Patent ID: 7053575

Claim:
In a vehicle having powered seats including a front seat and a rear seat, wherein the rear seat is arranged in back of said front seat, the rear seat is adapted to be automatically moved in a forward/rearward direction, said rear seat includes a first seat cushion and a first seat back, the first seat cushion and the first seat back being pivotally connected to each other, the first seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said first seat cushion, and said first seat cushion being adapted to be automatically tipped up relative to said first seat back, and said front seat includes a second seat cushion and a second seat back, said second seat cushion and said second seat back being pivotally connected to each other, and said second seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said second seat cushion, a method performed by a programmable controller for controlling operations of the powered seats comprising the steps of: (a) detecting a reclining angle of said second seat back relative to said second seat cushion, thereby determining whether said second seat back is inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion; (b) when it is determined in step (a) that said second seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion, then detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, or when it is determined in step (a) that said second seat back is inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion, causing said second seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said second seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion; (c) when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, automatically moving said rear seat toward said front seat or, when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, causing said first seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said first seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, automatically moving said rear seat toward said front seat.