Vehicle Seat Pressure Sensing for Automatic Posture Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat configurations require multiple manual adjustments by occupants, leading to inefficiency and potential discomfort or poor posture, especially during long drives.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using sensors to automatically adjust a vehicle seat configuration based on occupant pressure data, applying a trained classification model to determine optimal seat settings, including movements of the squab, backrest, and headrest, without requiring conscious action from the occupant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual seat adjustment is required, then the occupant can control seat position, but the adjustment process becomes time-consuming and requires multiple actions
Solution Approach 1:
The seat system automatically adjusts its configuration without requiring manual input from the occupant. Pressure sensors detect the occupant's presence and body shape, the classification model determines the optimal configuration, and the seat automatically moves to the appropriate position, making the system self-adjusting and eliminating manual operation time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs seat configuration adjustment in advance of the occupant's driving needs. By detecting the occupant's body shape through pressure sensors and automatically configuring the seat before the driving task begins, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming manual adjustments during the driving process
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple manual adjustments are required, then precise seat configuration can be achieved, but the number of actions and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment operations with an automated electromechanical system. Pressure sensors, a classification model, and motorized seat mechanisms work together to automatically achieve precise configuration, substituting the complex sequence of manual adjustments with an integrated automated control system that simplifies the user interaction while maintaining precision
3Extent of automation
If automatic seat adjustment is implemented, then the number of manual actions is reduced, but the system complexity and sensor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensors integrated into the seat serve multiple functions: detecting occupant presence, determining body shape characteristics, and triggering the automatic adjustment sequence. The classification model processes this data to determine optimal configuration. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent achieves high automation without proportionally increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The classification model acts as an intermediary between the pressure sensors and the seat adjustment mechanisms. It processes the raw pressure data to extract meaningful body shape characteristics and translates these into specific configuration parameters, simplifying the control logic and reducing the complexity of direct sensor-to-actuator mapping
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling the configuration of a vehicle seat, the method comprising:a) acquiring, at a defined frequency, three pressure values by three sensors arranged on three defined zones of the squab;b) calculating attributes from the acquired pressure values, the attributes being selected from a standard deviation, a sum, and a first ratio;c) determining a seat destination configuration from the calculated attributes, by applying a trained classification model,d) transmitting a motion command signal to mobile motorized mechanisms, the motion command signal being suitable for causing the seat to move towards the determined destination configuration.