JP7845809B2 - Air conditioning control system - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an air conditioning control device.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an air conditioning control device that controls the operation of an air conditioning unit according to the conditions when a vehicle's windows are open.

In the technology described in Patent Document 1, different control mechanisms are employed depending on whether the window is opened for smoking or to bring the interior temperature closer to the outside temperature. When smoking is detected by the smoking sensor, it is determined that the window was opened for smoking, and automatic control continues to maintain the interior temperature at the set temperature. If smoking is not detected by the smoking sensor, it is determined that the window was opened to bring the interior temperature closer to the outside temperature, and the air conditioning unit maintains the control state at the time the window was opened. Automatic control is then canceled, and the system switches to a mode for manual operation of the air conditioning unit.

In the technology described in Patent Document 2, if the heating or cooling load of the air conditioning unit is determined to be high, and the vehicle's doors or windows are detected to be open, and the difference between the vehicle interior temperature maintenance value and the actual vehicle interior temperature exceeds a predetermined value, the operating level of the air conditioning unit is limited.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-284038 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-095347

At drive-throughs or toll booths, people often open their windows to converse or exchange banknotes. If the airflow from the cash register's air conditioning is too strong, it may make conversations difficult to hear or cause banknotes to be blown away. Similarly, when checking for railroad crossing sounds, strong airflow from the cash register's air conditioning may obscure the sounds.

One of the objectives of this invention is to provide an air conditioning control device that minimizes interference from air conditioning airflow during communication with people or devices outside the vehicle and during confirmation of sounds outside the vehicle.

An air conditioning control device according to one aspect of the present invention is:
An air conditioning unit that blows conditioned air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle,
A control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioning unit,
A first acquisition unit that acquires information on the opening and closing of the windows of the aforementioned vehicle,
The system includes a second acquisition unit that acquires map information including the location of the vehicle and the type of facilities near the vehicle.
The control unit controls the operation of the air conditioning unit to reduce the airflow rate of the air conditioning unit based on the window opening and closing information acquired from the first acquisition unit and the map information acquired from the second acquisition unit.

In the air conditioning control device of the present invention, the airflow of the air conditioner is reduced based on window open/closed information and map information. This airflow control is performed, for example, based on window open/closed information ("window is open"), the vehicle's current location, and the type of nearby facility ("a facility where accurate understanding of external sounds is necessary"). A facility where "accurate understanding of external sounds is necessary" refers to a facility where voice communication takes place with people or terminals outside the vehicle, or a facility where a high level of external sound recognition is required. The former includes, for example, drive-throughs and toll booths. The latter includes, for example, railway crossings. By reducing the airflow when the window is open and the vehicle is located at a drive-through or toll booth, communication with people or terminals outside the vehicle, such as conversation or the exchange of banknotes, is less likely to be hindered by the airflow. Similarly, by reducing the airflow when the window is open and the vehicle is located near a railway crossing, the confirmation of the railway crossing's warning signal is less likely to be hindered by the airflow.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the air conditioning control device according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure of the control unit in the air conditioning control device of the embodiment.

A specific example of the air conditioning control device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For the sake of clarity, some components may be exaggerated or simplified in the drawings. The dimensional ratios of the parts shown in the drawings may also differ from those of the actual components.

<Overview>
As shown in Figure 1, the air conditioning control device 1 comprises an air conditioning unit 2, a control unit 3, a first acquisition unit 4, and a second acquisition unit 5. The air conditioning unit 2 blows conditioned air into the vehicle interior. The control unit 3 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 2. The first acquisition unit 4 acquires information on the opening and closing of the vehicle's windows. The second acquisition unit 5 acquires map information including the vehicle's location and the type of nearby facilities. One of the features of the air conditioning control device 1 is that the control unit 3 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 to reduce the airflow rate based on the window opening and closing information and the map information. The following describes each component in detail.

<Air conditioning unit>
The air conditioning unit 2 is located inside the instrument panel 9, as shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the air conditioning unit 2 is shown by a dashed line. Known configurations can be used for the air conditioning unit 2. Typically, the air conditioning unit 2 includes a blower fan (not shown), an evaporator, and a heater core. The blower fan blows air from outside or inside the vehicle to the evaporator and heater core. The evaporator is a heat exchanger for cooling and cools the conditioned air. The heater core is a heat exchanger for heating and heats the conditioned air. The air from the blower fan is first cooled by the evaporator and then adjusted to the desired temperature by the heater core. The amount of conditioned air blown into the vehicle interior is adjusted, for example, by the rotation speed of the blower fan.

The instrument panel 9 is provided with multiple openings through which conditioned air from the air conditioning unit 2 is blown into the passenger compartment. In this example, the openings include a center register 81, side registers 82 and 83, a front defroster 84, and side defrosters 85 and 86. The conditioned air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 2 is sent to each opening, such as the center register 81, through a duct (not shown). The conditioned air conditioned by the air conditioning unit 2 is also sent to the rear of the passenger compartment through a rear heater duct 87. The rear heater duct 87 extends from below the instrument panel 9 to the underside of a floor panel (not shown). In Figure 1, the rear heater duct 87 is shown by a dashed line.

The instrument panel 9 is equipped with a heater control panel 7. The heater control panel 7 allows setting the temperature and airflow of the air conditioning unit. The air conditioning unit 2 has two operating modes: an automatically controlled auto mode and a manually operated manual mode. The heater control panel 7 also allows switching between auto and manual modes. In auto mode, once the temperature is set, the temperature and airflow of the air conditioning unit are automatically controlled based on information detected by sensors that monitor the temperature inside the vehicle, ensuring that the temperature inside the vehicle remains at the set temperature. The sensors include a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the vehicle. The sensors may also include, for example, a sunlight sensor.

<First acquisition part>
The first acquisition unit 4 acquires information about the opening and closing of the vehicle's windows, such as the window's opening degree. Windows are usually raised and lowered by a motor. The first acquisition unit 4 is, for example, a rotary encoder that detects the motor's rotation speed. The window's opening degree is determined from the motor's rotation speed. If the motor is a stepping motor, the first acquisition unit 4 may be a measuring instrument that detects pulse signals. The window's opening degree is defined as 0% when the window is fully closed and 100% when the window is fully open, with equal intervals between 0% and 100%. The window from which opening and closing information is acquired is, for example, the driver's side window.

<Second acquisition part>
The second acquisition unit 5 acquires the vehicle's location and information about nearby facilities. The vehicle's location is its current location and is acquired, for example, by GPS. Information about nearby facilities is acquired by reading map information corresponding to the vehicle's surroundings from map information pre-stored in memory. Nearby facilities are information about the type of facilities located near the vehicle's current location. The map information includes road information and facility information. The facility information includes the type of facility, such as drive-throughs, toll booths, and railway crossings. The map information can utilize data used in navigation systems.

<Control Unit>
The control unit 3 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 according to whether it is in auto mode or manual mode. In auto mode, the control unit 3 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 to maintain the set temperature.

The control unit 3 can, for example, utilize a computer. A computer typically comprises a processor and memory. The processor is, for example, a CPU. The memory unit stores control programs and various data for execution by the processor. The control unit 3 operates when the control programs stored in memory are executed by the processor.

The control unit 3 includes an airflow control unit 31. When the air conditioning unit 2 is in auto mode, the airflow control unit 31 controls the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 to reduce the airflow based on window opening/closing information and map information. The airflow control unit 31 operates according to the processing procedure shown in Figure 2.

In step S1, it is determined whether the vehicle's windows are open or not. The vehicle's windows are, for example, the driver's side windows. The window opening/closing information is, for example, the window opening degree, and is acquired from the first acquisition unit 4. If the window opening degree is greater than 0%, it is determined that the window is open. If it is determined that the window is open, the process proceeds to step S2. If it is determined that the window is not open, for example, that the window opening degree is 0%, the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 is not changed, and the current operation is maintained.

In step S2, it is determined whether the vehicle's windows are widely open. The degree to which the windows are open is determined by the window opening angle. The window opening angle is obtained from the first acquisition unit 4, similar to step S1. In this example, it is determined whether the window opening angle is 50% or more. If it is determined that the window opening angle is 50% or more, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that the window opening angle is less than 50%, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S3, it is determined whether the temperature inside the vehicle is below the temperature set in auto mode. The temperature inside the vehicle is constantly measured by a temperature sensor. The temperature set in auto mode is stored in memory. If it is determined that the temperature inside the vehicle is below the temperature set in auto mode, the process proceeds to step S4. If it is determined that the temperature inside the vehicle is above the temperature set in auto mode, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S4, it is determined whether the vehicle is located at a drive-through or toll booth. Information on the vehicle's location and the type of nearby facilities is obtained from the second acquisition unit 5. If it is determined that the vehicle is located at a drive-through or toll booth, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that the vehicle is not located at a drive-through or toll booth, the process proceeds to step S5. Whether the vehicle is located at a drive-through or toll booth is determined, for example, by the distance between the vehicle and the drive-through or toll booth.

In step S5, it is determined whether the vehicle is located near a level crossing. Information on the vehicle's position and the level crossing's position is obtained from the second acquisition unit 5. If it is determined that the vehicle is located near a level crossing, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that the vehicle is not located near a level crossing, the operation of the air conditioning unit 2 is not changed, and the current operation is maintained. Whether the vehicle is located near a level crossing is determined, for example, by the distance between the vehicle and the level crossing.

In step S6, the airflow of the air conditioning system is reduced. For example, the airflow can be reduced by lowering the rotation speed of the blower fan. The setting value for the reduced airflow can be selected as appropriate. The set value should be, for example, the minimum value required to provide sufficient airflow. The set value for the airflow may vary depending on the type of nearby facilities.

<Effect>
In the air conditioning control device 1 described above, the airflow of the air conditioning is reduced when the windows are open and the vehicle is located in a specific location. A specific location is a place where it is necessary to communicate with people or terminals outside the vehicle, or a place where it is necessary to accurately perceive sounds from outside the vehicle. Examples of specific locations include drive-throughs, toll booths, or railway crossings. When the windows are wide open and the vehicle is located in a drive-through or toll booth, the airflow of the air conditioning is reduced. This is because at drive-throughs or toll booths, people open their windows to talk or exchange banknotes, etc. When the airflow is reduced, it becomes less likely that conversations with people outside the vehicle and the exchange of banknotes, etc., will be obstructed by the airflow.

One reason for opening a window is ventilation. In ventilation cases, windows are sometimes opened only slightly. In this case, if the vehicle is not located near a level crossing, there is little need to check for outside noise. Therefore, there is no need to reduce the air conditioning volume. This example determines whether the window opening is 50% or more. This is because at drive-throughs or toll booths, the window opening is considered to be 50% or more due to the exchange of banknotes, etc. In this example, if the window opening is less than 50%, it is considered that the window is open for ventilation, and the air conditioning volume is not reduced, so the comfort of the occupants is not compromised.

In the case of ventilation, windows may be opened wide to lower the temperature inside the vehicle. In this case, the temperature inside the vehicle is likely to exceed the temperature set in automatic mode. In this example, if the temperature inside the vehicle exceeds the temperature set in automatic mode, and the vehicle is not located near a level crossing, the airflow of the air conditioning cannot be reduced. Since the air conditioning airflow cannot be reduced when ventilating to lower the temperature inside the vehicle, the comfort of the occupants is not compromised.

When a vehicle is located near a level crossing, even a slight opening of a window, regardless of the degree of opening, will reduce the airflow from the air conditioning. This is to prioritize safety and minimize interference from the air conditioning's airflow, thus ensuring that the sound of the level crossing's warning signals is not easily obstructed.

The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims, as shown by the claims. For example, the following modifications are possible:

(1) In the flowchart shown in Figure 2, step S1 may be omitted and step S5 may be merged into step S4. In this case, the airflow control unit 31 will be executed in the following processing procedure. The processing content of each step is the same as the processing content of each step described above.
- If the result in step S2 is Yes, proceed to step S3. If the result in step S2 is No, terminate the process.
- If the result in step S3 is Yes, proceed to step S4. If the result in step S3 is No, terminate the process.
Step S4 determines whether the vehicle is located near a drive-through, toll booth, or railroad crossing. If the result in Step S4 is Yes, the process proceeds to Step S6. If the result in Step S4 is No, the process ends.

In the configuration described in (1) above, the airflow of the air conditioning system is reduced when the vehicle's windows are open 50% or more and the vehicle is located in a specific position. If the vehicle's windows are open less than 50%, the airflow of the air conditioning system is not reduced regardless of the vehicle's position. In the configuration described in (1) above, for example, if the windows are opened slightly for ventilation, the airflow of the air conditioning system is not reduced, thus ensuring that the comfort of the occupants is not compromised.

(2) If the air conditioning unit is in auto mode, step S3 may be executed before step S2 in the flowchart shown in Figure 2. In this case, the airflow control unit 31 is executed in the following processing procedure. The processing content of each step is the same as the processing content of each step described above.
- If the result in step S1 is Yes, proceed to step S3. If the result in step S1 is No, terminate the process.
- If the result in step S3 is Yes, proceed to step S2. If the result in step S3 is No, terminate the process.
If the result in step S2 is Yes, proceed to step S4. If the result in step S2 is No, proceed to step S5.
- If the result in step S4 is Yes, proceed to step S6. If the result in step S4 is No, proceed to step S5.
- If the result in step S5 is Yes, proceed to step S6. If the result in step S5 is No, terminate the process.

In the configuration described in (2) above, the airflow of the air conditioning is reduced when three conditions are met: the temperature inside the vehicle is below the temperature set in auto mode, the vehicle's windows are open by 50% or more, and the vehicle is located in a specific location. If the vehicle's windows are open and the temperature inside the vehicle exceeds the temperature set in auto mode, the airflow of the air conditioning will not be reduced regardless of the window opening or the vehicle's location. In the configuration described in (2) above, if it is determined that the temperature inside the vehicle exceeds the temperature set in auto mode, the airflow of the air conditioning is not reduced because it is assumed that the windows were opened for ventilation to lower the temperature inside the vehicle, thus ensuring that the comfort of the occupants is not compromised.

(3) The conditions for reducing the airflow of the air conditioner may include information about the vehicle speed. For example, the condition that the vehicle speed is below a certain level may be included. When the vehicle speed is below a certain level, it is considered that the driver wants to carefully listen to sounds from outside the vehicle. Below a certain level of vehicle speed includes a vehicle speed of zero, i.e., the vehicle is stopped.

1. Air conditioning control unit 2. Air conditioning unit 3. Control unit, 31. Air volume control unit 4. First acquisition unit 5. Second acquisition unit 7. Heater control panel 81. Center register, 82, 83. Side registers 84. Front defroster, 85, 86. Side defroster 87. Rear heater duct 9. Instrument panel

Claims (1)

An air conditioning unit that blows conditioned air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle,
A control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioning unit,
A first acquisition unit that acquires information on the opening and closing of the windows of the aforementioned vehicle,
The system includes a second acquisition unit that acquires map information including the location of the vehicle and the type of facilities near the vehicle.
The aforementioned types of nearby facilities include drive-throughs, toll booths, and railway crossings.
The control unit includes an airflow control unit that controls the operation of the air conditioning unit to reduce the airflow of the air conditioning unit based on the window opening/closing information acquired from the first acquisition unit and the map information acquired from the second acquisition unit.
The airflow control unit,
A first step is to determine whether the opening of the window is 50% or more,
A second step is to determine whether the temperature inside the vehicle is below the temperature set by the air conditioning unit,
If the determination in the first step is Yes and the determination in the second step is Yes, a third step is to determine whether the vehicle is located at a drive-through or toll booth.
If the determination in the first step is No, if the determination in the second step is No, or if the determination in the third step is No, a fourth step is to determine whether the vehicle is located near a level crossing.
If the determination in the third step is Yes, or if the determination in the fourth step is Yes, the fifth step of reducing the airflow of the air conditioner is performed.
Air conditioning control device.