Exterior Imager Guided Seating Reconfiguration for Adaptive Cabins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle passenger compartment designs are limited in their ability to dynamically adjust seating arrangements based on the number and type of occupants, cargo, or specific user needs, lacking flexibility and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system equipped with an imager and controller that processes images of potential users to adjust seating assemblies, including actuating seats, changing orientations, and stowing positions, to optimize seating arrangements for child seats, cargo, ingress/egress, social interaction, and other configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seating arrangement is fixed, then the structural complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different user scenarios deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic seating arrangements where seats can be automatically repositioned and reconfigured based on detected user scenarios. The controller receives data from sensors (cameras, weight sensors) and dynamically adjusts seat positions, orientations, and configurations to accommodate different situations such as child passengers, cargo transport, or social interactions, transforming a static seating system into an adaptive one.
Solution Approach 2:
The seating system is designed to perform multiple functions through a single integrated mechanism. The same seating assemblies can be configured for various purposes: standard passenger seating, child-safe configurations, cargo transport modes, and social interaction arrangements. This multi-functionality is achieved through automated control that repurposes the seating infrastructure for different scenarios without requiring separate dedicated systems.
2Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of seating arrangements is required, then the system complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seating system operates autonomously by detecting user needs through sensors and automatically configuring appropriate seating arrangements without requiring manual user input. The controller processes sensor data (such as detecting child passengers via camera or weight distribution) and autonomously actuates motors to reposition seats, making the system self-sufficient in adapting to different scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated electromechanical systems. Motors and actuators substitute for human physical effort in moving and reconfiguring seats. The control system uses electronic sensors and processors to detect scenarios and translate them into automated mechanical actions, eliminating the need for manual seat manipulation by users.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more seating configurations are provided, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seating system is divided into modular, independently controllable seating assemblies. Each seat or seat group can be individually positioned and configured, allowing the system to create various arrangements by combining different modular units. This segmentation enables diverse configurations without requiring a completely different system for each scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves multiple seating configurations by changing key parameters of the seating assemblies, such as position coordinates, orientation angles, and height levels. The controller adjusts these parameters based on detected scenarios, enabling the same physical seating infrastructure to produce diverse configurations through parameter variation rather than requiring separate physical systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A transportation system is disclosed. The transportation system includes a vehicle, a plurality of seating assemblies positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and defining an arrangement, a plurality of actuators that effect movement of various components of the plurality of seating assemblies, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. Specific examples of pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements are disclosed, as well as the ability to customize the arrangement. Additionally, exemplary methods are disclosed that illustrate transitions between a variety of the pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements.