JP2024057057A - Status correction unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a posture correction unit for the body condition of a user in a seat based on the physical characteristics of the user.SOLUTION: The posture correction unit includes: a moving part for correcting a body condition of a user in a seat, an identifying part 51 for obtaining the identification information of the user, a measuring part 52 for measuring a current index value related to the sedentary condition of the user, a plan storing part 53 for storing a correction plan for the user's body condition, a displaying part 54 for reading the correction plan based on the current value from the plan storing part 53 and displaying the correction plan to the user, and a processing part 55 for controlling the moving part to conduct the posture correction. The plan storing part 53 stores the correction plan displayed by the displaying part 54 in connection with the identification information of the user obtained when the correction plan is displayed. The processing part 55 reads the correction plan related to the identification information of the user from the plan storing part 53 and conducts the posture correction based on the instructions of the correction plan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a condition correction unit that corrects the physical condition of a seat occupant, and in particular to a condition correction unit that can correct the physical condition of a seat occupant in a way that suits the individual characteristics of the seat occupant.

Technology for detecting the posture, etc. of a seat occupant and correcting the posture, etc. of the seat occupant by moving various parts of the seat in accordance with the detection results is already known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, the technology described in Patent Document 1 detects the posture of a seat occupant in a vehicle seat and adjusts the inflation pressure of an air bag arranged in the seat backrest in accordance with the detection results, thereby correcting the posture of the seat occupant to an appropriate posture.

In particular, the technology described in Patent Document 1 uses information provided by the seated occupant's unique seated posture as a determining factor when determining the inflation pressure of the air bag (in other words, the seat shape). This makes it possible to determine a seat shape that places less strain on the seated occupant when correcting their posture.

Publication No. 2014-118030

On the other hand, the strain placed on the body varies from person to person, and even if different occupants sit in the same posture on the seat, the strain placed on the body during correction may differ from person to person. Therefore, when correcting the seat occupant's physical condition, such as their sitting posture, it is important to understand the individual characteristics of the occupant (such as age and gender) in advance and correct the physical condition in accordance with the individual characteristics thus understood.

When correcting the physical condition of a seat occupant, the current values of the seating posture, etc. are usually measured, and the physical condition is corrected according to the measured values. For this reason, it is preferable to measure the physical condition more appropriately from the perspective of setting more appropriate correction contents.

Furthermore, when correction is performed repeatedly multiple times at different dates and times, it is important for the person receiving the correction (i.e., the seat occupant) to manage the effect of each correction (the degree of improvement in physical condition due to the correction). For this reason, technology (equipment) is required to properly inform the seat occupant of the effect of each correction.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a condition correction unit that can correct the physical condition of a seat occupant with correction content that is suitable for the individual personality of the seat occupant.
Another object of the present invention is to appropriately measure a physical condition when correcting the physical condition.
Another object of the present invention is to properly inform a seat occupant of the corrective effect.

The above problem is solved by the condition correction unit of the present invention, which includes an operating unit that operates to correct the physical condition of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat, an identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat, a measurement unit that measures the current value of an index for identifying the physical condition, a plan storage unit that stores a correction plan indicating the correction content of the physical condition, a presentation unit that reads the correction plan corresponding to the current value from the plan storage unit and presents it to the occupant seated in the vehicle seat, and a processing execution unit that controls the operating unit to execute a process to correct the physical condition, and the plan storage unit stores the correction plan presented by the presentation unit in association with the identification information of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat when the presentation unit presented the correction plan, and the processing execution unit reads out the correction plan associated with the identification information of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat from the plan storage unit, and executes the process to correct the physical condition according to the correction content indicated by the read correction plan.

The condition correction unit of the present invention configured as described above measures the current values of the indicators for identifying the physical condition, and presents the seat occupant with a correction plan corresponding to the measured value. The presented correction plan is stored in association with the identification information of the occupant who was seated in the vehicle seat at the time the plan was presented. When performing correction on the seat occupant, the correction plan associated with the identification information of the seat occupant is read out, and the physical condition is corrected according to the correction content indicated by the correction plan. As a result, the condition correction unit of the present invention makes it possible to appropriately correct the physical condition of the seat occupant with correction content suited to the individuality of the seat occupant.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned condition correction unit, it is preferable that the correction plan associated with the identification information of the occupant who was seated in the vehicle seat when the presentation unit presented the correction plan is changed from one of the correction plans stored in the plan memory unit to another correction plan, and the measurement unit re-measures the current value after the day the processing is started, and the plan change unit changes the correction plan associated with the identification information of the occupant who was seated in the vehicle seat when the presentation unit presented the correction plan in accordance with the current value re-measured by the measurement unit after the day the processing is started.
In the above configuration, the measurement of the physical condition is performed again on the day when the correction of the physical condition is started. Then, the correction plan associated with the identification information of the seat occupant is changed according to the measurement result. This makes it possible to appropriately review the correction plan applied during correction as necessary according to the degree of correction (degree of improvement) of the physical condition, and makes it possible to correct the physical condition more effectively.

Furthermore, it is more preferable that the above-mentioned condition correction unit has a total seated time management unit that manages the total seated time, which is the cumulative value of the time that an occupant with the same identification information is seated in the vehicle seat, and the processing execution unit executes the processing to correct the physical condition in a correction manner corresponding to the total seated time in accordance with the correction content indicated in the correction plan read from the plan memory unit.
In the above configuration, the physical condition is corrected in a correction manner according to the cumulative value of the time (total seating time) that the same seat occupant has been seated in the vehicle seat. This makes it possible to appropriately adjust the load during correction in conjunction with the total seating time. For example, correction can be performed so that the load is small in the early stages of correction (i.e., when the total seating time is relatively short), and the load gradually increases as the total seating time increases.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned condition correction unit, it is even more preferable that the measurement unit measures the current value for a seated occupant with the same identification information over multiple measurement dates, and has a comparison unit that compares the current value measured by the measurement unit on the immediately preceding measurement date with the current value measured by the measurement unit on a measurement date earlier than the immediately preceding measurement date.
In the above configuration, the physical condition of the same seat occupant is measured over multiple measurement days, and the immediately preceding measurement value is compared with the previous measurement value. By performing such a comparison, it becomes possible to appropriately evaluate the correction effect (the degree of improvement in the physical condition due to the correction).

The posture correcting unit may further include a heating section for heating a predetermined part of the body of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat.
According to the above configuration, the body of the seat occupant can be warmed before carrying out the correction, and the physical condition of the seat occupant can be brought into a state in which the correction can be more easily carried out.

The posture correcting unit may further include a vibration applying section that applies vibration to a predetermined part of the body of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat.
According to the above configuration, by applying vibrations to a specific part of the seat occupant when performing correction, it is possible to relax tension (muscle tension) in that part or to increase muscle strength in that part.

It is also preferable that the device has an information display unit that displays information on a screen, the information display unit displays information corresponding to the current value measured by the measurement unit, and the presentation unit presents the correction plan by having the information display unit display the correction plan on the screen.
According to the above configuration, the measurement values related to the physical condition and the correction plan are displayed on the screen. This allows the seat occupant to check the current physical condition, the corresponding correction plan, and the physical condition after correction (i.e., the correction effect) on the screen.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned condition correction unit, it is even more preferable that the identification information acquisition unit acquires the identification information from a mobile terminal carried by an occupant sitting in the vehicle seat by communicating with the mobile terminal.
In the above configuration, the identification information of the seat occupant is acquired by communicating with the mobile terminal carried by the seat occupant. With this configuration, it is possible to acquire the identification information of the seat occupant relatively easily.

Furthermore, it is even more preferable if the above-mentioned condition correction unit has a judgment unit that judges the state of spinal curvature as the physical condition from the current value, and the presentation unit reads out the correction plan corresponding to the state of spinal curvature judged by the judgment unit from the plan memory unit and presents it to the occupant seated in the vehicle seat.
In the above configuration, the curvature of the spine is measured as a physical condition, and then the curvature of the spine is judged. Then, a correction plan according to the judgment result is selected and presented to the seat occupant. With this configuration, it is possible to perform posture correction suitable for the individuality of a seat occupant who has a so-called hunched or arched back posture.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned condition correction unit, it is even more preferable that the operating unit has a plurality of air bags that inflate to press against the back of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat, each of the plurality of air bags inflates to a predetermined inflation pressure before the occupant sits in the vehicle seat, the measuring unit measures the current value of the inflation pressure using the inflation pressure that changes when the occupant sits in the vehicle seat as the index, and the judgment unit judges the curvature state of the spine from the current value of the inflation pressure in each of the plurality of air bags.
In the above configuration, the physical condition of the seat occupant (specifically, spinal curvature) is corrected by using an air bag that presses against the back of the seat occupant. Also, in the above configuration, the current value of the inflation pressure of the air bag, which changes when the occupant sits on the seat, is measured as a measurement of the physical condition of the seat occupant. That is, in the above configuration, the air bag is used for correction and also for measuring the physical condition, which allows the air bag to be used more effectively.

According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately correct the physical condition of a seat occupant with correction content suited to the individual characteristics of the seat occupant.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately review the correction plan applied during correction, if necessary, depending on the degree of correction (degree of improvement) of the physical condition.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately adjust the load during correction in conjunction with the total sitting time in the vehicle seat.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to measure the physical condition of the same seat occupant over multiple measurement days and evaluate the correction effect by comparing the measured values.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the body of the seat occupant can be warmed before carrying out the correction, and the body condition of the seat occupant can be brought into a state in which the correction can be more easily carried out.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, when carrying out correction, it is possible to apply vibrations to a specific part of the seat occupant's body to relieve tension (muscle tension) in that part or to increase muscle strength in that part.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the seat occupant can check the current physical condition, the corresponding correction plan, and further the physical condition after correction through the screen.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to relatively easily obtain the identification information of a seat occupant by communicating with a mobile terminal carried by the seat occupant.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine the curvature of the spine of a seat occupant and to appropriately correct the curvature in a posture suited to the individual characteristics of the seat occupant.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the air bag can be used for correction as well as for measuring the physical condition, thereby making it possible to utilize the air bag more effectively.

1 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle seat equipped with a condition correction unit of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a condition correction unit of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a screen for checking the physical condition of a seated occupant. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of an ECU as a control device. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a correction plan and a plan management table stored in a storage unit. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method for correcting a hunched posture. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in an ideal posture. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method for correcting a hunched back posture. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen showing a result of posture determination. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when a correction plan is presented. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen showing a result of a posture comparison. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of the initial posture correction flow (part 1). FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the flow of the initial posture correction flow (part 2). FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a procedure for correcting an ideal posture. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a procedure for setting a correction mode. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of a normal posture correction process.

The following describes an example of the configuration and operation of one embodiment of the present invention (the present embodiment). Note that, below, a vehicle seat is taken as an example of a vehicle seat, and a state correction unit that corrects the physical state of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat (hereinafter, the seat occupant) is described. However, the state correction unit of the present invention can also be applied to vehicle seats other than vehicle seats, and specifically, can also be applied to seats installed in vehicles other than vehicles (for example, aircraft and ships).

In the following description, the "physical condition" that is the subject of correction by the condition correction unit of the present invention means an orthopedic condition among conditions related to the human body, specifically, a condition related to the skeleton, joints, muscles, etc. Examples include the curvature of the spine (in other words, posture), muscle tension, skeletal distortion, etc. In the following, a configuration for correcting the curvature of the spine (posture) as a "physical condition" will be described. However, the subject of correction by the condition correction unit of the present invention is not limited to the curvature of the spine (posture), and may be other "physical conditions", such as muscle tension and skeletal distortion.

<<Outline of the condition correction unit according to this embodiment>>
First, an overview of the state correction unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as the state correction unit 1) according to this embodiment will be described. The state correction unit 1 is mounted in a vehicle and is used for the purpose of gradually improving the health condition of an occupant of a vehicle seat S. To explain in more detail, the state correction unit 1 corrects the posture of the seat occupant, i.e., the curvature of the spine, while the seat occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S. In this embodiment, posture correction by the state correction unit 1 is performed continuously, not one-off, and proceeds according to a preset plan (correction plan).

To be more specific, multiple candidates for the correction plan are prepared, and one correction plan is selected from among them. The state correction unit 1 performs posture correction according to the correction content indicated by the selected correction plan. Here, "correction content" refers to specific content related to posture correction, such as the parts of the seat occupant's body to which stress is applied during posture correction, the load balance between parts when stress is applied to multiple parts, the correction implementation period, the final target posture (specifically, the ideal posture described below), and the standard magnitude of load during correction.

In this embodiment, the individuality of the seat occupant is reflected in the selection of the correction plan. As a result, in this embodiment, posture correction suited to the individuality of the seat occupant is implemented. This is a feature of this embodiment, which will be explained in detail later.

In this embodiment, the state correction unit 1 is to be mounted on a seat corresponding to the driver's seat among the vehicle seats S. That is, the state correction unit 1 is used to correct the driver's posture. However, this is not limited to this, and the state correction unit 1 may be mounted on a seat other than the driver's seat (for example, a seat for an auxiliary seat or a seat for a rear seat).

<<Example of the configuration of a condition correction unit>>
First, in order to explain a configuration example of the state correction unit 1, the configuration of the vehicle seat S on which the state correction unit 1 is mounted will be explained. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle seat S has a seat back S1 that supports the back of the seated person from behind, a seat cushion S2 that supports the buttocks of the seated person from below, and a headrest S3 that supports the head of the seated person from behind. The basic configurations of these seat components are well known, so their explanations will be omitted.

Next, an example of the configuration of the posture correction unit 1 will be described. The posture correction unit 1 is composed of equipment arranged inside or around the vehicle seat S. More specifically, the posture correction unit 1 has equipment (corresponding to an operating unit) that is installed inside the vehicle seat S and operates to correct the posture of the seat occupant.

To explain the operating parts in detail, the seat back S1 of the vehicle seat S has multiple support parts equipped with operating parts. To be more specific, as shown in FIG. 1, the seat back S1 is provided with a shoulder support part 11, a lumbar support part 12, a pelvis support part 13, and a side support part 14.

The shoulder support section 11 is a section in the seat back S1 that supports the shoulders of a seat occupant (strictly speaking, a seat occupant of a standard build, and the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph) seated in the vehicle seat S, and is provided in a pair on the left and right as shown in FIG. 1. The lumbar support section 12 is a section in the seat back S1 that supports the lower back of the seat occupant, and is provided on the lower part of the seat back S1 as shown in FIG. 1. The pelvis support section 13 is a section in the seat back S1 that supports the part of the body of the seat occupant where the pelvis is located, and is provided below the lumbar support section 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The side support section 14 is a section that is applied to the body of the seat occupant from the side, and is provided on the inside of the part (bank section) in the seat back S1 that is formed by raising both ends in the width direction as shown in FIG. 1.

The four support sections described above each have an air bag. To be more specific, as shown in FIG. 2, the shoulder support section 11 is provided with a shoulder air bag 11a, the lumbar support section 12 is provided with a lumbar air bag 12a, and the pelvis support section 13 is provided with a pelvis air bag 13a. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the side support section 14 is also provided with an air bag.

Each air bag is disposed inside the seat back S1 or on the front surface of the seat back S1. Each air bag expands when air is filled in. The expansion of each air bag corrects the posture of the seat occupant. To explain in more detail, when each air bag expands while an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S, it presses against the seat occupant from behind. This pressing force corrects the posture of the seat occupant. The pressing force generated by the expansion of the air bag corresponds to the load (correcting load) acting on the occupant when correcting posture.

Air is supplied to each air bag by an actuator 18 shown in FIG. 2. The air supplied from this actuator 18 passes through a tube (not shown) that forms an air supply path and is sealed in each air bag. Furthermore, a solenoid valve V is installed in front of each air bag to adjust the amount of air sealed in the air bag. The actuator 18 and solenoid valve V, together with the air bags, constitute the "operating unit" of the present invention.

In this embodiment, an air bag that expands when air is enclosed therein is used as the pressing means for expanding to press against the seat occupant, but a bag that expands when a fluid other than air, such as a liquid, is also usable. Also, the means is not limited to air bags or bags that expand when pressing against the seat occupant, and the seat occupant may be pressed against a standard member such as a roller, ball, or block.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a heater 15 and a vibration device 16 are provided as auxiliary mechanisms for effectively performing posture correction using the air bag. The heater 15 corresponds to a heating section, and heats a specific part of the body of the seat occupant who is seated in the vehicle seat S. By providing this heater 15, it is possible to warm the body of the seat occupant from the back side when correcting posture. By warming the body of the seat occupant from the back side in this manner, the responsiveness (ease of being pressed) of the seat occupant's body to the pressure force (load) of the air bag is improved, and as a result, posture correction becomes easier to perform.

The vibration imparting device 16 corresponds to a vibration imparting section, and imparts vibrations to a specific part of the body (the back, to be precise) of the seat occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. By providing this vibration imparting device 16, it is possible to impart vibrations to the back of the seat occupant during posture correction, thereby relaxing tension (muscle tension) in the back. This improves the responsiveness (ease of being pressed) of the seat occupant's body to the pressure (load) of the air bag, and as a result, posture correction becomes easier.

In this embodiment, the vibration device 16 is used to relieve tension in the seat occupant, but the uses of the vibration device 16 are not limited to the above. For example, the vibration device 16 may be used to strengthen the muscles in the back of the seat occupant. The vibration device 16 can also be used to increase the alertness of the seat occupant when their level of alertness is low (for example, when they are dozing off).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the state correction unit 1 is equipped with a control device that controls the above-mentioned operating parts (strictly speaking, the actuator 18 and the solenoid valve V). This control device is composed of an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 41 mounted in the vehicle. A posture correction control circuit is built into this ECU 41. When the ECU 41 controls the on/off of the actuator 18 and the opening degree of the solenoid valve V through the posture correction control circuit, the inflation pressure of each air bag is adjusted. As a result, a pressing force (load) according to the inflation pressure of each air bag is applied to the back of the seat occupant, and the posture of the seat occupant is corrected.

In addition, the ECU 41 communicates with various sensors installed in the vehicle via an in-vehicle network to obtain the measured values of the various sensors. In other words, the ECU 41 can measure the current values of various control items by working in cooperation with the various sensors in the vehicle. The control items (i.e., measurement targets) measured by the ECU 41 include items related to the seating state of the seat occupant.

To explain in more detail, the sensors for measuring the seating state of the seat occupant include a breathing sensor 31, an expansion pressure sensor 32, a pressure sensor 33, and a weight sensor 34. These sensors are used while attached to the vehicle seat S.

Regarding each sensor, the inflation pressure sensor 32 and the pressure sensor 33 are both sensors installed to identify the physical condition of the seat occupant, specifically the seating posture. The inflation pressure sensor 32 is installed for each air bag to measure the current value of the inflation pressure of the air bag. Like the inflation pressure sensor 32, the pressure sensor 33 is installed for each air bag, specifically attached to the front of each air bag as shown in FIG. 2. The ECU 41 measures the current value of an index for identifying the seating posture of the seat occupant through each inflation pressure sensor 32 and each pressure sensor 33 while the seat occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S.

To explain in more detail, in this embodiment, before a seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, each of the multiple air bags (specifically, the shoulder air bag 11a, the lumbar air bag 12a, and the pelvis air bag 13a) is inflated to a preset inflation pressure. When a seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S in this state, the inflation pressure of each air bag changes. The ECU 41 measures the inflation pressure after the change for each air bag using the inflation pressure sensor 32. Here, the inflation pressure of each air bag (in other words, the balance of the inflation pressure between the air bags) is a value according to the seating posture of the seat occupant. In other words, the ECU 41 measures the current value of the inflation pressure of each air bag, which changes when the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, as an index for identifying the seating posture of the seat occupant.

As described above, in this embodiment, the air bag is used for posture correction and also for measuring the seating state of the seat occupant, making more effective use of the air bag.

When a seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, the ECU 41 measures the current value of the pressure applied to the seat back S1 through the pressure sensor 33 provided for each air bag. Specifically, when a seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S and leans against the seat back S1, pressure is applied to the front of the air bag from the back of the seat occupant, and the pressure sensor 33 detects the pressure, and the ECU 41 measures the magnitude of the detected pressure using the pressure sensor 33. Here, the pressure measured for each air bag changes depending on the installation location of the air bag. Also, the balance of pressure between the air bags is a value according to the seating posture of the seat occupant. In other words, the ECU 41 measures the current value of the pressure when the seat occupant is seated in the vehicle seat S as an index for identifying the seating posture of the seat occupant.

As described above, in this embodiment, two indicators (specifically, the inflation pressure of the air bag and the pressure applied to the seat back S1) are measured to determine the seating posture of the seat occupant. This makes it possible to more appropriately determine the seating posture than when only one of the two indicators is measured. To explain in more detail, when trying to determine the seating posture by measuring only the inflation pressure of the air bag, the inflation pressure that changes when the seat occupant sits on the vehicle seat S is measured. However, even if the inflation pressure changes, there are cases where it is difficult to determine whether the change is due to the seating of the seat occupant or due to other reasons (for example, air being sealed in the air bag). On the other hand, when trying to determine the seating posture by measuring only the pressure applied to the seat back S1 with the pressure sensor 33, if the back of the seat occupant does not properly contact the part of the seat back S1 where the air bag is located, the measurement by the pressure sensor 33 will not be accurate.

In contrast, in this embodiment, two indicators are measured to identify the seating posture of the seat occupant, making it possible to more appropriately identify the seating posture of the seat occupant compared to the case where only one of the indicators described above is measured. However, this is not limited to this, and only one of the two indicators may be measured.

The ECU 41 also uses the breathing sensor 31 and weight sensor 34 to measure the seating condition other than the seating posture. More specifically, the ECU 41 uses the breathing sensor 31, which is a pressure-sensitive resistive sensor installed at the rear end of the seat cushion S2, to determine the wakefulness of the seat occupant. More precisely, the ECU 41 uses the breathing sensor 31 to measure periodic seat pressure fluctuations (breathing waveforms) linked to the breathing of the seat occupant, and determines the wakefulness of the seat occupant from the measured value. The ECU 41 also uses the weight sensor 34 to measure the load acting on the vehicle seat S, and determines whether or not there is an occupant from the measured value.

Furthermore, the ECU 41 communicates with in-vehicle sensors other than the above-mentioned sensors through the in-vehicle network to obtain the measurement values of the in-vehicle sensors, and for example, communicates with the vehicle speed sensor 42 to obtain the current value of the driving speed (vehicle speed).

Furthermore, the ECU 41 can acquire information from communication devices other than those mentioned above that are present in the vehicle by communicating with the communication devices via the in-vehicle network. Specifically, the ECU 41 acquires information about the seat occupant (strictly speaking, identification information, described below) by communicating with a smartphone 44, which serves as a mobile terminal carried by the seat occupant. The ECU 41 also acquires information about the distance and planned route that the vehicle is scheduled to travel that day by communicating with a car navigation device 43.

Furthermore, the ECU 41 communicates with an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) 47 when the vehicle passes in front of the ETC 47 to obtain information for identifying the location where the vehicle is traveling (specifically, information indicating whether the vehicle is traveling on a highway).

Furthermore, the ECU 41 can be connected to a portable memory 45, which is a portable recording medium such as a USB memory or an SD card (registered trademark), and can exchange data with the portable memory 45. In other words, the ECU 41 can write information stored in the ECU 41 to the portable memory 45, while reading information stored in the portable memory 45.

Furthermore, the ECU 41 can communicate with a tablet terminal installed inside the vehicle (hereinafter, in-vehicle tablet terminal 46) and display information on a monitor screen (equivalent to a screen) of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. More specifically, the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 is arranged around the vehicle seat S (strictly speaking, in a position that is easy for the seat occupant to operate), and is set on the top of a stanchion that stands upright from the vehicle floor, as shown in FIG. 1.

The ECU 41 then generates data (information display data) for displaying image information and character string information, and transmits the information display data to the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. When the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 receives the information display data via the in-vehicle network, it unpacks it and displays the information indicated by the data on the monitor screen. This allows the seat occupant to check the various pieces of information transmitted from the ECU 41 on the monitor screen, and for example, to check the seating condition measured by the ECU 41, as shown in FIG. 4.

The example screen shown in FIG. 4 is merely one example of a monitor screen, and the design and screen layout are not limited to those shown in FIG. 4, and can be set arbitrarily. Also, in FIG. 4, information on the respiratory state (specifically, the respiratory waveform and alertness determination graph), information on the pelvic angle (specifically, the pelvic angle change curve and fatigue level determination graph), and the inclination of the vehicle body (represented as vehicle body G in the figure) are displayed as the seated state, but the information displayed on the monitor screen is not limited to the above.

The monitor screen of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 is made up of a touch panel 46a, which displays the information indicated by the information display data and accepts screen operations (touch operations) performed by the seat occupant as input operations.

<<Control device functions>>
Next, the function of the ECU 41 as a control device will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The ECU 41 implements various functions related to posture correction. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the ECU 41 has an identification information acquisition unit 51, a measurement unit 52, a plan storage unit 53, a presentation unit 54, a processing execution unit 55, a total seating time management unit 56, a mode setting unit 57, a comparison unit 58, an information display unit 59, a determination unit 60, an information transfer unit 61, an information reading unit 62, and a plan change unit 63. These functional units are realized by the hardware devices (specifically, the MPU and memory) constituting the ECU 41 working together with software devices (control circuits for posture control).

Each of the above functional parts will be explained below. Note that the order in which the functional parts are explained below will differ from the order in which the functional parts are listed above.

(Identification information acquisition unit 51)
The identification information acquisition unit 51 acquires the identification information of the seat occupant. Here, the identification information is information for identifying the seat occupant (personal authentication), and corresponds to, for example, the ID information of the seat occupant, image information showing a face image or a fingerprint image of the seat occupant, voiceprint information of the seat occupant, etc.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the identification information acquisition unit 51 acquires identification information from a smartphone 44 carried by a seat occupant by communicating with the smartphone 44. With this configuration, when a person carrying the smartphone 44 sits in the vehicle seat S, the ECU 41 communicates with the smartphone 44 to automatically acquire the identification information of the seat occupant. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to acquire the identification information of the seat occupant relatively easily.

The method of acquiring the identification information is not limited to the above method, and the seat occupant may input the identification information through the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 or a specified input device, and the ECU 41 may acquire the identification information by receiving data related to the identification information (contents of the input operation) from the device that accepts the input operation. Alternatively, the identification information may be acquired by taking a facial image of the seat occupant with a camera installed in the vehicle, or by recording the voice of the seat occupant with a microphone installed in the vehicle. Alternatively, a sensor for identifying the seat occupant may be installed in the vehicle (for example, near the steering wheel), and the ECU 41 may acquire the identification information (detection result of the sensor) from the sensor.

(Measurement unit 52)
The measuring unit 52 measures the physical state of the seat occupant when seated in the vehicle seat S, i.e., the seating state, using a group of sensors for measuring the seating state provided in the vehicle. Specifically, the measuring unit 52 measures the current value of the inflation pressure of each air bag, which changes when the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, using the inflation pressure sensor 32 provided for each air bag. The measuring unit 52 also measures the current value of the pressure applied to each part of the seat back S1 when the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, using the pressure sensor 33 attached to the front of each air bag. The measuring unit 52 also measures the respiratory waveform of the seat occupant using the respiratory sensor 31. The measuring unit 52 also measures the load acting on the vehicle seat S using the weight sensor 34.

The measurement target and method by the measuring unit 52 are not limited to the above, as long as an index for identifying the physical condition of the seat occupant is measured by a suitable method. For example, the skeletal shape of the seat occupant may be measured by a known shape sensor. Alternatively, the seat occupant may be photographed by an in-vehicle camera, and the captured image may be analyzed to measure the curvature of the spine and skeletal distortion of the seat occupant.

As described above, the measurement unit 52 measures the seating state of a seat occupant (specifically, the inflation pressure of each air bag and the current value of the pressure applied to the seat back S1), but in this embodiment, the measurement is performed for the same seat occupant (i.e., an occupant with the same identification information) over multiple measurement days. More specifically, when a person uses the vehicle on different days, the measurement unit 52 measures the person's seating state on each day.

The daily measurement values obtained by the measurement unit 52 are stored as a measurement history. This measurement history is associated with the identification information of the seat occupant and is managed for each seat occupant.

(Determination Unit 60)
The determination unit 60 determines the sitting posture (spine curvature state) from the current values of the indices for identifying the sitting posture (specifically, the expansion pressure measured by the expansion pressure sensor 32 and the pressure measured by the pressure sensor 33) among the current values related to the sitting state measured by the measurement unit 52. To explain in more detail, the determination unit 60 selects the appropriate posture from five postures, "hunchback", "slightly hunchback", "ideal posture", "slightly arched back" and "arched back", and sets the selected result as the current sitting posture of the seat occupant.

It is possible to arbitrarily set which of the above five sitting postures corresponds to the range in which the current value of the index measured by the measurement unit 52 (i.e., the measurement value) is in. In addition, the candidates for sitting postures are not limited to the above five postures, and can be arbitrarily determined.

(Plan storage unit 53)
The plan storage unit 53 stores a correction plan to be applied when correcting posture. In this embodiment, a plurality of correction plans are prepared in advance, and the plan storage unit 53 stores n correction plans (n is a natural number of 2 or more) as shown in FIG.

The plan storage unit 53 also stores a plan management table T shown in FIG. 5 along with the correction plans. This plan management table T is data for managing the correction plans set for the seat occupant. More specifically, the plan management table T specifies the correspondence between the identification information of the seat occupant acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 51 and the correction plan to be applied when performing posture correction on the seat occupant identified by the identification information. To give an example, when performing posture correction on a seat occupant with identification information "aaaa", correction plan (1) is to be applied.

(Presentation Unit 54)
The presentation unit 54 reads out a correction plan corresponding to the seating posture determined by the determination unit 60 from the plan storage unit 53 and presents it to the seat occupant. Here, when the determination unit 60 determines the seating posture, as described above, the determination is made based on the current value related to the seating state measured by the measurement unit 52. In this sense, it can be said that the presentation unit 54 presents a correction plan corresponding to the current value related to the seating state measured by the measurement unit 52.

To explain in detail how the presentation unit 54 presents the correction plan, the presentation unit 54 refers to a table (hereinafter, the correspondence table) that specifies the correspondence between the seating posture and the correction plan, selects one correction plan that corresponds to the seating posture of the seat occupant determined by the determination unit 60, and presents the selected correction plan. Note that the correspondence table specifies correction plans suitable for each seating posture, and when the seating posture is determined, one corresponding correction plan is selected based on the correspondence table.

The correction plan presented to the seat occupant is stored in the plan storage unit 53 in association with the identification information of the seat occupant. In other words, the plan storage unit 53 stores the correction plan presented by the presentation unit 54 in association with the identification information of the seat occupant who was sitting in the vehicle seat when the presentation unit 54 presented the correction plan. More specifically, when the presentation unit 54 presents a correction plan, a new record is added to the plan management table T stored in the plan storage unit 53. This record is data that associates the correction plan currently presented by the presentation unit 54 with the identification information of the seat occupant at the time the plan was presented.

(Processing Execution Unit 55)
The process execution unit 55 executes a process for correcting the seating posture (hereinafter, the correction process). In the correction process, the process execution unit 55 adjusts the inflation pressure of each air bag by controlling the actuator 18 and the solenoid valve V. As a result, the back of the seat occupant is pressed by the air bag, and the seating posture of the seat occupant is corrected.

In addition, in this embodiment, when correcting posture, the process execution unit 55 identifies the identification information of the seat occupant currently seated in the vehicle seat S, and reads out from the plan storage unit 53 the correction plan associated with the identified identification information. The process execution unit 55 then executes the correction process according to the correction content indicated in the read correction plan. In this way, in this embodiment, when correcting the seat occupant's sitting posture, the correction is performed according to the content indicated in the correction plan presented to the seat occupant. As a result, the seat occupant's sitting posture is appropriately corrected with correction content appropriate for the seat occupant's sitting posture.

Specifically, in the correction process, the process execution unit 55 adjusts the inflation pressure of each of the shoulder air bag 11a, the lumbar air bag 12a, and the pelvis air bag 13a according to the seating posture of the seat occupant (i.e., the result of the determination by the determination unit 60). To give an example, when the seated posture is hunched, as shown in FIG. 6A, the inflation pressure of the shoulder air bag 11a is increased in that order, followed by the lumbar air bag 12a and the pelvis air bag 13a, and the inflation pressure of the pelvis air bag 13a (indicated by P3 in the figure) is increased the most. Note that FIG. 6A and FIGS. 6B and 6C, which will be described later, show diagrams showing the positional relationship between the spine and each air bag in each seating posture, and schematic diagrams showing the magnitude relationship of the inflation pressure between the air bags.

On the other hand, when the seated posture is arched, as shown in FIG. 6C, the inflation pressure of the shoulder air bag 11a (indicated by P1 in the figure) is maximized, and the inflation pressure of the lumbar air bag 12a (indicated by P2 in the figure) is minimized. On the other hand, when the seated posture is ideal, as shown in FIG. 6B, the inflation pressure of the lumbar air bag 12a is made greater than the inflation pressure of the shoulder air bag 11a, and the inflation pressure of the pelvis air bag 13a is made slightly greater than the inflation pressure of the lumbar air bag 12a. Note that the correction contents shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C (specifically, the balance of inflation pressures between the air bags) are merely examples, and are not limited to those shown in these figures.

In this embodiment, when the correction process is executed, the process execution unit 55 corrects the seated posture of the seat occupant in the correction mode set by the mode setting unit 57 described below. Here, the "correction mode" refers to the specific procedure (correction procedure) for posture correction or the correction mode, and corresponds to, for example, the degree of load applied to the body of the seat occupant during posture correction (more precisely, the rate at which the load changes, the load application schedule, the magnitude of the load in each time period, etc.). In this embodiment, the correction mode is set each time the correction process is executed depending on the condition and schedule of the seat occupant on that day, the situation of the vehicle and its surroundings, and other matters to be considered when setting the correction mode.

Furthermore, when performing the correction process, the process execution unit 55 controls the heater 15 to warm the back of the seat occupant (specifically, the part of the back that is immediately in front of the heater 15). When performing the correction process, the process execution unit 55 also controls the vibration device 26 to apply vibrations to the back of the seat occupant. As a result, the muscles of the seat occupant (particularly the muscles of the shoulders, back, and waist) are relaxed, and subsequent posture correction can be performed efficiently.

(Total Sitting Time Management Unit 56)
The total seating time management unit 56 manages the total seating time for each seat occupant. Here, the "total seating time" refers to the cumulative value of the time that seat occupants with the same identification information have been seated in the vehicle seat S. In this embodiment, the total seating time is managed with the start time of posture correction when the seat occupant first receives posture correction as a reference (starting point). That is, in this embodiment, the total seating time is synonymous with the cumulative time that the seat occupant has received posture correction.

The total seated time management unit 56 also stores the total seated time of a seat occupant in association with the identification information of the seat occupant, and more specifically, stores a management table (hereinafter, the total seated time management table) that specifies the correspondence between the total seated time and the identification information.

To explain the management of the total seating time in detail, when a seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, the total seating time management unit 56 determines the total seating time of the seat occupant up to the previous time based on the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 51 at that time and the above-mentioned total seating time management table. Meanwhile, the total seating time management unit 56 counts the seating time from the time the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, and calculates the current total seating time by adding up the determined total seating time up to the previous time and the new seating time being counted. The total seating time management unit 56 then updates the total seating time associated with the identification information of the seat occupant sitting in the vehicle seat S in the total seating time management table to the current calculated total seating time.

(Mode setting unit 57)
The mode setting unit 57 sets a correction mode to be applied when the process execution unit 55 executes the correction process. In the present embodiment, as described above, the mode setting unit 57 sets the correction mode every time the correction process is executed. In the present embodiment, the mode setting unit 57 sets the correction mode in consideration of various situations. Specifically, the mode setting unit 57 sets the correction mode according to the following items (r1), (r2), (r3), (r4), (r5), and (r6).
(r1) The total seating time managed by the total seating time management unit 56, which is associated with the identification information of the seat occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. (r2) The age of the seat occupant seated in the vehicle seat S. (r3) The route that the vehicle is scheduled to travel on that day. (r4) The day of the week and the current time on that day. (r5) The location where the vehicle is traveling (whether it is traveling on a highway or not).
(r6) Vehicle speed

As described above, in this embodiment, the correction mode is set taking into consideration the above six items, so that posture correction is performed in an appropriate mode taking into account the progress of posture correction (i.e., the time that posture correction has been performed) and the schedule of the seat occupant. To be more specific, a seat occupant will receive posture correction in a correction mode that corresponds to the total seated time up to that point. This allows the load during correction to be appropriately adjusted according to the total seated time, and for example, it is possible to keep the load low in the early stages of correction (i.e., when the total seated time is relatively short) and gradually increase the load as the total seated time increases.

In addition, when the vehicle travels a relatively long distance, the seat occupant will be seated in the vehicle seat S for a long period of time, so it is possible to set the correction mode so that the duration of posture correction is longer than usual. In addition, when the vehicle is driven on a specific day of the week (e.g., a public holiday) or at a specific time (e.g., early morning), it is also possible to perform posture correction in a correction mode that corresponds to that day of the week or time of day. In addition, when the vehicle is traveling on a highway, the seat occupant's seat posture becomes stable, so it is also possible to set the correction mode so that a load is applied to the seat occupant more frequently.

Of the six items above, (r1), (r4), (r5), and (r6) change dynamically while the vehicle is traveling. The mode setting unit 57 periodically identifies these four items while the vehicle is traveling, and appropriately updates the correction mode according to the identification results. Therefore, in this embodiment, the correction mode is periodically updated while the correction process is being executed, and when the correction mode changes, the process execution unit 55 executes the correction process in the changed correction mode.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, of the above six items, information regarding (r2) is obtained by the seat occupant inputting it via the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 or a specified input device. However, this is not limited to this, and the age of the seat occupant can also be obtained by analyzing a facial image of the seat occupant captured by a camera installed in the vehicle, or by measuring information of the seat occupant's biometric information that changes with age (e.g., number of wrinkles, bone density, body fat percentage, etc.) using a specified sensor. The age may be the actual age (chronological age), or it may be an age determined according to physical strength and health condition (so-called physical age).

In addition, in this embodiment, information regarding (r3) is obtained by the ECU 41 communicating with the car navigation device 43. However, this is not limited to this, and the planned driving route of the vehicle can also be obtained by the seat occupant inputting the information via the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 or a specified input device.

In addition, in this embodiment, information regarding (r4) is obtained from a calendar and an internal clock in the ECU 41. However, this is not limited to this, and the day of the week and the current time can also be obtained by the ECU 41 communicating with an external device or the smartphone 44 of the seat occupant.

In addition, in this embodiment, information regarding (r5), specifically, information regarding whether or not the vehicle is currently traveling on an expressway, is obtained by the ECU 41 receiving an output signal from the ETC 47 when the vehicle passes in front of the ETC 47. However, this is not limited to this, and whether or not the vehicle is currently traveling on an expressway can also be obtained by a GPS function installed in the vehicle, the smartphone 44, or the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. Alternatively, it can be obtained by the seat occupant inputting information via the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 or a specified input device.

In addition, in this embodiment, the information regarding (r6) is obtained by the ECU 41 receiving an output signal from the vehicle speed sensor 42. However, this is not limited to this, and the vehicle's traveling speed can also be obtained by an occupant in the seat inputting the information via the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 or a specified input device.

In this embodiment, the correction mode is set according to the above six items (r1) to (r6), but the items to be considered when setting the correction mode are not limited to the above six items, and may be only any of the above six items. Alternatively, the correction mode may be set by further considering items other than the above six items (for example, the physical condition of the seat occupant or the condition of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, etc.).

(Information display unit 59)
Information display unit 59 displays information on touch panel 46a of in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. More specifically, information display unit 59 generates data for displaying information (information display data) and transmits it to in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. When in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 receives the information display data via the in-vehicle network, it unpacks the information and displays the information indicated by the data on the monitor screen.

The information display data transmitted by the information display unit 59 will be described. Data for displaying the result of the determination by the determination unit 60 is transmitted as the information display data. That is, in this embodiment, the information display unit 59 displays information indicating the result of the determination by the determination unit 60, specifically, the current seating posture of the seat occupant. Here, when the determination unit 60 determines the seating posture, as described above, the determination is made based on the current value related to the seating state measured by the measurement unit 52. In this sense, it can be said that the information display unit 59 displays information corresponding to the current value related to the seating state measured by the measurement unit 52.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen displaying the determination result by the determination unit 60. However, the screen shown in FIG. 7 is only an example of a screen displaying the determination result by the determination unit 60, and the screen design, screen layout, and displayed information are not limited to the content shown in FIG. 7.

The information display data transmitted by the information display unit 59 includes data for displaying the correction plan presented by the presentation unit 54. That is, in this embodiment, the presentation unit 54 presents the correction plan by having the information display unit 59 display the correction plan on the screen of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46.

Figure 8 shows an example of a screen displaying a correction plan presented by the presentation unit 54. In this case, the correction plan on the screen is composed of future risks and factors related to the current sitting posture, an ideal posture, and correction details (the part in the figure that says "You can maintain your back muscles and pectoral muscles..."). However, the display contents when the correction plan is displayed on the screen are not limited to the contents shown in Figure 8. Furthermore, the design and screen layout of the screen displaying the correction plan presented by the presentation unit 54 are not limited to the contents shown in Figure 8.

In addition, in this embodiment, the information display unit 59 displays information on the touch panel 46a of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46, but this is not limited to this. For example, the information may be displayed on a smartphone 44 held by the seat occupant or on another screen installed in the vehicle (for example, the display of the car navigation device 43).

(Comparison unit 58)
The comparison unit 58 compares the seating state measured by the measurement unit 52 on the most recent measurement date (specifically, the inflation pressure of each air bag and the current value of the pressure applied to the seat back S1) for the same seat occupant with the seating state measured on a measurement date prior to the most recent measurement date. To be more specific, when a certain seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, the measurement unit 52 measures the seating state (i.e., the current measurement). Meanwhile, the comparison unit 58 refers to the measurement history of the seat occupant and reads out the measurement value of the seating state in the first measurement (the first measurement value).

The comparison unit 58 then compares the current measurement value with the initial measurement value. By performing such a comparison, it becomes possible to grasp the effect of the posture correction performed up to the previous time (i.e., the degree of posture improvement due to the correction).

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, for each of the current measurement value and the initial measurement value to be compared, information corresponding to the measurement value (strictly speaking, an image showing the state of spinal curvature corresponding to the measurement value) is displayed on the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 by the information display unit 59. This allows the seat occupant to check the effect of the posture correction performed up to the previous time (i.e., the effect of posture improvement due to the correction) through the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46.

Note that the screen shown in FIG. 9 is merely an example of a screen showing two objects to be compared by the comparison unit 58, and the design, layout, and displayed information of the screen are not limited to the content shown in FIG. 9.

(Plan change unit 63)
The plan change unit 63 changes, as necessary, the correction plan presented to the seat occupant by the presentation unit 54. To be precise, when a predetermined change condition is met, the plan change unit 63 changes the correction plan associated with the identification information of the seat occupant who was seated in the vehicle seat S when the presentation unit 54 presented the correction plan from one correction plan stored in the plan storage unit 53 to another correction plan.

To explain in more detail, in this embodiment, posture correction is performed repeatedly over multiple days. In other words, the correction process is performed repeatedly on the same seat occupant every time the date on which the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S changes. Furthermore, the measurement of the seating state by the measurement unit 52 is also performed every time the date changes. In other words, the measurement unit 52 remeasures the seating state (specifically, the inflation pressure of each air bag and the current value of the pressure applied to the seat back S1) on the day on which the initial correction process is started.

On the other hand, the plan change unit 63 judges whether or not the plan needs to be changed based on the seating state remeasured by the measurement unit 52 (i.e., the current measurement value) each time the date on which the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S changes after the date on which the initial correction process is started. More specifically, when the comparison unit 58 compares the current measurement value with the initial measurement value, the comparison result (e.g., the difference between the measurement values) is notified to the plan change unit 63. The plan change unit 63 judges whether the notified comparison result satisfies a predetermined condition. Then, the plan change unit 63 changes the correction plan if the above condition is met. Specifically, the plan management table T is updated so that the correction plan associated with the identification information of the target seat occupant (strictly speaking, the seat occupant at the time when the correction plan applied in the initial correction process is presented by the presentation unit 54) is changed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the correction plan to be applied in the correction process is reviewed as necessary after the day on which the correction plan is determined. This makes it possible to appropriately review, as necessary, even a correction plan that has already been set depending on the degree of correction (degree of improvement) of the sitting posture. This makes it possible to effectively correct the sitting posture.

Regarding changes to the correction plan, there is no particular limitation as to which of the correction plans stored in the plan memory unit 53 is to be adopted as the changed correction plan, but it is desirable for the comparison unit 58 to select the optimal plan taking into consideration the comparison result when comparing the current measurement value with the initial measurement value.

(Information Transfer Unit 61 and Information Reading Unit 62)
The information transfer unit 61 transfers various pieces of information stored in the ECU 41 to the portable memory 45 connected to the ECU 41. The information reading unit 62 reads information from the portable memory 45 connected to the ECU 41. That is, in this embodiment, the portable memory 45 can be used to transfer the information stored in the ECU 41.

The information transferred to or read from the portable memory 45 includes the measurement value when the measurement unit 52 measures the seated state (strictly speaking, the measurement history recording past measurement values), the identification information of the seat occupant acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 51, the correspondence of the correction plan presented by the presentation unit 54 (specifically, the plan management table T), the total seated time managed by the total seated time management unit 56, and the revised correction plan when the correction plan is revised by the plan modification unit 63.

In this embodiment, the information transfer unit 61 and the information reading unit 62 are provided, so that if each of the ECUs 41 mounted on different vehicles has a series of functions related to posture correction (i.e., the functional units described above), it is possible to transfer (hand over) information between the ECUs 41. As a result, for example, when the vehicle to be used is changed, the information related to posture correction stored in the ECU 41 mounted on the vehicle that was previously used can be handed over to the ECU 41 in the new vehicle. As a result, the vehicle user (i.e., the seat occupant) can continue to receive posture correction with the same correction content (i.e., posture correction performed according to the same correction plan) in the new vehicle as the posture correction received in the vehicle that was previously used.

In this embodiment, the portable memory 45, such as a USB memory, is used as the target to which the information transfer unit 61 transfers information and from which the information reading unit 62 reads information, but this is not limited to this. In other words, a smartphone 44 held by the seat occupant may be used as a substitute for the portable memory 45, or an in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 may be used if the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 is configured to be easily carried around.

<<Example of operation of the condition correction unit>>
Next, as an operation example of the posture correction unit 1, a procedure for posture correction by the posture correction unit 1 (posture correction flow) will be described.
The posture correction flow is mainly divided into a flow when a seat occupant receives posture correction for the first time (hereinafter, the first-time flow) and a flow after the first time (hereinafter, the normal flow). In the following, the first-time flow will be explained first, and then the normal flow will be explained.

(First time flow)
The initial flow proceeds according to the flow shown in Figs. 10 and 11. More specifically, when a seat occupant sits on the vehicle seat S according to this embodiment for the first time, the initial flow is automatically started (S001). More specifically, when a seat occupant sits on the vehicle seat S, the weight sensor 34 outputs a signal corresponding to the magnitude of the seat weight that changes accordingly. When the ECU 41 receives the output signal from the weight sensor 34, the ECU 41 uses this output signal as a trigger to automatically start the main process of the initial flow (the process after step S002). In this embodiment, the initial flow is automatically started when a seat occupant sits on the vehicle seat S, but this is not limited to this. The seat occupant may perform a predetermined operation/motion after sitting on the seat, and the initial flow may be started by the operation/motion.

When the initial flow is started, the ECU 41 (specifically, the measurement unit 52) performs various measurements, including measurements of the seating state of the seat occupant (S002). Specifically, the inflation pressure of each air bag is measured by the inflation pressure sensor 32, the pressure applied to each part of the seat back S1 is measured by the pressure sensor 33, and the seating pressure that changes with breathing is measured by the breathing sensor 31. In measuring the inflation pressure of each air bag, the ECU 41 controls the actuator 18 and the solenoid valve V before the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, and inflates each air bag until it reaches a predetermined inflation pressure.

Then, the ECU 41 (specifically, the identification information acquisition unit 51) communicates with the smartphone 44 carried by the seat occupant to acquire the identification information of the seat occupant from the smartphone 44 (S003). The ECU 41 (specifically, the determination unit 60) determines the seating posture of the seat occupant from the seating state measured in step S002 (S004). More specifically, the ECU 41 determines whether the current seating posture of the seat occupant is "hunchback", "slightly hunchback", "ideal posture", "slightly arched back", or "arched back" based on the current value of the inflation pressure of the air bag and the current value of the pressure applied to each part of the seat back S1.

Then, the ECU 41 (specifically, the information display unit 59) generates information display data for displaying the determined seating posture and transmits it to the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. As a result, the seating posture determination result is displayed on the touch panel 46a of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 (S005).

Then, the ECU 41 performs the subsequent steps according to the result of the seating posture determination. Specifically, if the determined seating posture is the ideal posture (Yes in S006), the ECU 41 ends the initial flow. On the other hand, if the determined seating posture is a posture other than the ideal posture (No in S006), the ECU 41 performs the subsequent steps in response to a mode designation operation by the seat occupant.

Now, the mode selection operation by the seat occupant will be described. The mode selection operation is an operation performed to select one of multiple candidates prepared for the control mode of the ECU 41, and in this embodiment, is performed through the touch panel 46a of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. Two candidates are prepared as the control mode by the ECU 41, specifically, a "comfort correction" mode and an "ideal correction" mode are set. The "ideal correction" mode is a mode for correcting posture, and specifically, a mode for controlling the actuator 18, solenoid valve V, etc. so as to correct the current seating posture to the ideal posture.

The "comfort correction" mode is a mode for stabilizing the current seated posture, and controls the actuator 18, solenoid valve V, etc. to make it easier for the seat occupant to maintain the current seated posture.

To select one of the two control modes, the seat occupant presses one of two selection buttons (in FIG. 7, the buttons labeled "Comfort Correction" and "Ideal Correction") that are displayed on the touch panel 46a together with the seating posture determination result. This button operation is a mode selection operation, and the ECU 41 accepts this operation via the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46.

When the "comfort correction" mode is specified ("comfort correction" in S007), the ECU 41 performs the above-mentioned comfort correction (S008).

On the other hand, when the "ideal correction" mode is specified ("ideal correction" in S007), the ECU 41 performs the above-mentioned ideal correction. In performing the ideal correction, the ECU 41 (specifically, the presentation unit 54) accesses the plan storage unit 53 and reads out a correction plan corresponding to the current sitting posture of the seat occupant determined in the previous step S004 from among the correction plans stored in the plan storage unit 53. Then, the ECU 41 presents the read correction plan to the seat occupant (S009). More specifically, the ECU 41 (specifically, the information display unit 59) generates information display data for displaying the read correction plan and transmits it to the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the correction plan read out by the ECU 41, that is, the correction plan corresponding to the current sitting posture of the seat occupant, is displayed on the touch panel 46a of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46.

The ECU 41 also associates the identification information of the seat occupant acquired in the previous step S003 with the presented correction plan and stores them in the plan storage unit 53 (S010). Specifically, the plan management table T is updated so that a record that associates the identification information with the correction plan is added to the plan management table T.

Thereafter, when the seat occupant issues a command to perform ideal correction on the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 (specifically, when the seat occupant presses the button labeled "Start correction" in FIG. 8), this triggers the ECU 41 to perform ideal correction (S011). The ideal correction proceeds as the ECU 41 executes each step shown in FIG. 12.

To be more specific, in the ideal correction, the ECU 41 (specifically, the processing execution unit 55) reads out a correction plan associated with the identification information of the seat occupant seated in the vehicle seat S from the plan storage unit 53 (S021).

Next, the ECU 41 (specifically, the process execution unit 55) controls the heater 15 to heat a specific area of the back of the seat occupant (S022), and controls the vibration device 16 to apply vibrations to the back of the seat occupant (S023). This relaxes the muscles of the seat occupant (particularly the muscles of the shoulders, back, and waist), allowing for efficient posture correction thereafter.

Thereafter, the ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) sets the correction mode to be applied during the correction process (S024). To explain the procedure for setting the correction mode, as shown in FIG. 13, the ECU 41 (specifically, the total seated time management unit 56) identifies the total seated time of the seat occupant currently seated in the vehicle seat S (S031). Note that immediately after the start of the initial flow, the total seated time is 0.

Then, the ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) identifies the day of the week and the current time zone (S032). The ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) also identifies the planned travel distance of the vehicle for that day by communicating with the car navigation device 43 (S033). The ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) also identifies the current travel location of the vehicle, more specifically whether the vehicle is traveling on a highway, based on a signal received from the ETC 47 (S034). The ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) also identifies the age of the seat occupant, which the seat occupant inputs through the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 (S035). After completing this series of identification steps, the ECU 41 (specifically, the mode setting unit 57) sets the correction mode according to the identification results in each of the steps S031 to S035 (S036).

After the correction mode is set, the ECU 41 (specifically, the processing execution unit 55) executes the correction process in the correction mode set in the previous step S036 according to the correction content indicated by the correction plan read in the previous step S021 (S025).

Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the ECU 41 (specifically, the process execution unit 55) periodically repeats the step of setting the correction mode and the step of executing the correction process until the correction end condition is met (S026). The correction end condition specifies the timing for ending the ideal correction for that day (for one day), and examples of this include the passage of a pre-specified correction time, the arrival of the vehicle at the destination, or the seat occupant performing an operation to instruct the end of the correction.

When the correction end condition is met, the first posture correction is completed and the initial flow ends.

(Normal flow)
The normal flow is performed on the day after the initial flow is performed, and proceeds according to the flow shown in Fig. 14. More specifically, like the initial flow, the normal flow is also automatically started when the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S (S041). After that, the ECU 41 performs various measurements related to the seating state of the seat occupant (S042), obtains identification information of the seat occupant (S043), and determines the seating posture (S044) in the same procedure as the initial flow.

As described above, in this embodiment, the ECU 41 measures the seating state, acquires the identification information, and determines the seating posture as a common routine for the initial flow and the normal flow. If the acquired identification information matches previously acquired identification information, the ECU 41 will then perform the normal flow in the procedure shown in FIG. 14. Note that performing the normal flow means that the seating state is measured and the seating posture is determined over multiple days for a seat occupant with the same identification information. In other words, in the normal flow, the seating posture of the seat occupant is measured again on the day after the initial flow was performed.

After the seating posture is determined in the normal flow, the ECU 41 (specifically, the comparison unit 58) performs a posture comparison (S045). Specifically, the posture comparison compares the measurement value of the seating state in the initial flow (initial measurement value) with the measurement value of the seating state measured this time in the normal flow (current measurement value).

Thereafter, the ECU 41 (specifically, the information display unit 59) generates information display data for displaying the results of the posture comparison and transmits it to the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the results of the seating posture comparison, specifically image information corresponding to each of the current measurement value and the initial measurement value, are displayed on the touch panel 46a of the in-vehicle tablet terminal 46 (S046). This allows the seat occupant to understand the effect of the posture correction (degree of posture improvement) performed up to the previous time through the touch panel 46a.

Meanwhile, the ECU 41 (specifically, the plan change unit 63) determines whether to change the correction plan to be applied when correcting the posture of the seat occupant (specifically, the seat occupant who is seated in the vehicle seat S at that time) based on the comparison result in the previous step S046. To be more specific, the degree of correction of the seating posture of the seat occupant is identified from the comparison result, and if the degree of correction is equal to or greater than a certain level (Yes in S047), the plan is not changed. In such a case, when performing ideal correction (i.e., posture correction) for a seat occupant with the same identification information, the ECU 41 continues to apply the correction plan that was previously associated with the identification information to perform ideal correction (S048).

On the other hand, when the degree of correction is less than a certain level (No in S047), the ECU 41 (specifically, the presentation unit 54) reads out a correction plan corresponding to the degree of correction at that time from among the correction plans stored in the plan storage unit 53, and presents the correction plan to the seat occupant as a new correction plan (S049). Then, the ECU 41 (specifically, the plan change unit 63) changes the correction plan associated with the identification information of the seat occupant to whom the new correction plan was presented (S050). Specifically, the plan management table T is updated to reflect the plan change. Then, the ECU 41 (specifically, the processing execution unit 55) performs ideal correction (i.e., posture correction) with the changed correction plan (S051).

In the normal flow, ideal correction proceeds in the same manner as in the initial flow (i.e., the procedure shown in FIG. 12). In the normal flow, the step of setting the correction mode and the step of executing the correction process are periodically repeated until the correction end condition is met. When the correction end condition is met, posture correction for that day is completed, and the normal flow ends.

<<Other embodiments>>
In the above embodiment, the condition correction unit of the present invention has been mainly described, but the above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally includes its equivalents.

In addition, in the above embodiment, multiple correction plans are already prepared before the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, and are stored in advance in the plan storage unit 53. However, this is not limited to the above, and after the seat occupant sits in the vehicle seat S, for example, the seating state of the seat occupant may be measured, and then a new correction plan may be created that reflects the measured value.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a case where posture correction is repeatedly performed on the same seat occupant over multiple days has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is also applicable to a case where posture correction is performed on a one-off basis on a seat occupant.

In the above embodiment, the condition correction unit 1 of the present invention is used mainly for the purpose of correcting the seated posture of a seat occupant. However, the use of the condition correction unit 1 is not particularly limited, and it may be used for the purpose of correcting a physical condition other than the seated posture, such as muscle strength, flexibility, skeletal distortion, etc.

1 Condition correction unit 11 Shoulder support part 11a Shoulder air bag (moving part, air bag)
12 Lumbar support section 12a Lumbar air bag (moving section, air bag)
13 Pelvis support section 13a Pelvis air bag (moving section, air bag)
14 Side support part 15 Heater (heating part)
16 Vibration imparting device (vibration imparting unit)
18 Actuator (operating part)
31 Respiration sensor 32 Expansion pressure sensor 33 Pressure sensor 34 Weight sensor 41 ECU
42 Vehicle speed sensor 43 Car navigation device 44 Smartphone (mobile terminal)
45 Portable memory 46 In-vehicle tablet terminal 46a Touch panel 47 ETC
51: Identification information acquisition unit 52: Measurement unit 53: Plan storage unit 54: Presentation unit 55: Processing execution unit 56: Total seating time management unit 57: Mode setting unit 58: Comparison unit 59: Information display unit 60: Determination unit 61: Information transfer unit 62: Information reading unit 63: Plan change unit S: Vehicle seat S1: Seat back S2: Seat cushion S3: Headrest T: Plan management table V: Solenoid valve

Claims (1)

an operating unit that operates to correct a physical condition of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat;
an identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of an occupant seated in the vehicle seat;
A measurement unit that measures a current value of an index for identifying the physical condition;
A plan storage unit that stores a correction plan indicating the correction content of the physical condition;
a presentation unit that reads out the correction plan corresponding to the current value from the plan storage unit and presents the plan to an occupant seated in the vehicle seat;
a processing execution unit that controls the operation unit to execute a process for correcting the physical condition,
the plan storage unit stores the correction plan presented by the presentation unit in association with the identification information of the seat occupant who was seated in the vehicle seat when the presentation unit presented the correction plan;
The condition correction unit is characterized in that the processing execution unit reads out the correction plan associated with the identification information of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat from the plan memory unit, and executes the processing to correct the physical condition in accordance with the correction content indicated in the read correction plan.

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