US 7,023,108 B2 · Seat control device for vehicle

Abstract

When ingress intention of a passenger who is supposed to sit on a second seat is predicted, a distance between a first seat and the second seat is expanded automatically. Accordingly, taking time for access to the second seat can be avoided, thereby decreasing necessary time for having access and improving accessibility to the second seat. When a full-open mode is selected (Yes in S1); the passenger does not sit on the third-row seat (Yes in S2); the passenger does not sit on the second-row seat (Yes in S3); and a child seat is not installed on the second-row seat (Yes in S4), a second-row seat sliding motor is driven and a first-row seat driving mechanism operates. Accordingly, forward sliding of the second-row seat starts (S5), and a sliding door is driven backward to open fully.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A seat control device for a vehicle including a first seat and a second seat that are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a seat driving mechanism that drives at least one of the first and second seats such that the one moves in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, comprising:

second-seat ingress prediction means for predicting ingress intention of a passenger who is supposed to sit on the second seat;
and
seat driving control means that controls the seat driving mechanism such that a distance between the first seat and the second seat expands when said second-seat ingress prediction means predicts the ingress intention of the passenger who is supposed to sit on the second seat.

A seat control device for a vehicle comprising:

a first-row seat including a driver's seat;
a second-row seat disposed behind the first-row seat;
a third-row seat disposed behind the second-row seat;
a sliding door that slides in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle so as to open or close an ingress and egress opening located substantially at a side of said second-row seat;
a seat driving mechanism that drives said second-row seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
a door driving mechanism that drives said sliding door in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein said sliding door is configured so as to be opened at a certain first opening degree and a second opening degree that is greater than said first opening degree by said door driving mechanism;
and
a control unit that controls said seat driving mechanism and said door driving mechanism,
wherein said control unit includes third-row seat ingress prediction section for predicting ingress intention of a passenger who is supposed to sit on said third-row seat, and seat driving control section that controls said seat driving mechanism such that a distance between said second-row seat and said third-row seat expands when said third-row seat ingress prediction section predicts the ingress intention of the passenger who is supposed to sit on said third-row seat,
wherein said third-row seat ingress prediction section includes remote control operation section that instructs at least either a small opening mode to open said sliding door at said first opening degree or a large opening mode to open said sliding door at said second opening degree, and said seat driving control section drives said seat driving mechanism to move said second-row seat forward when said remote control operation section instructs said large opening mode.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Seat control device for vehicle

Life of this patent

Seat control device for vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20