Adaptive Seat Belt Control for Variable Occupant Posture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle seat belts do not provide adaptive protection for occupants in varying seat positions and sitting postures, particularly with the development of autonomous driving, where seat positions and postures change significantly.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an in-vehicle observation system, an active seat belt system with an active retractor and lift buckle, and an integrated safety domain control unit that acquires occupant posture data and formulates a protection strategy by selectively tightening or loosening the retractor and lifting or lowering the buckle based on the data, along with a collision prediction system to adjust the seat belt before a collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional seat belt systems are used, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but they cannot provide adaptive protection for occupants in different seat positions and postures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the seat belt system by enabling the retractor to actively retract and extend the belt, and the buckle to move vertically, based on real-time detection of occupant position and posture. This transforms the static seat belt system into a dynamic one that adapts to varying occupant configurations, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor occupant seat position, posture, and body shape, feeding this information to the control unit. The control unit processes this feedback and adjusts the seat belt tension and buckle position accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables adaptive protection while maintaining systematic control over the increased complexity.
2Extent of automation
If autonomous driving technology is implemented, then driving automation is improved, but occupant seat positions and postures change significantly requiring new protection strategies
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of occupant position and posture before a collision occurs. The control unit processes this advance information and pre-positions the seat belt and buckle optimally, ensuring protection reliability is maintained even as automation changes occupant behavior and positioning patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key parameters of the seat belt system including tension force, retractor extension length, and buckle vertical position based on detected occupant parameters. This parameter adaptation ensures reliable protection across the range of positions and postures that result from autonomous driving operations.
3Reliability
If the seat belt system is made adjustable for different positions, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the operating complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat belt system performs self-adjustment through automated retractor and buckle control based on sensor input. The system detects occupant position and posture, then automatically positions the belt and buckle optimally without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability maintains protection effectiveness while eliminating the operational burden on the occupant.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt, which can provide adaptive protection for an occupant in different seat positions and different sitting postures is provided. A method for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt is also provided, along with a computer-readable medium. The a system for improving safety of an occupant by a vehicle seat belt includes an in-vehicle observation system, an active seat belt system, and an integrated safety domain control unit. The integrated safety domain control unit formulates a vehicle seat belt protection strategy based on received data from the in-vehicle observation system, and a slack state of an active retractor and a positional state of an active lift buckle in the active seat belt system, to implement selective tightening or loosening of the active retractor and/or selective lifting or lowering of the active lift buckle.