Wearable article detection and climate adjustment system for a vehicle interior

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913413-B2
Application number	US-201816209113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to automatically adjusting a climate of a vehicle based on detecting the type of clothing a vehicle occupant is wearing. In one embodiment, the method includes, in response to acquiring an identifier from a reader, where the identifier being associated with a tag affixed to a wearable article in proximity of the reader, determining a type of the wearable article based on the identifier. The method includes controlling a climate control system based at least in part on the type of the wearable article.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A climate system comprising:
a reader;
one or more processors, the one or more processors in communication with the reader;
a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing:
a detection module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to, in response to acquiring an identifier from the reader, determine a type of a wearable article based on the identifier, the identifier being associated with a tag affixed to the wearable article in proximity of the reader; and
a climate control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine a location of the wearable article within a vehicle interior and control a climate control system based at least in part on the type of the wearable article only when the location of the wearable article is within a predetermined distance from a vehicle occupant.

2. The climate system of claim 1 , wherein the climate control module further includes instructions to:
determine a climate profile based on a climate interior and exterior to a vehicle; and
control the climate control system based at least in part on the climate profile.

3. The climate system of claim 1 , wherein the climate control module further includes instructions to control a climate within a zone of a vehicle interior that includes the wearable article.

4. The climate system of claim 1 , wherein the climate control module further includes instructions to control the climate control system based on a user preference associated with the type of the wearable article.

5. The climate system of claim 1 , wherein the tag includes an antenna configured for radio frequency (RF) communication with the reader when the tag is in proximity of the reader and the antenna is a dedicated near field communication (NFC) antenna configured for NFC protocol communication.

6. The climate system of claim 1 , wherein the tag includes an antenna configured for radio frequency (RF) communication with the reader when the tag is in proximity of the reader and the antenna is a dedicated radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna configured for RFID protocol communication.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium and storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processor to:
in response to acquiring an identifier from a reader, determine a type of a wearable article based on the identifier, the identifier being associated with a tag affixed to the wearable article in proximity of the reader;
determine a location of the wearable article within a vehicle interior; and
control a climate control system based at least in part on the type of the wearable article only when the location of the wearable article is within a predetermined distance from a vehicle occupant.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
determine a climate profile based on a climate interior and exterior to a vehicle; and
control the climate control system based at least in part on the climate profile.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
control a climate within a zone of a vehicle interior that includes the wearable article.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable medium further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
control the climate control system based on a user preference associated with the type of the wearable article.

11. A method comprising:
in response to acquiring an identifier from a reader, determining a type of a wearable article based on the identifier, the identifier being associated with a tag affixed to the wearable article in proximity of the reader;
determining a location of the wearable article within a vehicle interior; and
controlling a climate control system based at least in part on the type of the wearable article only when the location of the wearable article is within a predetermined distance from a vehicle occupant.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a climate profile based on a climate interior and exterior to a vehicle; and
controlling the climate control system based at least in part on the climate profile.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling a climate within a zone of a vehicle interior that includes the wearable article.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling the climate control system based on a user preference associated with the type of the wearable article.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Rowe Michael Paul

Classifications

• H04W4/48

  for in-vehicle communication · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• B60R16/037 Primary

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

• B60H1/00742 Primary

  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

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title