Solar attack factor for determining airflow and exhaust temperature of vehicle HVAC system

Abstract

The invention relates to a solar attack factor for determining airflow and exhaust temperature of a vehicle HVAC system. A vehicle includes a system configured to supply air to a cabin of the vehicle at a target exhaust temperature. The one or more solar sensors are configured to sense solar radiation on the cabin and the one or more temperature sensors are configured to sense air within the cabin. The controller is configured to receive a user set temperature, obtain a solar thermal load from the one or more outputs of the one or more solar sensors, and obtain a feedback temperature from the one or more outputs of the one or more temperature sensors. The controller is further configured to determine a radiant temperature corresponding to a radiant heat transfer into the cabin, the radiant temperature varying with the feedback temperature and the solar thermal load. The controller may then set a target emission temperature according to the user set temperature, the feedback temperature, and the radiation temperature.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This patent application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 641,862, filed May 2, 2024, which has been assigned to the assignee of this application and is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference, as fully set forth below, and for all applicable purposes. Background Technology

[0003] This disclosure relates to the control of a vehicle's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes a method for controlling a vehicle's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by taking into account solar load. In one aspect, a vehicle includes a system configured to supply air to the vehicle's passenger compartment at a target emission temperature. The vehicle also includes one or more solar sensors and one or more temperature sensors configured to sense solar radiation on the passenger compartment and to sense the air within the passenger compartment. A controller is coupled to the system, the one or more solar sensors, and the one or more temperature sensors. The controller is configured to receive a user-set temperature, obtain a solar thermal load from one or more outputs of the one or more solar sensors, and obtain a feedback temperature from one or more outputs of the one or more temperature sensors. The controller is also configured to determine a radiant temperature corresponding to radiant heat transfer into the passenger compartment, the radiant temperature varying with the feedback temperature and the solar thermal load. The controller can then set a target emission temperature based on the user-set temperature, the feedback temperature, and the radiant temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0005] FIG. 1A Example vehicles that can operate according to certain implementation schemes are shown.

[0006] FIG. 1B An example is shown of a vehicle chassis having multiple operable drive units according to certain embodiments.

[0007] FIG. 2 It is a schematic block diagram of components used to operate a vehicle according to certain implementation schemes.

[0008] FIG. 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the components of a vapor compression heat transfer system according to certain embodiments.

[0009] FIG. 4 Examples of sensors that can be used to control the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of vehicles according to certain implementation schemes;

[0010] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of logic components for selecting a target discharge temperature and a target airflow for a vehicle HVAC system using a dynamic solar load factor determined according to certain embodiments.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram of a method for controlling a vehicle HVAC system according to certain embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Sunlight incident on a vehicle cabin directly affects the temperature within the cabin. The amount of solar radiation can be sensed using a solar light rain (SLR) sensor of the vehicle. A discharge temperature of a HVAC system of the vehicle can be adjusted by a solar offset corresponding to the amount of solar radiation. However, in some scenarios, such adjustment can be unpleasant or unexpected, such as when the cabin temperature is close to a user set temperature. Described herein is a solar load factor and its use to scale down the solar offset. Generally, as the temperature in the cabin drops to the user set temperature, the solar load factor will get smaller. The solar load factor can vary with an average radiation temperature that takes into account the amount of solar radiation as well as the ambient temperature and the discharge temperature of the HVAC system.

[0013] FIG. 1A An example vehicle 100 is illustrated. As shown, the vehicle 100 has a plurality of exterior cameras 102 and one or more front displays 104. Each of these exterior cameras 102 can capture a particular view or perspective of the exterior of the vehicle 100. The images or videos captured by the exterior cameras 102 can then be presented on one or more displays in the vehicle 100, such as the one or more front displays 104, for viewing by the driver. FIG. 1A Referring to

[0014] , the vehicle 100 can include a chassis 106 that includes a frame 108 that provides the primary structural members of the vehicle 100. The frame 108 can be formed from one or more beams or other structural members, or can be integrated with the body of the vehicle (i.e., monocoque construction). FIG. 1B In embodiments where the vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or can be a hybrid vehicle, a large battery 110 is mounted to the chassis 106 and can occupy a majority (e.g., at least 80%) of the area within the frame 108. For example, the battery 110 can store 100 kilowatt-hours to 200 kilowatt-hours (kWh). The battery 110 can be a lithium-ion battery or other type of rechargeable battery. The battery can be substantially planar in shape.

[0015]

[0016] ​Power from battery 110 can be supplied to one or more drive units 112. Each drive unit 112 may consist of an electric motor and possibly a gear train providing gear reduction. In some embodiments, a single drive unit 112 drives either the front or rear wheels of vehicle 100. In another embodiment, two drive units 112 are present, each driving either the front or rear wheels of vehicle 100. In yet another embodiment, four drive units 112 are present, each driving one of the four wheels of vehicle 100.

[0017] Power from battery 110 can be supplied to drive unit 112 by power electronics 114 in each drive unit 112. Power electronics 114 may include inverters configured to convert direct current (DC) from battery 110 into alternating current (AC) supplied to the motor of drive unit 112. Power electronics 114 also facilitate the use of the drive unit's motor as a generator to provide regenerative braking. Power electronics 114 also facilitate the transfer of regenerative current to battery 110.

[0018] A drive unit 112 is coupled to two or more wheel hubs 116 to which wheels can be mounted. Each wheel hub 116 includes a corresponding brake 118, such as a disc brake as illustrated. Each wheel hub 116 is further coupled to a frame 108 via a suspension 120. The suspension 120 may include metal or pneumatic springs for absorbing shocks. The suspension 120 may be implemented as a pneumatic or hydraulic suspension capable of adjusting the ground clearance of the chassis 106 relative to a supporting surface. The suspension 120 may include a damper, wherein the characteristics of the damper are fixed or electronically adjustable.

[0019] exist FIG. 1B In the implementation scheme and in the discussion below, vehicle 100 is a battery electric vehicle. However, the systems and methods disclosed herein can be used in any type of vehicle, including vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE), a hybrid powertrain, a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, or other types of powertrains that may have a portion that idles during some operating modes. For example, the front or rear differential of an all-wheel-drive vehicle. In another example, in a hybrid powertrain, according to the methods described herein, the idle drive unit including the electric motor can be heated using waste heat from the ICE.

[0020] FIG. 2 Examples FIG. 1A Example components of vehicle 100. (e.g.) FIG. 2As shown, the vehicle 100 includes a camera 102, one or more front displays 104, a user interface 200, one or more sensors 202, a motion sensor 204, and a positioning system 206. The one or more sensors 202 can include ultrasonic sensors, radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensors, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors, or other types of sensors. The positioning system 206 can be implemented as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The user interface 200 allows a user, such as a driver or passenger in the vehicle 100, to provide input.

[0021] The components of the vehicle 100 can include one or more temperature sensors 208. The temperature sensors 208 can include sensors configured to sense an ambient air temperature, a temperature of the battery 110, a temperature of the power electronics 114, a temperature of each drive unit 112 and / or each motor of each drive unit 112, a temperature of coolant fluid entering or exiting the coolant system, a temperature of oil within the drive unit 112, or a temperature of any other component of the vehicle 100.

[0022] The components of the vehicle 100 can include a friction braking system 210. The friction braking system 210 can include any components of a hydraulic braking system, such as rotors, brake pads, calipers, caliper pistons, a master cylinder coupled to the caliper pistons and to a brake pedal by brake lines. The friction braking system 210 can also include pumps and / or valves for automatically applying hydraulic pressure to the caliper pistons. The friction braking system 210 can be implemented as a drum brake system or any friction braking system known in the art.

[0023] The control system 214 executes instructions to perform at least some of the actions or functions of the vehicle 100, including the functions described with respect to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 The functions described. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 The control system 214 can include one or more electronic control units (ECUs) configured to perform at least some of the actions or functions of the vehicle 100, including the functions described with respect to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 in certain embodiments, each of the ECUs is dedicated to a particular set of functions. Each ECU can be a computer system, and each ECU can include the functionality described below with respect to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 The functions described.

[0024] Certain features of the embodiments described herein can be controlled by a telematics control module (TCM) ECU. The TCM ECU can provide a wireless vehicle communication gateway to support functionality such as, by way of example and not limitation, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, communication between the vehicle and the Internet, communication between the vehicle and a computing device, on-board navigation, inter-vehicle communication, communication between the vehicle and landscape features (e.g., automatic toll road sensors, automatic toll plazas, power dispensers at charging stations), or automatic call functionality.

[0025] Certain features of the embodiments described herein can be controlled by a central gateway module (CGM) ECU. The CGM ECU can function as a communication hub for the vehicle, connecting and transferring data to and from various ECUs, sensors, cameras, microphones, motors, displays, and other vehicle components. The CGM ECU can include a network switch that provides connectivity through controller area network (CAN) ports, local interconnect network (LIN) ports, and Ethernet ports. The CGM ECU can also function as a master control for different vehicle modes (e.g., on-road driving mode, park mode, off-road mode, tow mode, camp mode), thereby controlling certain vehicle components related to placing the vehicle in one of these vehicle modes.

[0026] In various embodiments, the CGM ECU collects sensor signals from one or more sensors of the vehicle 100. For example, the CGM ECU can collect data from the cameras 102, the sensors 202, the motion sensors 204, the positioning system 206, and the temperature sensors 208. The sensor signals collected by the CGM ECU are then communicated to the appropriate ECUs to perform, for example, the operations and functions described with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6

[0027] The control system 214 can also include one or more additional ECUs such as, by way of example and not limitation, a vehicle dynamics module (VDM) ECU, an experience management module (XMM) ECU, a vehicle access system (VAS) ECU, a near field communication (NFC) ECU, a body control module (BCM) ECU, a seat control module (SCM) ECU, a door control module (DCM) ECU, a rear zone control (RZC) ECU, an autonomous control module (ACM) ECU, an autonomous safety module (ASM) ECU, a driver monitoring system (DMS) ECU, and / or a winch control module (WCM) ECU.

[0028] ​If the vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle, one or more ECUs can provide functionality related to the vehicle’s battery pack, such as a battery management system (BMS) ECU, a battery power isolation (BPI) ECU, a balance voltage temperature (BVT) ECU, and / or a thermal management module (TMM) ECU. In various embodiments, the XMM ECU sends data to the TCM ECU (e.g., via Ethernet, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the XMM ECU can send other data (e.g., sound data from the microphones 216, etc.) to the TCM ECU.

[0029] The ECUs can include one or more ECUs configured to control the friction braking system 210. For example, the ECUs can include a traction control module, a stability control system, an automatic emergency braking (AEB) module, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), an adaptive cruise control module (ACC), and / or an autonomous driving assistance system (ADAS). The traction control module controls braking and acceleration to control wheel slip according to any method known in the art. The traction control module can also control the torque applied to each wheel, i.e., torque vectoring control. The stability control system controls braking and acceleration to avoid the vehicle 100 from rolling over according to any method known in the art. The AEB module stops the vehicle 100 in a controlled manner in response to a predicted collision according to any method known in the art. The ABS regulates braking to maintain traction. The ACC maintains the speed of the vehicle while also maintaining a prescribed following distance relative to other vehicles. The ADAS controls the steering, acceleration, and braking of the vehicle 100 to reach a destination according to any autonomous driving method known in the art.

[0030] Reference is made to FIG. 3 The vapor-compression heat transfer system 300 (“system 300”) can be used to heat the vehicle 100’s cabin. Thus, the system 300 can operate as a heat pump. In the description below, the operation of the system 300 as a heat pump is described, where it is understood that components of the system 300 can be switched to function as a refrigeration system to cool the vehicle 100’s cabin. The illustrated system 300 is merely an exemplary system. Any heat pump system known in the art can be used, in particular, a heat pump system included in a vehicle can be used.

[0031] The system 300 includes a compressor 302 that compresses a refrigerant within the system 300, such as from a vapor to a liquid, which causes the temperature of the refrigerant to increase. The compressed refrigerant is directed to a condenser 304. The condenser 304 transfers heat from the compressed refrigerant to the vehicle 100’s cabin. The condenser 304 can be located within the cabin, or an airflow 306 through the condenser 304 can be directed into the cabin, such as by a fan 308.

[0032] The compressed refrigerant exits the condenser 304 and passes through one or more expansion valves 312, 314. The expansion valves 312, 314 enable the compressed refrigerant to expand and thus decrease in temperature. The expansion valves 312, 314 can have a range of positions that define the flow of compressed refrigerant through the expansion valves 312, 314. For example, the expansion valves 312, 314 can be implemented as electronic expansion valves (EXVs) 312, 314. The expanded refrigerant exiting the EXVs 312, 314 can absorb heat from one or more sources. For example, the expanded refrigerant can pass through a chiller 316. The chiller 316 is a heat exchanger that facilitates the transfer of heat from a coolant of the thermal management system to the expanded refrigerant. The coolant can be circulated by the thermal management system around the battery 110, power electronics 114, and / or drive unit 112 of the vehicle 100 to maintain these components within a desired range.

[0033] The expanded refrigerant exiting the expansion valve 314 can pass through an external heat exchanger 318. The external heat exchanger 318 facilitates the transfer of heat from the environment of the vehicle 100 into the expanded refrigerant. Thus, the external heat exchanger 318 can be implemented as a radiator that includes finned, elongated, folded tubes. The external heat exchanger 318 can rely on passive air flow and / or can include a fan to force air flow through the radiator.

[0034] The expanded refrigerant exiting the EXVs 312, 314 can return to the compressor 302. In some embodiments, there can be one or more shut-off valves (SOVs) 320 in the system 300. The SOVs 320 can have an open state and a closed state, with any intermediate states traversed when transitioning between the open state and the closed state. In the illustrated embodiment, the SOVs 320 are present between the outlet of the compressor 302 and the inlet of the condenser 304, although other arrangements can also be employed.

[0035] In some embodiments, system 300 can function as both a heat pump and a refrigerator. For example, air circulating through the vehicle cabin can be cooled to remove moisture from the air in order to defog the vehicle windows. Accordingly, there can also be an evaporator 324 and a corresponding EXV 322 supplying expanded refrigerant to evaporator 324. Air can be caused to flow through evaporator 324 by fan 308 or a separate fan. Expanded refrigerant can be received from dedicated EXV 322 or one of the other EXVs 312, 314. For example, evaporator 324 can be in series with (e.g., upstream of) OHX 318, and expansion valve 322 can be used to control the flow of refrigerant through both OHX 318 and evaporator 324. In other embodiments, evaporator 324 can be in series with (e.g., upstream of) OHX 318, and EXVs 314, 322 are present at the inlets of OHX 318 and evaporator 324, respectively.

[0036] System 300 can be partially controlled based on the outputs of discharge temperature sensor 330 and air speed sensor 332. In the following description, reference to a target discharge temperature can refer to a target output of the temperature sensor. Likewise, in the following description, reference to a target air flow can refer to a target output of air speed sensor 332, which can be resolved to a mass flow rate of air flow 306.

[0037] System 300 can be controlled to achieve the target discharge temperature and the target air flow using any method known in the art. In particular, the speed of compressor 302, the speed of fan 308, the degree of opening of one or more of EXVs 312, 314, 322, and the opening or closing of SOV 320 can be controlled to achieve the target discharge temperature and the target air flow using any method known in the art.

[0038] System 300 is merely an exemplary system. The target discharge temperature and the target air flow can also be achieved by other types of systems, such as a vapor-compression refrigeration system that implements cooling with a heater core or resistive element that implements heating with air from an internal combustion engine or other heat source.

[0039] Reference FIG. 4 A vehicle HVAC system can use feedback from one or more sensors in order to select a target discharge temperature and a target air flow. One or more sensors 400 mounted to the windshield, such as on or near the rearview mirror 402, can be used to detect solar load. The one or more sensors 400 can sense visible light, infrared light, temperature, or other values indicative of solar load of the vehicle 100 cabin. The one or more sensors 400 can be implemented as a solar light rain (SLR) sensor that further detects light to activate headlamps and detects rain to activate windshield wipers.

[0040] The one or more sensors can include one or more sensors 404 configured to sense an ambient temperature of the vehicle. The sensors 404 can advantageously be shielded from direct sunlight. For example, the sensors 404 can be mounted to an underside of one or both side mirrors 406.

[0041] The one or more sensors can include one or more temperature sensors 408 configured to sense a temperature of air within a cabin of the vehicle 100. For example, the one or more temperature sensors 408 can be mounted to a door 410 of the vehicle 100.

[0042] In some embodiments, the one or more respiration temperature sensors 412 can be configured to detect or provide an output used to determine a "respiration temperature" of an occupant of the vehicle 100. The respiration temperature can be an estimate of the air around a face or other portion of an occupant of the vehicle 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the one or more respiration temperature sensors 412 are on an instrument panel 414 near (e.g., within 20 centimeters of) a steering wheel 416 of the vehicle 100. The one or more respiration temperature sensors can also be mounted to the steering wheel 416. Other respiration sensors 412 can be mounted elsewhere on the instrument panel 414 for sensing the respiration temperature of other occupants. The one or more respiration temperature sensors 412 can additionally or alternatively be mounted in other locations, such as in a headrest mounted above a seat and / or some other location. The one or more respiration temperature sensors 412 can sense a temperature of air in thermal contact therewith. The respiration temperature can additionally or alternatively be derived from an output of an infrared sensor or camera.

[0043] The instrument panel 414, footwell, or other structure within the cabin can define a vent 418 through which the airflow 306 is discharged into the cabin. The degree to which the vent is open can be controlled by an occupant of the vehicle or selected based on an output of one or more of the temperature sensors 400, 404, 408, 412. A backdraft vent can direct exhaust air from the cabin back to the fan 308 or the environment of the vehicle.

[0044] FIG. 5 An example control architecture 500 that can be used to select and implement a target discharge temperature and a target airflow is illustrated. The control architecture 500 can be implemented by the control system 214, e.g., by the TMM and / or XMM of the control system 214 or some other component, to manage heat flow into and out of a cabin of the vehicle 100 using the system 300 or other type of HVAC system.

[0045] The control architecture 500 can take action in response to input vehicle signals 502. The input vehicle signals 502 can include a user set temperature 504, e.g., a desired cabin temperature specified by an occupant of the vehicle cabin through interaction with a control (button or knob) or touch screen. The user set temperature 504 can also be set automatically, such as to a default value.

[0046] The input vehicle signals 502 can include a solar sensor output 506 estimating a solar heat load on the cabin of the vehicle 100, such as the output of one or more sensors 400. The input vehicle signals 502 can include an ambient temperature sensor output 508 estimating an ambient temperature of the vehicle, such as the output of one or more sensors 404. The input vehicle signals 502 can include a windshield temperature sensor output 510 estimating a temperature of the vehicle. The windshield temperature can be provided by one or more sensors 400 or a separate sensor.

[0047] The input vehicle signals 502 can include one or more HVAC temperature sensor outputs 512, such as the output of any of the temperature sensors 408, 412, as well as the output of the discharge temperature sensor 330 and the air speed sensor 332.

[0048] Some or all of the input vehicle signals 502 can be used to calculate a solar intrusion factor 514. The solar intrusion factor 514 estimates the effect of solar radiation on occupant comfort and on the total heat load within the cabin. The solar intrusion factor 514 can therefore be used to increase cooling or decrease heating.

[0049] The solar intrusion factor 514 according to embodiments disclosed herein advantageously takes into account the state of the air within the cabin. To this end, the solar intrusion factor 514 can vary with some or all of the breathing temperature (T br ), the discharge temperature of the airflow 306 (T dis , e.g., a target discharge temperature or a measured discharge temperature), the ambient temperature (T amb , e.g., the ambient temperature sensor output 508), the windshield temperature (T ws , e.g., the windshield temperature sensor output 510), and the solar heat load (Q s , e.g., the solar sensor output 506). The solar heat load Q s may be an average of the outputs of the plurality of sensors 400, e.g., an average of the output of the left sensor 400 Q L and the output of the right sensor 400 Q R . The breathing temperature T br is used in the examples below as the user set temperature (T USThe feedback temperature is compared, and it should be understood that other temperatures, including the outputs of some or all of the temperature sensors in temperature sensors 408 and 412, may be used instead as the feedback temperature.

[0050] The mean radiation temperature T can be calculated first. mr The solar erosion factor 514 is calculated from the estimated temperature, which corresponds to the radiative heat transfer through the windshield (and possibly other windows) of vehicle 100. For example, T can be calculated from (1). mr .

[0051]

[0052] Then, the solar erosion factor (K) can be calculated based on (2). A ).

[0053]

[0054] coefficient (K) S () can vary with the solar load and can be calculated according to (3).

[0055]

[0056] Constants C1 to C7 can be determined experimentally. For example, a temperature sensor placed on or near the face or other parts of an occupant's (human or mannequin) face can be used as an indicator of the perceived temperature the occupant will actually experience. This can be based on the perceived temperature and a given user-set temperature T. US The difference between them is used to determine the advantage of a specific set of values ​​for constants C1 to C7. Therefore, experiments can be included for various environmental conditions (T... amb Q s ) and initial state (T) br T dis T ws ) and user-set temperature T US Measure the temperature relative to the user-set temperature T over a period of time. US The sensed temperature can be determined or modeled. Then, based on experiments, a method can be used to determine how to make the sensed temperature correlate with the user-set temperature T. US The acceptable values ​​of constants C1 to C7 are selected for use in vehicle production to account for the error.

[0057] The values ​​of constants C1 to C7 can be adjusted over time while using vehicle 100. For example, the possible sets of values ​​for constants C1 to C7 can be adjusted by changing T... br With user-set temperature T US The comparison is used for evaluation. If a new set of values ​​for constants C1 to C7 is found, it can better track the user-set temperature T. US ×Tbr If so, then the new set of values ​​can continue to be used.

[0058] Then, the solar erosion factor K A It can be used to adjust (e.g., scale) the solar offset used to determine one or more targets 516, such as target emission temperature and target airflow. For example, let K SD Let K be the temperature offset of solar emissions. AF This represents the solar energy airflow offset.

[0059] Then, the target emission temperature T can be calculated based on (4). dis,T Then, the target airflow AF can be calculated based on (5). T , where f T and f A T is determined by using some or all of the input variable parameters shown in (4) and (5). dis,T and AF T A function. For example, f T It can be T US Add a positive value when heating or a negative value when cooling. A It can be given that as T US With T br The value increases as the difference between them increases. For example... FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 It is obvious from this that K A The result could be a reduction in Q-factor errors in some scenarios. s *K SD and / or Q s *K AF The resulting offset. In some implementations, K A K is restricted to a maximum value such as 1, making K A Used only to reduce Q in (4) and (5) in certain scenarios s *K SD and / or Q s *K AF It has a facilitating effect; otherwise, it will have no effect.

[0060] T dis,T =f T (T amb ,T US ,T br ,…)+,Q s *K SD *K A (4)

[0061] AF T =f A (T amb ,TUS T br … s K AF K A (5)

[0062] Once the target 516 is obtained, it can be provided to a control algorithm 518, which can provide targets to the operation of one or more components of the system 300 in order to achieve the target 516. The control algorithm 518 can perform feedback control such that the target of the operation of one or more components can vary based on sensed values such as one or more of the HVAC temperature sensor outputs 512.

[0063] For example, the control algorithm 518 can provide a speed (e.g., revolutions per minute) target to a compressor controller 520 configured to control the compressor 302, an open percentage to an EXV controller 522 for one or more of the EXVs 312, 314, 322, a state (open or closed) to an SOV controller 524 that controls the SOV 320, and / or a fan speed to a fan controller 526 that controls the operation of the fan 308.

[0064] FIG. 6 A method 600 that can be performed using the control architecture 500 is shown. The method 600 can be implemented by the control system 214, e.g., by the TMM and / or XMM or some other component of the control system 214. The method 600 can include measuring an ambient temperature T amb at step 602, measuring a solar heat load (e.g., Q s and possibly T ws ) at step 604, measuring a discharge temperature T dis at step 606, and measuring a breathing temperature T br at step 608. The discharge temperature can closely follow a target discharge temperature such that the discharge temperature at 606 can be the target discharge temperature rather than a measured temperature, such as from a previous iteration of the method 600 or based on a user set temperature T ws The breathing temperature T br may be a temperature measurement output by one or more temperature sensors or a temperature measurement derived using one or more calculations.

[0065] The method 600 can include determining a solar intrusion factor K A at step 610, which varies with the state of the air in the vehicle cabin such as the breathing temperature T br and the discharge temperature T dis . The solar intrusion factor K Amay also vary with solar heat load (e.g., Q s and possibly with T ws . Generally, the solar impact factor K A may decrease as the breathing temperature T br decreases during cooling and increase as the breathing temperature T br increases during heating.

[0066] The method 600 can include determining, at step 612, target discharge temperature T A and target airflow AF dis,T using the solar impact factor K T of solar energy, such as according to (4) and (5). Note that in some embodiments, only one of T dis,T and AF T is adjusted according to the solar heat load and the solar impact factor K A .

[0067] The method 600 can then include determining, at step 614, targets for one or more components of the HVAC system in order to achieve the target discharge temperature T dis,T and target airflow AF T . For example, step 614 can include selecting some or all of a speed (e.g., revolutions per minute) target for the compressor 302, an open percentage for one or more EXVs 312, 314, 322, a state (open or closed) for the SOV 320, and / or a fan speed for the fan 308. Then, at step 616, the HVAC system can be operated according to the targets.

[0068] The method 600 can be repeated iteratively over time to account for changes in solar load occurrence. Steps 614 and 616 can be repeatedly performed for each iteration of the method 600 in order to achieve the target discharge temperature T dis,T and target airflow AF T from step 612.

[0069] In use, for a first temperature range of T br , the solar impact factor actually causes the solar offset to increase, thereby increasing the rate at which the cabin is cooled. At a second temperature range of T br that is lower than the second temperature range, the solar impact factor causes a small decrease in the solar offset (e.g., about -0.5). At a third temperature range of T br that is lower than the second temperature range, the solar impact factor causes a larger decrease in the solar offset (e.g., about -2).

[0070] The solar impact factor K AAn advantage is that instantaneous changes in the solar thermal load will be less likely to cause such sudden changes in cooling or heating to occur without a sudden change in cooling or heating being required. For example, when the vehicle cabin is relatively close to the user set temperature T US an increase in cooling can be perceived as unpleasant or uncomfortable. The solar ingress factor K A and thus can be used to reduce such sudden increases.

[0071] The description of various implementations of the disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration. Many modifications and changes can be made to the described implementations without departing from their scope and spirit. The terminology used here is chosen for explanations of principles, practical applications, or technical improvements to technology found in the marketplace, or for enabling others skilled in the art to understand the implementations disclosed herein.

[0072] In the foregoing, reference has been made to implementations presented in the disclosure. However, the scope of the disclosure can extend beyond the specifically described implementations. Rather, any combination of features and elements from different implementations are expected to be contemplated for achieving and practicing the intended implementations. Moreover, although the implementations disclosed herein can achieve advantages over other possible solutions or over the prior art, the implementations can achieve some advantages or none at all. Accordingly, the aspects, features, implementations, and advantages discussed herein are merely exemplary.

[0073] Aspects of the disclosure can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that can all be referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system."

[0074] Various aspects of the disclosure are described by narrative text, flowcharts, block diagrams of computer systems, and / or block diagrams of machine logic included in computer program product (CPP) embodiments. With respect to any flowcharts, depending on the technology involved, the operations can be performed in a different sequence than shown in the given flowchart. For example, again depending on the technology involved, two operations shown in consecutive flowchart blocks can be performed in reverse order, as single integrated steps, concurrently, or in at least partial temporal overlap.

[0075] A computer program product embodiment ("CPP embodiment" or "CPP") is a term used in this disclosure to describe any collection of one or more storage media (also referred to as "media") collectively included in a set of one or more storage devices that collectively include machine-readable code corresponding to instructions and / or data for performing the computer operations specified in a given CPP claim. A "storage device" is any tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by one or more computer processing devices. Without limitation, computer-readable storage media can be an electronic storage media, a magnetic storage media, an optical storage media, an electromagnetic storage media, a semiconductor storage media, a mechanical storage media, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Specific types of storage devices that include these media include: a magnetic disk, a hard drive, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical encoding device such as a punch card or punch holes / platforms formed in the main surface of a disk, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used in this disclosure, computer-readable storage media refers to non-transitory storage means and not transitory signals per se, such as radio or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide, light pulses through an optical cable, electrical signals through a wire and / or other transmission medium. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, data is typically moved at some incidental point in time during normal operation of the storage device, such as during access, defragmentation, or garbage collection, but the storage device remains non-transitory during these processes as the data remains non-transitory while stored.

[0076] While the foregoing relates to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments can be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the disclosure is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising: The system is configured to supply air to the vehicle compartment at a target emission temperature; One or more solar sensors, the one or more solar sensors being configured to sense solar radiation on the vehicle compartment; One or more temperature sensors, the one or more temperature sensors being configured to sense the air inside the vehicle compartment; and A controller, coupled to the system, the one or more solar sensors, and the one or more temperature sensors, is configured to: Receive user-defined temperature; Obtain the solar thermal load from one or more outputs of the one or more solar sensors; Obtain feedback temperature from one or more outputs of the one or more temperature sensors; Determine the radiant temperature corresponding to the radiant heat transfer entering the carriage, the radiant temperature varying with the feedback temperature and the solar thermal load; as well as The target emission temperature is set based on the user-set temperature, the feedback temperature, and the radiation temperature.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is also configured to: Determine a first target temperature that varies with the user-set temperature and the feedback temperature; The solar offset is determined based on the solar thermal load. The scaled solar offset is determined by scaling the solar offset based on the difference between the radiant temperature and the feedback temperature; and The target emission temperature is set based on the first target temperature and the scaled solar offset.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, The solar energy offset is negative.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, The solar energy offset is between -0.1 and -0.

14.

5. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, The controller is configured to scale the scaled solar offset to a solar erosion factor that varies with the difference between the fourth power of the radiant temperature and the fourth power of the feedback temperature.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The system is configured to supply the air to the carriage under a target airflow, and the controller is further configured to: Determine a first airflow that varies with the user-set temperature and the feedback temperature; The solar offset is determined based on the solar thermal load. The scaled solar offset is determined by scaling the solar offset based on the difference between the radiant temperature and the feedback temperature; and The target airflow is set based on the first airflow and the scaled solar offset.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The radiant temperature also varies with the ambient temperature of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The radiant temperature also varies with the temperature of the vehicle's windshield.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The feedback temperature is the breathing temperature of the vehicle's occupants.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The system includes a vapor compression heat exchanger.

11. A method, the method comprising: The vehicle's controller receives the first output from the solar radiation sensor; The controller obtains feedback temperature from one or more temperature sensors that sense the air inside the vehicle's cabin; The solar thermal load from the first output is obtained by the controller; The controller receives the user-set temperature. The controller determines the average radiant temperature corresponding to the radiant heat transfer entering the carriage, and the average radiant temperature varies with the feedback temperature and the solar thermal load; The controller determines the target emission temperature based on the user-set temperature, the feedback temperature, and the average radiant temperature; and The controller configures the system to supply air to the passenger compartment at the target emission temperature.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: The controller determines a first target temperature that varies with the user-set temperature and the feedback temperature; The controller determines the solar energy offset based on the solar thermal load; The controller determines the scaled solar offset by scaling the solar offset based on the difference between the average radiant temperature and the feedback temperature; as well as The controller sets the target emission temperature based on the first target temperature and the scaled solar offset.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The solar energy offset is negative.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The solar energy offset is between -0.1 and -0.

14.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising scaling the scaled solar offset by a solar erosion factor by the controller, the solar erosion factor varying with the difference between the fourth power of the average radiant temperature and the fourth power of the feedback temperature.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: The controller determines a first airflow that varies with the user-set temperature and the feedback temperature; The controller determines the solar energy offset based on the solar thermal load; The controller determines the scaled solar offset by scaling the solar offset based on the difference between the average radiant temperature and the feedback temperature; as well as The controller sets the target airflow of the system based on the first airflow and the scaled solar offset.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The average radiant temperature also varies with the ambient temperature of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The average radiant temperature also varies with the temperature of the vehicle's windshield.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The feedback temperature is the breathing temperature of the vehicle's occupants.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The system includes a vapor compression heat exchanger.

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