Seat adjustment device

The seat adjustment device automatically adjusts seats based on stored preferences and vehicle characteristics, addressing cumbersome adjustments in car sharing by eliminating the need for manual seat adjustments and costly sensors.

JP7812728B2Active Publication Date: 2026-02-10YAZAKI CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022080456
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-05-16
Publication Date
2026-02-10
Estimated Expiration
2042-05-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In car sharing scenarios, drivers face cumbersome seat adjustments due to varying vehicle characteristics, and existing technologies require expensive sensors for personalized seat adjustments, increasing operational complexity and cost.

Method used

A seat adjustment device that acquires seat and vehicle information, transmits it to a mobile terminal, and automatically adjusts the seat based on stored preferences and vehicle characteristics, eliminating the need for manual adjustments when switching vehicles.

Benefits of technology

The device allows seamless seat adjustments to suit driver preferences across different vehicles, reducing operational complexity and eliminating the need for costly sensor installations in each vehicle.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a seat adjustment device that can adjust a seat as desired by a driver, without making the driver perform troublesome adjustment operation every time when a type of a vehicle which the driver drives changes for the reason of car-sharing and the like.SOLUTION: Seat information showing a state of a seat 11 for a driver when the driver utilizes a first vehicle and vehicle information showing characteristics of a type of the first vehicle are obtained. The information is transmitted from the vehicle side to a smart device 20, and the information is registered in a vehicle management table T01 or the like for management. When the driver gets on a second vehicle, the seat information and the vehicle information are obtained from the smart device 20. A seat adjustment ECU13 automatically adjusts a seat state of the second vehicle on the basis of the seat information, while reflecting a difference between vehicle characteristics of the first vehicle and vehicle characteristics of the second vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat adjustment device that can be used to properly adjust the state of a seat in which a driver or other person sits in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a posture adjustment device that corrects the posture of a seated occupant in a vehicle by performing appropriate stretches on the occupant. This posture adjustment device includes a movable part characteristic estimation unit that estimates the characteristics of movable parts of the occupant's body based on the physique and posture of the occupant detected by a sensor provided in the interior space of the vehicle, a target part identification unit that identifies a target part for activating a posture adjustment mechanism provided in the vehicle seat, and a posture adjustment mechanism control unit that activates the posture adjustment mechanism to perform a posture adjustment operation on the target part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-199919 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, drivers drive the same car they personally own on a daily basis. However, in recent years, opportunities to use vehicles in the form of car sharing have been increasing. Therefore, each driver can selectively use various types of cars that they do not own to drive.

[0005] When using various types of cars in a car sharing service, the driver must adjust the seat position, height, posture, etc. to suit their preferences before driving, taking into account the unique characteristics of the car they are using. This increases the number of operations required before starting to drive, which can be cumbersome for the driver.

[0006] For example, when the technology of Patent Document 1 is adopted, it is possible to automatically adjust the seat posture based on the physique and posture of the seated person. However, the posture automatically adjusted according to the physique and posture of the seated person is not necessarily appropriate for each driver. In other words, a posture that is generally considered appropriate may differ from a posture that each driver considers appropriate according to their preferences.

[0007] Furthermore, differences in vehicle-specific characteristics, such as differences in the size of each vehicle's body, the type of overall body shape (wagon, sedan, sports type, etc.), and differences in the height from the ground to the interior floor of the vehicle, are likely to affect the driving posture that suits each driver's preferences.

[0008] Therefore, in the case of car sharing, each driver must adjust their seat position to their liking before starting to drive, which ultimately requires cumbersome operations. Also, car sharing companies must install expensive sensors to detect the physique and posture of seated passengers in all of their vehicles, which incurs significant installation costs.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a seat adjustment device that allows a driver to adjust the seat to a state that suits his / her preference without having to perform troublesome adjustment operations each time, even when the type of vehicle he / she drives changes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration.

[0011] a seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information that indicates a seat state set when the driver sits in the seat of the first vehicle; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information representing characteristics unique to each type of vehicle, including at least the size of the first vehicle; a transmitting unit that transmits the acquired seat information and vehicle information to a mobile terminal of the driver; When the driver gets into the second vehicle, the seat information and the vehicle information are acquired from the mobile terminal; Comparing the size of the first vehicle and the size of the second vehicle based on the vehicle information, When the size of the second vehicle is larger than the size of the first vehicle, the result of adjusting the seat information of the first vehicle in a direction that increases the leeway of the driver's driving posture is determined as the seat information of the second vehicle; When the size of the second vehicle is smaller than the size of the first vehicle, the seat information of the first vehicle is adjusted in a direction that reduces the leeway of the driver's driving posture, and the result is determined as the seat information of the second vehicle. an adjustment control unit; A seat adjustment device comprising: a seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information representing a state of each of the plurality of types of seats in the first vehicle when the driver is seated in each of the plurality of types of seats; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information representing characteristics unique to each type of vehicle, including at least the size of each of the first vehicles; a transmitting unit that transmits the acquired plurality of pieces of seat information and the acquired plurality of pieces of vehicle information to a mobile terminal of the driver; an adjustment control unit that, when the driver gets into the second vehicle, acquires a plurality of pieces of seat information and a plurality of pieces of vehicle information from the mobile terminal, selects one of the first vehicles that is closest in size to the second vehicle based on the plurality of pieces of vehicle information, and automatically adjusts the seat state of the second vehicle based on the seat information of the one first vehicle; A seat adjustment device comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] With the seat adjustment device of the present invention, when the size or type of vehicle that the same driver intends to drive changes, the seat can be automatically adjusted to suit the driver's preferences without the driver having to manually adjust the seat to suit their preferences each time before driving. This eliminates the need for troublesome adjustment operations that accompany switching between vehicles.

[0013] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a seat adjustment device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle management table. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main functions on the vehicle when two vehicles are used sequentially. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the seat adjustment device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a modified example of the seat adjustment device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a seat adjustment device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The vehicle 10 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with seat adjustment-related equipment, including a driver's seat 11, a seat adjustment mechanism 12, a seat adjustment ECU (electronic control unit) 13, a sensor 14, an operation unit 15, a memory unit 16, and a communication unit 17.

[0018] The driver's seat 11, which is located at the driver's seating position, has a movable structure and is connected to a seat adjustment mechanism 12. The driver's seat 11 can be adjusted in various ways, such as by moving the entire seat forward and backward, by changing the height of the seat cushion from the floor, and by changing the tilt angle of the seat back.

[0019] The seat adjustment mechanism 12 is equipped with multiple electric motors, and by driving each electric motor, it is possible to adjust the position, height, posture, etc. of each movable part of the driver's seat 11. By adjusting the driver's seat 11, the driver's body posture while driving can be adjusted to a posture suitable for driving or a posture preferred by the driver.

[0020] The seat adjustment ECU 13 is composed of an electronic circuit mainly consisting of a microcomputer, and has the function of controlling the drive of each electric motor of the seat adjustment mechanism 12 to adjust the posture (including position, height, etc.) of the driver's seat 11.

[0021] The sensor 14 can detect whether each movable part of the seat adjustment mechanism 12 is in a predetermined reference position or not, and can output a signal representing the actual state of the driver's seat 11, such as its position, height, and other postures.

[0022] The operation unit 15 includes a plurality of switches that can be used by the driver to manually adjust the state of the driver's seat 11, and a display that can display the state of the driver's seat 11, etc.

[0023] The storage unit 16 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile memory, and stores vehicle parameters and vehicle model information that indicates the vehicle model of the vehicle 10 in which the seat adjustment device 100 is installed. Here, the vehicle model information indicates the manufacturer name, model name, and vehicle type (classification such as wagon, sedan, sports type, etc.) of the vehicle. The vehicle parameters are numerical values ​​that reflect the influence of, for example, the vehicle body size, the difference in height from the ground to the interior floor of the vehicle, the distance from the driver's seat to the front of the vehicle, etc., and may be composed of multiple numerical values. Therefore, the vehicle parameters are numerical values ​​that are independent for each vehicle manufacturer and each vehicle model.

[0024] The communication unit 17 can connect to and communicate with a predetermined smart device 20 or the like using wired communication or wireless communication conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard, for example.

[0025] The seat adjustment device 100 of this embodiment can automatically adjust the seat state to an appropriate state for each user when each user attempts to drive various types of vehicles by using the smart device 20 carried by each user.

[0026] A mobile terminal such as a smartphone can be used as a representative example of the smart device 20. By installing dedicated application software (app) required to use the seat adjustment device 100 into a general smartphone, the smartphone can be used as the smart device 20.

[0027] When using the seat adjustment device 100, a vehicle management table T01 is prepared on the smart device 20. This vehicle management table T01 contains data that associates information indicating the user's personal seating preferences with the type of vehicle. Data in the vehicle management table T01 is added as needed.

[0028] The seat adjustment ECU 13 of this embodiment uses the contents of the vehicle management table T01 on the smart device 20 to automatically adjust the seat position, height, posture, etc. to recreate a seat condition that suits the driver's individual preferences, even when each driver drives a vehicle of a different model.

[0029] The data of the vehicle management table T01 may be stored and managed on a predetermined server on the Internet via the smart device 20.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle management table T01. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle management table T01 holds vehicle manufacturer classification MID, vehicle type classification VT, vehicle parameters VP, and user personal seat information UP in a mutually associated state.

[0031] In the example of FIG. 2, information on a plurality of vehicle manufacturers MA, MB, and MC is registered in the vehicle management table T01.

[0032] Further, information on each of nine vehicle type categories VT01, VT02, VT03, VT11, VT12, VT13, VT21, VT22, and VT23 is registered in the vehicle management table T01.

[0033] Furthermore, information on each of nine vehicle parameters VP01, VP02, VP03, VP11, VP12, VP13, VP21, VP22, and VP23 is registered in the vehicle management table T01. Each of the vehicle parameters VP01 to VP32 is a numerical value that reflects the characteristics of the corresponding vehicle type, such as the size of the vehicle body, the distance from the driver's seat to the front of the body, and the height from the ground to the floor of the vehicle interior.

[0034] Furthermore, nine types of seat information UP001 to UP009 are registered as individual user seat information UP, each associated with a different vehicle model. Each piece of seat information UP001 to UP009 represents the seat position, height, posture, and other conditions that suit the preferences of a specific user who owns the corresponding smart device 20 in the corresponding vehicle.

[0035] Each piece of seat information UP001-UP009 reflects the preferences of a specific individual, so no appropriate data exists when each user initially begins using the seat adjustment device 100. However, regardless of the type of vehicle used, by continuing to use the seat adjustment device 100, a large number of pieces of seat information UP appropriate for each vehicle type can be registered and maintained in the vehicle management table T01.

[0036] <Major functions of the seat adjustment device> 3 is a block diagram showing the main functions of the two vehicles 10A and 10B when they are used sequentially. Manual adjustment functions 31A and 31B, communication and display functions 32A and 32B, and automatic adjustment functions 33A and 33B in FIG. 3 are all functions realized by the control of the seat adjustment ECU 13.

[0037] When a specific user who owns the smart device 20 uses the seat adjustment device 100 for the first time, data such as a seat posture that matches the individual's (the user's) characteristics does not exist in the vehicle management table T01.

[0038] Therefore, when the user gets into the vehicle 10A to be used as the driver, the automatic adjustment function 33A indicated by the dashed frame does not operate. In this case, the user manually adjusts the posture of the driver's seat 11 to suit their preferences using the manual adjustment function 31A.

[0039] In other words, the user operates a predetermined switch on the operation unit 15 to give an instruction to the seat adjustment ECU 13, and the posture of the driver's seat 11 can be changed in a predetermined direction only while the switch is being operated, to suit the user's own preferences.

[0040] The communication and display function 32A digitizes information on the adjustment amount, such as the posture of the driver's seat 11, adjusted by the user using the manual adjustment function 31A, and displays it on the display of the operation unit 15, while transmitting it to the smart device 20 via wired or wireless communication. The information transmitted at this time may also include vehicle model information and vehicle parameters stored in the memory unit 16.

[0041] The smart device 20 can receive information such as vehicle model information, vehicle parameters, and the position of the driver's seat 11 transmitted from the communication and display function 32A of the vehicle 10A and register it in the vehicle management table T01.

[0042] If a specific user who owns smart device 20 uses vehicle 10A and then uses another vehicle 10B, the data exists in vehicle management table T01 of smart device 20, and this data can be used.

[0043] That is, the communication and display function 32B on the vehicle 10B acquires data of the vehicle management table T01 from the smart device 20. Furthermore, in accordance with the data acquired by the communication and display function 32B from the smart device 20, the automatic adjustment function 33B automatically adjusts the posture and the like of the driver's seat 11, and recreates a seat state that suits the driver's preference.

[0044] If the seat position that suits the driver's preference can be completely reproduced by the automatic adjustment function 33B alone, the manual adjustment function 31B indicated by the dashed frame on the vehicle 10B is not necessary. However, the user can also fine-tune the seat position using the manual adjustment function 31B. Data indicating the content of this fine adjustment, together with vehicle model information, can be sent from the communication and display function 32B to the smart device 20 and added to the vehicle management table T01.

[0045] <Seat adjustment mechanism operation> 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the seat adjustment device 100. This operation is mainly realized by the control of the seat adjustment ECU 13. The operation of FIG. 4 will be described below.

[0046] The seat adjustment ECU 13 communicates with the smart device 20 via the communication unit 17, and identifies in S01 whether or not a vehicle management table T01 exists that contains personal information necessary to adjust the posture of the driver's seat 11 of the vehicle.

[0047] If the vehicle management table T01 exists on the smart device 20, the seat adjustment ECU 13 receives the contents of the vehicle management table T01 from the smart device 20 in S02 and acquires the necessary information.

[0048] The timing at which the seat adjustment ECU 13 actually acquires the contents of the vehicle management table T01 from the smart device 20 is assumed to be, for example, when the vehicle engine is started or when the vehicle doors are unlocked.

[0049] The seat adjustment ECU 13 performs automatic posture adjustment of the driver's seat 11 necessary to reproduce the driver's preferred driving posture in the vehicle based on the contents of the vehicle management table T01 received in S02. This corresponds to the automatic adjustment function 33B shown in FIG. 3.

[0050] In practice, when using a vehicle of the same model, if at least one piece of seat information UP is registered in the vehicle management table T01, the driver's preferred driving posture can be reproduced in S03 based on this seat information UP.

[0051] Furthermore, even when the same user uses vehicles of different models in turn, if a plurality of vehicle parameters VP that differ for each model and at least one piece of seat information UP are registered in the vehicle management table T01, the driver's preferred driving posture can be reproduced in S03 based on this seat information UP.

[0052] For example, if a relational expression expressing the relationship between the vehicle parameter VP and the seat information UP, or an equivalent conversion table, is registered in advance, an estimated value of the appropriate adjustment amount for the seat position, height, posture, etc. for each vehicle type can be calculated based on the difference between the vehicle parameter VP for each vehicle type and one registered piece of seat information UP, and the appropriate seat state can be automatically reproduced in S03.

[0053] On the other hand, if the vehicle management table T01 does not exist on the smart device 20, the seat adjustment ECU 13 proceeds to the process from S01 to S04. Then, it monitors whether or not there is a posture adjustment command issued by the driver through switch operation on the operation unit 15. If the seat adjustment ECU 13 detects a manual posture adjustment command from the driver, it proceeds to the process from S04 to S05. Then, while the manual posture adjustment command is received, it drives the electric motor of the seat adjustment mechanism 12 to gradually change the position, height, posture, etc. of the driver's seat 11. When this adjustment is complete, the seat adjustment ECU 13 digitizes the current state of the driver's seat 11, such as the position, height, posture, etc., detected by the sensor 14, and displays the digitized state on the display of the operation unit 15 (S05).

[0054] Furthermore, the seat adjustment ECU 13 transmits information such as the posture of the driver's seat 11 detected in S05, as well as the vehicle model information and vehicle parameters VP stored in the memory unit 16, to the smart device 20 via the communication unit 17 (S06).

[0055] <Modifications of the operation of the seat adjustment device> 5 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the seat adjustment device 100. This operation is mainly realized by the control of the seat adjustment ECU 13. The operation of FIG. 5 will be described below.

[0056] The seat adjustment ECU 13 acquires vehicle model information indicating the vehicle model of the host vehicle and vehicle parameters VP of the host vehicle from the storage unit 16 in S11.

[0057] The seat adjustment ECU 13 communicates with the smart device 20 via the communication unit 17, and in S12 identifies whether or not seat information UP for a vehicle model that matches the vehicle model information acquired in S11 exists on the vehicle management table T01.

[0058] If seat information UP that matches the vehicle model of the vehicle itself already exists in the vehicle management table T01, the seat adjustment ECU 13 proceeds to the process from S12 to S13. Then, the seat adjustment ECU 13 acquires the corresponding seat information UP from the vehicle management table T01 of the smart device 20, and automatically adjusts the position, height, posture, etc. of the driver's seat 11 according to the seat information UP to recreate a driving posture that suits the driver's preference (S14).

[0059] On the other hand, if the seat information UP whose vehicle model matches the vehicle model is not present in the vehicle management table T01, the seat adjustment ECU 13 proceeds to the process from S12 to S15 and acquires one or more pieces of seat information UP for each vehicle model from the vehicle management table T01 of the smart device 20.

[0060] The seat adjustment ECU 13 automatically generates seat information UP in S16 that is suitable for the vehicle type and that meets the driver's preferences based on the multiple pieces of seat information UP acquired in S15, and automatically adjusts the position, height, posture, etc. of the driver's seat 11 in accordance with this seat information UP to recreate a driving posture that meets the driver's preferences (S14).

[0061] For example, if two pieces of seat information UP001 and UP002 corresponding to the two vehicle type categories VT01 and VT02 in Fig. 2 are registered in the vehicle management table T01, the seat information UP001 and UP002 can be used to reproduce a preferred posture even in vehicles other than those in the vehicle type categories VT01 and VT02. For example, by using the average value of the two pieces of seat information UP001 and UP002 as new seat information UP, a posture that does not deviate significantly from the driver's preferred posture can be reproduced even in vehicles of a type that the driver has not driven before.

[0062] In addition, if the vehicle parameter VPx of the vehicle exists but the seat information UPx does not exist, the seat information UP001 or UP002 of the vehicle model that is closer to the vehicle parameter VPx of the vehicle, out of the two vehicle parameters VP01 and VP02, can be used as the seat information UPx, instead of the average.

[0063] Furthermore, even if the vehicle parameter VPx of the own vehicle does not exist, if the vehicle model VTx of the own vehicle is known, the seat information UP001 or UP002 assigned to the vehicle model closest to the vehicle model VTx of the two vehicle model classifications VT01 and VT02 can be used as the seat information UPx.

[0064] For example, if the vehicle parameters VP01 and seat information UP001 of another vehicle have already been registered, the vehicle parameters VP02 of the own vehicle are known, and the seat information UP002 of the own vehicle is unknown, the seat information UP002 can be provisionally determined as follows.

[0065] For example, if the vehicle parameter VP02 indicates that the vehicle body is larger than the vehicle parameter VP01, the value of the seat information UP001 is finely adjusted to increase the driver's comfort in the driving posture, and the result is determined as the provisional seat information UP002.

[0066] Conversely, if the vehicle parameter VP02 indicates that the vehicle body is smaller than the vehicle parameter VP01, the value of the seat information UP001 is finely adjusted in the direction of reducing the driver's leeway in the driving posture, and the result is determined as the provisional seat information UP002.

[0067] For example, if seat information UP001 for a standard sedan-type vehicle is registered and seat information UPx for the vehicle itself is not registered, and the vehicle's vehicle type classification VT is a sports type, the value of seat information UP001 can be adjusted to slightly lower the seat height based on the value of seat information UP001, and the result can be used as provisional seat information UPx.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0069] 2 is assumed to hold data representing a combination of vehicle manufacturer classification MID, vehicle type classification VT, vehicle parameters VP, and seat information UP for each vehicle, but it is also possible to register only data representing a combination of vehicle parameters VP and seat information UP.Also, it is also possible to register only data representing a combination of vehicle type classification VT and seat information UP.

[0070] 1 assumes that vehicle model information and vehicle parameters are stored in advance in the storage unit 16 installed in the vehicle, but this information can be acquired as needed even without the storage unit 16. For example, the vehicle model of the target vehicle can be identified by searching a database on the Internet or the like for various images based on the characteristics of an image of the vehicle's exterior taken with the camera of the smart device 20. Furthermore, once the vehicle model is known, detailed specification information for the vehicle can be obtained, and the value of the vehicle parameter VP can be determined from this information.

[0071] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a case where only the state of the driver's seat 11 is adjusted, it is also possible to automatically adjust the angle of the rearview mirror, the angle of the side mirrors, etc. in accordance with changes in the position of the driver's seat 11. Furthermore, if the same family member always rides in the vehicle with the driver, it is also possible to adjust the position of the passenger seat, etc. in the same way as the driver's seat 11.

[0072] As described above, when using the seat adjustment device 100 of this embodiment, even if a user drives various types of vehicles, for example, in conjunction with car sharing, there is no need to manually readjust the position, height, posture, etc. of the driver's seat 11 to suit the driver's personal preferences each time. In other words, by registering and managing the results of at least one adjustment made by the driver to suit his or her preferences in the vehicle management table T01, the seat state can be automatically adjusted to suit the driver's preferences even when the type of vehicle changes.

[0073] This allows the driver to always drive each vehicle in the same posture without having to make any special adjustments, which reduces driver fatigue and also helps prevent accidents.

[0074] Here, the features of the seat adjustment device according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [5]. [1] A seat information acquisition unit (sensor 14) that acquires seat information representing the state of the seat set when the driver sits in the seat of the first vehicle (vehicle 10A); a vehicle information acquisition unit (seat adjustment ECU 13, S11) that acquires vehicle information representing characteristics unique to each type of vehicle, including at least the size of the first vehicle; a transmitting unit (seat adjustment ECU 13, S06) that transmits the acquired seat information and vehicle information to the driver's mobile terminal (smart device 20); an adjustment control unit (seat adjustment ECU 13, S03, S14, S16) that acquires the seat information and the vehicle information from the mobile terminal when the driver gets into the second vehicle (vehicle 10B) and automatically adjusts the seat state of the second vehicle based on the seat information, reflecting differences between the vehicle characteristics of the first vehicle and the vehicle characteristics of the second vehicle; A seat adjustment device (100) comprising:

[0075] With the seat adjustment device configured as described above in [1], the driver manually adjusts the seat position and other settings to suit their preferences at least once when using a first vehicle, and then when using a second vehicle of a different model, the seat position can be automatically adjusted to suit the driver's preferences without any manual adjustments. This eliminates the need for complicated operations such as adjusting the seat position every time a driver drives, which is required in car sharing, etc.

[0076] [2] The mobile terminal has a vehicle management function (vehicle management table T01) that stores and manages seat adjustment information that associates the seat information (UP) with the vehicle information (vehicle type classification VT or vehicle parameters VP) for multiple types of vehicles. The seat adjustment device according to [1] above.

[0077] The seat adjustment device configured as described above in [2] can individually store and manage the preferred posture and other conditions for each of multiple types of vehicles, so the accuracy of automatic adjustment can be expected to improve as the same driver uses more and more vehicles.

[0078] [3] The mobile terminal has a vehicle management function (vehicle management table T01) that stores and manages seat adjustment information that associates the seat information (UP) with the vehicle information (vehicle type classification VT or vehicle parameters VP) for multiple types of vehicles, When the seat adjustment information for the vehicle model to be adjusted is not registered, the adjustment control unit automatically adjusts the seat state of the vehicle to be adjusted by using one or more pieces of seat adjustment information for registered vehicle models (S16). The seat adjustment device according to [1] above.

[0079] According to the seat adjustment device configured as described above in [3], even if the same driver has little experience of using the vehicle and the vehicle management function manages only a few types of vehicles, if one or more pieces of seat adjustment information are registered, the seat posture etc. that suits the driver's preferences can be automatically reproduced.

[0080] [4] The mobile terminal has a vehicle management function (vehicle management table T01) that stores and manages seat adjustment information that associates the seat information (UP) with the vehicle information (vehicle type classification VT or vehicle parameters VP) for at least one type of vehicle, The adjustment control unit converts the seat adjustment information of one vehicle stored in the vehicle management function to reflect differences in vehicle models, and generates the seat adjustment information optimized for the vehicle model to be adjusted (S03). The seat adjustment device according to [1] above.

[0081] According to the seat adjustment device configured as described above in [4], even if the same driver has little experience of using the vehicle and the vehicle management function manages only a few types of vehicles, if one or more pieces of seat adjustment information are registered, the seat posture etc. that suits the driver's preferences can be automatically reproduced.

[0082] [5] Each vehicle or the mobile terminal has a function (storage unit 16, S11) of automatically acquiring information indicating the vehicle type classification of at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The seat adjustment device according to [1] above.

[0083] The seat adjustment device configured as described above in [5] can automatically identify the vehicle type without the driver having to manually input information such as the vehicle model each time. This reduces the amount of input required by the driver. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10, 10A, 10B vehicles 11 Driver's seat 12 Seat adjustment mechanism 13 Seat adjustment ECU 14 Sensors 15 Control section 16 Memory section 17 Communications Department 20 Smart Devices 31A, 31B manual adjustment function 32A,32B Communication / display function 33A,33B Automatic adjustment function 100 Seat adjustment device T01 Vehicle management table MID Vehicle manufacturer classification UP seating information VP Vehicle Parameters VT Vehicle classification

Claims

1. a seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information that indicates a seat state set when the driver sits in the seat of the first vehicle; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information representing characteristics unique to each type of vehicle, including at least the size of the first vehicle; a transmitting unit that transmits the acquired seat information and vehicle information to a mobile terminal of the driver; When the driver gets into the second vehicle, the seat information and the vehicle information are acquired from the mobile terminal, and the size of the first vehicle and the size of the second vehicle are compared based on the vehicle information, When the size of the second vehicle is larger than the size of the first vehicle, the seat information of the first vehicle is adjusted in a direction that increases the leeway of the driver's driving posture, and the result is determined as the seat information of the second vehicle; an adjustment control unit that, when the size of the second vehicle is smaller than the size of the first vehicle, determines the result of adjusting the seat information of the first vehicle in a direction that reduces the leeway of the driver's driving posture as the seat information of the second vehicle; A seat adjustment device comprising:

2. A seat information acquisition unit that acquires seat information representing the state of the seat set when the driver sits in each of multiple types of seats in the first vehicle; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information representing characteristics unique to each type of vehicle, including at least the size of each of the first vehicles; a transmitting unit that transmits the acquired plurality of pieces of seat information and the acquired plurality of pieces of vehicle information to a mobile terminal of the driver; an adjustment control unit that, when the driver gets into the second vehicle, acquires a plurality of pieces of seat information and a plurality of pieces of vehicle information from the mobile terminal, selects one of the first vehicles that is closest in size to the second vehicle based on the plurality of pieces of vehicle information, and automatically adjusts the seat state of the second vehicle based on the seat information of the one first vehicle; A seat adjustment device comprising:

3. the mobile terminal has a vehicle management function for storing and managing seat adjustment information in which the seat information and the vehicle information are associated with each other, for each of a plurality of types of vehicles; 3. A seat adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the mobile terminal has a vehicle management function for storing and managing seat adjustment information in which the seat information and the vehicle information are associated with each other, for each of a plurality of types of vehicles; When the seat adjustment information for the vehicle model to be adjusted is not registered, the adjustment control unit automatically adjusts the seat state of the vehicle to be adjusted by using one or more pieces of seat adjustment information for registered vehicle models.

3. A seat adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the mobile terminal has a vehicle management function for storing and managing seat adjustment information in which the seat information and the vehicle information are associated with each other for at least one type of vehicle; The adjustment control unit converts the seat adjustment information of one vehicle stored in the vehicle management function so as to reflect differences in vehicle models, and generates the seat adjustment information optimized for the vehicle model to be adjusted.

3. A seat adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. Each vehicle or the mobile terminal has a function of automatically acquiring information indicating a vehicle type category of at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

3. A seat adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Automatic setting device for vehicle, automatic setting system, and automatic setting method for vehicle

    JP2010163092A

  • Posture adjustment device, posture adjustment system, and posture adjustment method

    JP2020199919A