Navigational attribute driven system and method for adjusting the cabin comfort setting of a vehicle control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904655-B2
Application number	US-202117504853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2021
Priority date	Oct 19, 2021
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for supporting and executing automated control of climate comfort settings based on user classification within a group identity database. Methods of generating and employing the group identity database are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving attributes of a planned travel route;
obtaining demographic information of a user;
determining a climate control set-point based on the attributes of the planned travel route comprising referencing a group identity database, wherein the group identity database comprises demographic information from a user pool and geographic information from the user pool; and
communicating an instruction to adjust at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle.

2. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting the at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle to meet the determined climate control set-point.

3. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the step of adjusting at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle to meet the determined set-point is executed by at least one controller.

4. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one controller applies a trained model to accomplish the step of determining a climate control set-point based on the attributes of the planned travel route.

5. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a controller on a personal mobile device of the user and a local controller of the vehicle.

6. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
grouping a user with an aligned cohort from the user pool based on demographic information of the user; and
inferring a degree of anxiety of the user during the planned travel route based on the attributes of the planned travel route and data from the aligned cohort.

7. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising:
refining the inferred degree of anxiety by referencing a camera that monitors a face of a user; and
evaluating images captured by the camera by employing image-based emotional mapping.

8. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
grouping a user with an aligned cohort from the user pool based on geographic information of the user; and
inferring a degree of anxiety of the user during the planned travel route based on the attributes of the planned travel route and data from the aligned cohort.

9. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising:
refining the inferred degree of anxiety by referencing a camera that monitors a face of a user; and
evaluating images captured by the camera by employing image-based emotional mapping.

10. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the geographic information of the user is determined by referencing a current location of the vehicle, as informed by a Global Positioning System.

11. A method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving an intended destination from a user;
determining a planned travel route from a current location to the intended destination;
evaluating attributes of the planned travel route;
determining a climate control set-point based on the attributes of the planned travel route;
communicating an instruction to adjust at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle;
adjusting the at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle to meet the determined set-point;
obtaining demographic information of the user;
referencing a group identity database, wherein the group identity database comprises demographic information from a user pool and geographic information from the user pool;
grouping the user with an aligned cohort from the user pool based on the demographic information of the user; and
inferring a degree of anxiety of the user during the planned travel route based on the attributes of the planned travel route and data from the aligned cohort, wherein the inferred degree of anxiety of the user is employed in the step of determining a climate control set-point based on the attributes of the planned travel route.

12. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:
refining the aligned cohort from the user pool based on geographic information of the user, wherein the current location provides the geographic information of the user; and
inferring a degree of anxiety of the user during the planned travel route based on the attributes of the planned travel route and data from the refined aligned cohort.

13. The method for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the step of adjusting at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle to meet the determined set-point is executed by at least one controller.

14. A system for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a climate control system that adjusts a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle;
a Global Positioning System that provides geographic information;
a group identity database; and
at least one controller that:
receives an intended destination from a user;
determines, by way of the Global Positioning System, a planned travel route from a current location to the intended destination;
evaluates attributes of the planned travel route;
determines a climate control set-point based on the attributes of the planned travel route;

communicates an instruction to adjust at least one setting chosen from a temperature of air delivered to a cabin of the vehicle and a velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle; and
adjusts the at least one setting chosen from the temperature of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle and the velocity of air delivered to the cabin of the vehicle to meet the determined set-point.

15. The system for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller:
obtains demographic information of the user.

16. The system for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the at least one controller:
references the group identity database, and wherein the group identity database comprises demographic information from a user pool and geographic information from the user pool;
groups the user with an aligned cohort from the user pool based on the demographic information of the user; and
infers a degree of anxiety of the user during the planned travel route based on the attributes of the planned travel route and data from the aligned cohort.

17. The system for adjusting a cabin comfort setting of a vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the at least one controller:
refines the aligned cohort from the user pool based on geographic information of the user, and wherein the geographic i

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ostrowski David Alfred
• Dirisala Akshay
• Urbina Leopoldo
• Shankar Raghavendran
• Manwell Elizabeth Anne
• Schein Victoria Leigh

Classifications

• B60H1/00735 Primary

  Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models · CPC title

• B60H1/0073

  Control systems or circuits characterised by particular algorithms or computational models, e.g. fuzzy logic or dynamic models · CPC title

• B60H1/00657

  Remote control devices · CPC title

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• G06V20/597 Primary

  Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness · CPC title