HVAC systems and methods for controlling zoned interior temperatures of a vehicle including display of thermographic anthropomorphic figures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272742-B2
Application number	US-201715416585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2017
Priority date	Jan 26, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system is provided that includes a memory and a control module. The memory stores settings. The settings are for interior temperatures of a vehicle, a temperature of a steering wheel, and temperatures of seats within the vehicle. The control module: collects data from one or more cameras, where the data corresponds to one or more captured images of an interior cabin of the vehicle; based on the data, displays a thermographic anthropomorphic figure on a display of the vehicle or a mobile device, where the thermographic anthropomorphic figure is a thermogram representative of temperatures of an occupant of the vehicle; receives via a user interface an input from a user to adjust one of the settings; and based on the input from the user, adjusts operation of a first controlled device to change at least one of the temperatures of the occupant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system comprising:
a memory to store a plurality of settings, wherein the plurality of settings are for interior temperatures of a vehicle, a temperature of a steering wheel, and temperatures of seats within the vehicle; and
a control module to
collect data from one or more cameras, wherein the data corresponds to one or more captured images of an interior cabin of the vehicle,
based on the data, display a thermographic anthropomorphic figure on a display of the vehicle or a mobile device, wherein the thermographic anthropomorphic figure is a thermogram representative of temperatures of an occupant of the vehicle,
receive via a user interface a first input from a user to adjust one of the plurality of settings,
display user selectable zones at a same time over the thermographic anthropomorphic figure on the display,
receive, via the user interface, a second input from the user indicating selection of one of the user selectable zones, and
based on the first input and the second input from the user, adjust operation of a first controlled device to change at least one of the temperatures of the occupant in the selected one of the user selectable zones.

2. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first controlled device includes a first motor of a vent or a second motor of a set of vanes of the vent; and
the control module is to, based on at least one of the the first input and the second input from the user, adjust a position of the vent via the first motor or a position of the vanes via the second motor.

3. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first controlled device is an element in the steering wheel or in one of the seats, and
the control module is to, based on the first input or a third input from the user, adjust current or a signal to the first controlled device to change a temperature of the first controlled device.

4. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is to:
permit iterative adjustment of the plurality of settings while displaying updated versions of the thermographic anthropomorphic figure, wherein each of the updated versions of the thermographic anthropomorphic figure represents updated changes in temperatures of the occupant due to a corresponding one of the adjustments of the plurality of settings; and
adjusting operation of a corresponding one or more of a plurality of controlled devices based on the adjustments of the plurality of settings, wherein the plurality of controlled devices include the first controlled device.

5. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is to:
ask questions of the user;
receive answers from the user as a plurality of user inputs, wherein the plurality of user inputs include the first input and the second input;
determine user preferences of the plurality of settings based on the plurality of user inputs; and
adjusting a plurality of controlled devices based on the user preferences, wherein the plurality of controlled devices include the first controlled device.

6. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the control module is to operate in an automatic settings mode, a personalized settings mode, and a manual settings mode; and
the control module is to
determine whether the vehicle is being used for public use or private use, wherein public use and private use are independent of whether multiple users operate the vehicle,
based on whether the vehicle is being used for public use or private use, determine whether to operate in one of the automatic settings mode, the personalized settings mode, and the manual settings mode,
while operating in the automatic settings mode, adjust operation of a plurality of control devices based on default values for the plurality of settings,
while operating in the personalized settings mode, adjust operation of the plurality of control devices based on personal preference values for the plurality of settings, and
while operating in the manual settings mode, adjust operation of the plurality of control devices based on inputs received from the user.

7. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is to, while operating in a cabin comfort mode:
compare a first temperature of a first zone to a second temperature of a second zone;
based on a result of the comparison, determine whether to use a default setting or a user preference setting;
display the default setting or the user preference setting;
adjust a temperature of the first zone based on the default setting or the user preference setting; and
collect data from the one or more cameras indicative of the temperature of the first zone,
wherein the thermographic anthropomorphic figure is indicative of a temperature of a portion of the user in the first zone.

8. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first controlled device is disposed in the steering wheel;
a second controlled device is disposed in the one of the seats; and
the control module is to, while operating in a cabin comfort mode:
adjust a temperature of the steering wheel and a temperature of the one of the seats in the vehicle via the first controlled device and the second controlled device;
display the plurality of settings on the display of the vehicle or the mobile device;
permit user adjustment of the plurality of settings; and
store updated values of the plurality of settings.

9. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the user interface includes the display; and
the user is the occupant.

10. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the user is the occupant or another occupant of the vehicle.

11. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is to:
obtain sun loading values; and
adjust operation of the first controlled device and a second controlled device based on the first input and the second input from the user and the sun loading values, wherein the first controlled device is a first motor of a vent or a second motor of a set of vanes of the vent, and wherein the second controlled device is a blower.

12. A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system comprising:
a control module to operate in an automatic settings mode, a personalized settings mode, and a manual settings mode, wherein the control module is to
determine whether a vehicle is being used for public use or private use, wherein public use and private use are independent of whether multiple users operate the vehicle, and
based on whether the vehicle is being used for public use or private use, determine whether to operate in one of the automatic settings mode, the personalized settings mode, and the manual settings mode;

an automatic settings module to, while operating in the automatic settings mode, adjust operation of a plurality of controlled devices based on default values for a plurality of settings to change temperatures of an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of controlled devices include a motor of a vent, a motor of a set of vanes for the vent, and a blower for passing air through the vent;
a personalized settings module to, while operating in the personalized settings mode, adjust operation of the plurality of controlled devices based on personal preference values for the plurality of settings; and
a manual settings module to, while operatin

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Chavez Hernandez Hector
• Estevez Garcia Jorge Alejandro
• Yanez Velazquez David

Classifications

• B60H1/00964

  Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control · CPC title

• B60H1/00985 Primary

  Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators (characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60H1/00871

  Air directing means, e.g. blades in an air outlet (construction of nozzles or air diffusers B60H1/34) · CPC title

• B60H1/00742

  by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors · CPC title