# US 2021/0276501 A1 · Method, Device and System for Automatically Adjusting Driver-Related In-Vehicle Equipment

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- Number: US 2021/0276501 A1
- Document ID: US20210276501A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/189,375
- Filed: 2021-03-02
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03
- Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation
- Applicants: Volvo Car Corporation
- Inventors: Wei Li; Zujie Fan; Yan Li; Youming Xu; Xiangyu Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276501A1

## CPC

- B60R 16/037: for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel}
- B60N 2/0252: {with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat}
- B60N 2/0273: {taking into account user data, e.g. knee height or physical state}
- B60N 2/0277: {characterised by the calculation method or calculation flow chart of sensor data for adjusting the seat}
- B60N 2/0279: {for detecting objects outside the vehicle, e.g. for user identification}
- G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
- G06T 7/60: Analysis of geometric attributes
- B60N 2/0256: {Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward}
- B60N 2/0268: {using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant}
- B60N 2210/24: Cameras
- B60N 2220/20: using a deterministic algorithm
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A method, device and system for a method, device, and system for automatically adjusting driver-related in-vehicle equipment, the method including the steps of: acquiring a driver's height from a detection device of a vehicle; determining preset values of additional body parameters of the driver based on the driver's height and calculating a position for entry using the driver's height and the preset values of the additional body parameters of the driver; and adjusting the equipment including a driver's seat to the position for entry so as to facilitate the driver to enter the vehicle and sit on the seat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for automatically adjusting driver-related in-vehicle equipment, the method comprising the steps of:
acquiring a driver's height from a detection device of a vehicle;
determining preset values of additional body parameters of the driver based on the driver's height and calculating a position for entry using the driver's height and the preset values of the additional body parameters of the driver; and
adjusting the equipment comprising a driver's seat to the position for entry so as to facilitate the driver to enter the vehicle and sit on the seat.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring a driver's height from a detection device of a vehicle comprises the steps of:
acquiring a first 3D depth image of the driver from a first camera of the detection device; and
determining the driver's height based on the first 3D depth image.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the driver's height can be acquired by determining an upper body height of the driver that exceeds the first camera's height based on the first 3D depth image and summing the upper body height of the driver and the first camera's height.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the preset values of the additional body parameters of the driver is determined by multiplying the driver's height with a corresponding first proportionality factor, wherein each corresponding first proportionality factor is derived from a corresponding second proportionality factor that is determined based on ergonomic data.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein each corresponding first proportionality factor is set to be greater than the corresponding second proportionality factor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
acquiring updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver from the detection device of the vehicle and calculating a position for driving using the driver's height and the updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver; and
adjusting the seat from the position for entry to the position for driving so as to optimize the driver's driving posture sitting on the seat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of acquiring updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver from the detection device of the vehicle comprises the steps of:
acquiring a second 3D depth image of the driver sitting on the seat by a second camera of the detection device, and
determining the updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver based on the second 3D depth image.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the position for entry is configured to be lower than and backward relative to the position for driving.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein each of the preset values of the additional body parameters of the driver is greater than the corresponding updated value of the additional body parameters of the driver.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the additional body parameters of the driver comprises at least one of the driver's torso length and the driver's head length.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the position for entry and the position for driving are determined via a same calculation procedure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the calculation procedure comprises using a formula as below:
h
′
=
{
h
′
=
A
×
h
driver
-
l
upper
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
l
head
+
B
,
others
s
0
-
l
upper
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
l
head
,
when
⁢
⁢
h
′
<
s
0
-
l
upper
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
l
head
l
0
-
m
0
-
l
upper
⁢
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
l
head
,
when
⁢
h
′
>
l
0
-
m
0
-
l
upper
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
l
head
where h′ represents a height from an intersection point of a seat cushion and a backrest to a floor of the vehicle, A and B represent numerical constants, hdriver represents the driver's height, lupper represents the driver's torso length, and lhead represents the driver's head length, θ′ represents an angle of the backrest relative to a vertical direction, s0 represents a height from the driver's eyes to the floor which allows a visual field of the driver to meet safety requirements, m0 represents a safety height from the top of the driver's head to a roof of the vehicle which is required for preventing the driver's head from colliding with the roof in normal driving, l0 represents a height from the roof to the floor;
optionally, A and B are obtained by performing regression analysis of data from experimentation and design experience.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the calculation procedure comprises using a formula as below:
s′=√{square root over (k12+k22−2k1×k2 cos β−(h′−h0)2)}
where s′ represents a horizontal distance from the intersection point of the seat cushion and the backrest to a brake pedal of the vehicle, k1 represents the driver's thigh length, k2 represents the driver's calf length, β represents an angle of the driver's thigh relative to the driver's calf, and h0 represents a height from the brake pedal to the floor when the brake pedal is not pressed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the calculation procedure comprises using a formula as below:
γ
′
=
arcsin
⁢
k
2
2
-
k
1
2
-
s
′2
-
(
h
′
-
h
0
)
2
2
⁢
k
1
×
(
h
′
-
h
0
)
2
+
s
′2
+
arctan
⁢
s
′
h
′
-
h
0
where γ′ represents an angle of the seat cushion relative to a horizontal direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the calculation procedure comprises using a formula as below:
φ
′
=
arcsin
[
(
L
0
-
l
u
⁢
pper
)
×
sin
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
1
2
⁢
d
0
l
h
⁢
e
⁢
a
⁢
d
-
(
L
0
-
l
upper
)
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
]
+
θ
′
where φ′ represents an angle of a headrest of the seat relative to the backrest, L0 represents the backrest's length, lupper represents the driver's torso length, lhead represents the driver's head length, θ′ represents the angle of the backrest relative to the vertical direction, and d0 represents a horizontal safety distance from the driver's head to the headrest.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the equipment further comprises a steering wheel and the method further comprises the steps of:
calculating a steering position of the steering wheel using the driver's height and the updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver; and
adjusting the steering wheel to the steering position so as to optimize the driver's arm posture for steering the steering wheel;
optionally, at least one of two formulas as below is used in the step of calculating the steering position of the steering wheel:
x
′
=
{
s
′
+
l
upper
×
sin
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
a
1
×
sin
⁡
(
δ
+
θ
′
)
-
a
2
×
sin
⁡
(
α
-
δ
-
θ
′
)
⁢
,
others
s
′
+
l
upper
×
sin
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
x
0
⁢
,
when
⁢
⁢
⁢
x
′
>
s
′
+
l
upper
×
sin
⁢
⁢
θ
′
-
x
0
⁢
and
⁢
⁢
y
′
=
h
′
+
l
upper
×
cos
⁢
⁢
θ
′
+
a
2
×
cos
⁡
(
α
-
δ
-
θ
′
)
-
a
1
×
cos
⁡
(
δ
+
θ
′
)
where x′ represents a distance from a center of the steering wheel to a brake pedal of the vehicle, y′ represents a height from the center of the steering wheel to a floor of the vehicle, s′ represents a horizontal distance from an intersection point of a seat cushion and a backrest of the vehicle to the brake pedal, Lupper represents the driver's torso length, θ′ represents an angle of the backrest relative to a vertical direction, a1 represents the driver's upper arm length, a2 represents the driver's forearm length, δ represents an angle of the driver's upper arm relative to the driver's torso, α represents an angle of the driver's upper arm relative to the driver's forearm, and h′ represents a height from the intersection point of the seat cushion and the backrest to the floor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the equipment further comprises a rearview mirror and the method further comprises the steps of:
acquiring positions of the driver's eyes from the detection device of the vehicle;
determining an optimized angle of the rearview mirror based on the positions of the driver's eyes; and
adjusting the rearview mirror to the optimized angle so as to optimize the driver's visual field for viewing surroundings around the vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

An adjustment device for automatically adjusting driver-related in-vehicle equipment, the adjustment device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A system for automatically adjusting driver-related in-vehicle equipment, the system comprising:
an adjustment device according to claim 18; and
a detection device configured to acquire at least one of the driver's height, the preset values of the additional body parameters of the driver, and the updated values of the additional body parameters of the driver.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system according to claim 19, wherein the detection device comprises:
a first camera disposed outside the vehicle and configured to capture a first 3D depth image of the driver situated outside the vehicle and send the same to the adjustment device; and
a second camera disposed within the vehicle and configured to capture a second 3D depth image of the driver sitting on the seat and send the same to the adjustment device.