Contrary to rumors, Apple's long-term autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle project, known as Project Titan, is alive and well both from a patent point of view and the latest data from California's DMV that continues to issue Apple an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit (Testing with a Driver) as of late November 2023. Further data from the DMV reveals that as of January 5, 2024, Apple has 162 drivers and 68 testing vehicles, as noted below.  

Today a new patent application was published by WIPO in Geneva, Switzerland, relating to Project Titan regarding a seat and passenger restraint system and specifically to object restraints.

In Apple's patent background they note that in a vehicle cabin, a surface such as a dash panel, a steering wheel, or a seat back can serve as a reaction surface for a restraint, for example, an airbag, that deploys prior to or during an event. These surfaces can also help position an occupant or object or limit motion of an occupant of object during an event without an airbag.

In a cabin of a transportation device with increased open space as compared to the conventional cabin, a modular seating system can be arranged in a configuration consistent with the cabin serving as a mobile office, a living room, etc. Surfaces such as dash panels, steering wheels, or seat backs may not be present or positioned to serve as reaction surfaces for airbags or to assist in controlling motion of an occupant or objects during an event. New approaches to object restraint are thus desired and presented in this patent.

Object Restraint

A first aspect of Apple's invention relates to a system for a seat (e.g., a support). The system includes a sensor system configured to detect an imminent event, detect an occupant facing the seat, and detect a stowed object beneath the seat.

The system also includes an airbag (e.g., a restraint) configured to deploy from the seat, restrain motion of the occupant facing the seat, and restrain motion of the stowed object beneath the seat.

The airbag deploys in response to an output signal from the sensor system indicative of the imminent event and at least one of an output signal from the sensor system indicative of the occupant facing the seat or an output signal from the sensor system indicative of the stowed object beneath the seat.

In the first aspect, the airbag can comprise an engagement portion configured to couple a distal end of the airbag to a floor of a transportation device/vehicle that includes the seat. When deployed, the airbag can define a first chamber extending from a front edge of the seat to a floor of a vehicle that includes the seat. When deployed, the airbag can define a second chamber extending from a distal end of the first chamber to a bottom surface of the seat, and wherein the bottom surface of the seat acts a reaction surface for the second chamber of the airbag, thereby positioning the first chamber of the airbag to cover a gap between the seat and the floor of the transportation device.

The airbag can have a stowed position disposed within a seat pan of the seat. The system can include a tether coupled to the airbag and the seat pan, the tether configured to guide the airbag from the stowed position to a deployed position extending between the stowed object and the occupant facing the seat.

The system can include a deployment mechanism configured to deploy the airbag from the stowed position to a deployed position extending between the stowed object and the occupant facing the seat. In response to an output signal from the sensor system indicative of a location of the stowed object blocking the deployment mechanism, the airbag can be blocked from deployment. In response to an output signal from the sensor system indicative of an absence of an occupant facing the seat, the airbag can be blocked from deployment.

A second aspect of this invention is an airbag (e.g., a restraint) for a seat (e.g., a support). The airbag is configured to deploy from a seat pan of the seat in response to an output signal from a sensor indicative of an imminent event and another output signal from another sensor indicative of an occupant facing the seat. The airbag is configured to restrain motion of a lower limb of the occupant facing the seat.

In the second aspect, the airbag can be blocked from deployment in response to an output signal from the other sensor indicative of an absence of an occupant facing the seat. The airbag can define a chamber extending from a front edge of the seat pan to a floor of a transportation device that includes the seat. The seat can include a reaction surface extending from a front edge of the seat pan to a floor of a transportation device that includes the seat, and the reaction surface can be configured to position the airbag to cover a gap between the seat pan and the floor.

The airbag can define a chamber extending from a front edge of the seat pan, beneath the seat pan, to a rear edge of the seat pan. The airbag can be configured to restrain motion of at least one of a foot, an ankle, or a shin of the occupant facing the seat. Various features of the second aspect may be used alone or in combination.

A third aspect of this invention is a method. The method includes receiving a first output signal indicative of an imminent event, receiving a second output signal indicative of an occupant facing a seat (e.g., a support), and deploying an airbag (e.g., a restraint) below the seat based on the first and second output signals such that an engagement portion of the airbag couples a distal end of the airbag to a floor of a transportation device that includes the seat.

A fourth aspect of this invention is a transportation device. The transportation device includes a sensor system configured to receive a first output signal indicative of an imminent event and a second output signal indicative of an occupant facing a seat within the transportation device. The transportation device also includes an airbag configured to deploy below the seat based on the first and second output signals such that an engagement portion of the airbag couples a distal end of the airbag to a floor of the transportation device.

In the fourth aspect, the sensor system can be further configured to receive a third output signal indicative of a stowed object beneath the seat, the airbag can be configured to deploy between the stowed object and the occupant facing the seat based on the first and third output signals, and the airbag can be configured to restrain motion of the occupant facing the seat and restrain motion of the stowed object beneath the seat. The airbag can be configured to deploy pyrotechnically, electromechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically, or using a pretensioned spring. The airbag can define a first chamber extending from a front edge of the seat to a floor of the transportation device that includes the seat. The airbag can define a second chamber extending from a distal end of the first chamber to a bottom surface of the seat, and the bottom surface of the seat acts a reaction surface for the second chamber of the airbag, positioning the first chamber of the airbag to cover a gap between the seat and the floor of the transportation device. Various features of the fourth aspect may be used alone or in combination.

Enlarge the patent Figures below for more details.

For full details, review Apple's patent application WO2024010646 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

A Second Project Titan Patent

Lastly, the U.S. Patent Office published a continuation patent for Project Titan relating to Glass Windows With Matched Edges And Joined Edges.

The patent covers a system such as vehicle having windows that may be formed by laminating together glass layers with polymer. If desired, a light guide that distributes illumination across a window and/or other optical component layers may be embedded within the polymer. For more on this, including 20 new patent claims, review Apple patent  20240010054.