Method and system for a two-second key hold convention for climate control

• US 6,659,360 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dage, Gerhard A., Schaefer, Eric Gerd, Davis, Leighton Ira Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US10/065,855
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/94, 236/46.C, 236/46.R, 621/57, 621/58, 622/09
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/008 the input being air quality
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00971 Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for locking or memorising of control modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00733 Computational models modifying user-set values

Abstract

A method for adapting a vehicle climate control system to a user comfort preference includes performing an adjustment strategy in response to assertion of at least one user-generated signal at less than a predetermined level and during less than a predetermined time interval and performing at least one adaptive strategy in response to assertion of the user-generated signal at greater than the predetermined level during the predetermined time interval.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a vehicle climate control system to a user comfort preference, the method comprising:

performing an adjustment strategy in response to assertion of at least one user-generated signal at less than a predetermined level and during less than a predetermined time interval; and

performing at least one adaptive strategy in response to assertion of the user-generated signal at greater than the predetermined level during the predetermined time interval.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment strategy comprises adjusting a respective climate control output to a level responsive to the user-generated signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustment strategy is independent of the adaptive strategy.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the adaptive strategy performs the adapting to a level responsive to the user-generated signal.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising altering the adaptive strategy along an adaptive climate control dimension globally beyond an immediate region of dependence on another climate control dimension.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising altering the adaptive strategy along an adaptive climate control dimension locally in an immediate region of dependence on another-climate-control dimension.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the adaptive strategy is performed according to at least one rule set that corresponds to a specific vehicle application.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a combination of adaptive strategies.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing independent adaptive strategies in each of a plurality of zones within a vehicle.

10. A vehicle climate control system adaptable to a user climate comfort preference comprising:

a plurality of user interfaces; and

a controller for performing an adjustment strategy when a user adjusts at least one of the interfaces by less than a predetermined amount and during less than a predetermined time interval and for performing at least one adaptive strategy when the user adjusts the interface by greater than a predetermined amount during the predetermined time.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the adjustment strategy comprises adjusting a respective climate control output to a level responsive to an amount the user adjusts the interface.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the adjustment strategy is independent of the adaptive strategy.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the adaptive strategy performs the adapting to a level responsive to an amount the user adjusts the interface.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the adaptive strategy is altered along an adaptive climate control dimension globally beyond an immediate region of dependence on another climate control dimension.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the adaptive strategy is altered along an adaptive climate control dimension locally in an immediate region of dependence on another climate control dimension.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the adaptive strategy is performed according to at least one rule set that corresponds to a specific vehicle application.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the system performs a combination of the adaptive strategies.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the system performs independent adaptive strategies in each of a plurality of zones within a vehicle.

19. For use in a vehicle climate control system, a method for adapting to a user climate comfort preference, the method comprising:

providing a controller for performing an adjustment strategy when a user adjusts at least one interface by less than a predetermined level and during less than a predetermined time interval and for performing at least one adaptive strategy when the user adjusts the interface by greater than the predetermined level during the predetermined interval.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the adaptive strategy performs the adapting to a level responsive to an amount the user adjusts the interface.