VEHICLE COMFORT SYSTEM WITH EFFICIENT COORDINATION OF COMPLEMENTARY THERMAL UNITS

• US 20120312520A1
• Filed: 06/13/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hoke, Paul B., Line, Johnathan A., Dage, Gary A., Sawyer, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,150,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/203
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00285 for vehicle seats vehicle seats with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B60N2/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00292 for steering wheels steering wheels with heating or ventilation means independent from the HVAC system of the vehicle B62D1/065
• 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 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00785 by the detection of humidity or frost
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00835 Damper doors, e.g. position control construction or arrangement of damper doors B60H1/00664; B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00849 for selectively commanding the induction of outside or inside air B60H1/00842 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5628 coming from the vehicle ventilation system, e.g. air-conditioning system

Abstract

An HVAC comfort system operates in a cabin of a vehicle. A plurality of vehicle status parameters are measured including a cabin temperature and a seat occupancy configuration. The method detects whether the vehicle status parameters correspond to a predetermined override state. When the vehicle status parameters correspond to the predetermined override state, then a respective mandated setting is automatically activated. Unless prevented by the mandated setting, one of a plurality of HVAC modes is automatically selected in response to the cabin temperature and other inputs, wherein the HVAC modes include an extremity heating mode and a panel circulation mode. The extremity heating mode is comprised of automatic activation of a touchpoint heated surface and other outputs in response to the seat occupancy configuration. The panel circulation mode is comprised of automatic activation of one or more zones for convective cooling in response to the seat occupancy configuration and may include activating other cooling devices.

Claims

1. A method of operating an HVAC comfort system in a cabin of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring a plurality of vehicle status parameters including a cabin temperature and a seat occupancy configuration;

detecting whether the vehicle status parameters correspond to a predetermined override state;

when the vehicle status parameters correspond to the predetermined override state, then automatically activating a respective mandated setting;

unless prevented by the mandated setting, automatically selecting one of a plurality of HVAC modes in response to the cabin temperature, wherein the HVAC modes include an extremity heating mode and a panel circulation mode;

wherein the extremity heating mode is comprised of automatic activation of is a touchpoint heated surface in response to the seat occupancy configuration;

wherein the panel circulation mode is comprised of automatic activation of one or more zones for convective cooling in response to the seat occupancy configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the extremity heating mode is selected when the cabin temperature is below a predetermined temperature.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the extremity heating mode further includes selective use of at least one radiative or convective thermal heating unit automatically selected in response to the vehicle status parameters.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein one of the vehicle status parameters is an engine coolant temperature, wherein the at least one radiative or convective thermal heating unit is comprised of a heater core in an air handling unit, wherein the automatic activation of the touchpoint heated surface includes a default energy consumption, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

comparing the engine coolant temperature to a predetermined threshold; and

if the engine coolant temperature is less than the predetermined threshold, then increasing the energy consumption of the touchpoint heated surface above the default energy consumption.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the panel circulation mode is selected when the cabin temperature is above a predetermined temperature.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the panel circulation mode further includes automatic activation of a touchpoint cooled surface in response to the seat occupancy configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the HVAC comfort system includes a variable speed blower, wherein the HVAC modes further includes a core-plus mode selected when the cabin temperature is above a first predetermined temperature and below a second predetermined temperature, wherein the core-plus mode includes automatic activation of the blower at a selected speed determined in response to the cabin temperature, wherein the selected speed is less always less than a maximum speed of the variable speed blower and reaches a minimum predetermined speed when the cabin temperature is substantially equal to a target temperature.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein one of the vehicle status parameters is vehicle speed, and wherein the selected speed of the blower is reduced when vehicle speed is above a threshold speed.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the HVAC comfort system includes a blower input damper for providing a selectable recirculation position between 0% and 100%, wherein the extremity heating mode and the panel circulation mode provide respective default recirculation positions.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein one of the vehicle status parameters is cabin humidity, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

decreasing the selected recirculation position in proportion to the cabin humidity.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein one of the vehicle status parameters is cabin pollution level, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

decreasing the selected recirculation position in proportion to the cabin pollution level.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle status parameters are selected from a group comprising engine coolant temperature, battery state-of-charge, outside temperature, outside humidity, cabin humidity, cabin pollutant level, sun location, sun intensity, user target setting, vehicle speed, and engine status.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle status parameters include at least one of a battery state-of-charge and an engine status, wherein the predetermined override state is comprised of a limp-home state, and wherein the respective mandated setting forces deactivation of at least a portion of the HVAC comfort system.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle status parameters include a cabin pollutant level, wherein the predetermined override state is comprised of a purge state when the cabin pollutant level is above a predetermined level, and wherein the respective mandated setting forces the HVAC comfort system to introduce fresh outside air to the cabin.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the cabin pollutant level is comprised of a measurement of CO₂ concentration.

16. An HVAC comfort system for a cabin of a vehicle having a plurality of seats, comprising:

a plurality of sensors measuring vehicle status parameters including a cabin temperature and a seat occupancy configuration;

a plurality of touchpoint heated surfaces associated with respective ones of the seats;

an air handling unit for distributing conditioned air toward selected zones corresponding to respective seats, wherein the air handling unit includes a blower, a thermal heating unit, and a thermal cooling unit; and

a controller coupled to the sensors, touchpoint heated surfaces, and air handling unit for detecting whether the vehicle status parameters correspond to a predetermined override state, wherein the controller automatically activates a respective mandated setting when the vehicle status parameters correspond to the predetermined override state;

unless prevented by the mandated setting, the controller automatically selecting one of a plurality of HVAC modes in response to the cabin temperature, wherein the HVAC modes include an extremity heating mode and a panel circulation mode;

wherein the extremity heating mode is comprised of automatic activation of at least one touchpoint heated surface in response to the seat occupancy configuration;

wherein the panel circulation mode is comprised of automatic activation of one or more zones for convective cooling in response to the seat occupancy configuration.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the extremity heating mode is selected with the cabin temperature is below a first predetermined temperature, wherein the panel circulation mode is selected when the cabin temperature is above a second predetermined temperature, wherein the HVAC modes further includes a core-plus mode selected when the cabin temperature is above the first predetermined temperature and below the second predetermined temperature, wherein the core-plus mode includes automatic activation of the blower at a selected speed determined in response to the cabin temperature, wherein the selected speed is less always less than a maximum speed of the variable speed blower and reaches a minimum predetermined speed when the cabin temperature is substantially equal to a target temperature.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein one of the vehicle status parameters is an engine coolant temperature, wherein the automatic activation of the touchpoint heated surface includes a default energy consumption, wherein the controller compares the engine coolant temperature to a predetermined threshold, and when the engine coolant temperature is less than the predetermined threshold then the controller increases the energy consumption of the touchpoint heated surface above the default energy consumption.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle status parameters include at least one of a battery state-of-charge and an engine status, wherein the predetermined override state is comprised of a limp-home state, and wherein the respective mandated setting forces deactivation of at least a portion of the HVAC comfort system.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle status parameters include a cabin pollutant level, wherein the predetermined override state is comprised of a purge state when the cabin pollutant level is above a predetermined level, and wherein the respective mandated setting forces the HVAC comfort system to introduce fresh outside air to the cabin.