Automatic seat adjustment

Abstract

An on-board vehicle system 1 comprises at least:- a seat 11 capable of receiving an occupant of the vehicle and equipped with mobile and motorized mechanisms capable of modifying the configuration of the seat 11;- a set of sensors 12 jointly arranged so as to detect the posture of the occupant of the seat 11 and at least some of which are integrated into the seat 11; and- a controller 10 capable of receiving signals from the set of sensors as input, and of generating control signals as output for said mechanisms. The controller is further configured to implement a method for configuring the seat. Abstract figure: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Automatic seat adjustment Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of on-board vehicle systems. Prior art

[0002] It is known to memorize one or more configurations of a vehicle seat and to control various motorized mechanisms according to such information to give the seat a previously memorized configuration. Thus, a regular occupant of such a seat can quickly find a memorized configuration, in particular when individuals of different morphologies are required to occupy the same seat in turn, and therefore to regularly modify the configuration of the seat so that it suits them. This nevertheless implies that each occupant adjusts each parameter of the configuration of the seat a first time to memorize it. Since the parameters of the configuration can be numerous, these initial adjustments can be time-consuming.

[0003] Furthermore, the user tends to quickly choose a seat configuration that seems comfortable to him at a given moment. However, the chosen configuration may be inadequate in the long term in that it tends to unconsciously promote poor posture, particularly when driving a vehicle for several hours. This can lead to discomfort, or even pain, which is detrimental to driving safety.

[0004] There are also systems configured to alert the occupant of a seat if poor posture is detected. To correct their posture, the occupant can then change the configuration of the seat. This also involves the occupant of the seat spending time trying out various configurations until they find a suitable one. Summary

[0005] The present disclosure improves the situation.

[0006] A system and method are proposed designed to automatically propose a seat configuration to an occupant that is both favorable to a correct posture while being adapted according to each occupant (in particular their morphology). In addition, the solutions proposed here make it possible to limit the number and duration of the actions and reference positions imposed on the occupant of the seat for proper operation of the system. In other words, the aim here is to increase the degree of automation of the initial adjustments of a seat configuration so that this adjustment phase is natural and almost unconscious for the occupant of the seat. A seat equipped with such a system and receiving an occupant for the first time will modify its automatically configured to detect a suitable posture of the seat occupant without the occupant even needing to control, or even voluntarily trigger, such an adaptation.

[0007] The adjustment of the seat configuration can be carried out in several stages. However, these successive stages can follow one another automatically without waiting for a voluntary, or even conscious, action from the occupant of the seat to move from one stage to the next. From the occupant's point of view, the adjustment therefore appears to be carried out continuously, quickly and in a single stage. Brief description of the drawings

[0008] Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the attached drawings, in which: Fig.l

[0009] [Fig.l] shows a system. Fig. 2

[0010] [Fig.2] shows a method according to one embodiment. Description of the embodiments

[0011] Reference is now made to [Fig.l]. The on-board vehicle system 1 comprises at least: - a seat 11 capable of receiving an occupant of the vehicle and equipped with mobile and motorized mechanisms capable of modifying the configuration of the seat 11; - a set of sensors 12 jointly arranged so as to detect the posture of the occupant of the seat 11 and at least some of which are integrated into the seat 11; and - a controller 10 capable of receiving signals from the set of sensors as input, and of generating control signals as output for said mechanisms. The controller is further configured to implement a method for configuring the seat.

[0012] The system 1 can be supplemented by a database 13 stored in a suitable memory to which the controller 1 and / or a human-machine interface 16 has access.

[0013] It is specified here that the expression “seat configuration” is used in its broad sense. This covers, for example, the relative positions and orientations of the various components of the seat with respect to each other (typically, but not limited to, the inclination of the backrest 112 relative to the seat 111 and / or of the headrest 113 relative to the backrest), and also the positions and orientations of the various components 111, 112, 113 of the seat 11 relative to the rest of the vehicle such as the passenger compartment (typically, but not limited to, the forward movement and height of the seat 111).

[0014] For ease of understanding, the following examples refer to a driving position of a so-called "touring" car, a usual situation for a large number of readers. Other reference positions may be provided. For example, rest positions may be provided and be more suited to facilitating rest between two driving sessions rather than for driving (vehicle stationary). Other driving / piloting or resting positions may be provided in other contexts and other vehicles such as aircraft, trains, passenger and / or goods transport vehicles, etc.

[0015] Advantageously, the seat adjustment method can be combined with a function of returning to a home position in the absence of an occupant: when the controller 10 receives a dedicated control signal or signals from the sensors 12 indicating the absence of an occupant, the controller 10 transmits control signals so that the seat mechanisms are actuated so that the seat adopts the home position, facilitating the installation of an occupant in the seat and in the vehicle, or their extraction. The home position corresponds for example to a position of the seat 111 pushed back as far as possible, so that installation is facilitated, including for the tallest individuals. Unlike the reference positions described below, the home position can be independent of the occupants.

[0016] Reference is now made to [Fig. 2]. First, the configuration adjustment method comprises a first triggering step 101. The first step 101 can be triggered by a dedicated command such as a physical or virtual button, or a command to unlock the vehicle or open the driver's door, or a voice command for example. Then, the system can send a signal to the occupant, via the human-machine interface 16, for example in the form of a written or voice message, inviting him to adopt a reference posture.

[0017] For greater efficiency, the trigger of the method may be the detection of a reference posture of the occupant of the seat, in particular a posture which is suitable for measuring parameters involved in determining a seat configuration.

[0018] In the example of a car driver's seat, the trigger of the method may be the detection of a position of the accelerator pedal 14 being pressed, for example fully pressed. The trigger may also be a combination of conditions. If, for example, it is desired to prohibit triggering while the vehicle is being driven, an additional condition may be provided: the vehicle is stationary or at reduced speed. For example, the trigger is a combination of a position of the accelerator pedal 14 being fully pressed and an engine being stopped.

[0019] The condition or combination of conditions acting as a trigger may also be made necessary for the process to continue. In this case, leaving the conditions of trigger acts as a process stop command. For example, the controller 10 may be configured to interrupt the process when it is detected that the accelerator pedal 14 leaves its fully depressed position and / or the pedal is no longer depressed and / or the engine starts.

[0020] In variants, filtering of the measured data may be implemented. In particular, for the determination of the first set of indicators described below, only some of the measured data may be retained. For example, only the data measured before the trigger itself may be retained. Such filtering makes it possible to limit the risk of the measurements being interfered with by a one-off effort of the occupant linked to the triggering, i.e. the depression of the accelerator pedal in the aforementioned example. In other words, since the measurements are intended to be representative of a natural and comfortable posture of the occupant, it may be preferable to ignore those which correspond to a particular situation such as the triggering of the method. Using the measured data of the posture of the occupant in the second or a few seconds preceding the movement of partial or complete depression of the pedal may therefore be advantageous.It should also be noted that the more variable the efforts required for triggering are from one individual to another, the more advantageous it is to eliminate such a measurement bias by such filtering. Thus, a variant with such filtering is more relevant when the trigger corresponds to the pressing of a pedal than when the trigger corresponds to the pressing of a button. Indeed, the effort required to press a pedal depends on the morphology / build of the occupant, which is not the case for pressing a button.

[0021] In a second step 102, the determination of a first set of indicators can be implemented. One of the first indicators can relate to a physical characteristic of the occupant, for example his size. In the previous example of the accelerator pedal pressed to the maximum, combined with the presence of a sensor 12 capable of measuring the degree of advancement of the seat base and at least one sensor 12 capable of determining the position of the occupant's buttocks on the seat base, the controller 10 can then deduce a distance separating the occupant's right heel from his buttocks, and therefore indirectly extrapolate his size therefrom. The range of values for the first indicator can be virtually infinite (e.g., a height in centimeters) or predetermined (e.g., "small" / "S" for 155 to 164 cm, "medium" / "M" for 165 to 174 cm, "large" / "L" for 175 to 184 cm, or "extra large" / "XL" for over 184 cm).The first set of indicators may include a single indicator or several.

[0022] The first set of indicators can for example be obtained by the implementation of an algorithm by the controller 10, from signals from the sensors 12. The algorithm includes calculations combining values taken from the measurement signals from the sensors, for example averages or standard deviations of the pressures applied by the occupant's body on various portions of the seat.

[0023] In a third step 103, the controller can determine a first set of target values based on the first set of indicators. As explained in more detail below, at least some of the target values can also be considered as stopping conditions (of the seat configuration modification). Continuing from the previous example, the first set of target values can comprise a position of the seat 111 of the seat 11 relative to the rest of the vehicle. The correspondence between the first set of indicators and the first set of target values is pre-established, by means of correspondence tables and / or calculation algorithms implemented by the controller 10. In the previous example, the larger the size of the occupant is determined to be, the further back the target position of the seat 111 will be (far from the pedal 14), and vice versa. Each target value can be unique or made up of a range of values.A second example of target values is a pressure measured by a pressure sensor 12 arranged in the seat 111 and / or the backrest 112 of the seat 11.

[0024] Of course, the example of the link between the size of the occupant and the position of the seat 111 for the second and third steps 102, 103 above can be transposed to other examples of measurements and come as a replacement or in combination with each other.

[0025] In a fourth step 104, the controller 10 transmits control signals so that the seat mechanisms are activated so that the measured values approach the target values thus determined. For example, if the initial configuration of the seat is the reception configuration described previously, then the seat 111 starts from a position set back as far as possible to move forward (towards the pedals).

[0026] A feedback loop is implemented. In a fifth step 105, the controller 10 checks, based on the signals received, whether one of the stopping conditions is reached, and interrupts the method in this case. The fifth step 105 may be concomitant with the fourth step 104: it may be implemented continuously or periodically (in a loop), for example every 100 milliseconds.

[0027] The stopping conditions can be multiple, for example: - control signal from a human-machine interface 16 (the occupant can manually stop the process, for example by means of a physical or virtual button); - the measurement signals received indicate the achievement of at least some of the (personalized) target values determined in the third step 103; - the measurement signals received indicate the reaching of pre-established (non-personalized) limit values, or end-of-travel stop signals.

[0028] When several configuration parameters of the seat 11 are provided (for example the horizontal position of the seat 111 and the inclination of the backrest 112 relative to the seat 111), the fifth step 105 can be: - combined; reaching a single stopping condition results in the complete interruption of the process; - decomposed; reaching a single stop condition only results in partial interruption of the process; for example, the horizontal position of the seat 111 reaches its target value and the movement of the seat 111 stops while the inclination of the backrest 112 has not yet reached its target value and the backrest 112 therefore continues to tilt; - hybrid; certain stopping conditions (for example the reception of a control signal from the human-machine interface) generate the complete interruption of the process while other stopping conditions are decomposed in relation to each other.

[0029] Optionally, some of the target values determined in the third step 103 do not constitute stopping conditions in the fifth step 105. For example, if the target values of the horizontal position of the seat 111 are defined by a range of values whose limits are Xmin and Xmax, the controller can be configured to consider that: - moving an X value outside the range [Xmin; Xmax] to within the range is not a stopping condition; - then reaching one of the limits while the X value was in the target range may or may not be a stopping condition.

[0030] In such a case, it becomes possible (but optional) during the fourth and fifth steps 104, 105 to determine a second set of target values, generally more complete and precise than the first. For example, if it is detected by the controller 10 that one of the target values, such as a pressure measured in the seat 111 and / or the backrest 112, is reached when the horizontal position of the seat 111 reaches a value Xb then the second set of target values determined may include the value Xb This value Xi may be in the range [Xmin; Xmax] initially determined (Xi is therefore a “refined” target value) or not (Xi is therefore a “corrected” target value). In such embodiments, the second set of target values may for example be stored and associated with an identifier of the occupant (called “profile”).The second set of target values may subsequently be implemented if and when the same occupant moves back into seat 11 to more quickly give seat 11 a configuration that matches the occupant. The second set of target values may also more generally feed the correspondence tables of system 1, or even replace the “factory” values of the correspondence tables. In the latter case, system 1 is scalable and “learns” through use.

[0031] Among the target values that can be determined in the third step 103 and acting as a stopping condition in the fifth step 105, the applicant has identified particularly effective embodiments. In particular, some of the target values may be combinations of values obtained from several sensors. For example, when the system 1 comprises at least a first pressure sensor 12 located in the front part of the seat 111 of the seat 11 and a second pressure sensor 12 located in the rear part of the seat 111 of the seat 11, a target value may take the form of a pressure ratio of one to the other. The applicant has in particular found that this makes it possible to quickly and reliably detect an adequate seat configuration, in particular with regard to the distance between the seat 111 and the accelerator pedal 14.Indeed, by using a pressure ratio rather than absolute pressure values, it becomes possible to better qualify a position of the occupant's thigh and leg, independently of their weight for example. Such a solution is transposable in particular to the backrest 112 of the seat 12, for example to verify that the occupant's back is supported in a substantially homogeneous manner and to avoid extreme and harmful postures that are too "leaning forward" or on the contrary too "slumped". The same is true with pairs of lateral sensors 12 to detect presumed harmful asymmetries (in particular the rotation of the occupant's trunk). Alternatively, a plurality of values can be combined by means of calculations other than "ratios" (division of one by the other). For example, standard deviations or averages can be calculated and form values obtained indirectly from the sensors.

[0032] In the preceding examples, at least part of the input data of the controller 10 comes from measurement signals from sensors 12. The set of sensors 12 may comprise, for example, pressure or interdigital sensors integrated into the seat 11, position sensors of the different parts of the seat 11 or other elements of the vehicle such as the position of the accelerator pedal 14. The controller may be connected directly to dedicated sensors of the system. Alternatively, the input signals may come indirectly from sensors not specific to the system. For example, the position of the accelerator pedal 14 may be data available for functions other than those described here. It may be obtained via an on-board computer of the vehicle, for example by connecting the controller 10 to a data bus of the vehicle.Likewise, the controller 10 may be a member dedicated to implementing the method described here or may be integrated into other systems of the vehicle and implement other functions not described here. Thus, the system described here may be equipment added to an existing vehicle or may be integrated into the vehicle from its design stage. Industrial application

[0033] The present disclosure is not limited to the examples of systems and methods described above, solely by way of example, but it encompasses all the variants that may be envisaged by those skilled in the art within the framework of the protection sought. In particular, the computer programs comprising instructions for implementing all or part of a method as defined herein when this program is executed by a processor, or even non-transitory recording media, readable by a computer, on which such a program is recorded are targeted. List of reference signs

[0034] - 1: System - 10: controller; - 11: seat; - 12: set of sensors; - 13: database; - 14: pedal; - 16: user interface; - 111: seat; - 112: file; - 113: headrest; - 101: first operation; - 102: second operation; - 103: third operation; - 104: fourth operation; - 105: fifth operation.

Claims

Claims

1. A method for automatically adjusting the configuration of a vehicle seat implemented by a controller (10) and comprising: a. determining (102) a first set of indicators specific to an occupant of the seat as a function of signals from a set of sensors, at least some of the sensors being integrated into the seat; b. determining (103) a first set of target values as a function of the first set of indicators; c. transmitting (104) control signals to movable mechanisms of the seat so that said mechanisms are actuated and values measured via the sensors approach the determined target values; d. verifying (105) the achievement of pre-established conditions to interrupt the method and the actuation of the mechanisms, at least some of the pre-established conditions involving the achievement of the target values determined by the measured values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination (102) of the first set of indicators is implemented based on signals from a set of sensors when the seat is in an initial reference configuration.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the triggering of the determination (102) of the first set of indicators is generated by the detection of a reference posture of the occupant of the seat.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said reference posture includes the seat occupant depressing a pedal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determination (102) of the first set of indicators specific to a seat occupant is performed based on signals from a set of sensors acquired in the second preceding the seat occupant pressing a pedal.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the target values is determined by the combination of two values from at least one pair of sensors.

7. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the sensors of a pair are distant from each other and integrated into a single-piece part of the seat.

8. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the sensors of a pair are integrated respectively: - in a front part and a rear part of a seat base; and / or - in a left part and a right part of a seat base; and / or - in an upper part and a lower part of a seat back; and / or - in a left part and a right part of a seat back.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control signals are generated for movable mechanisms of the seat capable of modifying at least one of the following parameters: - the advancement of the seat base relative to the rest of the vehicle; - the height of the seat base relative to the rest of the vehicle; - the inclination of the seat base, or of the front part of the seat base, around a pitch axis; - the inclination between the seat base and the back of the seat.

10. On-board vehicle system (1) comprising: - a seat (11) capable of receiving an occupant of the vehicle and equipped with mobile and motorized mechanisms capable of modifying the configuration of the seat; - a set of sensors (12) jointly arranged so as to detect the posture of the occupant of the seat and at least some of which are integrated into the seat; and - a controller (10) capable of receiving signals from the set of sensors as input, and of generating control signals as output for said mechanisms, the controller (10) being configured to implement a method according to one of the preceding claims.

11. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 9 when this program is executed by a processor.

12. Non-transitory recording medium readable by a computer on which is recorded a program for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 9 when this program is executed by a processor.

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