IP Library Granted Patent US 12703269
Granted Patent B2
US 12703269 · App. 18/185,931 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Vehicle seat headrest adjustment system

Inventors: Catherine Marie Amodeo (Livonia, MI); David Michael Herman (West Bloomfield, MI); Yashanshu Jain (Dearborn, MI); Keith Richard Warner (New Hudson, MI)
B60N2/002B60N2/0028B60N2/806B60N2/90G06T7/70B60N2002/981B60N2210/24B60N2220/20G06T2207/20084G06T2207/30196G06T2207/30268
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703269
App. No.
18/185,931
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure generally pertains to a vehicle seat headrest adjustment system. An example method executed by a processor includes determining, based on data received from a first sensor, a spatial parameter associated with a headrest of a seat in a vehicle and determining, based on data received from the first sensor and/or a second sensor, a spatial parameter associated with a head of an occupant of the seat. The processor evaluates the spatial parameters with respect to a reference spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant and issues an audible alert and/or a visual advisory to reposition and/or reorient the headrest based on the evaluation. The spatial parameters can be, for example, an orientation of the headrest, a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant, or a relative orientation of the head of the occupant with respect to the headrest.

Claims (39)

1 . A method comprising:

determining, by a processor of a vehicle, based on data received from a first sensor of the vehicle, a first spatial parameter associated with a headrest of a seat in the vehicle;

determining, by the processor of the vehicle, based on data received from at least one of the first sensor or a second sensor, a second spatial parameter associated with a head of an occupant of the seat in the vehicle;

evaluating, by the processor of the vehicle, the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter with respect to a reference spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat;

issuing, by the processor, at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the evaluation; and

automatically adjusting, by the processor of the vehicle and based on the evaluation, the headrest.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first spatial parameter comprises at least one of a size, a position, or an orientation of the headrest, wherein the second spatial parameter comprises at least one of a separation distance or a relative orientation of the head of the occupant with respect to the headrest, wherein an audible alert is issued through a speaker, and wherein a visual advisory is displayed on a display screen of a device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data received from the first sensor comprises an image of the headrest, and wherein the data received from the at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor is an image of the occupant of the seat.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data received from the first sensor indicates the separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, the reference spatial relationship based on empirical data.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein evaluating the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter with respect to the reference spatial relationship comprises executing a convolutional neural network procedure.

7 . A method comprising:

determining, by a processor of a vehicle, based on data received from at least a first sensor of the vehicle, a first spatial relationship between a headrest of a seat in the vehicle and a head of an occupant of the seat;

comparing, by the processor of the vehicle, the first spatial relationship to a reference spatial relationship;

detecting, by the processor off the vehicle, at least a first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship;

issuing, by the processor, at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the evaluation; and

automatically adjusting, by the processor of the vehicle and based on the first difference, the headrest.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat comprises a first separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship comprises a difference between the first separation distance and a reference separation distance.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant of the seat comprises a first angular tilt of the head of the occupant of the seat with respect to the headrest.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first angular tilt is one of a positive angular tilt or a negative angular tilt of the head of the occupant and wherein the first angular tilt is different than a reference angular tilt.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship comprises a first angular tilt of the headrest.

13 . A vehicle comprising:

a detector system; and

a vehicle headrest adjusting system comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to perform operations of:

determining, based on data received from the detector system, a first spatial relationship between a headrest of a seat in the vehicle and a head of an occupant of the seat;

comparing the first spatial relationship to a reference spatial relationship;

detecting at least a first difference between the first spatial relationship and the reference spatial relationship;

issuing at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory to at least one of reposition or reorient the headrest based on the first difference; and

automatically adjusting, by the processor of the vehicle and based on the first difference, the headrest.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the detector system comprises a camera, wherein the data received by the processor comprises an image captured by the camera, and wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant comprises at least one of a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant or a relative angular tilt between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant further comprises a relative elevation difference between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

16 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the detector system comprises a distance measuring device, wherein the data received by the processor comprises distance information captured by the distance measuring device, and wherein the first spatial relationship between the headrest and the head of the occupant comprises a separation distance between the headrest and the head of the occupant.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the distance measuring device comprises one of a radar detector, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, an ultrasonic distance measuring device, a time-of-flight (ToF) distance measuring device, or an infrared device.

18 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising an infotainment system and wherein the processor is further configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:

issue at least one of an audible alert or a visual advisory via the infotainment system.