IP Library Granted Patent US 11,485,302
Granted Patent B2
US 11,485,302 · App. 16/596,600 · Granted Nov 1, 2022

Systems and methods for smart cabin active ergonomics

Inventors: Brendan Diamond (Grosse Point, MI); Erik J. Christen (Royal Oak, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60R16/037G06T7/20G06T7/70G06V20/59G06V40/103H04W4/023H04W4/40G06T2207/30196G06T2207/30268
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,485,302
App. No.
16/596,600
Granted
Nov 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein for adjusting vehicle features based on user preferences and physical dimensions. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may more particularly relate to the automated adjustment of vehicle features such as, for example, seat positioning and mirror positioning, without requiring input from a user.

Claims (56)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a sensor located at a door of the vehicle;

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine a first user is within a threshold proximity of the vehicle;

receive a first vehicle feature adjustment profile associated with the first user, wherein the first vehicle feature adjustment profile includes information about the first user;

send, based on the first vehicle feature adjustment profile, a message to adjust one or more features of the vehicle;

determine the first user has entered the vehicle;

determine a head of the first user is not moving beyond a first threshold rate;

determine, based on the determination that the head of the first user is not moving beyond a first threshold rate, a first eye location of the first user; and

send a message to adjust at least one of a rearview mirror or one or more sideview mirrors of the vehicle, wherein the adjustment is based on the first eye location of the first user.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle feature adjustment profile is received from a wireless device associated with the first user or is determined using the sensor to perform a body scan of the first user.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the body scan is used to determine at least one of a height, a weight, or one or more other physical dimensions of the first user.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein computer-executable instructions to determine a first eye location of the first user within the vehicle is also based on a first threshold period of time having elapsed.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of at least one of a rearview mirror or one or more sideview mirrors of the vehicle is also based on interior and exterior dimensions of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a second eye location of the first user within the vehicle; and

determine that the first user is not moving their head beyond a first threshold rate; and

send a message to adjust at least one of: a rearview mirror and or side mirrors of the vehicle, wherein the adjustment is based on the second eye location of the first user.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more features comprise at least a height and position of a seat, an angle of a bottom portion of the seat, a comfort setting of the seat, an initial rear and side view mirror positioning, and a steering wheel location.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine that the first user has exited the vehicle; and

send, based on the determination that the first user has exited the vehicle, a message to revert the one or more vehicle features to a configuration saved for a primary driver of the vehicle.

9. A method comprising:

determining, using a sensor of a vehicle, that a first user is within a threshold proximity of a vehicle;

receiving a first vehicle feature adjustment profile associated with the first user, wherein the first vehicle feature adjustment profile includes information about the first user;

sending, based on the first vehicle feature adjustment profile, a message to adjust one or more features of the vehicle;

determining that the first user has exited the vehicle; and

sending, based on the determination that the first user has exited the vehicle, a message to revert the one or more vehicle features to a configuration saved for a primary driver of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first vehicle feature adjustment profile is received from a wireless device associated with the first user or is determined using a sensor of the vehicle to perform a body scan of the first user.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein body scan is used to determine at least one of: a height, a weight, or one or more other physical dimensions of the first user.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining that the first user has entered the vehicle;

determining that a head of the first user is not moving beyond a first threshold rate;

determining, based on the determination that the head of the first user is not moving beyond a first threshold rate, a first eye location of the first user; and

sending a message to adjust at least one of: a rearview mirror and or one or more side mirrors of the vehicle, wherein the adjustment is based on the first eye location of first the user.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining a first eye location of the first user within the vehicle is also based on a first threshold period of time having elapsed.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining a second eye location of the first user within the vehicle; and

determining that the first user is not moving their head beyond a first threshold rate; and

sending a message to adjust at least one of: a rearview mirror and or side mirrors of the vehicle, wherein the adjustment is based on the second eye location of the first user.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment of at least one of: a rearview mirror or one or more side view mirrors of the vehicle is also based on interior and exterior dimensions of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more features comprise at least a height and position of a seat, an angle of a bottom portion of the seat, a comfort setting of the seat, an initial rear and side view mirror positioning, and a steering wheel location.

17. A vehicle comprising a door and a sensor located at the door;

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine that a first user is in proximity of the door

receive a first vehicle adjustment profile from at least one of: a wireless device associated with the first user or an output of a body scan of the first user performed by the sensor located at the door, wherein the first vehicle adjustment profile comprises information about a set of physical dimensions of the first user;

send, based on the first vehicle adjustment profile, a message to adjust one or more vehicle features of the vehicle at a location of the vehicle where the first user is entering the vehicle, wherein the one or more vehicle features comprise at least one of: a seat height, a seat position relative to a steering wheel, a seat comfort setting, a seat bottom portion angle, a position of the steering wheel, an initial mirror location;

determine that the first user has entered the vehicle, a threshold period of time has elapsed, and a rate of movement of a head of the first user is below a threshold rate;

determine, based on the determination that the first user has entered the vehicle, a threshold period of time has elapsed, and a rate of movement of a head of the first user is below a threshold rate, an eye location of the first user based at least on physical dimensions of the first user and an image captured by a dash camera located on an interior of the vehicle; and

send, based on the eye location of the first user, a message to adjust mirrors of the vehicle to an optimal location for maximum field of view for the first user.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine, based on a second sensor at a second door of the vehicle that a second user is in proximity of the second door;

receive a second vehicle feature adjustment profile associated with the second user; and

send, based on the second vehicle adjustment profile, a message to adjust one or more features of the vehicle at a first seat location associated with the door based on the first vehicle adjustment profile and to adjust one or more features of the vehicle at a second seat location associated with the second door based on the second vehicle adjustment profile.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2019
From: DIAMOND, BRENDAN; CHRISTEN, ERIK J.
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 050700/0757 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210101546A1 · Apr 8, 2021