Vehicle Seat Control With Integrated Booster Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seats require booster seats for short children, necessitating separate purchase and installation, which is inconvenient and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

An occupant customized seat control system that uses a camera to recognize the occupant's height, determines if a booster seat is needed, and automatically adjusts the seat and footrest based on the occupant's height, including a controller to manage these adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a separate booster seat is purchased and installed for short children, then the child can be accommodated on the seat, but the device complexity and installation convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat adaptability for different occupant heightsVSAvoidbooster seat installation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the booster seat functionality with the main vehicle seat by integrating an adjustable seat cushion height mechanism directly into the seat structure. This allows the seat to transform from a standard adult seat into a child-appropriate configuration without requiring a separate booster seat, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability for different occupant heights

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle seat is designed with multi-functionality to accommodate both adult and child occupants. By incorporating an adjustable seat cushion height mechanism, the same seat structure can serve multiple purposes: standard height for adults and elevated height for children, eliminating the need for separate booster seats and simplifying the overall system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a separate booster seat is purchased and installed for short children, then the child can be accommodated on the seat, but the ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat adaptability for different occupant heightsVSAvoidbooster seat installation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seat cushion height adjustment mechanism is designed to be automatically controlled based on detected occupant characteristics. The system uses sensors to identify when a child occupant is present and automatically adjusts the seat cushion to the appropriate height, eliminating the need for manual installation or adjustment by the user, thereby significantly improving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of occupant height or type before the occupant settles into the seat. By detecting the need for booster configuration in advance and automatically adjusting the seat cushion height before the occupant is fully positioned, the system eliminates the need for manual intervention, making the operation seamless and convenient for users

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4461597B1Apparatus and method for controlling occupant customized seat
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 HYUNDAI MOBIS CO LTD
  • EP4461597B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4461597B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4461597B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An occupant customized seat control apparatus and method are provided. The method includes recognizing, by a camera, an occupant that approaches a vehicle, controlling a display to move based on a height of the recognized occupant, determining whether the recognized occupant is an infant, and when the recognized occupant is determined to be an infant, determining whether a booster seat needs to be controlled based on the height of the recognized occupant, and when at least one of the booster seat, a footrest, or the combination thereof needs to be controlled, converting a value of the recognized height into a booster seat actuator movement amount value, and controlling the booster seat to move based on the converted actuator movement amount value.