VEHICLE AIR-CONDITIONER CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20090193825A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Hara, Junichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,775,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• 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 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00828 Ventilators, e.g. speed control B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/006 Noise reduction

Abstract

A vehicle air-conditioner control system according to the present invention activates an air conditioner in response to a command from an air-conditioner remote controller before a passenger is onboard, controls the air conditioner based on a heat load detected by a heat load detector, controls the air conditioner to be set in a silent mode so as not to make the passenger feel uncomfortable due to an air-conditioning wind when a passenger-proximity determiner determines that the passenger is proximate to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle air-conditioner control system for controlling a temperature of a compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

an air conditioner configured to adjust the temperature of the compartment;

a heat-load detector detecting a heat load imposed on the vehicle;

an air-conditioner remote controller configured to remotely control the air conditioner according to a passenger of the vehicle;

a passenger-proximity determiner configured to determine whether the passenger is proximate to the vehicle; and

an air-conditioner controller configured to control the air conditioner based on the heat load if the air-conditioner remote controller activates the air conditioner before the passenger is onboard, and to control the air conditioner to be set in a silent mode if the passenger-proximity determiner determines that the passenger is proximate to the vehicle.

2. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the passenger-proximity determiner determines that the passenger is proximate in one of a case where the passenger opens a door of the vehicle, a case where the door is unlocked, and a case where it is determined by a communication with a remote controller carried by the passenger that the passenger is proximate.

3. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the silent mode set by the air-conditioner controller is to stop or reduce an air-conditioning wind.

4. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the silent mode set by the air-conditioner controller is to zeroes or reduce number of revolutions of a compressor included in the air conditioner.

5. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, wherein the air-conditioner remote controller is disposed in one of a cellular phone, a vehicle remote controller, and an apparatus that can transmit and receive signals over the Internet.

6. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pre-manipulator of the air-conditioner configured to activate the air-conditioner when it is a predetermined time set by the passenger or the predetermined time set by the passenger has passed.

7. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a passenger-boarding determiner configured to determine whether the passenger is onboard, wherein

if the passenger-boarding determiner determines that the passenger is onboard, the air-conditioner controller controls the air conditioner to be set in a return mode for returning the air conditioner from the silent mode to an air-conditioned state preset by the passenger.

8. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power-supply switch configured to open or close a connection to a member that supplies a high voltage in a power supply of the vehicle, wherein

if the passenger-proximity determiner determines that the passenger is proximate to the vehicle, the power-supply switch shuts off the connection to the power supply.

9. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power-supply switch for the air conditioner configured to open or close a connection between a power supply of the vehicle and the air conditioner; and

a driving power-supply switch configured to open or close a connection between the power supply of the vehicle and a driving system of the vehicle, wherein

if the air-conditioner remote controller activates the air conditioner, only the power-supply switch for the air conditioner is connected.

10. The vehicle air-conditioner control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle-position measuring unit configured to detect a position of the vehicle; and

a passenger-position measuring unit configured to detect a position of the passenger, wherein

the air-conditioner controller calculates a distance between the vehicle and the passenger based on detection results of the vehicle-position measuring unit and the passenger-position measuring unit, and controls the air conditioner based on the calculated distance between the vehicle and the passenger and the heat load detected by the heat-load detector.