Coordinated motor speed control design for seat systems

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Automotive seating systems have become increasingly sophisticated, providing consumers with more flexible configurations and comfort functionalities. Traditional power seating, which relied on a few motors to adjust the seat position, has evolved into more technically advanced reconfigurable systems equipped with additional feedback sensors and actuators. These advancements include features such as Easy Entry, Zero Gravity, Stadium Swivel, IP Nesting, Auto Lumbar/Bolster Adjustment and Power Long Rails. All the features indicate that the overall control of seating systems now resembles robotic arm control or multi-body control, involving numerous coordinated movements.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">In this paper, we propose a novel control strategy for the coordinated speed control of multiple motors. Unlike traditional seating controls, which typically use direct switches or open-loop systems, we introduce a feedback approach that incorporates Kalman-filter-based speed estimation using raw signals directly from Hall Effect sensors. The new proposed method enables the simultaneous coordination and synchronization of multiple motors, ensuring that the seat moves smoothly without colliding with other objects while providing a comfortable experience for the consumer.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The design of the control system is discussed in detail, the simulation results and experimental data will be presented and analyzed in relation to the real system.</div></div>