Automotive seat based microclimate system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12023988-B2
Application number	US-202017776086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2020
Priority date	Nov 20, 2019
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant includes multiple microclimate thermal effectors. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors at least partially controls a climate in at least one of multiple occupant zones. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors includes a sensor configured to determine microclimate temperature data corresponding to the zone. A controller includes an input configured to receive vehicle temperature data including cabin temperature and outside air temperature from a vehicle data bus. The controller fuses the microclimate temperature data with the vehicle temperature data and determines an estimated local equivalent temperature for each of the microclimate thermal effectors. The controller further provides a temperature command to each of the microclimate thermal effectors based upon the estimated local equivalent temperature corresponding to the microclimate thermal effector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant comprising:
multiple microclimate thermal effectors, each of the microclimate thermal effectors being configured to at least partially control a climate in at least one occupant zone of multiple defined occupant zones, each of the microclimate thermal effectors including a sensor configured to determine microclimate temperature data corresponding to the at least one occupant zone;
a controller in communication with the microclimate thermal effectors, the controller having an input configured to receive vehicle temperature data from a vehicle data bus, the vehicle temperature data includes at least a cabin temperature and an outside air temperature, the controller being configured to fuse the microclimate temperature data with the vehicle temperature data and determine an estimated local equivalent temperature for each of the microclimate thermal effectors based on the fused data, the controller further being configured to provide a temperature command to each of the microclimate thermal effectors based upon the estimated local equivalent temperature corresponding to the microclimate thermal effector.

2. The microclimate system of claim 1 , further including a thermal control system in the vehicle having a first temperature sensor exposed to conditioned air from the thermal control system.

3. The microclimate system of claim 2 , wherein the thermal control system in the vehicle is a heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system and the first temperature sensor is configured to detect the cabin temperature.

4. The microclimate system of claim 2 , comprising a second temperature sensor exposed to air outside the vehicle, the second temperature sensor configured to detect the outside air temperature.

5. The microclimate system of claim 4 , wherein multiple zones include at least two of a head zone, a seat back zone, a seat cushion zone, a hand/arm zone and a foot/leg zone.

6. The microclimate system of claim 5 , wherein the microclimate thermal effectors are selected from the group comprising climate controlled seats, head rest/neck conditioner, climate controlled headliner, steering wheel, heated gear shifter, heater mat, and mini-compressor system.

7. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to apply a stratification offset to the cabin temperature to adjust for a location of the cabin temperature sensor.

8. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein weighting factors are applied to the outside air temperature and the cabin temperature.

9. The microclimate system of claim 8 , wherein a value of each weighting factors is dependent on at least one of a season and a climate region.

10. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle temperature data includes a vehicle solar load.

11. The microclimate system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle solar load is normalized, and a weighting factor is applied to the vehicle solar load, wherein the weighting factor compensates for vehicle specific features.

12. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle temperature data includes a vehicle speed.

13. The microclimate system of claim 12 , wherein a weighting factor is applied to the vehicle speed wherein the weighting factor compensates for the seat's surrounding area effectors, including heating devices in a door panel and a floor area.

14. The microclimate system of claim 6 , wherein a temperature feedback from at least one microclimate thermal effector is provided to the controller, and wherein the expected local temperature is determined for the at least one microclimate thermal effector based upon temperature feedback.

15. The microclimate system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to fuse the microclimate temperature data with the vehicle temperature data based upon the following equation:
T local =W 1 ×( T cabin +b tv )+ W 2 ×T outside +W 3 ×SL nor +W 4 ×V+W 5 ×T lf

Where: W i i+1, 2, 3, 4, 5; calibratable weighting factor
T cabin cabin temperature
b tv temperature vertical stratification factor or offset
T outside outside temperature
SL nor normalized sunload
V vehicle speed
T lf local effector temperature feedback.

16. The microclimate system of claim 15 , wherein the controller determines a unique estimated local equivalent temperature for each of the selected microclimate thermal effectors based upon the equation.

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Yang Jun
• Myers Tyler
• Arsenault Jeff
• Chewter Alan

Classifications

• B60H2001/00114

  Heating or cooling details · CPC title

• B60H1/00207

  characterised by the position of the HVAC devices with respect to the passenger compartment (B60H1/00021 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/0073 Primary

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

• B60H1/2218

  controlling the operation of electric heaters · CPC title

• B60H1/2225

  arrangements of electric heaters for heating air · CPC title