Method and apparatus for controlling massage functions of a motor vehicle seat
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJeroen Lem, Steve Michell, Florian Golm, Stefan Wolter, Johnathan Andrew Line
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling and selecting massage functions of a motor vehicle seat and include the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; scrolling through massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner, wherein the massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner include a specific massage zone per block; confirming a selection of the massage block by way of a user selection; and terminating the selection mode.
Claims16
A method for implementing massage functions of a motor vehicle seat having a plurality of massage zones disposed on at least one of a seat and a seat back, the method comprising the steps of:
- starting a selection mode;
- while in the selection mode:
- scrolling through designation of a plurality of massage functions organized in a block-by-block manner as a selectable massage function, wherein each of the massage functions includes a specific massage zone per block;
- receiving a selection of the selectable massage function and adding the selectable massage function to a massage sequence;
- and
- resuming scrolling through designation of the plurality of massage functions as the selectable massage function;
- terminating the selection mode;
- and
- operating at least one massage device within at least one of the plurality of massage zones according to the massage sequence;
- wherein the massage functions are automatically scrolled through, after a predetermined time interval, in designation as a selectable massage function and the selectable massage function is previewed for a predetermined amount of time by physical implementation thereof before one of further automatic scrolling and receiving the selection from the user.
A method implementing massage functions of a motor vehicle seat comprising the steps of:
- starting a selection mode;
- scrolling through designation of a plurality of massage functions organized in a block-by-block manner as a selectable massage function while in the selection mode, wherein the massage functions include a specific massage zone per block;
- and
- receiving a first selection of the selectable massage function and adding the first selection to a massage sequence;
- resuming scrolling through designation of the plurality of massage functions as the selectable massage function;
- receiving a second selection of the selectable massage function from a user selection and adding the selectable massage function to the massage sequence;
- terminating the selection mode;
- and
- operating at least one massage device within one of a plurality of massage zones of the vehicle seat according to the massage sequence;
- wherein the massage functions are scrolled through cyclically and are previewed for a predetermined amount of time before being receiving the selection from the user.
A vehicle seat comprising:
- a seat;
- a seatback;
- a plurality of inflatable cushions within the seat and the seatback;
- a compressor coupled with the cushions;
- and
- a control:
- previewing a designated selectable massage function for a predetermined period of time by causing the compressor to inflate and deflate one of the cushions corresponding to the massage function and receiving a selection of the selectable massage function for addition to a massage sequence;
- automatically scrolling through a plurality of massage functions corresponding to respective ones of the cushions as the designated selectable massage function;
- and
- adding a first one of the massage functions corresponding to the selectable massage function to a massage sequence upon receiving a first selection of the selectable massage function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.