Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle occupant position
AssigneeTRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
InventorBarney J. Bauer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus (20) controls the position of an occupant (32) in a vehicle passenger compartment by sensing physical characteristics of the occupant such as weight, height, girth, and leg length. A controller (36) controls seat motors (92, 94, 96) to move the occupant (32) to a position based on the sensed physical characteristics of the occupant. The occupant (32) can override the system using override controls (98). The controller (36) also adjusts the performance of an occupant restraint (22) in response to a selected occupant position.
Claims27
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment to adjust performance of an occupant restraint system comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to both said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and a performance characteristic of said occupant restraint system, said control means providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said occupant positioning means including means for manually moving an occupant seat, said control means including means for indicating a location of said determined occupant position.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said control means including an override selection means operatively connected to the occupant positioning means for permitting the occupant to override said occupant position determined by said control means so that said occupant positioning means responds to said override selection means.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said sensing means providing an electrical signal indicative of the height of the vehicle occupant.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said sensing means providing an electrical signal indicative of the girth of the vehicle occupant.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said sensing means providing an electrical signal indicative of the leg length of the vehicle occupant.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said sensing means providing an electrical signal indicative of each of occupant weight, height, girth, and leg length.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said control means including means for determining the occupant position relative to an actuatable restraining device.
An apparatus for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment comprising:
- sensing means for sensing at least one occupant characteristic and providing a signal indicative of said at least one occupant characteristic;
- control means operatively coupled to said sensing means for determining an occupant position within the vehicle passenger compartment in response to said at least one sensed occupant characteristic and for providing a control signal in response to said determined occupant position;
- and
- occupant positioning means for positioning the occupant to said determined occupant position in response to said control signal;
- said control means including means for determining the occupant position relative to the occupant's view through vehicle windows, distance to steering wheel, and distance to vehicle operating pedals.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- and
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- said step of sensing including sensing height of the occupant.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- and
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- said step of sensing including sensing girth of the occupant.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- and
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- said step of sensing including sensing leg length of the occupant.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- and
- controlling actuation of a vehicle occupant restraint system in response to said occupant position.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- and
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- said step of determining including determining the occupant position relative to an actuatable restraining device.
A method for controlling position of an occupant in a vehicle passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing at least one physical characteristic of a vehicle occupant in a vehicle compartment;
- determining an occupant position from said at least one sensed physical characteristic;
- and
- moving the occupant to the determined occupant position;
- said step of determining including determining the occupant position relative to the occupant's view through the vehicle windows, distance between the occupant and the steering wheel, and distance to the vehicle operating pedals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.