GB2405222A - Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat - Google Patents

Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2405222A
GB2405222A GB0319650A GB0319650A GB2405222A GB 2405222 A GB2405222 A GB 2405222A GB 0319650 A GB0319650 A GB 0319650A GB 0319650 A GB0319650 A GB 0319650A GB 2405222 A GB2405222 A GB 2405222A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
seat
heating
occupant
determined
heater
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0319650A
Other versions
GB2405222B (en
GB0319650D0 (en
GB2405222A8 (en
Inventor
Robert Alan Palin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ford Global Technologies LLC
Original Assignee
Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ford Global Technologies LLC filed Critical Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority to GB0319650A priority Critical patent/GB2405222B/en
Priority to GB0608570A priority patent/GB2427039B/en
Publication of GB0319650D0 publication Critical patent/GB0319650D0/en
Publication of GB2405222A publication Critical patent/GB2405222A/en
Publication of GB2405222A8 publication Critical patent/GB2405222A8/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2405222B publication Critical patent/GB2405222B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
    • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
    • B60N2/0244—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/002—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon
    • B60N2/0021—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
    • B60N2/0024—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon characterised by the type of sensor or measurement for identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat
    • B60N2/0025—Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon characterised by the type of sensor or measurement for identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat by using weight measurement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
    • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
    • B60N2/0244—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits
    • B60N2/0268—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/56—Heating or ventilating devices
    • B60N2/5678—Heating or ventilating devices characterised by electrical systems
    • B60N2/5685—Resistance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2210/00—Sensor types, e.g. for passenger detection systems or for controlling seats
    • B60N2210/40—Force or pressure sensors

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

A heated vehicle seat 5 is provided in which an electronic controller 20 is programmed to vary the heat supplied to the seat 5 from a seat heater 8 based upon the measured weight of an occupant of the seat 5. Also disclosed is a method in which the seat heater 8 is switched on by the electronic controller 20 before a person enters the motor vehicle so as to pre-heat the seat 5, in response to a sensor associated with a door lock, or a signal from remote door locking means.

Description

A Method for Controlling the Heating of a Seat for a Motor Vehicle This
invention relates to heated seats for motor vehicles and in particular to a method for controlling a heated seat.
It is well known, for example, from US Patent number 6, 093, 910 to provide a mechanism for electrically heating one or more seats of a motor vehicle to improve occupant comfort in cold weather. In a typical seat a heating element is positioned in the base of the seat and is covered by a layer of foam upon which an occupant can sit.
It is a problem with such prior art heated seating arrangements that the perceived performance of the seat heater is not consistent for all occupants utilising the seat. This is because with a heavier occupant more compression of the foam covering occurs compared to that with a light occupant and so the posterior of a heavier occupant is located nearer to the source of the heat.
It is further known from, for example, US-B1-6,478,369 to provide heat to a seat from a heater mounted remotely from the seat via ducting. Although this type of heating arrangement does not suffer so severely from the problem previously described the source of heat is still in the base of the seat and there is a measurable difference between occupancy by a very light occupant and a heavy one.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method for improving the consistency of performance of a heated seat for a motor vehicle.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat, the method comprising determining the weight of an occupant of the seat, determining the required heat to be supplied to the seat based upon the determined weight of occupant and controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide the required heat output.
The method may further comprise checking whether heating is still required and terminating the supply of heat to the seat if it is no longer required.
The method may further comprise controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide more heat for lighter seat occupants than is supplied for heavier seat occupants.
The method may further comprise controlling the heat supplied to the seat for a pre determined range of occupant weights so that it is inversely proportional to the determined weight of the seat occupant.
The method may comprise controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide maximum output until the weight of the occupant reaches a predetermined magnitude and then reducing the heat supplied proportionally to the increasing weight of the occupant until the weight of the occupant reaches a second pre-determined magnitude above which the heat supplied is maintained at a constant low level of heating.
The heat supplied to the seat may be supplied by an electric seat heater. In which case, the heater output is controlled by varying the electrical current supplied to the electric seat heater.
The method may further comprise determining that seat heating will be required and switching on the seat heater before a person enters the motor vehicle.
The method may further comprise switching off the seat heater after a predetermined time delay if actual seat occupancy has not been confirmed.
Actual seat occupancy may be determined by monitoring the output from at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
Determining that seat heating will be required may include monitoring a door lock of the motor vehicle.
Determining that seat heating will be required may include monitoring the ambient temperature to determine whether it is below a pre-determined level.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a heated seat system for a motor vehicle comprising an electric heater, a sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of the seat and an electronic controller to control the amount of heating provided by the seat heater based upon the determined weight of occupant.
The amount of heat supplied from the seat heater may be controlled by the electronic controller for a pre-determined range of occupant weights to vary inversely proportionally to the determined weight of the occupant.
The electronic controller may be operable to provide maximum seat heating when the weight of the occupant is below a pre-determined weight.
The electronic controller may be operable to provide a constant minimum level of seat heating when the weight of the occupant is above a second pre-determined weight.
The electronic controller may be operable to reduce the amount of heat provided in proportion to the increase in weight between the first and second pre-determined weights.
The system may further comprise a means for determining whether the seat is likely to be occupied and is operable to switch on the seat heater before the seat is occupied if occupation is determined to be likely.
The means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied may be the output from a sensor associated with a door lock.
The means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied may be the output from a remote door locking means.
The system may further comprise a means to determine whether actual occupancy of the seat has occurred.
The means to determine whether actual occupancy has occurred may comprise at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method for pre-heating an electrically heated seat for a motor vehicle, the method comprising determining that seat heating is likely to be required and switching on the seat heater before a person enters the motor vehicle.
The method may further comprise switching off the seat heater after a predetermined time delay if actual seat occupancy has not been confirmed.
Actual seat occupancy may be determined by monitoring the output from at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
Determining that seat heating will be required may include at least one of monitoring a door lock of the motor vehicle and monitoring the output from a remote door locking means.
The step of determining that seat heating will be required may further include monitoring the ambient temperature to determine whether it is below a pre-determined level.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a preheated seat system for a motor vehicle comprising an electric heater associated with a seat to be heated, a means for determining whether the seat is likely to be occupied and an electronic - 5 controller to control the heating provide by the seat heater wherein the electronic controller is operable to switch on the electric heater before the seat is occupied if occupation of the seat is determined to be likely.
The means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied may be the output from a sensor associated with a door lock.
The means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied may be the output from a remote door locking means.
The system may further comprise a means to determine whether actual occupancy of the seat has occurred.
The means to determine whether actual occupancy has occurred may comprise at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
The system may further comprise an ambient temperature sensor to supply a signal indicative of the ambient air temperature and the electronic controller may be operable to prevent operation of the seat heater if the ambient air temperature is above a pre determined temperature.
It is one primary advantage of the invention that it utilises sensors and other components already commonly found on modern motor vehicles as part of safety or air conditioning systems to provide a new and novel system for controlling the heating of a I seat.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: - 6 Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a heated seat and control system in accordance with one aspect of the invention; Fig.2 is a look-up table showing one relationship between occupant weight and heater output according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig.3 is a flowchart showing a method of pre-heating a vehicle seat according to the invention; and Fig.4 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling the output from a seat heater in accordance with the invention.
With particular reference to Fig.1 there is shown a motor vehicle having a system 10 for controlling the heating and pre-heating of a vehicle seat 5. The seat 5 is fitted with an electric heater 8 and means are provided in the form of a load sensor 27 to sense the weight of an occupant seated on the seat 5. A temperature sensor 28 is provided to measure the temperature within the core of the seat 5.
The seat heater 8 receives power from a heater power controller 22 which is controlled by an electronic controller 20. A source of electrical power in the form of a 2 battery 24 is provided to power the electronic controller 20 and all of the other components of the system 10 requiring electrical power.
The electronic controller 20 receives input signals from the load sensor 27 and the I temperature sensor 28.
An occupant controllable device in the form of a switch 23 is provided to allow an occupant of the motor vehicle to override the electronic controller 20 and switch on or off the seat heater 8 at any time. As shown the switch 23 is a simple on/off device but it will be - 7 appreciated that the switch could have several additional positions setting various levels of heating for the seat 5.
The electronic controller 20 is operationally arranged to receive the signal from the load sensor 27 and to control the seat heater 8 accordingly. It will be appreciated that the electronic controller 20 can directly control the seat heater 8 or, as shown, use a power controller such as the heater power controller 22 to control the power supplied to the seat heater 8.
The electronic controller 20 is operable to control the heating supplied to the seat 5 such that more heating is supplied to the seat 5 from the seat heater 8 when a light weight passenger is occupying the seat 5 then when a heavy passenger is occupying the seat 5.
This can be done, for example, by performing a calculation within the electronic controller 20 or by using a look-up table stored in memory within the electronic controller 20 1 to determine the required level of heating.
In one embodiment of the invention the electronic controller 20 is operable to vary the heating supplied to the seat 5 inversely proportionally to the weight of the passenger occupying the seat 5 between pre-determined weights.
In a second embodiment the electronic controller 20 supplies the maximum amount of heating to the seat 5 until the weight of an occupant of the seat 5, as sensed by the load sensor 27, reaches a first lower predetermined weight. From this weight to a second higher pre-determined weight the heating supplied is reduced proportionally to the increase in measured weight until the second higher measured weight is reached. Above the second pre-determined weight no further reduction in heating will occur as the weight is increased on the seat 5. This arrangement provides maximum heating when the heater is switched on with no occupancy but maintains a pre-determined level of heating at higher loads. It will be appreciated that the actual relationship used will depend upon the - 8 compressibility of the foam used. If the foam is relatively rigid then the lower and upper pre-determined weights wlil be higher than if a relatively soft foam is used. It will also be appreciated that a non- linear relationship between heat supplied and occupant weight could be used.
Fig.2 shows a look up table stored in the memory of the electronic controller 20 showing the relationship between passenger weight and power supplied from the seat heater 8.
The heat supplied by the seat heater 8 is varied by changing the current supplied to the seat heater 8 by the power controller 22. At 100% heating the maximum permissible current is supplied to the seat heater 8 and at 30% heating only approximately one third of the maximum permissible current is supplied.
Fig.4 shows in skeletal form the logical operations performed by the electronic controller 20. The first step is to determine the weight of an occupant of the seat 5 which is done by analysing the signal sent from the load sensor 27. The next step is to determine the heater setting required based upon the measured weight, this can be done in several ways but in this case it is done by using the look-up table shown in Fig.2. The next step is to set the seat heater 8 to the required setting, this is done by the electronic controller 20 sending a control signal to the power controller 22 to set the current supplied to the seat heater.
The next step is to check whether the seat heater 8 is still required, in this case this is done by monitoring the state of the switch 23 to determine whether it is in the on or off position but it could also be done by using the signal from the seat temperature sensor 28 to determine whether a desired seat temperature has been reached or be based upon a timer which automatically switches off the seat heater 8 after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. If heating is still required the system 10 continues as previously discussed checking the weight of the occupant utilising the seat 5 and varying the heating supplied to the seat 5 accordingly. If the seat heater 8 is no longer required then the electronic controller 20 sends a signal to the power controller 22 to reduce the current supplied to the seat heater to zero.
It will be appreciated that it is not necessary for the electronic controller 20 to know the actual weight of an occupant only to be provided with a signal proportional to the weight of an occupant. That is to say the electronic controller 20 does not need to know whether a passenger weighs 50kg or 100kg but merely that the second weight is twice as heavy as the first weight.
It will be appreciated that the above system 10 is operational as soon as the seat heater 8 is switched on and remains operable so long as the seat heater 8 is on.
It will be further appreciated that the above system could be used to control the heating supplied to more than one seat.
In a refinement of the invention the control system 10 also includes means to pre-heat the seat 5 so that the seat 5 has already started to warm-up before a person enters the motor vehicle.
This is achieved by using the electronic controller 20 to monitor the output from an ambient temperature sensor 21, a means for determining whether the seat 5 is likely to be occupied such as a door lock sensor 25 associated with a door lock 7 fitted to a door 6 of the motor vehicle and a means for confirming that the seat 5 has actually been occupied such as a door entry sensor 26.
It will be appreciated that instead of the door lock sensor the electronic controller 20 could monitor the output from a remote door locking device or from any other suitable device providing an indication that the motor vehicle is about to be occupied. - 1 0
Similarly, although the opening of the door 5 as sensed by the door entry sensor 26 is a convenient way of confirming that actual seat occupancy has taken place, it will be appreciated that the load sensor could also be used to perform this task and that other devices such as thermal and ultrasonic sensors used in safety systems to detect the presence of an occupant could also be used.
Operation of the system is best understood with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig.3 which is a skeletal representation of the logic used by the electronic controller 20 to perform the pre-heating of the seat 5.
The first step is the determination of whether entry is anticipated. This is achieved by monitoring the output from the door lock sensor 25. If a door unlock signal is received then the electronic controller 20 uses this as an indication that imminent occupation of the seat 5 is likely. If no unlock signal is sensed then the electronic controller 20 continues to monitor the output from the door lock sensor 25 but takes no other action.
The next stage is to determine whether seat heating is required. This is done by using the output from the ambient air temperature sensor 21 which provides an indication of the ambient temperature of the air in the cabin of the motor vehicle or surrounding the motor vehicle. When this temperature is above a pre-determined limit no seat heating is required and the system is operable to terminate without switching on the seat heater 8. This pre- determined temperature will depend on the environment in which the motor vehicle is used but is typically in the range 5 to 1 SAC.
If the temperature is below the pre-determined limit then the next stage is to determine whether the battery 24 has sufficient stored electrical power to supply the seat heater 8 while retaining reserves for engine starting and other essential electrical demands.
If sufficient energy is not available then the system terminates without switching on the seat heater 8. - 1 1
If sufficient energy is available from the battery 24 then the electronic controller 20 is operable to switch on the seat heater 8 and simultaneously starts a timer running.
The next stage is to determine whether the seat is actually occupied, this is done by monitoring whether the door 6 opens during the period when the timer is running by monitoring the output from the door entry sensor 26. If the door 6 does open during the period when the timer is running then this is used by the electronic controller 20 as a confirmation of actual seat occupation and the seat heater 8 is kept on. If no signal is received from the door entry sensor 26 during the period when the timer is running then this is used by the electronic controller 20 as an indication that the seat 5 has not been occupied and the seat heater 8 is switched off to prevent the battery 24 from being unnecessarily depleted.
If the seat heater 8 remains on then the electronic controller 20 is operable to control the seat heater 8 based upon the weight of occupant as already described above.
It will be appreciated that the system 10 as described herein has two modes of operation, a first mode of operation used to pre-heat the seat to improve occupant comfort upon vehicle entry and a second mode of operation utilising occupant weight to improve occupant comfort once seated in the seat. However these two modes of operation are not interdependent upon one another and a system could be provide with only one of the two modes of operation.
It will be appreciated by the man skilled in the art that this invention has been described by way of example with reference to specific embodiments of the invention but that it is not so limited and that various modifications or alternative embodiments could be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
For example, although the invention has been described with reference to a seat having an electrical heater fitted in the seat it is applicable to an electrical heater remotely - 1 2 mounted supplying heated air to the seat through a conduit and that the second mode of operation could also be used for the type of seat heated by air from a cabin heater.
In this later case the electronic controller would be linked or could be a part of the heater or air conditioning system of the vehicle and would control the heat supplied to the seat based upon the determined weight of an occupant of the seat. - 1 3

Claims (37)

1. A method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat, the method comprising determining the weight of an occupant of the seat, determining the required heat to be supplied to the seat based upon the determined weight of occupant and controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide the required heat output.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises checking whether heating is still required and terminating the supply of heat to the seat if it is no longer required.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2 wherein the method further comprises controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide more heat for lighter seat occupants than is supplied for heavier seat occupants.
4. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the method further comprises controlling the heat supplied to the seat for a pre-determined range of occupant weights so that it is inversely proportional to the determined weight of the seat occupant.
5. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the method further comprises i controlling the heat supplied to the seat to provide maximum output until the weight of the occupant reaches a predetermined magnitude and then reducing the heat supplied proportionally to the increasing weight of the occupant until the weight of the occupant reaches a second pre-determined magnitude above which the heat supplied is maintained at a constant low level of heating.
6. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the heat supplied to the seat is supplied by an electric seat heater. - 14
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the heater output is controlled by varying the electrical current supplied to the electric seat heater.
8. A method as claimed in claim 6 or in claim 7 wherein the method further comprises determining that seat heating will be required and switching on the seat heater before a person enters the motor vehicle.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the method further comprises switching off the seat heater after a pre-determined time delay if actual seat occupancy has not been confirmed.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein actual seat occupancy is determined by monitoring the output from at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
11. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 wherein determining that seat heating will be required includes monitoring a door lock of the motor vehicle.
12. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 wherein determining that seat heating will be required includes monitoring the ambient temperature to determine whether it is below a pre-determined level.
13. A heated seat system for a motor vehicle comprising an electric heater, a sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of the seat and an electronic controller to control the amount of heating provided by the seat heater based upon the determined weight of occupant.
14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the amount of heat supplied from the seat heater is controlled by the electronic controller to vary for a pre-determined range of I occupant weights inversely proportionally to the determined weight of the occupant. - 1 5
15. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the electronic controller is operable to provide maximum seat heating when the weight of the occupant is below a pre- determined weight.
16. A system as claimed in claim 13 or in claim 15 wherein the electronic controller is operable to provide a constant minimum level of seat heating when the weight of the occupant is above a second pre-determined weight.
17. A system as claimed in claim16 when dependent upon claim 15 wherein the electronic controller is operable to reduce the amount of heat provided in proportion to the increase in weight between the first and second pre-determined weights.
18. A system as claimed in any of claims 13 to 17 wherein the system further comprises a means for determining whether the seat is likely to be occupied and is operable to switch on the seat heater before the seat is occupied if occupation is determined to be likely.
19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied is the output from a sensor associated with a door lock.
A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied is the output from a remote door locking means.
21. A system as claimed in any of claims 13 to 20 wherein the system further comprises a means to determine whether actual occupancy of the seat has occurred.
22. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the means to determine whether actual occupancy has occurred comprises at least one of a door sensor and a seat load I sensor. - 16
23. A method for pre-heating an electrically heated seat for a motor vehicle, the method comprising determining that seat heating is likely to be required and switching on the seat heater before a person enters the motor vehicle.
24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the method further comprises switching off the seat heater after a pre-determined time delay if actual seat occupancy has not been confirmed.
25. A method as claimed in claim 24 wherein actual seat occupancy is determined by monitoring the output from at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
26. A method as claimed in any of claims 23 to 25 wherein determining that seat heating will be required includes at least one of monitoring a door lock of the motor vehicle and monitoring the output from a remote door locking means.
27. A method as claimed in any of claims 23 to 26 wherein the step of determining that seat heating will be required further includes monitoring the ambient temperature to determine whether it is below a pre- determined level.
28. A pre-heated seat system for a motor vehicle comprising an electric heater associated with a seat to be heated, a means for determining whether the seat is likely to be occupied and an electronic controller to control the heating provide by the seat heater wherein the electronic controller is operable to switch on the electric heater before the seat is occupied if occupation of the seat is detemmined to be likely.
29. A system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied is the output from a sensor associated with a door lock. I
30. A system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the means to determine whether the seat is likely to be occupied is the output from a remote door locking means. - 1 7
31. A system as claimed in any of claims 28 to 30 wherein the system further comprises a means to determine whether actual occupancy of the seat has occurred.
32. A system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the means to determine whether actual occupancy has occurred comprises at least one of a door sensor and a seat load sensor.
33. A system as claimed in any of claims 28 to 32 wherein the system further comprises an ambient temperature sensor to supply a signal indicative of the ambient air temperature and the electronic controller is operable to prevent operation of the seat heater if the ambient air temperature is above a pre-determined temperature.
34. A method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
35. A heated seat system for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
36. A method for pre-heating an electrically heated seat for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
37. A pre-heated seat system for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB0319650A 2003-08-21 2003-08-21 Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat Expired - Fee Related GB2405222B (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0319650A GB2405222B (en) 2003-08-21 2003-08-21 Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat
GB0608570A GB2427039B (en) 2003-08-21 2003-08-21 A Method For Controlling The Heating Of A Seat For A Motor Vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0319650A GB2405222B (en) 2003-08-21 2003-08-21 Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat

Publications (4)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0319650D0 GB0319650D0 (en) 2003-09-24
GB2405222A true GB2405222A (en) 2005-02-23
GB2405222A8 GB2405222A8 (en) 2007-03-15
GB2405222B GB2405222B (en) 2007-10-17

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GB0319650A Expired - Fee Related GB2405222B (en) 2003-08-21 2003-08-21 Method for controlling the heating of a motor vehicle seat

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102011107008A1 (en) * 2011-07-09 2013-01-10 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Vehicle seat with seat heater, has control unit that is operated based on determined seat load and heating rate, for individually controlling or regulating heating circuits used for heating seat main portion and backrest

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH05220027A (en) * 1992-02-18 1993-08-31 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heater unit for seat
DE19503291A1 (en) * 1995-02-02 1996-08-08 Fichtel & Sachs Ag Temperature control for motor vehicle seat
DE10029237A1 (en) * 2000-06-14 2001-12-20 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Variable seat heating has sensors distributed over seat surface and associated with areas of heater that are selectively switched on when pressure acts on associated sensors
KR20020045803A (en) * 2000-12-11 2002-06-20 류정열 Seat warmer system
US20030141983A1 (en) * 2000-05-17 2003-07-31 Marc Schmiz Combined sensor and heating element

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH05220027A (en) * 1992-02-18 1993-08-31 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heater unit for seat
DE19503291A1 (en) * 1995-02-02 1996-08-08 Fichtel & Sachs Ag Temperature control for motor vehicle seat
US20030141983A1 (en) * 2000-05-17 2003-07-31 Marc Schmiz Combined sensor and heating element
DE10029237A1 (en) * 2000-06-14 2001-12-20 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Variable seat heating has sensors distributed over seat surface and associated with areas of heater that are selectively switched on when pressure acts on associated sensors
KR20020045803A (en) * 2000-12-11 2002-06-20 류정열 Seat warmer system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102011107008A1 (en) * 2011-07-09 2013-01-10 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Vehicle seat with seat heater, has control unit that is operated based on determined seat load and heating rate, for individually controlling or regulating heating circuits used for heating seat main portion and backrest

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2405222B (en) 2007-10-17
GB0319650D0 (en) 2003-09-24
GB2405222A8 (en) 2007-03-15

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