Method of Operating a Multi-Position Vehicle Seat

摘要

A method of positioning a vehicle seat is provided in which the vehicle seat is configured to allow movement laterally (i.e., side-to-side), fore-aft (i.e., forwards-backwards), and rotationally. In addition to allowing a user to select a particular seat position, the method monitors an internal vehicle door handle and automatically moves the seat from its current position to a preset position whenever the door handle is activated (e.g., touched).

主权项

1. A method of positioning a vehicle seat, comprising:
monitoring a seat position selector, wherein said seat position selector is configured to accept selection of a particular seat position for said vehicle seat from a plurality of available seat positions; detecting selection of said particular seat position from said plurality of available seat positions; automatically moving said vehicle seat from a current seat position to said particular seat position after completion of said detecting step, wherein said step of automatically moving said vehicle seat is performed by a controller and a drive system coupled to said vehicle seat via a seat positioning system, wherein said seat positioning system is configured to provide repositioning of said vehicle seat via said drive system in a forward direction and a backward direction within a first range of motion, wherein said drive system is configured to provide repositioning of said vehicle seat via said drive system in a lateral-left direction and lateral-right direction within a second range of motion, and wherein said drive system is configured to provide repositioning of said vehicle seat via said drive system in a clockwise rotational direction and a counter-clockwise rotational direction within a third range of motion; monitoring a door handle sensor coupled to an internal vehicle door handle; and detecting when said internal vehicle door handle is activated, wherein said step of automatically moving said vehicle seat further comprises automatically moving said vehicle seat from said current seat position to a preset seat position when said internal vehicle door handle is activated.