating system (11) is configured to detect vibrations using the interior camera (20) and to adjust the damping element (18) based on the vibration, as well as a method (10) for improving the comfort of the vehicle seat (16) of the vehicle seating system (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle seating system comprising a vehicle seat and a damping element, as well as a method for improving the comfort of a vehicle seat. State of the art

[0002] KR 20100078991 A discloses a method for determining vibration excitation on a vehicle seat and for damping the vibrations transmitted to the vehicle seat, wherein the vibrations are detected by a sensor on the vehicle seat and a damping unit is adjusted based on this.

[0003] CN 214057735 U discloses a driver's cabin attached to a frame, wherein an acceleration sensor detects the vibration excitation of the cabin and the vehicle seat and, based on this, a damper of a suspension system by which the cabin is attached to the frame is adjusted.

[0004] DE 10 2009 058 492 A1 describes how a vehicle seat is damped to avoid unwanted vibrations at the vehicle seat.

[0005] DE 10 2016 107 625 A1 discloses an adjustable damping system for a vehicle seat, wherein excitations are detected by an acceleration sensor and damping is adjusted based on this. Disclosure of the invention

[0006] A critical factor for driving comfort and the well-being of vehicle occupants results from the vibration behavior of the vehicle seats used by the occupants.

[0007] The vehicle seats feature a damping element to reduce unwanted vibrations.

[0008] Such unwanted vibrations arise particularly from oscillations in the frequency range between approximately 4 Hz and 8 Hz. Vibrations in this range can lead to so-called "motion sickness" or travel sickness, and especially to discomfort and nausea in people. Such vibrations can lead, in particular, to contradictory signals from the vestibular system compared to the individual's visual perception.

[0009] Vehicle seats, together with the people sitting on them, form, in simplified terms, a spring-mass system whose vibration behavior is determined by inherent spring constants as well as by the masses present.

[0010] Typically, the damping provided by the damping element is designed for the weight of average individuals, for example, 75 kg per person. Individuals with a different weight may therefore experience less than optimal vibration behavior from the vehicle seat while driving. Consequently, such individuals face an increased risk of discomfort and nausea.

[0011] The object of the present invention is therefore to offer devices and methods that improve comfort during journeys in a motor vehicle. In particular, solutions that reduce the risk of motion sickness are desirable.

[0012] The task is solved by a vehicle seating system comprising a vehicle seat, an adjustable damping element for damping vibrations of the vehicle seat, a control unit and an interior camera connected to the control unit, wherein the vehicle seating system is configured to detect a vibration using the interior camera and to adjust the damping element based on the vibration.

[0013] One of the underlying principles of this solution is that the interior camera can record the movement of a person sitting in the vehicle seat and / or the vehicle seat itself. This movement can be detected using distinctive features, such as the person's eyes, nose, mouth, hairline, eye movements, or similar characteristics.

[0014] The solution can be used for a driver's or passenger's vehicle seat, but also for other types of vehicle seats, such as rear seats.

[0015] The interior camera can be fixed to the vehicle in which the vehicle seat is located and / or to the vehicle seat itself in a vibration-free manner, so that it can capture and record relative movements between the person and the vehicle, especially the vehicle seat, with particular precision.

[0016] If the interior camera is set up to measure the distance between the user and the interior camera, it is conceivable to measure the amplitude of the vibrations based on the recorded images and to automatically calibrate the damping by the damping element.

[0017] It is also conceivable that, in addition to the recordings, particularly those from the edges of the images, the interior camera could detect relative movements of the vehicle to its surroundings. By combining the movements of the person and / or the vehicle seat with the movements of the vehicle relative to its surroundings, vibrations of the person, especially of the head area, relative to the vehicle and / or relative to the surroundings, could be determined.

[0018] Depending on the measured vibrations, the damping element can then be adjusted to specifically dampen or even prevent unwanted vibrations. This can significantly improve the person's well-being and thus their comfort, even if the person's weight differs from that of an average person.

[0019] A particularly advantageous aspect is that such interior cameras are often already present due to other functions, such as fatigue detection, and can therefore be used without any additional costs.

[0020] Furthermore, cameras, in conjunction with appropriate evaluation software, offer the possibility of detecting movements without wear, precisely and without drift.

[0021] To further improve the detection of movements, it is conceivable that the vehicle seat system could additionally include a displacement sensor to detect movements of the vehicle seat.

[0022] For this purpose, a displacement sensor designed as a capacitive sensor offers low latency at low cost.

[0023] To prevent or at least reduce motion sickness as efficiently as possible, the vehicle seating system can be configured to adjust the damping element so that the maximum amplitude of the vibration is at frequencies below 4 Hz. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that no amplitudes above a critical amplitude limit occur in the frequency range between approximately 4 Hz and 8 Hz, which ensures at most a low risk of motion sickness for the majority of people, especially children.

[0024] The invention further encompasses a method for improving the comfort of a vehicle seat or a vehicle seating system of the type described above. According to the proposed method, a vibration, in particular of the vehicle seat and / or a user of the vehicle seat, is detected using the interior camera of the vehicle seating system, and the damping element is adjusted based on the vibration.

[0025] The wear-free and low-latency detection of vibrations by the interior camera can reduce or prevent the risk of motion sickness in people of different weights, resulting in significant improvements in comfort for these individuals when traveling by motor vehicle.

[0026] In order to detect vibrations with particular precision, it may be possible to additionally use the displacement sensor to detect the vibrations.

[0027] To avoid unnecessary stress on the damping element due to overly frequent adjustments and thus improve its service life, it may be possible to adjust the damping element only when critical vibrations actually occur. In particular, it is conceivable that the damping element is adjusted when a frequency spectrum of the vibration lies within a critical range, especially when the maximum amplitude of the vibration is in the range between 4 and 8 Hz.

[0028] The damping element settings ultimately depend on the characteristics of the individual using the vehicle seat. Therefore, it is advantageous if at least one damping element setting is saved individually, i.e., for a specific person.

[0029] This makes it possible to identify a person in advance, for example, through facial recognition using the interior camera, and to retrieve pre-stored damping element settings specific to that person. These settings can then be used to adjust the damping element. For example, sets of such settings can be stored, retrieved, and / or modified in the form of profiles. An initial setting value can then be stored for each person in their associated profile. When the person assigned to the profile is identified, this initial value can be retrieved and the damping element adjusted accordingly. During a journey, the person sitting in the vehicle seat can then be continuously identified. If the person changes, the settings can be changed, for example, according to the values ​​in the profile of the newly identified person.

[0030] This makes it possible, for example, to adjust the damping of the vehicle seat right from the start of the journey, thus preventing unwanted vibrations from the outset. This avoids the need to detect unwanted vibrations over time before they can be eliminated. In this way, the passenger's comfort can be improved and / or maintained at a high level from the very beginning.

[0031] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures of the drawing, which show details essential to the invention, as well as from the claims.

[0032] The individual features can be implemented individually or in any combination in various versions of the invention. The schematic drawing illustrates exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained in more detail in the following description. Brief description of the drawings

[0033] They show: Fig. 1. A method for improving comfort and a vehicle seating system in schematic representation and Fig. 2. Frequency spectra of vibrations. Embodiments of the invention

[0034] Fig. Figure 1 shows a procedure 10 in a schematic representation.

[0035] Method 10 serves to improve the comfort of persons 12, 14 who are seated on a vehicle seat 16 of a vehicle seating system 11 during a journey of a motor vehicle belonging to the vehicle seating system 11.

[0036] In the schematic representation according to Fig. 1 The vehicle seat 16 is shown twice, to symbolize once its use by person 12 and another time its use by person 14.

[0037] Individuals 12 and 14 differ in their weight. Specifically, individual 12 has an average weight of, for example, 72 kg. Individual 14, on the other hand, has a particularly low weight, such as that which can occur in children, adolescents, or women, of, for example, 54 kg.

[0038] The vehicle seating system 11 includes, in addition to the vehicle seat 16, a damping element 18 for damping movements of the vehicle seat 16 and thus also for damping movements of the person 12 or 14 sitting on the vehicle seat 16.

[0039] Movements of the vehicle seat 16 and / or of one of the persons 12 or 14 are recorded by an interior camera 20 belonging to the vehicle seat system 11.

[0040] Furthermore, the vehicle seat system 11 has a displacement sensor 22 that can additionally detect movements of the vehicle seat 16. The displacement sensor 22 is a capacitive sensor.

[0041] To evaluate the recorded movements, the vehicle seat system 11 includes a control unit 24. The control unit 24 can, for example, be part of the vehicle's on-board computer. It can comprise a microcontroller with a processor and memory containing executable program code. The program code can be configured to evaluate the data supplied by the interior camera 20 and / or the displacement sensor 22, in particular image data from the interior camera 20 and displacement data from the displacement sensor 22. Part of the control unit 24 can also be located on a remote computer system, for example, a cloud-based computer system.

[0042] The damping element 18 is adjustable. In a basic setting, it can be adjusted so that persons of average weight, for example 72 kg, are only exposed to very slow and low vibrations during journeys in the motor vehicle.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 1 schematically depicts person 12 together with a low-frequency vibration line 13. In contrast to person 12, a person with a lower weight, for example person 14 with an assumed weight of, say, 54 kg, may experience higher-frequency vibrations, as schematically represented by a corresponding higher-frequency vibration line 15 in Figure 1. Fig. 1 are shown schematically.

[0044] The control unit 24 is configured to evaluate the frequency spectra of the detected vibrations. If vibrations in a critical range are detected, the damping element is adjusted. In particular, the setting can be adjusted so that vibrations within the range of 4 to 8 Hz are as far as possible eliminated. Settings that result in vibrations of less than 4 Hz are especially preferred. If the vibrations are in a non-critical range, no adjustment is made.

[0045] The critical range can be defined, for example, by the fact that vibrations with a maximum amplitude occur in the frequency range between 4 and 8 Hz.

[0046] It is conceivable that the control unit 24 is configured to save previously determined individual settings for the damping element 18 and, when the same person uses the vehicle again, to automatically reset the damping element 18 with the corresponding, retrieved individual settings, for example, at the start of the journey. To identify which person, for example person 12 or person 14, is using the vehicle seat 16, the control unit 24 can be configured to use the interior camera 20 to capture and evaluate individual biometric data, such as parameters for facial recognition.

[0047] Fig. Figure 2 shows a diagram 100 of frequency spectra of vibrations corresponding to a curve 110 without adaptive damping and a curve 112 with adaptive damping.

[0048] It can be seen that the control unit 24 controls the damping element 18 (see Fig. 1) is individually adjusted so that, with adaptive damping, the amplitude maximum of curve 112 occurs at frequencies below 4 Hz, whereas without adaptive damping, the amplitude maximum of curve 110 is at, for example, 6 Hz.

[0049] The amplitudes are also reduced overall with adaptive damping. A person sitting on a vehicle seat 16 of a vehicle seating system 11 (see both Fig. 1) By sitting, you are therefore exposed to a significantly lower risk of discomfort or nausea. Your driving comfort can thus be considerably improved. Reference symbol list 10 procedures 12 Person (average person) 13 low-frequency oscillation line 14 Person (light person) 15 higher frequency oscillation line 16 vehicle seats 18 damping element 20 Interior camera 22 Position sensor 24 Control 100 Diagram 110 curve without adaptive damping 112 Curve with adaptive damping QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] KR 20100078991 A

[0002] CN 214057735 U

[0003] DE 10 2009 058 492 A1

[0004] DE 10 2016 107 625 A1

[0005]

Claims

Vehicle seating system (11) comprising a vehicle seat (16), an adjustable damping element (18) for damping vibrations of the vehicle seat (16), a control unit (24) and an interior camera (20) connected to the control unit (24), wherein the vehicle seating system (11) is configured to detect a vibration using the interior camera (20) and to adjust the damping element (18) based on the vibration. Vehicle seating system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the vehicle seating system (11) additionally comprises a displacement sensor (22) for detecting movements of the vehicle seat (16). Vehicle seating system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement sensor (22) is designed as a capacitive sensor. Vehicle seating system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle seating system (11) is configured to adjust the damping element (18) such that a maximum vibration amplitude of the vibration is at frequencies of at least 8 Hz, or, preferably, at most 4 Hz. Method (10) for improving the comfort of a vehicle seat (16) of a vehicle seat system (11) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that vibrations, in particular of the vehicle seat (16) and / or a user, for example a person (12, 14), of the vehicle seat (16) are detected using the interior camera (20) and the damping element (18) is adjusted on the basis of the vibrations. Method (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the displacement sensor (22) is additionally used to detect the vibrations. Method (10) according to one of the preceding claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the damping element (18) is adjusted when a frequency spectrum of the vibrations lies in a critical range, in particular when a maximum amplitude of the vibration lies in the range between 4 and 8 Hz. Method (10) according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a setting of the damping element (18) is individually stored. Method (10) according to one of the preceding claims 5 to 8, characterized in that a stored setting of the damping element (18) is retrieved depending on the user, for example the person (12, 14), of the driver's seat (16) and the damping element (18) is adjusted with this setting.

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