Vehicle air conditioning system with non-contact temperature sensor

• US 20010039806A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kajino, Yuichi, Ohga, Akira, Ando, Hiroshi, Kawai, Takayoshi, Nishii, Katsuyoshi, Kamiya, Toshifumi, Tarumi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,550,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/229
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00792 Arrangement of detectors B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing

Abstract

In a vehicle air conditioning system, a non-contact temperature sensor having plural temperature detecting elements is disposed to detect a predetermined region within a passenger compartment. The plural temperature detecting elements are constructed by plural first elements each of which has a smaller temperature detecting area in the predetermined region, and plural second elements each of which has a larger temperature detecting area in the predetermined region. The non-contact temperature sensor detects an area, where a detail temperature-distribution information is necessary, using the first elements, and detects an area, where the detail temperature-distribution information is unnecessary, using the second elements.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

a non-contact temperature sensor with a plurality of temperature detecting elements, the non-contact temperature sensor being disposed to detect a predetermined region within the passenger compartment in a non-contact state using the temperature detecting elements; and

a control unit for controlling an air-conditioning state to be introduced into the passenger compartment based on a temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor,

wherein the temperature detecting elements include a plurality of first elements each of which has a first temperature detecting area in the predetermined region, and a plurality of second elements each of which has a second temperature detecting area larger than the first temperature detecting area in the predetermined region.

2. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion; and

the non-contact temperature sensor is disposed to detect temperature of the face portion of the passenger using the first elements and to detect temperature of the part around the face portion using the second elements.

3. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion; and

the non-contact temperature sensor is disposed to detect temperature of the face portion of the passenger using the first elements and to detect temperature of an entire area of the predetermined region using the second elements.

4. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein the non-contact temperature sensor includes direction adjusting means for adjusting a temperature detection direction of the first elements.

5. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared sensor which generates an electrical signal in accordance with an amount of infrared rays;

the non-contact temperature sensor has a lens disposed opposite to the second elements, and a mirror disposed between the lens an d the mirror; and

the first elements are disposed at a position cross at a right angle with a line connecting the second elements and the lens.

6. The air conditioning system according to

claim 5

, wherein:

the mirror is disposed to be rotatable around a rotation shaft; and

the mirror is a half mirror through which a part of infrared rays from the lens passes.

7. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein the temperature detecting elements are disposed in a matrix shape.

8. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein the non-contact temperature sensor includes a first sensor member with the first elements, for detecting temperature in each first temperature detecting area, and a second sensor member with the second elements, for detecting temperature in each second temperature detecting area.

9. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion; and

the non-contact temperature sensor is disposed in such a manner that the face portion and a glass portion of the vehicle are overlapped from each other when being viewed from a position of the non-contact sensor to the predetermined region.

10. The air conditioning system according to

claim 9

, wherein the predetermined region includes a plurality of passengers seated on different seats in the passenger compartment.

11. The air conditioning system according to

claim 10

, wherein:

the non-contact temperature sensor is disposed in the passenger compartment at one side in a vehicle width direction;

the control unit calculates a size of the face portion from the temperature signals of the non-contact temperature sensor; and

the control unit determines a seating position of a passenger based on the size of the face portion

12. The air conditioning system according to

claim 9

, wherein:

the control unit determines whether or not a moving object exists in the passenger compartment based on a change of the temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor; and

the control unit determines whether or not the moving object is the passenger, based on the temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor, at a position corresponding to a position of the moving object.

13. The air conditioning system according to

claim 9

, wherein:

the control unit controls temperature inside the passenger compartment to a set temperature; and

the control unit determines a seating position of the passenger based on the temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor, after the temperature inside the passenger compartment becomes approximately equal to the set temperature.

14. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the control unit includes specific region detecting means for detecting a specific region where temperature is out of a predetermined temperature range among the predetermined region, and disturbance determining means which determines that there is a disturbance when the specific region moves in the predetermined region with an elapsed time.

15. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the control unit includes specific region detecting means for detecting a specific region where temperature is out of a predetermined temperature range among the predetermined region, and disturbance determining means which determines that there is a disturbance when number of the temperature detecting elements in the specific region is less than a predetermined number.

16. The air conditioning system according to

claim 14

, wherein

when the disturbance determining means determines the disturbance, the control unit controls the air-conditioning state based on the temperature signal of the non-contact temperature sensor before the determination of the disturbance.

17. The air conditioning system according to

claim 14

, wherein:

the control unit calculates a target temperature of air blown into the passenger compartment based on the temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor; and

when the disturbance determining means determines the disturbance, the control unit controls the air-conditioning state based on the target temperature before the determination of the disturbance.

18. The air conditioning system according to

claim 14

, wherein the predetermined temperature range is a range between a first temperature which is lower than the mean temperature of the predetermined region by a predetermined value and a second temperature which is higher than the mean temperature of the predetermined region by a predetermined value.

19. The air conditioning system according to

claim 14

, wherein the predetermined temperature range is a range between first and second set temperatures that are set for controlling the air-conditioning state.

20. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a reference member disposed in the predetermined region to be set at a predetermined temperature;

storing means for storing an initial output value of the non-contact temperature sensor, obtained by detecting temperature of the reference member at an initial time; and

correction coefficient determining means for determining a correction coefficient of a present output value of the non-contact temperature sensor by comparing the present output value and the initial output value, the present output value being obtained by detecting temperature of the reference member at the present time.

21. The air conditioning system according to

claim 20

, wherein:

the reference member is disposed at a specific position in the predetermined region; and

the specific position includes at least one of a seat and a seat belt within the predetermined region.

22. The air conditioning system according to

claim 20

, wherein the reference member has a size approximately equal to that of the face portion.

23. The air conditioning system according to

claim 20

, wherein:

the non-contact temperature sensor changes the output value in accordance with an amount of infrared rays; and

an emissivity of the infrared rays from the reference member is set to be approximately equal to an emissivity of the infrared rays from the skin of the passenger.

24. The air conditioning system according to

claim 20

, wherein the temperature of the reference member is set to be approximately equal to that of the skin of the passenger.

25. The air conditioning system according to

claim 20

, wherein the temperature of the reference member is set to become approximately one of a highest temperature and a lowest temperature of the skin of the passenger.

26. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion;

the control unit forms a temperature distribution map of the face portion and the part around the face portion based on temperature signals from the temperature detecting elements of the non-contact temperature sensor;

the control unit estimates a position of the face portion within the temperature distribution map; and

the control unit estimates a position of a specific portion within the face portion based on a temperature change in the estimated position of the face portion.

27. The air conditioning system according to

claim 26

, wherein the control unit estimates that a position, where temperature changes in an upper area of the temperature distribution map within the face portion, is of the eyes of the face portion.

28. The air conditioning system according to

claim 27

, wherein the control unit estimates positions of the cheeks of the face portion in the temperature distribution map from the positions of the eyes.

29. The air conditioning system according to

claim 26

, wherein the control unit estimates that a position, where temperature changes in a lower area of the temperature distribution map within the face portion, is of the mouse of the face portion.

30. The air conditioning system according to

claim 29

, wherein the control unit estimates positions of the cheeks of the face portion in the temperature distribution map from the estimated position of the mouth.

31. The air conditioning system according to

claim 1

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion;

the control unit forms a temperature distribution map of the face portion and the part around the face portion based on temperature signals from the temperature detecting elements of the non-contact temperature sensor;

the control unit estimates a position of the face portion within the temperature distribution map; and

the control unit estimates a position of a specific portion within the face portion based on a temperature distribution in the estimated position of the face portion.

32. The air conditioning system according to claim 31, wherein the control unit estimates that a position at an approximate center of the face portion, with a temperature lower than an average temperature of the temperature distribution of the face portion, is of the nose of the face portion.

33. The air conditioning system according to

claim 32

, wherein the control unit estimates positions of the cheeks of the face portion in the temperature distribution map from the position of the nose.

34. The air conditioning system according to

claim 26

, wherein

when a highest temperature in the estimated position of the face portion is Tp, the control unit estimates that a portion where temperature is continued in a range of (Tp−

2°

C.)−

Tp is an area of the face portion.

35. The air conditioning system according to

claim 34

, wherein the control unit divides the area of the face portion into three parts in a lateral direction, and determines that both side parts in the lateral direction are the cheeks of the face portion.

36. An air conditioning system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment, comprising:

a non-contact temperature sensor having a plurality of temperature detecting elements each of which generates an electrical signal in accordance with an amount of infrared rays, the non-contact temperature sensor being disposed to detect a predetermined region within the passenger compartment in a non-contact state using the temperature detecting elements; and

a control unit which controls an air-conditioning state to be introduced into the passenger compartment based on a temperature signal from the non-contact temperature sensor, wherein;

the non-contact temperature sensor include a lens through which the infrared rays pass;

the lens is disposed to change a relative position with the temperature detecting elements; and

the control unit changes the relative position of the lens with the temperature detecting elements to switch a first state of the non-contact temperature sensor, for detecting temperature of an entire area of the predetermined region, and a second state of the non-contact temperature sensor, for detecting temperature of a part area in the predetermined region.

37. The air conditioning system according to

claim 36

, wherein:

when a passenger is seated on a seat in the passenger compartment, the predetermined region includes the face portion of the passenger and a part around the face portion; and

the non-contact temperature sensor detects the face portion in the second state.

38. The air conditioning system according to

claim 36

, wherein the temperature detecting elements are disposed in a matrix shape.

39. A correction method of a non-contact temperature sensor being disposed to detect a predetermined region within a passenger compartment of the vehicle in a non-contact state using temperature detecting elements, the correction method comprising:

arranging a reference member in the predetermined region, the reference member being set to a predetermined temperature;

detecting an initial temperature of the reference member to obtain an initial output value;

detecting a present temperature of the reference member to obtain a present output value; and

comparing the initial output value with the present output value to determine a correction coefficient of the present output value.

40. The correction method according to

claim 39

, wherein the predetermined temperature is approximately equal to a skin temperature of a passenger in the passenger compartment.

41. The correction method according to

claim 39

, wherein:

the reference member is set to a plurality of predetermined temperatures; and

in the comparing, a plurality of the initial output values corresponding to the predetermined temperatures and a plurality of the present output values corresponding to the predetermined temperatures are compared.

42. The correction method according to

claim 41

, wherein:

one of the predetermined temperatures is approximately equal to a highest temperature of the skin temperature of the passenger; and

an another one of the predetermined temperatures is approximately equal to a lowest temperature of the skin temperature of the passenger.

43. The correction method according to

claim 39

, wherein:

the reference member is disposed at one of a seat and a seat belt within the predetermined region.

44. The correction method according to

claim 39

, wherein the non-contact temperature sensor detects the temperature of the reference member when a temperature inside the passenger compartment is in a predetermined range.