IP Library Granted Patent US 11,535,137
Granted Patent B2
US 11,535,137 · App. 17/031,177 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Vehicle seat, vehicle seat control device, and vehicle seat control method

Inventors: Kazutaka Shimizu (Aichi, JP); Tsuyoshi Tanaka (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
B60N2/90A61M21/00B60N2/002B60Q9/00A61M2021/0022A61M2021/0083A61M2205/3344B60N2002/981
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,535,137
App. No.
17/031,177
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle seat includes: a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure distribution on a surface of the vehicle seat; a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle seat; and a controller that controls vibrations generated by the plurality of actuators based on the pressure distribution output by the pressure sensor.

Claims (45)

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure distribution on a surface of the vehicle seat;

a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle seat; and

a controller that controls vibrations generated by the plurality of actuators based on the pressure distribution output by the pressure sensor,

wherein the controller invalidates an output of the pressure sensor for a period during which the plurality of actuators generate the vibrations and for a waiting period after the period.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein when a variance value of the pressure distribution is smaller than a first threshold value, and a pressure value in the pressure distribution is equal to or larger than a second threshold value, the controller performs control to increase a strength of vibration of each of the plurality of actuators.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein when a variance value of the pressure distribution is larger than a predetermined value, the controller performs control to increase a strength of a vibration of an actuator among the plurality of actuators which is disposed in a first portion where a pressure value in the pressure distribution is larger than in a second portion.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller controls the vibrations of the plurality of actuators based on a warning signal from outside the vehicle seat.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 ,

wherein the controller controls at least one of a frequency or a strength of each of the vibrations of the plurality of actuators based on a type of the warning signal.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein when the pressure distribution does not substantially change over a first period, the controller controls the plurality of actuators with at least one of a frequency or a strength to reduce fatigue.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein when the pressure distribution fluctuates in a constant cycle within a second period, the controller controls the actuators with at least one of a frequency or a strength for promoting alertness.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein when a pressure width of the pressure distribution changes more than a third threshold within a third period, the controller controls the actuator with at least one of a frequency or a strength to reduce fatigue.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller measures the pressure distribution based on an integrated pressure value during a predetermined measurement period at each coordinate point determined by a resolution of the pressure distribution of the pressure sensor.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 9 ,

wherein when the pressure distribution does not substantially change over a first period, the controller measures the pressure distribution based on the integrated pressure value.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10 ,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the pressure distribution changes substantially over the first period.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 10 ,

wherein when the pressure distribution based on the integrated pressure value does not substantially change, the controller controls the plurality of actuators with at least one of a frequency or a strength to reduce fatigue.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first period is an elapsed time after the pressure distribution has not changed substantially.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 7 ,

wherein the second period is an elapsed time after an ignition is turned on in the vehicle on which the vehicle seat is mounted, or an elapsed time after the vehicle is stopped for a predetermined time or longer.

15. The vehicle seat according to claim 8 ,

wherein the third period is a period in which it is possible to determine that a sitting driver has reseated.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 ,

wherein the pressure sensor and the plurality of actuators are provided in each of a seat cushion and a seat back of the vehicle seat.

17. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure distribution on a surface of the vehicle seat;

a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle seat; and

a controller that controls vibrations generated by the plurality of actuators based on the pressure distribution output by the pressure sensor,

wherein when a variance value of the pressure distribution is smaller than a first threshold value, and a pressure value in the pressure distribution is equal to or larger than a second threshold value, the controller performs control to increase a strength of vibration of each of the plurality of actuators.

18. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure distribution on a surface of the vehicle seat;

a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle seat; and

a controller that controls vibrations generated by the plurality of actuators based on the pressure distribution output by the pressure sensor,

wherein when a variance value of the pressure distribution is larger than a predetermined value, the controller performs control to increase a strength of a vibration of an actuator among the plurality of actuators which is disposed in a first portion where a pressure value in the pressure distribution is larger than in a second portion.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2021
From: SHIMIZU, KAZUTAKA; TANAKA, TSUYOSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057552/0001 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2019-184503 · Oct 7, 2019 · national
JP JP2020-097095 · Jun 3, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210101512A1 · Apr 8, 2021