Automobile seat position adjustment system

Abstract

A system (10) for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat (S), the system (10) comprising: a memory (14) for storing at least one predetermined position of the seat associated with a predefined road type, a local road area, or a predefined driving condition; a device (16) for geographically positioning the vehicle or a device (20) for monitoring its dynamics; and a control system (18) for an actuation device (12) for moving the seat (S) or at least a part thereof. The control system (18) is configured to identify the road type or current road driving area of ​​the vehicle based on its geographical position, or identify the driving state of the vehicle based on its dynamics, select a predetermined position of the seat (S) depending on the road type, road area being driven, or driving situation, and control the movement of the seat (S) or at least a part thereof to obtain the selected seat position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the automotive sector and in particular to a system for adjusting the comfort of a vehicle passenger. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat according to the preamble of claim 1 or claim 4.

[0002] The term "position adjustment" generally refers to at least one adjustment, preferably a series of adjustments, of the position of different parts of the seat, such as adjusting the seat height, adjusting the distance from the pedal board, adjusting the tilt of the backrest, adjusting the lumbar support device, etc. [Background technology]

[0003] Systems for adjusting the position of a driver's or passenger's automobile seat, both manually and automatically, are known. An automatically adjusting seat has a control unit for activating the seat or some of its devices, and stores one or more preselected seat configurations for one or more occupants, allowing them to easily recall the relevant seat configurations when entering the vehicle.

[0004] For example, it would be desirable to be able to automatically change the seat position while driving to adapt to the driving dynamics of the vehicle along the current route.

[0005] Indeed, because a vehicle's driving dynamics vary depending on the type of road on which it is driven and the commands the driver gives to drive systems such as the propulsion system, braking system, and steering system, occupant driving posture and riding comfort can vary greatly. For example, driving on highways or high-speed road types characterized by long straights, wide-radius curves, and frequent stops can lead to a relaxed driver and passenger posture, with the seat backs tilted beyond the standard ergonomic angle setting relative to the vertical direction of the vehicle. Driving on urban or low-speed urban road types characterized by sharp turns and frequent accelerations and stops, often for short distances, requires the driver to maintain a posture closer to control of the driving and a higher seat position for enhanced road control. Finally, driving outside of cities on winding roads, such as in mountainous areas, is characterized by frequent turns, accelerations, decelerations and hill driving, which requires the driver to adopt a more upright posture, closer to the driving controls if the seat is tilted less than the standard ergonomic angle relative to the vertical direction of the vehicle, for example, and the passenger to be more closely crammed by the seat back.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide an improved system for automatically adjusting the position of a seat in a motor vehicle, specifically a system enhanced with the ability to adjust the seat position while driving in response to the current or expected driving dynamics of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a system for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat having the features of claims 1 or 4.

[0008] Particular embodiments form the subject matter of dependent claims, the content of which is to be understood as an integral part of this description.

[0009] A further subject of the invention is a vehicle equipped with the system for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat as claimed.

[0010] In summary, the invention is based on the principle of adjusting the position of a car seat or part thereof automatically and as a function of the vehicle's geographical position, on the basis of which the vehicle's current road driving area and the associated road type are identified and, as a result, a predetermined driving dynamics of the vehicle is assumed.

[0011] Further features and advantages of the invention will be shown in more detail in the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of a system for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat that is the subject of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a flow chart of the operating procedure of the system subject of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] With reference to FIG. 1, a system for adjusting the position of at least one motor vehicle seat S is indicated at 10 and comprises actuation means for moving the seat or at least parts of the seat, generally indicated at 12, at least one motorized device for translating the seat longitudinally towards or away from the driving controls, and possibly upward or downward relative to the vehicle floor, and a motorized device for adjusting the lumbar support or for rotating and translating the backrest.

[0014] The system 10 comprises a storage means 14, such as one or more memory units, e.g. a memory unit associated with each seat, adapted to store at least one predefined position of the seat associated with a predefined road type or road area of ​​the area, for example the storage means 14 is adapted to store a first seat position associated with an urban road type, a second seat position associated with a suburban, comfortable road type, and a third seat position associated with a mountain road type.

[0015] Instead of association with predefined road types represented as data on road maps available to the system, seat locations can be associated with specific road areas of the map identified by associated access road coordinates.

[0016] Means for geographical positioning of the vehicle, such as a satellite positioning system, are indicated at 16 .

[0017] The means for controlling the actuator 12 for seat movement is indicated at 18 and is configured to receive the vehicle's current geographical position signal from the geographical positioning means 16 and identify the road type of the vehicle or the current road driving area of ​​the vehicle based on the vehicle's current geographical position, for example by comparing it with a stored road map.

[0018] The control means 18 also stores the information in the storage means 14 according to the type of road or the current road driving area of ​​the vehicle. from It is configured to select a predetermined seat position.

[0019] In an improved embodiment, the control means 18 is also configured to preselect a predetermined seat position based on the current geographical position of the vehicle along the set navigation route.

[0020] In a further refinement, if the seat position is not associated with the current geographical position of the vehicle, the control means is configured to select a predetermined seat position associated with a road region on which the vehicle has previously traveled, having the same road type as the road region on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

[0021] The control means 18 is configured to notify a vehicle occupant, particularly a seat, whether driver or passenger, of the selected seat position based on the methods described above or other equivalent methods not described herein but believed to be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art. For example, such notification may be by an audible or visual alert, such as a pictogram or instruction displayed on the instrument panel and / or console.

[0022] Finally, the control means 18 is configured to drive the actuation means 12 to control the movement of the seat or at least a part thereof to achieve the selected position. In one embodiment, the drive of the actuation means for controlling the movement of the seat or at least a part of the seat is linked to a notification, e.g., an agreement signal given by the vehicle occupant in response to an audio or haptic command.

[0023] Conveniently, the system comprises storage means 14 for storing a plurality of predetermined seat positions for a plurality of vehicle occupants, each vehicle seat occupant being automatically identifiable.

[0024] In another embodiment within the scope of this invention, the storage means 14 is adapted to store at least one predetermined seat position associated with a predetermined driving state or vehicle dynamics of the vehicle during a predetermined time period, in addition to or as an alternative to those previously described. The system comprises means for monitoring vehicle dynamics 20, e.g., a propulsion system 22, a braking system 24, and a steering system 26, configured to identify one of a plurality of predetermined driving dynamics of the vehicle as a function of signals from a plurality of drive systems.

[0025] According to this embodiment, the control means 18 is configured to identify a driving state of the vehicle lasting for a predetermined time interval based on the dynamics of the vehicle, select a predetermined seat position from the storage means 14 depending on said driving state of the vehicle, and, based on the consent of the occupant, drive the actuation means 12 to control the movement of the seat or at least a part thereof to reach the selected seat position depending on the driving state of the vehicle.

[0026] In this case, the system therefore reacts to the driving behaviour of the vehicle driver and recognises, for example, whether the ride is comfortable or sporty and adjusts the position of the driver's and passenger's seats accordingly.

[0027] Advantageously, the system subject of the present invention stores seat position preferences according to road type or driving conditions and suggests these settings based on the vehicle's geographical location or its dynamics without any further action by the user, i.e. without the user having to manually change the seat position or freely recall it from a preset memory.

[0028] The flow chart of FIG. 2 illustrates a method for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat according to the present invention.

[0029] In step 100, the users, i.e. the driver and possibly the front seat passengers (although the invention is also applicable to rear seats or bench seats in the vehicle), access the vehicle and in step 110 the occupants are identified either automatically or, after registration, by manual selection by the same occupant of an on-board profile. In step 120, depending on the registered and identified occupants, the system selects by reading (or by loading from a remote memory into a temporary quick access memory or cache) a respective library of seat position settings according to road type, local road area or driving conditions.

[0030] Thus, unless the user disables the automatic seat adjustment function in step 150, the user of the vehicle may set a navigation route in step 130, thereby causing the control means 18 to arrange for the selection of an assumed seat position at a particular point on the route in step 140. Alternatively, if the user of the vehicle does not set a navigation route, the control means 18 arranges for the selection of an adaptive seat position in step 160 based on the identification of the current surrounding road route in step 170, unless the user disables the automatic seat position adjustment function in step 150.

[0031] In step 180, the control means 18 identifies the geographical coordinates where a change in seat position is expected, for example due to a change in road type or the vehicle entering a road region where a different seat position is pre-defined.

[0032] When, during travel, the vehicle reaches a predetermined road area or accesses a predetermined road type in step 190, the control means 18, in step 200, determines the position of the seat in relation to said road area or road type and as a function of training based on settings previously adopted by the driver and possibly passengers on the road area or on road areas previously driven on and characterized by the same road type.

[0033] Thus, the control means proposes the selected seat position to the vehicle occupant in step 210. If the user does not accept, the process ends in step 170 and the automatic seat position adjustment function is disabled. If the user accepts, in step 220 the control means 18 transmits the configuration data of the seat position selected in step 210 to the control module of the actuation means 12, which in step 230 controls the actuation means to configure the selected seat position, and in step 240 the user can change the seat position.

[0034] The control means proposes in step 250 to store a location associated with the current geographical region and, depending on the response from the user via the on-board control system, either updates the library of predetermined settings in step 260, or does not update the library and prepares for the next change in step 270. In either case, the cycle then returns to step 180 to identify the geographical coordinates of the current road route.

[0035] As a purely exemplary example, such a system could recognize if the vehicle is leaving an urban area and entering a highway section, and at the highway access gate the system would ask the driver if he would like to change his seat position to a comfortable driving position. At the end of the highway journey, when the vehicle is heading towards a mountain pass, the system would suggest correcting the seat position to a position relevant for mountain driving, at a predetermined distance from the start of the winding route.

[0036] Advantageously, the vehicle driver as well as passengers can adapt their seat position by simply agreeing to suggested changes provided by the system based on predetermined preferences, without having to resort to manual or power-assisted seat adjustments, which involve multiple operations that distract the driver while driving and therefore require the vehicle to be temporarily stopped.

[0037] Naturally, without prejudice to the principles of the invention, the embodiments and details of implementation may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system (10) for adjusting the position of a vehicle seat (S), comprising actuation means (12) for moving the seat or at least a part thereof, said system (10) comprising: a storage means (14) for storing at least one predetermined position of a seat (S) associated with a predetermined road type or road area of ​​an area, the predetermined position of the seat (S) corresponding to respective settings of a plurality of vehicle occupants; means (16) for geo-positioning the vehicle; means for automatically identifying an occupant of a vehicle seat; A control means (18) for controlling the actuation means (12), Identifying the vehicle's current road type or vehicle road area based on its current geographic location, identified by associated access road coordinates; selecting from a storage means (14) a predetermined seat (S) position according to the settings of said occupant identified by the means for automatically identifying said vehicle seat occupant according to the current road type or road area of ​​the vehicle, and control means for driving the actuation means (12) to control the movement of the seat (S) or at least a part thereof to reach the selected seat position; the control means (18) of the actuation means (12) is configured to select a predetermined seat (S) position associated with a previous road section of the vehicle having the same road type as a current road section of the vehicle; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

2. the control means (18) of the actuation means (12) is configured to preselect a predetermined position of the seat (S) based on the current geographical position of the vehicle along a set navigation route; The system (10) of claim 1.

3. The system further comprises means (20) for monitoring the dynamics of the vehicle; The storage means (14) further stores at least one predetermined position of the seat (S) associated with a predetermined vehicle operating state; The actuation means (12) further comprises: Identifying a vehicle operating state during a predetermined time period based on the vehicle dynamics; selecting a predetermined seat (S) position from said storage means (14) according to the identified vehicle operating state; The means (20) for monitoring vehicle dynamics is configured to identify one of a plurality of predetermined vehicle dynamics as a function of signals coming from a plurality of drive systems, including a propulsion system (22), a braking system (24), and a steering system (26). The system (10) of claim 1.

4. The control means (18) is configured to inform a vehicle occupant of the selected seat position and to control the actuation of the actuation means (12) for controlling the movement of the seat (S) or at least a part thereof according to a consent signal given by the vehicle occupant. A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The seat (S) is a driver's seat. A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The seat (S) is a passenger seat. A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The movement of the sheet (S) includes translation of the sheet. A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The movement of the seat (S) includes adjustment of a lumbar support device. A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The movement of the seat (S) includes a rotational translation of the backrest, A system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle equipped with at least one automobile seat (S) for a passenger, comprising a system (10) for adjusting the position of the automobile seat (S) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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