Vehicle microclimate personalization based on occupant thermophysiology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330475-B2
Application number	US-202117792898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A method of providing thermal conditioning for a vehicle occupant according to an example of the present disclosure includes determining a respective target temperature for each of a plurality of discrete OPZs. Each OPZ is associated with a different occupant body area. The determining is based on a difference between a first OTS indicative of a target heat flux for the occupant and a second OTS indicative of an estimated heat flux experienced by the occupant, wherein the respective target temperatures differ between the OPZs. The method includes providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ based on the target temperature for the OPZ, which includes utilizing at least one thermal effector in the OPZ. The method also includes receiving a temperature offset value for a particular one of the OPZs from the occupant, and adjusting the target temperature for the particular one of the OPZs based on the temperature offset value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing thermal conditioning for an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:
determining a respective target temperature for each of a plurality of discrete occupant personalization zones (OPZs), each OPZ associated with a different occupant body area, said determining based on a difference between a first overall thermal sensation (OTS) indicative of a target heat flux for the occupant and a second OTS indicative of an estimated heat flux experienced by the occupant, wherein the respective target temperatures differ between the OPZs, and wherein said determining includes determining a plurality of discrete OTS values, each corresponding to an estimated heat flux in a respective one of the plurality of OPZs, and calculating the second OTS based on the plurality of discrete OTS values;
providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ based on the target temperature for the OPZ, the providing including utilizing at least one thermal effector in the OPZ;
receiving a temperature offset value for a particular plurality of respective ones of the OPZs from the occupant;
adjusting the target temperature for the plurality of respective ones of the OPZs based on the respective temperature offset values; and
for a particular one of the OPZs:
comparing the adjusted target temperature to at least one of a maximum permissible target temperature for the OPZ and a minimum permissible target temperature for the OPZ; and
reducing the temperature offset for the OPZ based on the adjusted target temperature for the OPZ exceeding the maximum permissible target temperature for the OPZ or falling below the minimum permissible target temperature for the OPZ.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving a disable command from the occupant for one or more of the OPZs; and
based on said receiving the disable command:
disabling said one or more of the OPZs based on the disable command; or
resetting the temperature offset for the particular one of the OPZs based on the disable command.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining a temperature in each OPZ;
wherein for each OPZ, said providing thermal conditioning in the OPZ comprises adjusting an output of the at least one thermal effector in the OPZ to reduce a difference between the determined temperature and the target temperature for the OPZ.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ comprises:
heating the occupant with a first thermal effector in a first one of the OPZs based on the target temperature for the first OPZ being below the determined temperature of the first OPZ; and
cooling the occupant with a second thermal effector in a second one of the OPZs based on the target temperature for the second OPZ being above the determined temperature of the second OPZ;
wherein said heating and cooling are performed simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ comprises:
determining a ranking of each of the thermal effectors; and
determining a temperature setpoint for each OPZ further based on the relative ranking of each thermal effector in the OPZ.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining a respective target temperature for each OPZ comprises:
determining at least one predefined thermal conditioning range for each effector in each OPZ that includes a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature;
determining a default temperature for the OPZ that is within the predefined thermal conditioning range based on the maximum and minimum temperatures; and
adjusting the default temperature based on the difference between the first OTS and second OTS to obtain the target temperature.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one predefined thermal conditioning range also includes a maximum airflow rate and a minimum airflow rate.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predefined thermal conditioning ranges differ between the OPZs and the thermal effectors in each OPZ.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein said adjusting the default temperature based on the difference between the first and second OTS to obtain the target temperature comprises:
determining a nominal temperature setpoint based on the difference between the first OTS and second OTS, default temperature, and a magnitude of the predefined thermal conditioning range;
increasing the default temperature by a value derived from the nominal temperature setpoint based on the first OTS being greater than the second OTS; and
decreasing the default temperature by the value derived from the nominal temperature setpoint based on the first OTS being less than the second OTS.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of OPZs include at least three of a head zone, a seat back zone, a seat cushion zone, a hand/arm zone, and a foot/leg zone.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal effectors for the plurality of OPZs include at least three of a climate controlled seat, a neck conditioner mounted in a head rest or upper seat back, a climate controlled headliner, a heated steering wheel, a heated gear shifter, a heated door panel, a heater mat, a convective thermal effector capable of heating or cooling located in the seat back or cushion, and a mini-compressor system.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the thermal effectors is a convective thermal effector that includes a fan, the method comprising:
determining a default fan speed for the fan; and
adjusting the default fan speed based on receiving a fan speed offset from the occupant.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining a heat balance for the occupant; and
determining the first OTS based on the heat balance.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising iteratively repeating said determining, providing, and adjusting for a plurality of iterations while utilizing the same temperature offset value during each of the plurality of iterations.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining a plurality of discrete OTS values, each corresponding to an estimated heat flux in a respective one of the plurality of OPZs utilizes OPZs utilizes a coefficient relating to an environmental impact of a seasonal effect on heat flux.

16. A thermal conditioning system comprising:
a plurality of thermal effectors arranged into a plurality of discrete occupant personalization zones (OPZs) that are each associated with a different part of an occupant body area, such that each OPZ includes at least one of the thermal effectors; and
a controller including circuitry configured to:
determine a respective target temperature for each OPZ based on a difference between a first overall thermal sensation (OTS) indicative of a target heat flux for the occupant and a second OTS indicative of an estimated heat flux currently experienced by the occupant, wherein the respective target temperatures differ between the OPZs, and wherein the determination includes determination of a plurality of discrete OTS values, each corresponding to an estimated heat flux in a respective one of the plurality of OPZs, and calculation of the second OTS based on the plurality of discrete OTS values;
control at least one thermal effector in each OPZ based on the target temperature for the OPZ;
receive a respective temperature offset value for multiple respective ones of the OPZs from the occupant;
adjust the target temperature for the multiple respective ones of the OPZs based on the respective temperature offset values; and
for a particular one of the OPZs:
compare the adjusted target temperature to at least on

Assignees

• Gentherm Inc

Inventors

• Chewter Alan
• Westerman Chad
• Myers Tyler
• Swanson Jeremy
• Yang Jun
• Jovovic Vladimir

Classifications

• B62D1/065

  Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means (heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292) · CPC title

• B60N2/56

  Heating or ventilating devices · CPC title

• B60H2001/2265

  related to the quantity of heat produced by the heater · CPC title

• B60H1/2227

  Electric heaters incorporated in vehicle trim components, e.g. panels or linings · CPC title

• B60H1/2225

  arrangements of electric heaters for heating air · CPC title