Solar position correction for climate control system
First Claim
1. In an automotive vehicle HVAC system, a control for air temperature and air flow having data collectors for data relevant to sun position for determining sun position and solar sensors for sensing solar load, the method of adjusting for sun load comprising the steps of:
- sensing sun brightness;
collecting data pertaining to sun position;
calculating from the data sun position relative to the vehicle;
establishing an empirical table of solar illumination factors (SIF) for various sun positions;
selecting a SIF from the table on ithe basis of the sun position; and
adjusting the air temperature in accordance with the SIF and the sun brightness.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle heating and air conditioning system has multiple zones and a manual comfort selector for each zone. The setting for each zone is adjustable for the effects of sun intensity and sun position. A Global Position System (GPS) navigation system provides heading, longitude, latitude, time and date data from which sun position relative to the vehicle is determined, and solar sensors provide solar intensity information. An empirical table for each zone addressed by sun elevation and relative azimuth contains solar illumination factors which, along with solar intensity factors, afford an adjustment to the comfort settings, thus altering the temperature and/or flow rate of air supplied to each zone. Alternatively, in the absence of a GPS receiver, a magnetic compass is used for heading data, geographic region data is entered manually, and an on-board clock furnishes the time and date.
167 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In an automotive vehicle HVAC system, a control for air temperature and air flow having data collectors for data relevant to sun position for determining sun position and solar sensors for sensing solar load, the method of adjusting for sun load comprising the steps of:
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sensing sun brightness; collecting data pertaining to sun position; calculating from the data sun position relative to the vehicle; establishing an empirical table of solar illumination factors (SIF) for various sun positions; selecting a SIF from the table on ithe basis of the sun position; and adjusting the air temperature in accordance with the SIF and the sun brightness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an automotive vehicle HVAC system for controlling comfort level in multiple zones, each zone subject to a different solar load in dependence on sun position relative to the vehicle, a control for air temperature and air flow to each zone having data collectors for data on vehicle location and heading, sensors for solar load and zone air temperatures, and temperature selectors for the respective zones, the method of adjusting for sun load comprising the steps of:
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sensing sun brightness; collecting data pertaining to sun position; calculating sun position from the data; establishing an empirical table fair each zone of solar illumination factors (SIFs) for various sun positions relative to the vehicle; selecting SIFs from the table on the basis of the sun position; measuring air temperature of each zone; calculating air temperature to each zone and air flow on the basis of the selected temperature, the zone air temperature, the sun brightness and the zone SIF; and controlling the air temperature and flow to each zone in accordance with calculated values. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automotive vehicle HVAC system for controlling comfort level in multiple zones having manually controlled comfort settings, each zone subject to a different solar load in dependence on sun position relative to the vehicle, a control for regulating the temperature of air flow to each zone to compensate for solar load comprising:
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means for collecting data on time, date, vehicle location and heading; means for sensing solar load; means for determining sun position relative to the vehicle from collected data; and means for adjusting air flow temperature to each zone in accordance with the determined sun position and solar load. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification