Granted Patent B2

US 12,583,368 · App. 18/426,765 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Inventors: Nilesh D. Mankame (Ann Arbor, MI); Dorel M. Sala (Troy, MI); Chin-Hsu Lin (Troy, MI)

Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

B60N2/0268B60N2/0028B60N2/806

Abstract

Claims (54)

1 . A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising:

one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is moveable relative to a seat by the one or more head restraint actuators;

one or more proximity sensors positioned oriented to detect a fore-aft distance of a head of an occupant relative to the head restraint; and

one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators and the one or more proximity sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:

continually monitor the one or more proximity sensors for the fore-aft distance;

determine a fore-aft position of the head restraint based on the fore-aft distance;

compare the fore-aft position of the head restraint with a fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint, wherein the fore-aft bounding range is defined relative to a position of the head of the occupant, wherein a length of the fore-aft bounding range extends between a lower bounding value and an upper bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint and the upper bounding value is dynamically updated based on a plurality of head restraint positioning factors, and wherein the plurality of head restraint positioning factors are indicative of the risk associated with the vehicle deviating from a normal, controlled vehicle trajectory; and

in response to determining the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls outside the fore-aft bounding range, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint to fall within the fore-aft bounding range.

2 . The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the lower bounding value and the upper bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint are defined relative to a prominent feature of the head of the occupant.

3 . The positioning system of claim 2 , wherein the prominent feature is the back of the head of the occupant.

4 . The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the one or processors of the one or more controllers adjust the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint by:

executing a minimum value function that selects either a user preference parameter or a corrected upper bounding value; and

set a minimum value determined by the minimum value function as the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position.

5 . The positioning system of claim 4 , wherein the minimum value function is expressed as:

Δ min =min{Δ p , αΔ max } Δ min ts the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint, Δ p represents the user preference parameter, and αΔ max ts the corrected upper bounding value.

6 . The positioning system of claim 5 , wherein a represents a multiplier that ranges in value from 0 to 1 and is selected to limit the lower bounding value in the event the occupant selects a value for the user preference parameter that exceeds the upper bounding value of the fore-aft position.

7 . The positioning system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more force sensors in electronic communication with the one or more controllers.

8 . The positioning system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more force sensors are positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the head of the occupant and a front surface of the head restraint.

9 . The positioning system of claim 8 , wherein the one or processors of the one or more controllers execute instructions to:

continually monitor the one or more force sensors for the generalized contact force;

compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force both include one or more force components; and

in response to determining the one or more force components of the generalized contact force is greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint in the aft direction until the generalized contact force is equal to or less than the maximum contact force or the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls within the fore-aft bounding range, whichever happens first.

10 . The positioning system of claim 9 , wherein the maximum contact force is a default value that is determined based on a population average across a representative slice of a customer base of the vehicle.

11 . A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising:

one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is moveable relative to a seat by the one or more head restraint actuators;

one or more force sensors positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the head of an occupant and a front surface of the head restraint; and

one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators and the one or more force sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:

continually monitor the one or more force sensors for the generalized contact force;

compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force both include one or more force components, wherein the maximum contact force is a default value that is determined based on a population average across a representative slice of a customer base of the vehicle, and wherein the default value of the maximum contact force is overridden by a bespoke setting that is selected by a customer, and wherein the bespoke setting is determined based on settings of the occupant; and

in response to determining the one or more force components of the generalized contact force is greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust a fore-aft position of the head restraint in the aft direction until the generalized contact force is equal to or less than the maximum contact force or the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls within a fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint, whichever happens first, and wherein the fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint is defined relative to a position of the head of the occupant.

12 . A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising:

one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is moveable relative to a seat by the one or more head restraint actuators;

one or more proximity sensors positioned oriented to detect a fore-aft distance of a head of an occupant relative to the head restraint;

one or more force sensors positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the head of the occupant and a front surface of the head restraint; and

one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators, the one or more proximity sensors, and the one or more force sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:

continually monitor the one or more proximity sensors for the fore-aft distance;

determine a fore-aft position of the head restraint based on the fore-aft distance;

compare the fore-aft position of the head restraint with a fore-aft bounding range of the head restraint, wherein the fore-aft bounding range is defined relative to a position of the head of the occupant, wherein a length of the fore-aft bounding range extends between a lower bounding value and an upper bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint and the upper bounding value is dynamically updated based on a plurality of head restraint positioning factors, and wherein the plurality of head restraint positioning factors are indicative of the risk associated with the vehicle deviating from a normal, controlled vehicle trajectory;

in response to determining the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls outside the fore-aft bounding range, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint to fall within the fore-aft bounding range, wherein the maximum contact force is a default value that is determined based on a population average across a representative slice of a customer base of the vehicle, and wherein the default value of the maximum contact force is overridden by a bespoke setting that is selected by a customer, and wherein the bespoke setting is determined based on settings of the occupant;

compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force both include one or more force components; and

in response to determining the one or more force components of the generalized contact force is greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint in the aft direction until the generalized contact force is equal to or less than the maximum contact force or the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls within the fore-aft bounding range, whichever happens first.

13 . The positioning system of claim 12 , wherein the lower bounding value and the upper bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint are defined relative to a prominent feature of the head of the occupant.

14 . The positioning system of claim 13 , wherein the prominent feature is the back of the head of the occupant.

15 . The positioning system of claim 12 , wherein the one or processors of the one or more controllers adjust the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint by:

executing a minimum value function that selects either a user preference parameter or a corrected upper bounding value; and

set a minimum value determined by the minimum value function as the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position.

16 . The positioning system of claim 15 , wherein the minimum value function is expressed as:

Δ min ={min Δ p , αΔ max } Δ min ts the lower bounding value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint, Δ p represents the user preference parameter, and αΔ max ts the corrected upper bounding value.

17 . The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the one or processors of the one or more controllers execute instructions to:

compare the risk associated with deviating from the normal, controlled vehicle trajectory with a predetermined threshold value;

determine the risk exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and

in response to determining the risk exceeds the predetermined threshold, instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to cease continually adjusting the fore-aft position of the head restraint.

18 . The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein deviating from the normal, controlled vehicle trajectory includes one of the following: slipping on an icy road, colliding with another vehicle, and colliding with another object.

19 . The positioning system of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined threshold value is based on vehicle weight and vehicle type.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (31)