System and Method for Automatic Air Conditioning/Heating Venting Control Detection for Vehicles

• US 20080046146A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cereceres, Michelle R., Korn, Wendy S., Garcia, Francisco, Nevarez, David, Villarreal, Marcos A., Velarde, Debora, Brekke, Bobbi A.
• Application Number:
  US11/460,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046146A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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 1/00871 Air directing means, e.g. blades in an air outlet construction of nozzles or air diffusers B60H1/34

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-usable medium for automatic air conditioning/heating venting control detection for vehicles. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vent control manager monitors a seat in a vehicle to determine if a passenger is occupying the seat and in response to determining the seat is occupied, the vent control manager opens at least one vent facing the seat. In response to determining the seat is not occupied, the vent control manager closes at least one vent facing the seat.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method for implementing automatic air conditioning/heating venting control for a vehicle, said computer-implementable method comprising:

implementing a vent control manager within a system memory of a data processing system, wherein said data processing system is located within a dashboard of said vehicle, and wherein said dashboard further includes a personalization accessory for providing an aesthetically pleasing driving environment for at least one passenger in said vehicle;

coupling said vent control manager to at least one vent and at least one pressure sensor via a hardware control interface, wherein said at least one pressure sensor is located within at least one passenger seat within said vehicle;

monitoring with said vent control manager at least one passenger seat in said vehicle to determine if a passenger is occupying said at least one passenger seat by measuring pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat with said at least one pressure sensor;

determining if said at least one passenger seat is occupied by comparing said measured pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat to a predetermined pressure tbreshold; and

in response to determining said seat is occupied, opening at least one vent facing said seat.

2. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a manual override is enabled; and

in response to determining said manual override is enabled, suspending said monitoring.

3. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining said seat is not occupied, closing at least one vent facing said seat.

4. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer-program code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

implementing a vent control manager within a system memory of a data processing system, wherein said data processing system is located within a dashboard of said vehicle, and wherein said dashboard further includes a personalization accessory for providing an aesthetically pleasing driving environment for at least one passenger in said vehicle;

coupling said vent control manager to at least one vent and at least one pressure sensor via a hardware control interface, wherein said at least one pressure sensor is located within at least one passenger seat within said vehicle;

monitoring with said vent control manager at least one passenger seat in said vehicle to determine if a passenger is occupying said at least one passenger seat by measuring pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat with said at least one pressure sensor; and

determining if said at least one passenger seat is occupied by comparing said measured pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat to a predetermined pressure threshold; and

in response to determining said seat is occupied, opening at least one vent facing said seat.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said instructions are further configured for:

determining if a manual override is enabled; and

in response to determining said manual override is enabled, suspending said monitoring.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein said instructions are further configured for:

in response to determining said seat is not occupied, closing at least one vent facing said seat.

7. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising computer-executable instructions configured for:

implementing a vent control manager within a system memory of a data processing system, wherein said data processing system is located within a dashboard of said vehicle, and wherein said dashboard further includes a personalization accessory for providing an aesthetically pleasing driving environment for at least one passenger in said vehicle;

coupling said vent control manager to at least one vent and at least one pressure sensor via a hardware control interface, wherein said at least one pressure sensor is located within at least one passenger seat within said vehicle;

monitoring with said vent control manager at least one passenger seat in said vehicle to determine if a passenger is occupying said at least one passenger seat by measuring pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat with said at least one pressure sensor; and

determining if said at least one passenger seat is occupied by comparing said measured pressure applied to said at least one passenger seat to a predetermined pressure threshold; and

in response to determining said seat is occupied, opening at least one vent facing said seat.

8. The computer-usable medium according to claim 7, wherein said embodied computer program code further comprises computer-executable instructions configured for:

determining if a manual override is enabled; and

in response to determining said manual override is enabled, suspending said monitoring.

9. The computer-usable medium according to claim 7, wherein said embodied compute program code further comprises computer-executable instructions configured for:

in response to determining said seat is not occupied, closing at least one vent facing said seat.