Automatic air quality monitoring and improvement systems

• US 10,315,492 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Chelian, Suhas E., Chen, Tiffany
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US15/595,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20180326811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/008 the input being air quality
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for controlling air filtration, circulation, climate control and/or other adjustable components. The air control system includes an air filtration or circulation unit for filtering or circulating air. The air control system includes a navigation unit for providing at least one of a navigational map information or environment information including a current location of the vehicle. The air control system includes an electronic control unit connected to the air filtration or circulation unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine an air control event based on at least one of static air quality information or dynamic air quality information. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that the air control event is within a range of the current location and is approaching. The electronic control unit is configured to activate the air filtration or circulation unit before the air control event reaches the vehicle.

Claims

1. An air control system of a vehicle, comprising:

an air filtration or circulation unit configured to filter or circulate air;

a navigation unit configured to determine a route of the vehicle that includes a current location of the vehicle; and

an electronic control unit connected to the air filtration or circulation unit, the electronic control unit configured to;

obtain, from the navigation unit, the route of the vehicle,

determine an air control event that is in the route of the vehicle based on at least one of static air quality information or dynamic air quality information,

determine a relative distance between the current location of the vehicle and a location of the air control event,

determine that the air control event is within a range of the current location of the vehicle and is approaching based on the relative distance,

activate the air filtration or circulation unit before the air control event reaches the vehicle, and

keep the air filtration or circulation unit activated until after the vehicle leaves the location of the air control event.

2. The air control system of claim 1, wherein to determine the air control event is within the range of the current location of the vehicle and is approaching, the electronic control unit is further configured to:

determine that the relative distance is less than a threshold distance;

determine that the relative distance between the vehicle and the air control event is decreasing; and

determine that a path of the air control event intersects with the route of the vehicle.

3. The air control system of claim 1, further comprising:

an external database configured to provide the static air quality information including a location of a hazardous or odorous site or particulate information including pollen data for a particular location;

wherein the electronic control unit is connected to the external database through a network.

4. The air control system of claim 3, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:

obtain, from the external database, the static air quality information including the location of the hazardous or odorous site;

determine a perimeter surrounding the hazardous or odorous site; and

associate the air control event with the hazardous or odorous site and the location of the air control event with the perimeter surrounding the hazardous or odorous site.

5. The air control system of claim 1, wherein to activate the air filtration or circulation unit the electronic control unit is configured to:

activate the air filtration or circulation unit to filter air entering the vehicle and remove particulates from the air until an amount of particulates is less than a threshold amount.

6. The air control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect odors or particulates in air surrounding the vehicle;

wherein the electronic control unit is connected to the sensor and is configured to;

determine the air control event based on the odors or particulates detected by the sensor.

7. The air control system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine that the air control event is approaching based on at least one of weather condition information or terrain information.

8. The air control system of claim 1, further comprising:

an external database configured to provide weather information;

a climate control unit configured to control an internal vehicle temperature;

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to connect to at least one of the external database or the climate control unit and is configured to;

determine the air control event based on the weather information, and

cause the climate control unit to turn on a heater or an air conditioner based on the weather information.

9. The air control system of claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to activate a window defroster based on the weather information.

10. An air control system of an enclosed environment, comprising:

an air filtration or circulation unit configured to filter or circulate air; and

a processor connected to the air filtration or circulation unit, the processor configured to;

determine an air control event based on dynamic air quality information including crowd-sourced information,

determine a distance between a current location of the enclosed environment and a location of the air control event,

determine that the air control event is approaching based on the crowd-sourced information and the distance,

activate the air filtration or circulation unit before the air control event reaches the current location of the enclosed environment; and

keep the air filtration or circulation unit activated until after the air control event leaves the current location of the enclosed environment.

11. The air control system of claim 10, further comprising:

an external database that provides weather information;

wherein the processor is connected to the external database through a network and is configured to determine that the air control event is approaching further based on the weather information.

12. The air control system of claim 11, wherein the air control system is configured to open, close or defrost a window based on the weather information in response to determining that the air control event is approaching.

13. The air control system of claim 10, wherein the dynamic air quality information includes pollen data, wherein the air control event is pollen-filled air that exceeds a threshold amount of pollen.

14. The air control system of claim 13, wherein to activate the air filtration or circulation unit the processor is configured to cause the air filtration or circulation unit to filter the pollen-filled air until an amount of pollen in the air is less than the threshold amount.

15. The air control system of claim 10, wherein the crowd-sourced information includes direction and speed information of a non-persistent air quality issue.

16. The air control system of claim 15, wherein the non-persistent air quality issue relates to a fire, an accident or other irregular incident.

17. A method for controlling an air filtration or circulation unit that filters or circulates air within a vehicle, comprising:

determining, by a processor, an air control event based on at least one of static air quality information or dynamic air quality information;

determining, by the processor, a perimeter surrounding the air control event;

determining, by the processor, that a current location of the vehicle is within a threshold distance of the perimeter surrounding the air control event;

activating, by the processor, the air filtration or circulation unit to circulate or filter the air before the current location of the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the perimeter surrounding the air control event; and

keeping activated, using the processor, the air filtration or circulation unit until after the vehicle leaves the perimeter surrounding the air control event.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the static air quality information includes a location of a hazardous or odorous site, wherein the air control event is the hazardous or odorous site and the perimeter surrounds the hazardous or odorous site.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

obtaining, from a sensor or a user interface, an identity of a driver or a passenger of the vehicle, wherein activating the air filtration or circulation unit is further based on the identity of the driver or the passenger.