PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10189434-B1
Application Number: US-201615269025-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Augmented safety restraint

Abstract:
An augmented safety restraint system includes a first restraint operable to secure a first passenger. The first restraint has an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger. A gesture-sensing device is disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint and is operable to receive an input from the first passenger.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An augmented safety restraint system, comprising:
 a first seat; 
 a first restraint operable to secure a first passenger to the first seat, the first restraint having an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger; and 
 a gesture-sensing device integrated into a material of the first restraint and operable to receive an input from the first passenger on the exposed surface of the first restraint facing away from the body of the first passenger. 
 
     
     
       2. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vehicle system, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the vehicle system. 
 
     
     
       3. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electronic device that is integrated into the first restraint, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       4. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an external electronic device that is separate from the first restraint and is connected to the gesture-sensing device by one of a wired connection or a wireless connection, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the external electronic device. 
 
     
     
       5. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a light emitting device for illuminating an area adjacent to the first restraint, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the light emitting device. 
 
     
     
       6. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an energy-producing device disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint, wherein the energy-producing device provides energy to the gesture-sensing device. 
 
     
     
       7. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the display. 
 
     
     
       8. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a haptic feedback device that is integrated into the first restraint to cause a vibration of the first restraint in response to a command from a vehicle notification system. 
 
     
     
       9. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of a vibration pattern or a vibration strength for the haptic feedback device is obtained from a user profile for the first passenger. 
     
     
       10. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second restraint operable to secure a second passenger; and 
 a haptic feedback device that is integrated into the second restraint, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the haptic feedback device in the second restraint to cause the haptic feedback device to cause a vibration of the second restraint. 
 
     
     
       11. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 10 , wherein the input from the first passenger is made at a gesture location on the gesture-sensing device of the first restraint, and the haptic feedback device causes the vibration at a feedback location on the second restraint that is selected to correspond to the gesture location. 
     
     
       12. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a climate control system, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the climate control system. 
 
     
     
       13. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a telephone system, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the telephone system. 
 
     
     
       14. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a navigation system, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the navigation system. 
 
     
     
       15. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 14 , wherein the command sets a desired destination for the navigation system. 
     
     
       16. An augmented safety restraint system, comprising:
 a first seat; 
 a first seat restraint operable to secure a first passenger to the first seat, the first restraint having an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger; 
 a gesture-sensing device disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint and operable to receive an input from the first passenger; and 
 an autonomous vehicle control system, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the autonomous vehicle control system. 
 
     
     
       17. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 16 , wherein the command sets a desired destination for the autonomous vehicle control system. 
     
     
       18. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an external vehicle-connected device, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the external vehicle-connected device. 
 
     
     
       19. The augmented safety restraint system of  claim 18 , wherein the external vehicle-connected device is a home automation device. 
     
     
       20. An augmented safety restraint system, comprising:
 a first restraint operable to secure a first passenger, the first restraint having an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger; 
 a gesture-sensing device disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint and operable to receive an input from the first passenger; 
 a second restraint operable to secure a second passenger; and 
 an electronic device that is integrated into the second restraint, wherein, in response to the input from the first passenger, a command is sent to the electronic device in the second restraint.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/233,714, which was filed on Sep. 28, 2015. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The application relates generally to safety restraints. More particularly, described embodiments relate to augmented safety restraints configured to allow secured passengers to interact both with the vehicle and with each other using the augmented safety restraints. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the automotive field, recent vehicle designs have implemented features intended to enhance the experience of drivers and passengers. As an example, on-board entertainment systems have evolved from simple radio receivers to sophisticated multi-function devices that include navigation functions, multimedia file playback functions, video display functions, and telephone communication functions. As another example, comfort amenities available in some vehicles include heated seats, cooled seats, and seats with massaging capabilities. 
     Future developments, such as autonomous driving modes, will further increase user demand for an enhanced in-vehicle experience. As an example, autonomous driving functions are in the early stages of user adoption. Upon development and adoption of fully autonomous driving modes, users will be able to treat travel time as leisure time, and participate in leisure activities such as communicating with other persons or consuming media content. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosed embodiments is an augmented safety restraint system that includes a first restraint operable to secure a first passenger. The first restraint has an exposed surface facing away from a body of the first passenger. A gesture-sensing device is disposed on the exposed surface of the first restraint and is operable to receive an input from the first passenger. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is an augmented safety restraint operable to secure a passenger. The augmented safety restraint includes a passenger securing structure and a display device connected to the passenger securing structure and operable to display visual content in response to an input signal. 
     Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is an augmented safety restraint that includes a restraint structure operable to secure a passenger. The restraint structure has a surface. An energy-producing device is disposed on the surface. The energy-producing device generates electrical energy. An electronic device is connected to the restraint structure and receives the electrical energy from the energy-producing device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an example of a computing device. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a first example of a vehicle seating schematic with use positions for a plurality of seats and augmented safety restraints. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a second example of a vehicle seating schematic with use positions for a plurality of seats and augmented safety restraints. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 5  shows a touch-based or haptic communication feature for an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 6  shows audio communication features for an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 7  shows a passenger-monitoring feature for an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 8  shows a passenger-comfort feature for an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 9  shows a display feature for an augmented safety restraint. 
         FIG. 10  shows an energy-generation feature for an augmented safety restraint. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     International laws for driving safety require every passenger within a vehicle to use a safety restraint to secure the passenger to a seat allotted for single passenger use. The ubiquity of safety restraints makes them an ideal candidate for enhancement, to provide safety features, vehicle interaction capabilities, communication capabilities, entertainment functions, and comfort-enhancing functions. 
     An augmented safety restraint may be configured to: secure the passenger within the vehicle; provide holistic monitoring of passenger status; supply entertainment and comfort; allow communication or interaction between the passenger, vehicle, and other passengers within the vehicle; and generate power sufficient to run the aforementioned capabilities. These features allow for enhancement of passenger activities, improved interaction with the vehicle and/or other passengers, and energetic autonomy while at the same time meeting regulatory safety requirements. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example of a computing device  100  that can be used with the augmented safety restraints described herein. The computing device  100  can be a single computing device, housed, for example, in a vehicle head unit, or be a separate device such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a mobile telephone. Alternatively, the computing device  100  can be a system that includes multiple computing devices working cooperatively. 
     In the illustrated example, the computing device  100  includes a processor  102 , a memory device  104 , a storage device  106 , one or more input devices  108 , and one or more output devices  110 , which are interconnected by a bus  112 . The computing device  100  can also include a bus interface  114  for connecting peripheral devices to the bus  112 . In some embodiments, the bus interface  114  may be connected to communications hardware for connecting to a wireless network, e.g., GSM, UMTS, and LTE, to allow communication with an external server or a cloud service. 
     The processor  102  can be any type of device that is able to process or manipulate information, including devices that are currently known and devices that may be developed in the future. As an example, the processor  102  can be a conventional central processing unit (CPU). Although the illustrated example shows a single processor, multiple processors can be utilized instead of a single processor. 
     The memory device  104  is utilized to store information for immediate use by the processor  102 . The memory device  104  includes either or both of a random access memory (RAM) device and a read only memory (ROM) device. The memory device  104  can be utilized to store information, such as program instructions that can be executed by the processor  102 , and data that is stored by and retrieved by the processor  102 . In addition, portions of the operating system of the computing device  100  and other applications that are being executed by the computing device  100  can be stored by the memory device during operation of the computing device  100 . 
     The storage device  106  is utilized to store large amounts of data persistently. As examples, the storage device  106  can be a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive. 
     The input devices  108  can include any type of device that is operable to generate computer interpretable signals or data in response to user interaction with the computing device  100 , such as physical interaction, verbal interaction, or non-contacting gestural interaction. As examples, the input devices  108  can include one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a touch-sensitive panel with or without an associated display, a trackball, a stylus, a microphone, a camera, or a three-dimensional motion capture device. The input devices  108  can also include any type of device that is operable to transfer computer interpretable signals or data to the computing device  100 , such as sensors or mobile devices. 
     The output devices  110  can include any type of device that is able to relay information in a manner that can be perceived by a user or utilized by another device. As examples, the output devices  110  can include one or more of an LCD display screen, an LED display screen, a CRT display screen, a printer, an audio output device such as a speaker, a haptic output device, a data port such as a USB or HDMI connector, etc. In some implementations, the output devices  110  include a display screen and the input devices  108  include a touch sensitive panel that is integrated into the display screen to define a touch-sensitive display screen. 
     The bus  112  can transfer signals and/or data between the components of the computing device  100 . Although depicted as a single bus, it should be understood that multiple or varying types of buses can be utilized to interconnect the components of the computing device  100 . The bus interface  114  can be any type of device that allows other devices, whether internal or external, to connect to the bus  112 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a first example of a vehicle seating schematic  216  with use positions for a plurality of seats and augmented safety restraints. In this example, six passenger seats  218 A-F are shown as populating three vehicle seating rows with traditional side-by-side two-seat sets (e.g.,  218 A-B,  218 C-D, and  218 E-F) in each of the three vehicle seating rows. In the front vehicle seating row, two augmented safety restraints  220 A-B are shown as including integrated side airbags  222 A-B, the integrated side airbags  222 A-B being traditionally housed within or proximate to a b-pillar of the vehicle (not shown). The four remaining augmented safety restraints  220 C-F are distributed one per seat  218 C-F along the second two vehicle rows. Each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F is shown in a use position, though the associated passengers secured by the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F are not shown in  FIG. 2  for clarity. 
     Any or all of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F may include a side airbag. A pair of pre-tensioner devices  224 A-B is also shown in conjunction with the augmented safety restraints  220 E-F, though it is understood that any or all of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F can include a pre-tensioner device. 
     Each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F includes a restraint structure, which is a passenger securing structure such as a belt or a harness, that is secured to the vehicle or to the passenger seats  218 A-F, and has a passenger-facing surface that is able to engage the body of a passenger to restrain motion of the passenger relative to the respective one of the passenger seats  218 A-F. Each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F includes one or more attached or embedded devices, referred to herein as augmentations, which may be located on an exposed surface of each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F or located within each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F. 
     In the illustrated example, each of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F includes a three-point safety belt that has a lower belt portion (i.e., a lap belt portion) configured to cross the lap of the respective secured passenger and an upper belt portion (i.e., a sash belt portion) configured to cross the chest of the secured passenger in a traditional manner. The augmentations discussed herein may be located on any portion of the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F, such as the lower belt portion or the upper belt portion. Though the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F shown here are common three-point seat belts, other restraint types (e.g., inflatable belts, webs, harnesses, etc.) are also possible. 
       FIG. 3  shows a second example of a vehicle seating schematic  316  with use positions for a plurality of seats and augmented safety restraints. In this example, four passenger seats  318 A-D are shown as populating two vehicle seating rows with traditional side-by-side two-seat sets (e.g.,  318 A-B,  318 C-D) in each of the two vehicle seating rows. Augmented safety restraints  320 A-D are distributed one per seat  318 A-D along the two vehicle seating rows. In this vehicle seating schematic  316 , the two front-row seats  318 A,  318 B are turned such that they face the two back-row seats  318 C,  318 D. Thus, the vehicle seating schematic  316  in  FIG. 3  can be used, for example, in an autonomous vehicle or in a recreational vehicle, which may be towed by a manually-driven vehicle or an autonomously-driven vehicle. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram that shows an augmented safety restraint  420 , which can be utilized as the augmented safety restraints  220 A-F of  FIG. 2  or as the augmented safety restraints  320 A-D of  FIG. 3 . The augmented safety restraint  420  includes one or more devices that are disposed within or on an exterior surface of the augmented safety restraint  420 , and which provide additional or enhanced functionality to the augmented safety restraint  420 . As examples, the augmented safety restraint  420  may include any or all of a gesture-sensing device  428 , a microphone  430 , speakers  432 , sensors  434 , heating/cooling devices  436 , a display  438 , photovoltaic devices  440 , biometric sensors  444 , an image capture device  446 , a projecting device  448 , a light emitting device  450 , a haptic feedback device  452 , and a device interface  454 . The device interface  454  is operable to connect the augmented safety restraint  420  to an external device  456  by a wired connection or a wireless connection. The components of the augmented safety restraint  420  may communicate with one another and/or with the external device  456 , such as by sending, receiving, and operating in response to commands. 
     The gesture-sensing device  428  can include a sensor with either contact or non-contact sensitive features that can be implemented using capacitive, optical, wave, force-based, or any other technology sufficient to detect a touch-based or gesture-based indication from the passenger. 
     The microphone  430  may be any manner of audio input device, and may be integrated into or located on the augmented safety restraint  420  at a single location or at multiple locations. The speaker  432  may be any manner of audio output device, and may be integrated into or located on the augmented safety restraint  420  at a single location or at multiple locations. 
     The sensors  434  may be any manner of sensing device that is operable to provide information representing a current state of the passengers or environment in the vehicle. 
     The heating/cooling device  436  is integrated into or located on the augmented safety restraint  420 . As examples, the heating/cooling device  436  may be one or both of a heating device or a cooling device and may include, as examples, a resistive heater and/or a thermoelectric cooler. 
     The display  438  is integrated into and/or located on the augmented safety restraint  420  and is a display screen or display device of any type that is operable to output information in a visually perceptible form. The display  438  may receive an input signal, such as from other components of the augmented safety restraint  420  or from the external device  456 , and display visual content such as a video, an image, a color, or illumination. As examples, the display  438  can be implemented by means of LED, liquid crystal, plasma panels, or an OLED layer applied to the exposed surface of the augmented safety restraint  420 , or any other display devices that are currently known and display devices that may be developed in the future. In some implementations, the gesture-sensing device  428  is integrated into the display  438 . 
     The photovoltaic devices  440  are operable to generate electrical energy when exposed to sunlight and may be used, for example, to provide electrical energy to other components of the augmented safety restraint  420 . 
     The biometric sensors  444  may be utilized to identify a passenger or to control access to information or functions. As one example, the biometric sensors  444  may include a fingerprint recognition sensor. As another example, the biometric sensors  444  may include a camera in association with facial recognition functionality implemented in, for example, the computing device  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
     The image capture device  446  may be a still-image capture device (i.e., a camera) or a video capture device (i.e., a video camera). The image capture device  446  may be used, for example, as a sensor to measure properties of the passengers and/or the environment. 
     The projecting device  448  may be, as examples, a video projector or a controllable laser beam. The projecting device is operable to display an image on a surface within the vehicle, such as on a seatback surface or an interior trim panel. 
     The light emitting device  450  may be, as examples, an LED, a light bulb, or any other device that is currently known or may be developed in the future, that is operable to provide illumination to an area adjacent to the augmented safety restraint  420 . The light emitting device  450  is integrated into or located on the augmented safety restraint  420 , and may be used to illuminate an object that a passenger is holding, such as a book. Operation of the light emitting device  450  may be controlled by commands from other components of the augmented safety restraint  420 . As an example, the gesture-sensing device  428  may be operable to switch the light emitting device  450  between on and off states, and may be operable to control the color and/or intensity of the light produced by the light emitting device  450 . 
     The haptic feedback device  452  is operable to provide sensory information to the passenger. As an example, the haptic feedback device  452  may be a vibrating device such as a motor that is integrated into the augmented safety restraint  420 . In one embodiment, the augmented safety restraint  420  may be augmented solely by incorporation of the haptic feedback device  452  and supporting hardware such as the computing device  100  of  FIG. 1 , with additional functionality provided by attached devices that are connected to the augmented safety restraint  420  using the device interface  454 . 
     The device interface  454  allows communication with electrical devices that are separate from the augmented safety restraint  420 , such as the external device  456 . The device interface  454  may be any type of electrical connection that allows transmission of signals and/or data between the augmented safety restraint  420  and the external device  456 . The device interface  454  may be a wired connection or a wireless connection. 
     The external device  456  is an electronic device that is separate from the augmented safety restraint  420  but is in electrical communication with one or more components that are integrated into the augmented safety restraint  420 , for transfer of signals and/or data. In one embodiment, the external device  456  may be any of the devices described as augmentations that could be integrated into the augmented safety restraint  420 . In this embodiment, one or more devices are connected to the augmented safety restraint  420  through the device interface  454  by a wired or wireless connection to the augmented safety restraint, instead of being integrated. Thus, as examples, the gesture-sensing device  428  or the sensors  434  could be in communication with the augmented safety restraint  420  through a wired or wireless connection, and may also be physically attached to the exterior of the augmented safety restraint  420 , such as by a clip. In addition, the augmented safety restraint  420  may be augmented solely by incorporation of the device interface  454  and supporting hardware such as the computing device  100  of  FIG. 1 , with additional functionality being provided by attached devices that are connected to the augmented safety restraint  420  using the device interface  454 . 
     In one embodiment, the external device  456  may be a computing device or communications device such as a mobile telephone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or a head-mounted display that is connected to the augmented safety restraint  420  through the device interface  454  by a wired connection or a wireless connection. The augmented safety restraint  420  may be configured to interact with the external device  456 . As one example, components of the augmented safety restraint  420  may provide inputs to the external device  456 , such as inputs provided by the gesture-sensing device  428 , the microphone  430 , the sensors  434 , and the image capture device  446 . Thus, the augmented safety restraint  420  may be used to control the external device  456 . As another example, components of the augmented safety restraint  420  may be utilized as output devices by the external device  456 , such as outputs provided by the speakers  432 , the display  438 , and the projecting device  448 . Thus, components of the augmented safety restraint  420  may be utilized by and/or controlled by the external device  456 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a touch-based or haptic communication feature for an augmented safety restraint  520 . The augmented safety restraint  520  is shown as securing a passenger  526  to a seat  518 . The augmented safety restraint  520  can include touch and/or multi-touch capabilities that make it possible for the passenger  526  to interact with the vehicle. The passenger  526  can use touch to control aspects of the vehicle system, e.g., the climate control system, the windows, the volume of audio feedback, etc. The passenger  526  can also use touch to interact with other electronic devices within the vehicle, e.g., increasing the volume of a phone call, or answering or rejecting an incoming phone call. The passenger  526  can also use touch to promote interaction with other passengers in the vehicle. The touch/multi-touch capabilities described further below, in conjunction with the proximity of the augmented safety restraint  520  to the passenger&#39;s body, allow the passenger  526  to control vehicle features and communicate with other passengers that could otherwise be out-of-range of the secured passenger  526 . The passenger  526  can also use touches or gestures to input a desired destination for a navigation system or for an autonomous vehicle control system. The passenger  526  can also use touches or gestures to control or interact with vehicle-connected devices, inside or outside the vehicle, physically or wirelessly connected, to perform functions such as answering or rejecting incoming phone calls, controlling a multimedia player or appliances of an automated home, e.g., the lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning appliances, and security of the automated home. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , touch/multi-touch capabilities are introduced into the augmented safety restraint  520  by integrating a gesture-sensing device  528  into the material of the augmented safety restraint  520 . The gesture-sensing device  528  can be accessible on only one surface or on both surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  520  (i.e., opposite surfaces such as the passenger-facing surface and the exposed surface). The augmented safety restraint  520  can also include multiple gesture-sensing devices  528 , though only the gesture-sensing devices  528  located on the part of the augmented safety restraint  520  that faces the secured passenger  526  or that is exposed to the environment may be activated. The gesture-sensing device  528  can include a sensor with either contact or non-contact sensitive features that can be implemented using capacitive, optical, wave, force-based, or any other technology sufficient to detect a touch-based or gesture-based indication from the secured passenger  526  using gesture-sensing device  528  integrated with the augmented safety restraint  520 . 
     For example, when the gesture-sensing device  528  uses force-based technology, the direction of the force acting on a touch point of the gesture-sensing device  528  can be inferred and used to provide differing instructions to various vehicle components through, for example, the computing device  100 , based on the direction detected. In all of the above examples, the gesture-sensing device  528  can be tailored to allow interaction by means of multiple touch points for one passenger  526  or unique single touch points for multiple passengers. Touches on the gesture-sensing device  528  may be made by the passenger in the seat that the augmented safety restraint  520  is used with, or may be made by another person, such as by a parent adjusting parameters for their child. 
     Sensed touches or gestures can be used to control vehicle systems including vehicle features and amenities. The secured passenger  526  can tap, swipe, or gesture in a pre-defined manner either directly on or in the vicinity of the gesture-sensing device  528  in order to perform such vehicle functions as changing window height, seat position, radio volume, etc. The sensed touches or gestures can similarly be used to control or interact with vehicle-connected devices to perform functions such as answering or rejecting incoming phone calls or controlling a multimedia player. 
     Sensed touches or gestures can also be used to communicate with and interact with other passengers in the vehicle, for example, by using directed vibrating or haptic functionalities. In one example, the passenger  526  of  FIG. 5  can touch the gesture-sensing device  528  on the augmented safety restraint  520  in order to create a vibration or “poke” another passenger at the same location on the other passenger&#39;s augmented safety restraint. The vibration or “poke” feature can also be used to gain passenger attention in cases when the passenger is distracted and there is an expected or unexpected event to be brought to the passenger&#39;s attention. 
     The gesture-sensing device  528  can also include or control vibration to complement a seat vibrating feature used for comfort or to complement other vehicle notification systems. The vibration feature can be integrated into the comfort related controls for the seat  518 , allowing the passenger  526  to regulate the intensity and modality of the vibration. For example, the vibration can be programmed to be activated in predefined situations (e.g., at a certain time set by the passenger  526 , in the proximity of a specified point of interest (POI) along the selected route of the passenger  526 , etc.) or asynchronously (e.g., as a haptic warning based on drowsiness of the passenger  526 , exceeding the speed limit, having a low fuel reserve, or any other warning associated with various vehicle parameters). 
     The vibrating functionality associated with the gesture-sensing device  528  can also be used to provide haptic feedback during passenger interactions with the vehicle (e.g., feedback for acknowledgment of inputs) and/or with other co-passengers (e.g., vibration at the same spot on another passenger&#39;s safety restraint when the passenger  526  pokes or swipes the augmented safety restraint  520  at the location of the gesture-sensing device  528 ). In addition to providing vibration using the gesture-sensing device  528 , other vibrating devices can be used. For example, vibrating devices can be integrated into the anchor points or spread along the surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  520 . When vibrating devices are spread along the surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  520 , only the vibrating devices that are presently in contact with the passenger&#39;s body, for example, on the passenger-facing surface, are activated to provide vibration. 
     In some embodiments, the vibrating functionality can be personalized with different vibration patterns and strengths created by the user and stored in a user profile. The user may utilize, select, and/or create different patterns for different types of alerts such as a first alert type that corresponds to an incoming telephone call and a second alert type that corresponds to a notification from a vehicle system. Other types of alerts can be issued and custom patterns may be established for those alerts as well. 
       FIG. 6  shows audio communication features for an augmented safety restraint  620  that is attached to a seat  618  for use by a passenger  626 . Noise (e.g., from vehicle operation, the radio, the external environment, other passengers talking, etc.) can impede communication within a vehicle. The quality of audio input/output signals can be improved using integrated audio capture and playback devices such as microphones  630  and speakers  632  based on the devices&#39; proximity to the passenger&#39;s mouth and ears, respectively. Integrated microphones  630  may be used to monitor the passenger  626  for stress/emotional well-being based on tone of voice in addition to being able to enhance the quality of vocal commands conveyed to the vehicle and improving hands-free phone communications. Integrated speakers  632  can be used to direct phone- or vehicle-based communications to the passenger  626  in addition to directing audio from multimedia components to the passenger  626 . The integrated microphones  630  and speakers  632  may also be used to improve intra-passenger communication, by capturing audio from a passenger who is speaking and playing that audio for a different passenger in the vehicle. This improvement to intra-passenger communication may be helpful when high levels of road noise make it difficult for passengers to hear one another. This improvement to intra-passenger communication may also be useful to allow persons with hearing impairments to hear other passengers. The integrated microphones  630  and speakers  632  may also be used to apply transformations to the voice recorded from one passenger, and the transformed voice recording is output at the speakers  632  near another passenger. This feature may be used when playing an interactive game or when telling a story by transforming the voice of the passenger to match the voice of a character. In some embodiments, the passenger  626  or another passenger may be able to control aspects of operation of the microphones  630  and speakers  632  using a user interface, such as by routing certain content to a particular passenger, or selectively muting the microphones  630  that are associated with certain passengers. 
     In one embodiment, an array of microphones  630  and speakers  632  can be integrated into the augmented safety restraint  620  with usage adapted according to the position of each microphone  630  or speaker  632  along the passenger&#39;s torso. For example, only the speakers  632  lying in the area of the passenger&#39;s shoulder can be activated in order to reproduce sound content directed at the passenger  626  from various sources (e.g., a phone call, music from the vehicle&#39;s entertainment system, navigation instructions, etc.), while the rest of speakers  632  are inactive. 
     Similarly, from the set of microphones  630  exposed to the passenger  626 , only the microphones  630  in the area of the passenger&#39;s shoulder can be used to register the passenger&#39;s voice for various voice-based use cases (e.g., a phone call, voice commands to the vehicle, inter-passenger communications, etc.), while the rest of the microphones  630  along the torso and lap portions of the augmented safety restraint  620  can be used to measure the ambient noise for sound-balancing purposes (e.g., active noise cancelation, internal activities monitoring, etc.). 
     The set of microphones  630  and speakers  632  can be integrated into the material of the augmented safety restraint  620  during the manufacturing process and can be accessible on both sides of the augmented safety restraint  620  in order to be in close contact with the passenger  626  and the surrounding environment. In addition to providing a set of microphones  630  and speakers  632  that are integrated into the material of the augmented safety restraint  620 , other microphones and speakers can be used. For example, microphones and/or speakers can be integrated into the anchor points or spread along the surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  620 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a monitoring feature for an augmented safety restraint  720  that is attached to a seat  718  for use by a passenger  726 . The augmented safety restraint  720  can include sensors  734  that are able to measure properties of the passenger  726  and/or the environment. In some embodiments, the sensors  734  are operable to measure the vital signs of the secured passenger  726  such as the passenger&#39;s heart rate, breathing rate, temperature, CO level, blood alcohol content, etc. This information can be used to document the passenger&#39;s health status, stress level, and emotional well-being for various purposes (e.g., diagnostic, research, investigations, etc.) and falls into the category of activities meant to monitor driver/passenger physical status. 
     The sensors  734  can be integrated into the material of the augmented safety restraint  720  during the manufacturing process and can be accessible on both sides of the augmented safety restraint  720  in order to be in close contact with the passenger  726  and the surrounding environment. Passenger status parameters such as heart rate, breathing rate, temperature, and air quality metrics related to passenger status (e.g., CO level, blood alcohol content, etc.) that are detected by the sensors  734  can be used in various monitoring scenarios. For example, one of the integrated sensors  734  can be a breathalyzer sensor configured to prevent the vehicle from starting if the passenger&#39;s blood alcohol content is above a predetermined threshold. In another example, the information captured by the sensors  734  can be used for forensic purposes. 
     In addition to the sensors  734 , other sensors or devices equipped with sensors may be used. For example, sensors and/or devices equipped with sensors can be integrated into the anchor points or spread along the surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  720 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a passenger-comfort feature for an augmented safety restraint  820 . The augmented safety restraint  820  is shown as securing a passenger  826  to a seat  818 . The augmented safety restraint  820  can include thermal functionality which, complementing the seat heating or cooling, can increase passenger comfort in both hot and cold conditions. For example, heating/cooling devices  836  are integrated within the manufacturing material and along the length of the augmented safety restraint  820 . In another example, the exposed heating/cooling devices  836  can be activated to warm or cool the passenger  826 , for example, in conjunction with the heating/cooling functionality of the seat  818 . In some embodiments, user settings and preferences (e.g., preferred temperature, preferred seat settings) can be loaded from a user profile after identifying the user. 
     In another example, the heating/cooling devices  836  in contact with the torso and lap of the passenger  826  can be automatically activated in cases where the sensors  734  of  FIG. 7  indicate that the body temperature of the passenger  826  is lower than or higher than a predetermined temperature threshold such that the passenger  826  would be uncomfortable. In another example, the passenger  826  can program the augmented safety restraint  820  such that the heating/cooling devices  836  activate based on the external temperature outside the vehicle. 
       FIG. 9  shows a display feature for an augmented safety restraint  920  that is attached to a seat  918  for use by a passenger  926 . The integration of a display  938  allows both passenger-vehicle and passenger-passenger interaction as the display  938  can provide entertainment, aesthetic functionality, and security features. The display  938  can be applied to or integrated into the exposed surface of the augmented safety restraint  920  and activated only on the portion of the augmented safety restraint  920  that extends along the body of the passenger  926 . 
     The display  938  can be implemented by means of LED, liquid crystal, plasma panels, or an OLED layer applied to the exposed surface of the augmented safety restraint  820 , or any other display devices that are currently known and display devices that may be developed in the future. The content available on the display  938  can be accessed by a user interface (not shown) that allows the passenger  926  to select one of the functionalities and control it by, for example, touch or multi-touch capabilities. Additionally, vibrating or other haptic feedback may be provided by other features of the augmented safety restraint  820  during interaction with the display  938 . 
     In addition to the display  938 , other displays or devices equipped with displays (e.g., smartphones, music players) can be used. For example, displays and/or devices equipped with displays can be integrated into the anchor points or spread along the surfaces of the augmented safety restraint  920 . In an example, the content of the user interface of a device equipped with a display can be extended onto the display  938 . 
     The content to be displayed on the augmented safety restraint  820  can be configured by the passenger  926 , based on a profile associated with the passenger  926 , or matched to the activated function selected by the passenger  926 . For example, the displayed content can be selected based on the user profile for the passenger  926 . The user profile can be associated with a device, such as a smartphone, carried by or in close proximity to the passenger  926 , or the passenger  926  can be identified by recognition methods (e.g., visual face recognition). A user profile for the passenger  926  that is stored within the computing device  100  of  FIG. 1  can also be used to display passenger-specific content. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 9 , the display  938  is showing the current status of a multi-passenger game. In this common game, “20 Questions,” the passenger  926  secured by the augmented safety restraint  920  is attempting to guess a word displayed on the augmented safety restraint  920  to the other passengers within the vehicle. The word is indicated by the text “A: HORSE” on the augmented safety restraint  920 . The passenger  926  has already asked the other passengers twelve out of the allowed twenty questions in an attempt to guess the word, as indicated by the text “Q: 12/20” shown on the display  938 . 
     In another example, the display  938  can be used for entertainment and educational purposes to identify the body parts or show the internal organs of the passenger  926  beneath the area of the passenger&#39;s body covered by the augmented safety restraint  920 . In this embodiment, the shown content may be augmented with the name of the body part (e.g., leg, torso, shoulder, etc.) or the name of the organs (e.g., lungs, stomach, heart, etc.) and dynamically adapted when the belt is moved around the passenger&#39;s body. 
     In another example, the display  938  can operate in a fashion mode where the augmented safety restraint  920  displays the colors of the passenger&#39;s clothing or a design (e.g., a color, a pattern, or an image) that coordinates with the passenger&#39;s clothing (e.g., by choosing a complementary color, pattern, or image that highlights the passenger&#39;s clothing). 
     The display  938  can also be used for inter-passenger communication purposes. For example, the display  938  can be used to communicate the current state of the secured passenger  926  to other passengers within the vehicle. The current state of the passenger  926  can be selectable by the passenger  926  or automatically generated using, for example, the sensors  734  of  FIG. 7 . The current state can be indicated by text displayed along the exposed surface of the augmented safety restraint  920 . Example text includes “sleeping, do not disturb,” “available, free to chat,” “listening to music,” etc. 
     In another embodiment, the augmented safety restraint  920  can indicate the current state of the passenger  926  by displaying animations or icons instead of text. For example, an equalizer animation can be shown on the display  938  when the passenger  926  is listening to music, thereby suggesting to other passengers that the passenger  926  may not be able to hear any attempts to start a conversation. Similarly, a cartoon showing a snoring character can be shown on the display  938  if the passenger  926  is sleeping, again suggesting that the passenger  926  not be disturbed. 
     The display  938  can also be leveraged to implement safety features. For example, the display  938  can show an animation inviting the passenger  926 , or another passenger in the case when the passenger  926  is a minor, to secure the augmented safety restraint  920  if the passenger  926  has not yet been secured in the seat  918 . In another embodiment, the content on the display  938  can be modified depending on whether the passenger  926  has secured the augmented safety restraint  920 . In another safety feature, the augmented safety restraint  920  can be designed to flash, blink, or project bright colors with high visibility to assist in locating the passenger  926 . Finally, the display  938  can be configured to work in conjunction with other components, such as the sensors  734  of  FIG. 7 , to display information such as vital signs of the passenger  926 . 
     The display  938  can also be used to implement communications features. As one example, the augmented safety restraint  920  may be configured to detect when the passenger  926  is speaking and output a visual indication on the display  938  that indicates that the passenger  926  is speaking. The visual indication may be, as examples, a color or an icon. Instead of a color or an icon, the words spoken by the passenger  926  may be output on the display  938  so that they can be read by other passengers in the vehicle. The words spoken by the passenger  926  may be converted to text using a speech-to-text algorithm. These functions may be usable, for example, by persons who are hearing impaired, to allow them to communicate more effectively with other persons in the vehicle. In addition, the words spoken by the passenger  926  may be translated to a different language after being converted to text using the speech to text algorithm. This function may be useful to translate the text into a language understood by a different passenger in the vehicle when that passenger does not understand the spoken language. 
     The display  938  may also be used to assist in passenger ingress. When the passenger  926  ingresses, the vehicle may assign a seat to the passenger  926 . The display  938  is used to provide a visual indication to the passenger  926  as to which seat the passenger  926  is to be seated in. The display  938  in the safety restraint of the assigned seat may display, as examples, a pattern, an icon, a color, or text to inform the passenger  926  that the seat is assigned to him or her. This can be used for a number of reasons, such as to control the order of passenger egress. The display  938  may also be used to help place items within the vehicle, such as large parcels or backpacks. The vehicle may assign a seat to the item, and the display  938  is used to provide a visual indication to the passenger as to where the item is to be placed and, optionally, how the item should be placed. In one embodiment, the item is a child safety seat, and the vehicle may assign a seat to the child safety seat. The display  938  is used to provide a visual indication to the passenger as to where the child safety seat is to be installed. The display  938  may also be used to show instructions for installing and buckling the child safety seat. 
       FIG. 10  shows an energy-generation feature for an augmented safety restraint  1020  that is attached to a seat  1018  for use by a passenger  1026 . The augmented safety restraint  1020  can include, for example, photoelectric capability in the form of energy-producing devices such as photovoltaic devices  1040 . The photovoltaic devices  1040  can be exposed to the sun  1042  when the vehicle is either stored or operated outside. The photovoltaic devices  1040  allow for the production of energy in order to power the various features of the augmented safety restraint  1020 . In some embodiments, electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic devices  1040  is stored in a battery  1043  that is integrated into or associated with the augmented safety restraint  1020  for later use by the components of the augmented safety restraint. In some embodiments, a surplus of energy, i.e., energy beyond what is necessary to power the various features of the augmented safety restraint  1020 , can contribute to the energy store for the vehicle, for example, the vehicle battery. The energy-generation feature can have a positive impact on the vehicle&#39;s energy efficiency (due to the null impact on the vehicle battery during the daytime) and, consequently, on the environment. 
     The above-described features and the resulting functionalities may be activated in the presence of a secured passenger or, with respect to some features and functionalities, may be activated when a passenger is not present such as, for example, aiding passenger ingress or transporting packages. In various embodiments, the features and functionalities are achieved with the joint use of two or more of the proposed augmented safety restraints. Various embodiments may include variations in the shape, material, construction method, and size of the augmented safety restraint as well as the proposed sensors and devices to be integrated into the augmented safety restraint. Various embodiments can also allow for variations in the design of the electronic components and connections between the augmented safety restraint, the passengers, and/or the vehicle.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160919
Publication Date: 20190129
Grant Date: 20190129
Priority Date: 20150928
Inventors: CASABURO, DANIELE
KURZ, DANIEL
KNORR, SEBASTIAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "B60Q3/242", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q9/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01C21/3664", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q9/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60H1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60H1/00742", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q9/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R2022/4866", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R2022/4808", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R22/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R22/48", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R22/12", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/242", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60R22/12", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01C21/3664", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60H1/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60H1/00742", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 65032851