IP Library Granted Patent US 10,399,492
Granted Patent B1
US 10,399,492 · App. 15/969,177 · Granted Sep 3, 2019

Automatic reconfiguration and calibration of haptic seats

Inventors: Evripidis Paraskevas (Royal Oak, MI); Brent N. Bacchus (Sterling Heights, MI); Yuchen Zhou (Troy, MI); Shifang Li (Shelby Township, MI); Prakash Mohan Peranandam (Troy, MI); Lawrence A. Bush (Shelby Township, MI); Donald K. Grimm (Utica, MI)
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
B60Q9/00B60N2/90B60N2002/981
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,399,492
App. No.
15/969,177
Granted
Sep 3, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

Technical solutions are described herein for adjusting a notification system of a vehicle. An example method includes receiving, by a controller, an occupant profile of an occupant of the vehicle. The method further includes adjusting, by the controller, a haptic array according to the occupant profile, the haptic array comprising a plurality of haptic actuators, the adjusting comprising activating a first subset of the haptic actuators and deactivating a second subset of the haptic actuators. Further, the method includes providing, by the haptic array, a notification to the occupant of the vehicle by providing a haptic feedback using the activated haptic actuators.

Claims (57)

1. A method for adjusting a notification system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller, an occupant profile of an occupant of the vehicle;

determining, by the identification unit, an identification of the occupant and an associated occupant footprint from the occupant profile or estimating the occupant footprint for the occupant when the occupant cannot be identified;

adjusting, by the controller, a haptic array according to the occupant profile, the haptic array comprising a plurality of haptic actuators, the adjusting comprising activating a first subset of the haptic actuators and deactivating a second subset of the haptic actuators based a boundary associated with the occupant footprint; and

providing, by the haptic array, a notification to the occupant of the vehicle by providing a haptic feedback using the activated haptic actuators.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occupant profile comprises a weight of the occupant.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

calibrating, by the controller, an intensity of the haptic feedback provided by one of the activated haptic actuators according to the occupant profile.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

grouping, by the controller, the haptic actuators into directional subgroups to provide the occupant with spatial awareness for the notification.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, automatically generating the occupant profile using one or more sensors, the generating comprising:

determining a weight of the occupant; and

determining an occupant footprint of the occupant.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the controller, if one of the activated haptic actuators is not in contact with the occupant; and

in response, providing an alert to the occupant to change seating position.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic actuators are embedded in a seat assembly.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the spatial awareness includes directional information associated with an object.

9. A system for providing a notification to an occupant of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an identification unit, the identification unit configured to identify an occupant;

a haptic alert device comprising an array of haptic actuators; and

a controller coupled with the haptic alert device, the controller configured to customize the array of haptic actuators, the customization comprising:

receiving, by a controller, an occupant profile;

determining, by the identification unit, an identification of the occupant and an associated occupant footprint from the occupant profile or estimating the occupant footprint for the occupant when the occupant cannot be identified;

adjusting, by the controller, a haptic array according to the occupant profile, the haptic array comprising a plurality of haptic actuators, the adjusting comprising activating a first subset of the haptic actuators and deactivating a second subset of the haptic actuators based a boundary associated with the occupant footprint; and

providing, by the haptic array, a notification to the occupant of the vehicle by providing a haptic feedback using the activated haptic actuators.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a seat assembly, the haptic alert device being embedded into the seat assembly.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the occupant profile comprises a weight and an occupancy of the occupant on the seat assembly.

12. The system of claim 9 , adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

calibrating, by the controller, an intensity of the haptic feedback provided by one of the activated haptic actuators according to the occupant profile.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

grouping, by the controller, the haptic actuators into directional subgroups to provide the occupant with spatial awareness for the notification.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises, automatically generating the occupant profile using the haptic array, the generating comprising:

determining a weight of the occupant; and

determining an occupant footprint of the occupant.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the haptic array is part of a seat assembly, and the controller is further configured to:

determine that one of the activated haptic actuators is not in contact with the occupant; and

in response, provide an alert to the occupant to change position on the seat assembly.

16. A seat assembly comprising:

an identification unit, the identification unit configured to identify an occupant;

a haptic array comprising a plurality of haptic actuators; and

a controller coupled with the haptic array, the controller configured to customize the haptic array, the customization comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a user profile;

determining, by the identification unit, an identification of the occupant and an associated occupant footprint from the occupant profile or estimating the occupant footprint for the occupant when the occupant cannot be identified;

adjusting, by the controller, the haptic array according to the user profile, the adjusting comprising activating a first subset of haptic actuators and deactivating a second subset of haptic actuators based a boundary associated with the occupant footprint; and

providing, by the haptic array, a notification to a user of the seat assembly by providing a haptic feedback using the first subset of haptic actuators.

17. The seat assembly of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises, automatically generating the user profile using the haptic array, the generating comprising:

determining a weight of the user; and

determining an occupant footprint of the user.

18. The seat assembly of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

calibrating, by the controller, an intensity of the haptic feedback provided by one of the haptic actuators from the first subset according to the user profile.

19. The seat assembly of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the haptic array further comprises:

grouping, by the controller, the haptic actuators into directional subgroups to provide the user with spatial awareness for the notification.

20. The seat assembly of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that one of the haptic actuators from the first subset is not in contact with the user; and

in response, provide an alert to the user to change position on the seat assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2018
From: PARASKEVAS, EVRIPIDIS; BACCHUS, BRENT N.; ZHOU, YUCHEN; LI, SHIFANG; PERANANDAM, PRAKASH MOHAN; BUSH, LAWRENCE A.; GRIMM, DONALD K.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 045695/0470 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,208,720 US 12,257,940 US 12,583,405 US 12,651,282 US 12,662,150