Method for determining an interior temperature of a passenger area of a motor vehicle, arrangement for execution of the method, and a temperature sensor

• US 7,325,972 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PREH GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: PREH GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ruettiger, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN VERBITSKY, GAIL
• Application Number:
  US11/606,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 374/141, 374/142, 374/120, 374/121, 374/129, 374/131, 374/133, 374/135, 374/29, 374/208, 374/109, 236/12, 236/91.E, 236/91.C, 236/91.R, 738/665, 165/203, 165/205, 165/202
• US Class Current: 374/141
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0075 the input being solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4266 for measuring solar light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0215 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/045 Sealings; Vacuum enclosures; Encapsulated packages; Wafer bonding structures; Getter arrangements getter arrangements per se H01L23/26 and H01L21/3221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/046 Materials; Selection of thermal materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/061 by controlling the temperature of the apparatus or parts thereof, e.g. using cooling means or thermostats
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0846 having multiple detectors for performing different types of detection, e.g. using radiometry and reflectometry channels
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/80 Calibration using comparison with reference sources G01J5/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/20 Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2201/02 in vehicles

Abstract

A signal (S_normal) is provided to a heat element of a temperature sensor, which is recorded as a step response (L_ruh, L_bew). From the difference of the step response compared with the reaction adaptively determined with the temperature sensor at zero air circulation, air flow or no air flow is determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining a temperature of an interior of a vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring and storing a control value for a control element having a control element surface, the control value being representative of the temperature of the control element surface that is provided in the interior of the vehicle and measured with a temperature sensor when there is no air movement within the interior of the vehicle;

providing a pulsed signal to a heat element of the control element through an impulse-damping segment of the control element so that the temperature sensor exhibits a temperature change;

measuring a step response of the temperature sensor;

comparing the step response of the temperature sensor with the control value to determine a damping amount of air flow on the heat element, wherein the damping amount comprises a change in temperature of the temperature sensor per a unit of time;

comparing the determined damping amount to a predetermined damping amount value for a no air flow state of the heat element,

determining a presence or absence of air flow in the interior of the vehicle on the basis of the comparison of the determined damping amount with the predetermined damping amount value;

determining the temperature of the interior of the vehicle with a correction value based on the determination of the presence or absence of air flow and a temperature value from the temperature sensor; and

providing the temperature of the interior of the vehicle to a vehicle system.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting a control of a heating and air-conditioning system of a vehicle on the basis of the determination of the temperature of the interior of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is a heating and air-conditioning system of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising weighting interference values for heating of the control element through incident sun radiation based on the determination of the presence or the absence of air flow in the interior of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the damping amount for a no air flow state comprises a change in temperature over a first period of time.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the damping amount for the presence of air flow in the interior of the vehicle comprises the change in temperature over a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is less than the first period of time.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control element includes the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor comprising the heat element, the impulse-damping segment, and a foil.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring and storing the control value comprising determining the predetermined damping amount value during a no air flow state within the interior of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises:

at least one sensor for determining the surface temperature of a measuring area of the control element, and

the heat element, which is thermally coupled with the at least one sensor.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the impulse-damping segment thermally couples the heat element with the at least one sensor.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the impulse-damping segment comprises a foil with conduction tracks attached thereto.

12. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the temperature sensor is located in a housing and is arranged in the upper part of a foil, which serves as a substrate for the temperature sensor, and into which are injected at least the sensor for determining the surface temperature of the measuring area and the heat element, and

wherein the housing is closed off towards the bottom with a casting compound, with contact pins leading through it.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the housing is made of infrared-permeable material, at least above an additional sensor for measuring the incident sun radiation, which is attached to the foil.

14. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the temperature sensor is located in a housing,

wherein the foil is flexible and is folded and inserted into the housing, together with the attached sensor for determining the surface temperature of the measuring area and the heat element, and

wherein foil tracks lead from the housing.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein an additional sensor for determining the self-heating of the control element is attached to the foil in the housing, whereby the housing is open in this area.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a sensor measuring incident sun radiation is attached to the foil, and that the housing has an infrared-light permeable area around the sensor.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein when the sensor is arranged below the foil, the foil is made of infrared-light permeable material in this area.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is manufactured utilizing MID technology.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is manufactured utilizing foil injection technology.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heat element is a NTC.