IP Library Granted Patent US 11,420,581
Granted Patent B2
US 11,420,581 · App. 16/482,839 · Granted Aug 23, 2022

Vehicle device operation apparatus

Inventor: Takashi Ogiso (Tajimi, JP)
Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
B60R21/207B60N2/90B60R21/01G10L15/22G10L25/78G10L2015/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,420,581
App. No.
16/482,839
Granted
Aug 23, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

This vehicle device operation apparatus is provided with: a deforming body which is configured so as to be attached to a vehicle seat and in which a fluid is sealed; and a control device. The control device is configured so as to detect the inner pressure of the deforming body, detect an adjusting operation which is an occupant's operation for adjusting the operated state of a vehicle device on the basis of a change in inner pressure of the deforming body caused by pressing of the deforming body through the body movement of an occupant seated on the seat, and execute adjustment control for adjusting the operated state of the vehicle device in response to the detection of the adjusting operation.

Claims (20)

1. A vehicle device operation apparatus, comprising:

a deformable body configured to be attached to a seat of a vehicle and filled with a fluid; and

a controller, wherein

the controller is configured to detect an internal pressure of the deformable body,

the controller is configured to detect an adjustment operation, which is an operation performed by a vehicle occupant to adjust an actuation state of a vehicle device, based on a change in the internal pressure of the deformable body that occurs when the vehicle occupant seated on the seat moves his or her body and presses the deformable body, and

the controller is configured to execute adjustment control, which adjusts the actuation state of the vehicle device, upon detection of the adjustment operation.

2. The vehicle device operation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the deformable body is an airbag configured to be inflated or deflated when the internal pressure is increased or decreased by supplying or discharging air,

the vehicle device operation apparatus comprising an air supply-discharge device including an air pump configured to send air to the airbag, a valve arranged in a flow passage connecting the airbag and the air pump, and a pressure sensor configured to detect the internal pressure of the airbag in the flow passage,

the controller is configured to detect the adjustment operation based on a detection result of the pressure sensor.

3. The vehicle device operation apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:

a voice detector configured to detect a voice produced by the vehicle occupant,

wherein the controller is configured to set a mode for executing the adjustment control based on a detection result of the voice detector.

4. The vehicle device operation apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising:

a voice detector configured to detect a voice produced by the vehicle occupant, wherein

the controller is configured to instruct the air supply-discharge device to supply air to the airbag to set a mode for executing the adjustment control based on a detection result of the voice detector, and

the controller is configured to instruct the air supply-discharge device to discharge air from the airbag to end the mode for executing the adjustment control.

5. The vehicle device operation apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:

a vehicle state detection sensor configured to detect a travel state of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to invalidate the adjustment operation detected while turning or hard braking of the vehicle is detected as the travel state based on a detection result of the vehicle state detection sensor.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 13, 2022
From: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: AISIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058746/0869 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2019
From: OGISO, TAKASHI
To: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 049931/0851 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-019559 · Feb 6, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190359161A1 · Nov 28, 2019