Adaptive vehicle HVAC system depending on the position of the operator relative to the vehicle

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining, by processing circuitry, that a vehicle occupant has exited a cabin of a vehicle (or that the cabin is unoccupied), where the vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In response to determining that the vehicle occupant has exited the cabin (or that the cabin is unoccupied), the processing circuitry can adjust a parameter of the HVAC system.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 291,199, filed December 17, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additionally, the disclosure of a jointly owned application, filed October 4, 2022, entitled “VEHICLE SEAT FOR STORING THERMAL ENERGY FOR OCCUPANT COMFORT,” claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 291,202, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] introduction

[0004] Many delivery drivers (e.g., employed or contracted by e-commerce companies) spend up to 10 hours a day and 4 to 5 days a week delivering packages to consumers or businesses. While making these deliveries, vehicle doors may open and close hundreds of times a day, vehicle locations may change frequently, and vehicles may be exposed to a wide range of thermal operating environments and conditions, from extreme heat under the sun to extreme cold. Under such circumstances, it can be difficult to effectively maintain the vehicle's thermal conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, this document discloses systems, vehicles, and methods for effectively maintaining thermal conditions in electric vehicles. In some embodiments, a vehicle is provided that includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and processing circuitry configured to determine, while the vehicle's HVAC system is in operation, that a vehicle occupant has left the vehicle's cabin, and in response to determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin, adjust parameters of the HVAC system. In some embodiments, the HVAC system may include such processing circuitry.

[0006] In some embodiments, a vehicle HVAC system is provided, the HVAC system including: input / output (I / O) circuitry configured to receive a sensor signal indicating whether the vehicle's cabin is unoccupied; and processing circuitry configured to determine whether the cabin is unoccupied based on the sensor signal, and to adjust parameters of the HVAC system in response to determining that the cabin is unoccupied.

[0007] In some implementations, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the ambient temperature in the vehicle environment, determine the settings for parameters of the HVAC system based at least on the ambient temperature, and adjust the parameters of the HVAC system to the determined settings.

[0008] In some implementations, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the ambient temperature in the vehicle environment, determine that the cabin doors remain open, and determine the settings of parameters for the HVAC system based at least on the ambient temperature and the fact that the vehicle doors remain open.

[0009] In some implementations, the HVAC system includes an air vent configured to provide conditioned air, and the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system by closing the air vent and directing heat energy to the vehicle seats of the vehicle occupants.

[0010] In some implementations, the processing circuit is configured to modify the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system and, at least based on the modified temperature setpoint, adjust the parameters of the HVAC system.

[0011] In some implementations, the processing circuit is configured to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system by reducing the power output of the HVAC system.

[0012] In some implementations, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine an input specifying a preferred setting for the parameters of the HVAC system when the vehicle occupants have left the cabin (and / or when the cabin is unoccupied), and to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system based on that input.

[0013] In some implementations, the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the position of a vehicle occupant has changed from the cabin to the outside of the vehicle, wherein determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin (and / or determining that the cabin is not occupied) is based at least on the position of the vehicle occupant, and to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system based on the position of the vehicle occupant.

[0014] In some implementations, the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the location of a vehicle occupant has changed from the cabin to the cargo compartment of the vehicle, wherein determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin (and / or determining that the cabin is not occupied) is based at least on the location of the vehicle occupant, and to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system based on the location of the vehicle occupant. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the following accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more various embodiments. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and show only typical or exemplary embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the concepts disclosed herein and should not be considered as limitations on the breadth, scope, or applicability of these concepts. It should be noted that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity and ease of illustration.

[0016] Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary system for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 An exemplary HVAC system for a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 An exemplary area of ​​a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 The illustration shows exemplary scenarios in which vehicle occupants have left the vehicle cabin (or the vehicle cabin is otherwise unoccupied) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 5 An exemplary portion of a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 6 An exemplary cargo area of ​​a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 7 A portion of an exemplary cargo area of ​​a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 8 A portion of an exemplary HVAC thermostatic control interface according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figures 9A to 9C An exemplary arrangement for providing HVAC capability to the cargo area of ​​a vehicle, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown.

[0025] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Figure 1A block diagram of an exemplary system for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system 100 according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. System 100 may include one or more of a vehicle 101, user equipment 154 (e.g., a key fob; a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet; or any other suitable computing device, such as a laptop computer, desktop computer; or any combination thereof), and cloud computing resources 156 (e.g., one or more remote servers, which may include and / or maintain one or more databases and / or communicate with them). Such elements of system 100 may be configured to communicate via any suitable wireless communication path. For example, user equipment 154 may be configured to communicate with vehicle 101 using short-range radio communication technologies (such as, for example, Bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC)) and / or any other suitable technology, and / or vehicle 101 may communicate with user equipment 154 and server 156 via a network 155 (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, a satellite network, a cellular network, or any other suitable network or any combination thereof). In some implementations, user equipment 154 may be configured to implement a mobile application (e.g., provided by and / or associated with the manufacturer of vehicle 101) that allows the user to access a user profile and specify certain settings or preferences of the user profile, such as preferred HVAC settings, preferred thermal settings for vehicle components (e.g., ventilated seats or steering wheels, or any other suitable components to which heat can be directed), or any other suitable settings or any combination thereof.

[0028] Vehicle 101 may be an automobile (e.g., a delivery truck, delivery van, delivery car, coupe, sedan, truck, SUV, bus, or any other suitable type of automobile or any combination thereof), a motorcycle, an aircraft (e.g., a drone or any other suitable type of aircraft), a vessel (e.g., a small boat or any other suitable type of vessel), or any other suitable type of vehicle or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, vehicle 101 may be configured to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously. Vehicle 101 may include processing circuitry 102, which may include processor 104 and memory 106. Processor 104 may include a hardware processor, a software processor (e.g., a processor emulated using a virtual machine), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the combination of processor 104 and memory 106 may be referred to as processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the standalone processor 104 may be referred to as processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101. Processing circuitry 102 may be communicatively connected to components of vehicle 101 via one or more wires or via a wireless connection. In some implementations, processor 104 may include one or more processors, such as, for example, a central processing unit having a single or dual core, a bus, logic circuitry, an integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a graphics processor, an embedded processing device, any other suitable component for reading and executing computer instructions, or any combination thereof. Processing circuitry 102 may monitor sensor signals, generate control signals, execute computer-readable instructions, receive input, perform any other suitable action, or any combination thereof.

[0029] The memory 106 may include hardware elements for non-transitory storage of commands or instructions that, when executed by the processor 104, cause the processor 104 to operate the vehicle 101 according to the embodiments discussed above and below.

[0030] The memory 106 may include any suitable storage device, such as, for example, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, removable storage device, solid-state storage device, optical device, magnetic device, any other suitable component for storing information, or any combination thereof.

[0031] Processing circuitry 102 may be communicatively connected to input interface 114 (e.g., a steering wheel, touchscreen display, button, knob, microphone, or other audio capture device, or any other suitable input interface, or any combination thereof) via input / output (I / O) circuitry 108. In some embodiments, the driver or other occupant of vehicle 101 may be allowed to select certain settings related to the operation of vehicle 101 via input interface 114, such as thermal storage settings for vehicle components, HVAC settings, or any other suitable settings, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the driver or other occupant of vehicle 101 may be allowed to provide input via input interface 114, for example, by user selection of an icon on a touchscreen display on vehicle 101, by selection of a button or switch at the dashboard of vehicle 101, by voice commands received by the microphone of vehicle 101, by tactile input, by user equipment 154, or by any other suitable input, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, vehicle occupants can be understood as a person (e.g., a driver or passenger of vehicle 101 who is able to provide input via input interface 114), a computer or robot (e.g., in the case where vehicle 101 is autonomous or semi-autonomous), an animal (e.g., a pet), or any other suitable vehicle occupant.

[0032] Processing circuitry 102 can be communicatively connected to display 110 and speaker 112 via I / O circuitry 108. Display 110 may be located at a head-up display on the dashboard and / or windshield of vehicle 101, or at any other suitable location, or any combination thereof. Display 110 may include an LCD display, OLED display, LED display, or any other type of display, or any combination thereof. Display 110 may be configured to display HVAC settings, thermal storage settings for vehicle components, and / or optional identifiers associated with a user profile of a specific user account or a user account associated with vehicle 101, or any other suitable content, or any combination thereof. Speaker 112 may be located at any suitable location within vehicle 101, such as on the dashboard, on the interior of a door, in the cargo area of ​​vehicle 101, or any combination thereof, and may be configured to provide audio output to the driver and / or occupants of vehicle 101.

[0033] Vehicle 101 may include an HVAC system 116. Processing circuitry 102 may be communicatively connected to the HVAC system 116. The HVAC system 116 may include one or more of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning components, or any other suitable components or any combination thereof, configured to maintain thermal comfort in vehicle 101 and / or control the humidity of the air inside vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may include one or more of a variety of components, or any other suitable components or any combination thereof, such as compressors, condensers, fans, valves (e.g., controllable and / or stationary), blowers, evaporators, radiators, heat exchangers, heaters (e.g., positive temperature coefficient (PCT) heaters), coolers, expansion valves, recirculation systems, and air mixing sections. In some embodiments, one or more of these components of the HVAC system 116 may be configured to handle working fluids (e.g., any suitable refrigerant, coolant, or other fluid) and provide conditioned air (e.g., to modify its temperature and / or humidity) to any suitable portion of the vehicle 101 and / or ventilated seat 124. Additionally or alternatively, the HVAC system 116 may include ventilation elements, such as fans, blowers, or ductwork, to circulate air and / or bring fresh air into the interior of the vehicle 101, wherein such air may or may not be conditioned, and / or may be used to reduce the moisture content of the air within the vehicle 101. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may employ any suitable sensor, such as a current sensor (e.g., for a compressor motor), to measure the output power of the HVAC system 116. In some cases, the HVAC system 116 may be configured to provide heating and ventilation without providing air conditioning. In some cases, the HVAC system 116 may be configured to provide air conditioning and ventilation without providing heating.

[0034] HVAC system 116 may be configured to provide cabin cooling (e.g., air conditioning), heating, defrosting, ventilation, or any suitable combination thereof. HVAC system 116 may include blowers, ducts, air chambers, shock absorbers or steering valves, filters, air inlets, one or more input interfaces (e.g., knobs, hard buttons, soft buttons, touchscreen interfaces, voice interfaces), controllers, any other suitable components, or any combination thereof. HVAC system 116 may include air vent controller 118, air vent 120, ventilated seat controller 122, ventilated seat 124, cooling element 126, heating element 128, fan 129, vehicle cabin temperature sensor 131, seat temperature sensor 133, cargo compartment temperature sensor 135, ambient temperature sensor 137, humidity sensor 139, and / or any other suitable components, or any combination thereof. Although only a single component for such elements is shown, HVAC system 116 may include any number of such components. In some embodiments, air vent controller 118 and / or ventilated seat controller 122 may be implemented in a manner similar to processing circuitry 102.

[0035] HVAC system 116 may include one or more air vents 120. Processing circuitry 102 may be communicatively connected (e.g., via air vent controller 118) to the air vents 120. Air vents 120 may be configured to direct conditioned air from HVAC system 116 to different parts of vehicle 101 (e.g., vehicle cabin, vehicle seats, vehicle cargo compartment, or any other suitable part of vehicle 101 or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, air vents 120 may include fins that can be moved (e.g., rotated or translated) via at least one motor or actuator. In some embodiments, the fins of the vent may be oriented in any suitable direction to direct air from the vent into the interior of vehicle 101.

[0036] In some embodiments, the air vent controller 118 and / or the ventilated seat controller 122 and / or the processing circuitry 102 may be configured to adjust parameters of the HVAC system 116 in response to determining that a vehicle occupant has left the vehicle cabin of vehicle 101 (or based on determining that the vehicle cabin is unoccupied). For example, adjustment of the parameters of the HVAC system 116 may be based on modifying the temperature setpoint and / or airflow intensity provided by the cooling or heating system of vehicle 101 via the air vent 120 (e.g., by controlling the opening or closing or partial opening of a valve on the air vent 120, or using any other suitable technique). In some embodiments, modifying the temperature setpoint, airflow intensity, or other parameters may be understood as increasing or decreasing the value or setting used for such temperature setpoint, airflow intensity, or other parameters. In some embodiments, such adjustment may be based on current environmental conditions in the environment of vehicle 101 (e.g., inside and / or outside vehicle 101). In some embodiments, such adjustment may be based on, for example, the selection or other selection of a specific temperature value received from a user via user equipment 154 and / or received via the I / O circuitry 108 of vehicle 101.

[0037] In some embodiments, one or more retrieved parameters of the HVAC system 116 used to perform adjustments may correspond to specific setpoints of one or more of temperature, flow rate, humidity, airflow direction, or any other suitable parameter or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the air vent controller 118 and / or the ventilated seat controller 122 and / or the processing circuitry 102 may be configured to determine current HVAC system parameters (e.g., current setpoints of one or more of temperature, flow rate, humidity, airflow direction, or any other suitable parameter or any combination thereof). The air vent controller 118 and / or the ventilated seat controller 122 and / or the processing circuitry 102 may enable the HVAC system 116 to modify or adjust such current HVAC system parameters based on these one or more retrieved parameters. In some embodiments, these one or more retrieved parameters of the HVAC system 116 may depend on the current environmental conditions inside and / or outside the vehicle 101. In some implementations, the one or more retrieval settings may correspond to the expected or target value of a parameter to be detected within vehicle 101, or the expected or target value of a parameter to be output by HVAC system 116, and such one or more retrieval settings may be selected based on current environmental conditions (e.g., humidity and / or temperature measurements inside vehicle 101, and / or humidity and / or temperature measurements outside vehicle 101).

[0038] For example, the evaporator of HVAC system 116 may be used in conjunction with a blower to dry the air and reduce humidity in the vehicle cabin, for example, until a desired humidity setpoint, which can be specified for current environmental conditions, is detected within vehicle 101 or output by HVAC system 116 for a certain period of time. Additionally or alternatively, a heater (e.g., heating element 128) may be configured to deliver hot air to appropriate parts of the vehicle (e.g., seat 124) at a specific temperature and / or flow rate (e.g., the temperature and / or flow rate at which the user's clothing is located) based on a temperature setpoint and / or flow rate setpoint given current environmental conditions, and / or a fan blower may be configured to blow air toward specific parts of the vehicle and / or the user's clothing or body parts. In some embodiments, a predetermined period of time for which adjustments should be maintained (e.g., before or after the vehicle occupants return) may be stored and referenced (e.g., at memory 106), wherein such a period of time may be based on determined environmental conditions and / or other sensor inputs. In some implementations, one or more such parameters of the HVAC system 116 can be retrieved, and adjustments to the current HVAC parameters can be performed when the user is outside the vehicle. For example, adjustments can be performed automatically based on the occupant's location and / or other suitable factors, or the user can instruct the user to perform adjustments while outside the vehicle, for example, via a mobile device.

[0039] In some embodiments, adjustments to HVAC parameters within vehicle 101 may be performed for a predetermined period of time, the duration of which may depend on one or more factors. For example, processing circuitry 102 may refer to a lookup table of stored relationships between duration and current environmental conditions; for instance, a higher humidity level measured may indicate that a longer period of time, such as drying seat 124, should be used compared to when a lower humidity level is measured. In some embodiments, the predetermined period of time may correspond to the time required for setpoints within vehicle 101 to reach target values, or the time period for which setpoints of parameters output by HVAC system 116 should be applied at specific values. Additionally or alternatively, if a material (e.g., seat 124 or the user's clothing and / or any other suitable material) is determined to have a specific humidity level, the predetermined period of time may be indicated in a lookup table and may correspond to the time period for drying a specific material with the determined humidity level. For example, a high humidity level may indicate that more time is needed to perform the adjustment. Furthermore, the user may be prompted to indicate when he or she wishes to end the parameter adjustment, such as when he or she is satisfied with the degree of dryness.

[0040] In some implementations, adjusting the parameters of the HVAC system 116 based on determining that vehicle occupants have left the vehicle cabin of vehicle 101 (or based on determining that the vehicle cabin is unoccupied) may include directing heat energy toward specific parts and / or components of vehicle 101 to maintain a comfortable environment, for example, when vehicle occupants re-enter vehicle 101. For example, processing circuitry 102 may enable the HVAC system to direct heat energy using the seat 124, steering wheel (an example of input interface 114), or any other suitable component of vehicle 101, or any combination thereof.

[0041] In some implementations, vehicle 101 may receive input regarding adjusting parameters of vehicle 101 and / or instructing which part of vehicle 101 heat should be directed (e.g., via a single button press received via display 110, such as on the XMM screen of the HVAC label, or on the dashboard of vehicle 101, or at user equipment 154 (e.g., when the user is inside or outside the vehicle)), voice commands (received via input interface 114 (e.g., a microphone) or user equipment 154), or any other suitable input or any combination thereof. For example, if a user is about to leave the vehicle to perform a delivery and expects to be wet when he or she returns to the vehicle (e.g., due to current weather conditions, such as the user observing continuous precipitation), is not wearing a raincoat, or any other suitable motivation or any combination thereof, the user may decide to provide such input.

[0042] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 or any other suitable controller 118 or 122 may cause HVAC system 116 to automatically (e.g., regardless of whether user input is received) adjust parameters of HVAC system 116 in response to determining that a vehicle occupant has left the vehicle cabin of vehicle 101 (or based on determining that the vehicle cabin is unoccupied). For example, such automatic adjustment may consider determining the user's location based on signals received from any suitable sensor to determine whether the user has left vehicle 101 and is currently outside the vehicle cabin of vehicle 101, for example, after already being inside vehicle 101, or whether the vehicle cabin of vehicle 101 is otherwise unoccupied. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 may determine which part of vehicle 101 the vehicle occupant is located in (e.g., the cabin section or the cargo section of the vehicle), which may affect the parameters retrieved for adjusting HVAC system 116.

[0043] In some implementations, the HVAC system 116 may take into account determined environmental conditions of the vehicle 101's environment in conjunction with the user's determined location. For example, the HVAC system 116 may determine that weather conditions indicate ongoing or impending precipitation and / or extreme weather (e.g., very cold temperatures, such as below a certain threshold), and / or based on received sensor signals indicating that vehicle components and / or other objects or materials in the vehicle 101 or occupants in the vehicle 101 are wet. For example, the HVAC system 116 may determine that the current climate corresponds to rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc., based on sensor signals received from a precipitation sensor 141 that may be located at the windshield of the vehicle 101 or any other suitable location. In this case, it may be desirable to adjust HVAC parameters (e.g., drying already wet seats when vehicle occupants are outside the vehicle 101 or anticipating that seats will be wet when occupants return) to prepare for vehicle occupants to return to the vehicle 101 to maintain optimal thermal conditions. In some implementations, the precipitation sensor 141 may be a rain light sensor or a rain water sensor. In some embodiments, the precipitation sensor 141 may be an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or any other suitable sensor or any combination thereof. For example, the precipitation sensor 141 may measure the amount of light reflected from the windshield to the precipitation sensor 141, where the reflected light is less than a threshold, or a change in the amount of reflected light measured by the precipitation sensor 141 may indicate the presence of raindrops and / or other precipitation on the windshield, since raindrops can deflect the path of light and prevent it from returning to the sensor. In some embodiments, parameter adjustments may be triggered at least in part based on determining the intensity of the current precipitation, for example, based on readings from the precipitation sensor 141.

[0044] For example, if processing circuitry 102 and / or HVAC system 116 receive an indication that precipitation sensor 141 has detected current precipitation (or, in some cases, impending or recent precipitation), processing circuitry 102 and / or HVAC system 116 may determine that a user has been exposed to precipitation. For example, if it is detected that a user is currently outside vehicle 101 and is therefore exposed to precipitation, the user may be determined to have been exposed to precipitation. In some embodiments, images of the external environment of vehicle 101 may be captured and processed, for example, to identify potential puddles near the vehicle or other conditions such as, for example, suggesting that the user's clothing may be wet when he or she returns after delivery, or based on any other suitable factors, or any combination thereof, and parameter adjustments may be performed at least in part based on such processed images.

[0045] For example, water sensor 143 may be located in or around a specific part and / or component of vehicle 101, such as seat 124 (e.g., at seat back 311 and / or seat cushion 309) and / or on the floor near the seat, to determine the presence of water in or around seat 124 or any other suitable specific part of vehicle 101. Adjustments to HVAC parameters may be triggered at least in part based on whether water is determined to be present in the seat or other part of vehicle 101 (e.g., if any water is detected, or if water levels exceed a threshold amount). In some embodiments, water sensor 143 may detect the presence of water based on measuring a decrease in resistance between two electrodes (e.g., based on the conductivity of water), or water sensor 143 may be capacitance-based, such that changes in capacitance indicate the presence of water, or any other suitable water or moisture sensor may be employed. Additionally or alternatively, vehicle 101 may determine, based on signals from ambient temperature sensor 137 and / or weather information received from server 156 and / or weather information received from user equipment 154, that an occupant may be damp when he or she returns to vehicle 101 (e.g., based on forecast or current precipitation, or because the user may be sweating when leaving the vehicle due to high temperature and / or high humidity). In some embodiments, HVAC system 116 and / or processing circuitry 102 may provide a notification to the user indicating that parameter adjustments have been performed automatically, and may provide the user with options to revert to previous HVAC settings and / or indicate whether such adjustments should be performed automatically in future similar situations.

[0046] The ventilated seat 124 for vehicle 101 may be configured (e.g., via a ventilated seat controller 122, which is communicatively connected to processing circuitry 102) to effectively maintain the thermal conditions of vehicle 101 to provide thermal comfort, such as heating or cooling, to vehicle occupants seated or otherwise located at the ventilated seat 124. In some embodiments, the ventilated seat 124 may include a seat cushion assembly (e.g., Figure 3The seat cushion 124 includes a base pad 309 and / or a seat back pad 311) and air ducts configured to supply conditioned air from the HVAC system 116 to the seat cushion assembly. In some embodiments, the ventilated seat 124 may include a heating element 128 configured to provide heating to the occupant of the ventilated seat 124, for example, by applying an electric current through a wire or coil of the heating element 128 to generate heat. In some embodiments, cooling may be provided to the ventilated seat 124 via a cooling element 126, which may utilize a working fluid or refrigerant to provide such cooling. In some embodiments, the ventilated seat 124 may include a seat temperature sensor 133 or associated therewith, configured to measure the temperature in one or more portions of the ventilated seat 124. In some embodiments, one or more of a fan 129, a blower, or a duct, or any other suitable equipment or any combination thereof, may be provided within the ventilated seat 124 to heat or cool the ventilated seat 124. For example, air may be configured to pass through small perforations or holes in the seat 124, and / or the moisture or humidity level of the air may be altered. In some embodiments, one or more portions of the HVAC system 116 may be connected to the ventilated seat 124 via ducting or any other suitable conduit, as discussed in more detail in co-owned application 17 / 390,710 to Feltham et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, such aspects may (or may not) allow the humidity associated with the ventilated seat 124 to be adjusted.

[0047] In some embodiments, the ventilated seat 124 may include components or layers, such as porous materials, seat heaters, air channels, and any other suitable components or layers, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, during non-sitting periods (e.g., when the user is not in seat 124), a maximum possible flow rate may be applied (e.g., to dry a damp seat while the occupant is outside the vehicle), which allows the seat to dry and / or cool rapidly to facilitate the removal of residual sweat or rainwater by accelerated evaporation (e.g., an automatic drying function). This mode may be activated before the user leaves vehicle 101, or it may be automatically activated when the processing circuitry 102 and / or the HVAC system 116 detects moisture and / or water on seat 124 via water sensor 143, and / or when moisture and / or water are detected at any other suitable component of vehicle 101, and / or when the user is detected outside vehicle 101 or has returned to the vehicle.

[0048] In some embodiments, adjustments to parameters triggered at least in part by determining that a vehicle occupant has left the vehicle compartment of vehicle 101 (or based on determining that the vehicle compartment is unoccupied) can be operated to direct heat energy to the seat back 311 and / or seat floor 309 of the driver's seat, passenger seat, or other passenger seat of the vehicle. This allows for drying and / or regulating the air near the occupant's seat 124, jacket and / or shirt and / or torso, and / or trousers or shorts or swimsuit when the occupant returns to vehicle 101. In some embodiments, such aspects allow for drying any suitable materials, such as towels, blankets, hats, or occupants (e.g., people or pets), that a user may place in a desired part of vehicle 101 (e.g., when the user leaves vehicle 101). In some embodiments, adjustments to parameters can be performed automatically based on one or more sensor inputs, such as indicating that a particular part of vehicle 101 is damp and / or detecting the presence and / or humidity of an object or material or a person or animal in such a particular part of vehicle 101.

[0049] In some embodiments, parameter adjustment may include processing circuitry 102 causing (e.g., directly or via ventilated seat controller 122) the ventilated seat 124 to begin storing more thermal energy than was stored before determining to perform the adjustment. In some embodiments, the ventilated seat 124 may not store thermal energy at all, or may store an amount of energy determined to be insufficient for current conditions, before processing circuitry 102 determines to perform the adjustment, and the adjustment may be performed based on one or more of the retrieved parameters until at least a specific set value is met. In some embodiments, such adjustment may be based on the selection of a specific temperature value or setting associated with the ventilated seat 124, for example, received from the user via user equipment 154 and / or via the vehicle 101's I / O circuitry 108. Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment of thermal energy to be directed to the ventilated seat 124 may be performed automatically.

[0050] Vehicle cabin temperature sensor 131 may be configured to monitor the temperature of the cabin portion of vehicle 101, cargo compartment temperature sensor 135 may be configured to monitor the temperature of the cargo compartment portion of vehicle 101, and ambient temperature sensor 137 may be configured to monitor the ambient temperature of the environment outside (and / or inside) vehicle 101. In some embodiments, temperature sensors 131, 133, 135, and 137 may include thermocouples, thermistors, resistance temperature detectors, or optical sensors, or any suitable combination thereof. In some embodiments, HVAC system 116 may include sensors configured to measure the temperature of components (e.g., heat exchangers, coolers, compressors), fluids (e.g., air, coolant, or refrigerant), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, HVAC system 116 may include sensors configured to measure the pressure or differential pressure of fluids (e.g., air, coolant, or refrigerant). In some embodiments, HVAC system 116 may include sensors configured to measure the flow rate of air, coolant, or refrigerant (e.g., to determine the cooling or heating rate).

[0051] Humidity sensor 139 can be configured to determine the humidity of vehicle 101 (and / or the exterior and / or interior of vehicle 101). Figure 3 The cargo area (306 locations) of the cabin (e.g., Figure 3 The humidity sensor 139 measures the current humidity level in the driver's area or vehicle cabin 302 and may correspond to any suitable sensor or device configured to measure absolute humidity, the amount of water vapor in the air of vehicle 101 (or a specific portion of vehicle 101), and / or relative humidity, the amount of water vapor or moisture in the air expressed as a fraction or percentage of maximum humidity at a given temperature, and / or a specific humidity level. In some embodiments, the humidity sensor 139 may be capacitance-based, resistance-based, thermal-based, or may be any other suitable type or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, based on the value output by the humidity sensor 139, HVAC parameters may be adjusted according to parameters or setpoints (e.g., based on determining that vehicle 101 is unoccupied or that the occupants have left the vehicle cabin). For example, the evaporator and / or blower of the HVAC system 116 may be used to dehumidify the air in the cabin of vehicle 101 based on retrieved HVAC parameters, wherein such dehumidification may also cause cooling of the vehicle cabin or a portion thereof. In some implementations, one or more of these sensor signals can be used as signals to indicate whether one or more vehicle occupants have left vehicle 101 or whether vehicle 101 is currently unoccupied.

[0052] Processing circuitry 102 may communicatively connect (e.g., via sensor interface 130) to sensor 132, pressure sensor 134, seatbelt sensor 136, door sensor 140, pedal pressure sensor 142, speed sensor 144, orientation sensor 146, precipitation sensor 141, water sensor 143, and / or any other suitable sensor and / or any suitable combination thereof. Sensor 132 may include one or more image sensors (e.g., CMOS or CCD) configured to capture the internal or external environment of vehicle 101. Pressure sensor 134 (e.g., piezoelectric or strain-based transducer) may be an occupant detection sensor located at one or more vehicle seats (e.g., ventilated seat 124) and may be configured to sense the presence of a vehicle occupant in the vehicle seat. Seatbelt sensor 136 may be configured to output (e.g., via sensor interface 130) a signal to processing circuitry 102 indicating whether the seatbelt of a vehicle occupant is fastened or buckled. Door sensor 140 may be configured to output a signal to processing circuitry 102 (e.g., via sensor interface 130) indicating whether a door of vehicle 101 is open, closed, or partially open. Pedal press sensor 142 may be configured to output a signal to processing circuitry 102 (e.g., via sensor interface 130) indicating whether a brake pedal or accelerator pedal has been pressed. Such sensor outputs may be used by processing circuitry 102 to determine the presence of a vehicle occupant in the vehicle cabin, vehicle cargo compartment, or any other suitable part of vehicle 101, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the current vehicle state (e.g., parked or driven) may be used to infer the location of the vehicle occupant. In some embodiments, determining that one or more actions have been performed (e.g., parking the vehicle, removing a seatbelt) may trigger the automatic opening of the cargo door (e.g., to allow the vehicle occupant to retrieve a package for delivery).

[0053] Orientation sensor 146 may be an inclinometer, accelerometer, tilt meter, any other pitch sensor, or any combination thereof, and may be configured to provide processing circuitry 102 with vehicle 101 orientation values ​​(e.g., vehicle pitch and / or vehicle roll). Speed ​​sensor 144 may be a speedometer, GPS sensor, rotary encoder, etc., or any combination thereof, and may be configured to provide processing circuitry 102 with a reading of the vehicle's current speed. The output of such sensors can be used to determine whether vehicle 101 is operating or stopped.

[0054] Processing circuitry 102 is communicatively connected to communication circuitry 152. Communication circuitry 152 may include any suitable hardware and / or software operable to transmit and receive wired and / or wireless signals between vehicle 101 and external devices such as, for example, networks or user equipment (e.g., user equipment 154, server 156, and / or Wi-Fi access points and / or satellites) and / or any other suitable computing device. Communication circuitry 152 may include antennas and other control circuitry (e.g., protocol converters, rate converters, signal converters) or any combination thereof.

[0055] Processing circuitry 102 is communicatively connected to battery system 150, which is configured to provide power to one or more components of vehicle 101 during operation. In some embodiments, vehicle 101 may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, and / or may be configured as an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle. Processing circuitry 102 is communicatively connected to GPS system 148 or other positioning device of vehicle 101, wherein a driver or operator may interact with GPS system 148 via input interface 114. GPS system 148 may communicate with one or more satellites and / or servers remote from vehicle 101 (e.g., via communication circuitry 152) to determine the location of vehicle 101 and provide navigation directions to processing circuitry 102. As another example, positioning devices may operate on terrestrial signals (such as cellular phone signals, Wi-Fi signals, or ultra-wideband signals) to determine the location of vehicle 101. The determined location may be in any suitable form, such as geographic coordinates, street address, nearby landmarks such as the sign of the nearest charging station, or a marked location associated with vehicle 101 (e.g., the location of the user's home stored in memory 106), or any other suitable form, or any combination thereof.

[0056] It should be understood that Figure 1 Only some components of vehicle 101 are shown, and it should be understood that vehicle 101 also includes other components commonly found in vehicles (e.g., electric vehicles or any other suitable vehicles), such as motors, brakes, wheels, wheel controls, turn signals, windows, doors, etc.

[0057] User equipment 154 may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or any suitable personal computing device operable to communicate with vehicle 101 and server 156 via a wireless network or a wired connection (e.g., via a USB connection or other data cable). In some embodiments, user equipment 154 may be a key fob comprising a plurality of buttons (e.g., two, three, four, or more buttons) respectively corresponding to functions or commands. Such a key fob may include a battery for providing power, an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals, and processing circuitry that converts user selections (e.g., button presses) into electrical signals and then (e.g., via the antenna) into wireless signals. In some embodiments, user equipment 154 may include a proximity sensor associated with, for example, an RFID tag, or other positioning sensors that enable the processing circuitry to detect the location of a vehicle occupant associated with user equipment 154.

[0058] Server 156 may include multiple servers configured to remotely provide cloud computing resources (e.g., storage, processing, software applications, etc.) to other components of system 100 (e.g., user equipment 154, vehicle 101, and / or any other suitable components). Server 156 may be configured to maintain one or more databases. In some embodiments, server 156 may be associated with the manufacturer or purchaser of vehicle 101 and may be configured to store (e.g., a cloud-based storage system or a database associated with server 156) information relating to each vehicle sold by the manufacturer and to the owner of each vehicle, such as login credentials associated with the vehicle owner's user account and / or user profile. In some embodiments, server 156 may include a collection of servers, and the processing circuitry of server 156 may be distributed across multiple servers.

[0059] Figure 2An exemplary HVAC system 116 for a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may include components 210 for driving air to one or more other ducts (e.g., by operation of a compressor, pump, fan, or vacuum, or any suitable component thereof, or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may include several different ventilation ducts 202 to 208 for respective air vents 120. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may include a front duct 206, a foot duct 208, an ambient air duct 204, and a windshield defrost duct 202. In some embodiments, the vehicle 101's processing circuitry 102 and / or air vent controller 118 may use a corresponding valve for each of the ducts 202 to 208 to control airflow from each of the ducts 202 to 208. For example, the vehicle 101's processing circuitry 102 and / or air vent controller 118 may cause the valve to close completely to stop all airflow, or partially open or close the valve to control the rate of airflow. In some implementations, the processing circuitry 102 and / or air vent controller 118 of vehicle 101 may use a corresponding blower motor or fan for each duct to control the airflow from each duct. It should be understood that Figure 2 This is illustrative, and additional conduits may be included at any suitable part of vehicle 101, such as conduits connecting to seats and / or conduits connecting to storage compartments, etc.

[0060] Figure 3 Exemplary areas of a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown. For example... Figure 3 As shown, vehicle 101 may be a delivery vehicle including a driver or operator area or vehicle cabin 302 and a cargo or loading area 306. Vehicle cabin 302 may include: a ventilated seat 124 in which vehicle occupants can sit and operate vehicle 101, an input interface 114 (e.g., a steering wheel), and a display 110 that can present information to the operator (e.g., current HVAC settings or HVAC settings to be applied if it is determined that the occupant has left vehicle cabin 302 or that vehicle cabin 302 is unoccupied) and receive commands from the operator. In some embodiments, vehicle cabin 302 may include HVAC components to provide conditioned and / or ventilated air to vehicle occupants in one or more of the various parts of vehicle cabin 302. In some implementations, the vehicle cabin 302 may include a camera (e.g., sensor 132) and any other suitable sensors (e.g., pressure sensor 134, seat belt sensor 136, door sensor 140) or any combination thereof, which may be configured to monitor the user’s movements and the user’s position inside or outside the vehicle 101.

[0061] The cargo area or loading area 306 may correspond to the portion of vehicle 101 where parcels or products awaiting delivery are stored, such as the main loading area behind a cargo door or bulkhead (e.g., controlled by a motor). In some embodiments, cargo area 306 may include HVAC components to provide conditioned and / or ventilated air to vehicle occupants. In some embodiments, vehicle cabin 302 may include sensor 132 and any other suitable sensors (e.g., door sensor 140 on the bulkhead door) to determine the presence of a vehicle occupant in cargo area 306. For example, if the bulkhead door separating vehicle cabin 302 from cargo area 306 is open, processing circuitry 102 may determine that a vehicle occupant is located in cargo area 306, for example, to sort parcels awaiting delivery during his or her delivery shift change. In some embodiments, vehicle 101 includes selectable options (e.g., hazard buttons or hazard switches) that, when selected, allow the bulkhead door to open and / or indicate that delivery is taking place in the environment 304 outside vehicle 101 (or that vehicle 101 is not occupied). In some implementations, when the operator leaves the vehicle (e.g., based on a signal detected or not received from user equipment 154), the cargo door may be closed and locked to indicate that the operator has left vehicle 101 (or vehicle 101 is otherwise unoccupied).

[0062] In some embodiments, upon determining that a vehicle occupant has left the vehicle cabin 302 and is currently in the cargo area 306, the processing circuitry 102 may enable adjustments to parameters in the cargo area 306 and / or the vehicle cabin 302. In some embodiments, in this case, adjustments to the HVAC parameters in the vehicle cabin 302 when it is determined that a vehicle occupant is in the cargo area 306 may include fewer modifications (e.g., increases or decreases) compared to modifications to the HVAC parameters in the vehicle cabin 302 when it is determined that a vehicle occupant is in environment 304. For example, if a vehicle occupant is outside the vehicle 101 in environment 304, which may be cold or inclement weather, it may be desirable to increase the temperature and / or airflow and / or other parameters to heat one or more portions of the vehicle cabin 302 for use when the vehicle occupant returns. On the other hand, the cargo area 306 may be less cold and to some extent protect the occupant from inclement weather, and therefore modifications to the HVAC parameters in the vehicle cabin 302 may be less beneficial for the occupant returning from the cargo area 306 to the vehicle cabin 302.

[0063] Figure 4 Exemplary scenarios are shown in some embodiments of this disclosure, in which vehicle occupants have left the vehicle cabin (or the vehicle cabin is otherwise unoccupied). For example... Figure 4As shown, vehicle occupant 412 is outside vehicle cabin 302, for example, delivering a package to a customer at a residential or commercial location, and vehicle cabin 302 is not occupied. In some embodiments, vehicle occupant 412 may leave vehicle 101 while vehicle 101 is in operation, for example, in a parking lot and vehicle 101's HVAC system 116 is turned on, while he or she is delivering a package. Based on the combination Figure 1 and Figure 3 Based on signals received by one or more sensors, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 can determine that vehicle occupant 412 has left vehicle cabin 302, and / or HVAC system 116 remains operational, and / or door 406 remains open.

[0064] For example, a signal output from pressure sensor 134 may indicate that vehicle occupant 412 has left vehicle cabin 302, and / or door sensor 140 may indicate that door 406 has remained open. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 may communicate with GPS 148, or user equipment 154 or server 156, or any other suitable device, or any combination thereof, to determine that vehicle occupant 412 has ceased performing delivery. In this case, it may be desirable that, to ensure maximum energy efficiency, the thermal conditioning of vehicle 101 be dynamic, for example, “following” the operator’s location or position in the sense that the operating mode, output, and / or output position associated with HVAC 116 should change relative to the user’s location. For example, if processing circuitry 102 determines that the operator is delivering externally and door 406 remains open, keeping HVAC system 116 in cabin air conditioning mode may be inefficient, as conditioned air can simply be blown out of the open door to exchange energy with the environment, and it may be desirable to regulate HVAC system 116 at least in part based on taking these conditions into account.

[0065] The processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 may determine that the HVAC system 116 of vehicle 101 should be adjusted in response to determining that the vehicle occupant 412 has left the vehicle cabin 302 (or the vehicle cabin 302 is otherwise unoccupied). For example, before the vehicle occupant 412 leaves vehicle 101, the HVAC system 116 of vehicle 101 may have received an instruction 402 to set the temperature of the vehicle cabin 302 to a specific value and / or to heat or cool the ventilated seat 124 to a specific setting. Additionally or alternatively, the HVAC system 116 of vehicle 101 may automatically set the vehicle cabin 302 and / or the ventilated seat 124 to the appropriate temperature and / or setting based on the determination that the vehicle occupant 412 has left the vehicle cabin 302 (or the vehicle cabin 302 is otherwise unoccupied). In some embodiments, options 402 and 404 may provide any appropriate number of heating or cooling levels to select parameters for setting the ventilated seat 124.

[0066] In response to determining that vehicle occupant 412 has left vehicle cabin 302 (or vehicle cabin 302 is otherwise unoccupied), processing circuitry 102 can dynamically adapt parameters of HVAC system 116 (e.g., temperature values ​​or other settings, such as for energy conservation, since vehicle occupant 412 is no longer in vehicle cabin 302). This adjustment can be based on a desired temperature setpoint or other HVAC settings specified by the user, or it can be performed automatically based on the location of vehicle occupant 412 and / or the environmental conditions of the vehicle 101 environment. For example, processing circuitry 102 can cause one or more air vents 120 of HVAC system 116 to close, or reduce the output power level of one or more air vents 120 relative to when vehicle occupant 412 leaves vehicle 101 (e.g., modifying thermal settings to lower the temperature setpoint of HVAC system 116). Alternatively, the processing circuitry 102 may cause one or more air vents 120 of the HVAC system 116 to open, or increase the output power level of one or more air vents 120 relative to when the vehicle occupant 412 leaves the vehicle 101 (e.g., modifying the air conditioning settings for the vehicle cabin 302 to increase the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system 116). In some embodiments, this adjustment may continue until the processing circuitry 102 determines that the vehicle occupant 412 has returned to the vehicle 101, or for a predetermined period of time after the vehicle occupant 412 has returned to the vehicle 101.

[0067] In some embodiments, in response to closing one or more air vents 120 of the HVAC system 116, or reducing the output power level of the air supplied via said one or more air vents 120, thermal energy may be directed to the ventilated seat 124 (and / or steering wheel or other suitable vehicle component) for storage therein to maintain or improve thermal conditions in the vehicle 101 and to provide thermal comfort to the vehicle occupant 412 upon his or her return. In some embodiments, for the case when a user leaves the vehicle cabin 302, the processing circuitry 102 may enable adjustment of one or more parameters of the HVAC system (e.g., temperature setpoint of the vehicle cabin 302 or settings for heating or cooling the ventilated seat 124, or any other suitable parameter, or any combination thereof) based on specified user preferences previously set by the user. In some embodiments, user input may be received from the vehicle occupant 412 of one or more specified in-vehicle driving settings, cargo compartment settings, and simultaneous delivery settings (e.g., when an occupant is detected in environment 304).

[0068] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 may determine the ambient temperature around vehicle 101 based on output received from ambient temperature sensor 137 or via network 155 or via another device (e.g., user equipment 154 or server 156, or any other suitable device or combination of devices). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 102 may perform adjustments to the parameters of HVAC system 116 based on the determined ambient temperature and current temperature within vehicle cabin 302 or the settings of HVAC system 116 (e.g., determined based on the output signal of sensor 131) and / or the current temperature or settings of ventilated seat 124 (e.g., determined based on the output signal of sensor 133).

[0069] For example, processing circuitry 102 or HVAC system 116 may determine, based on ambient temperature and the current characteristics of HVAC system 116, a suitable target temperature or setting for vehicle cabin 302 (or a portion thereof, such as the portion corresponding to the position of the vehicle occupant's feet when operating vehicle 101, or any other suitable portion, or any combination thereof) and / or a suitable target temperature or setting for ventilated seat 124. Processing circuitry 102 may adjust HVAC system 116 to conform to the determined target temperature or setting, for example, by adjusting the open or closed state of one or more air vents 120 and / or the cooling or heating state of ventilated seat 124. In some implementations, adjusting one or more parameters of the HVAC system 116 may include switching between providing heat to the ventilated seat 124 and the portion of the vehicle cabin 302 where the occupant 412 holds his or her feet (e.g., area 307 of vehicle 101 in front of seat 124 and below the top of the seat cushion of seat 124) and / or the portion of the vehicle cabin 302 where the occupant 412 holds his or her face, his or her chest (e.g., in front of seat portion 311), or any other suitable portion of the vehicle cabin 302. Such options may provide any appropriate number of levels, such as fan level or air vent level.

[0070] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 may perform adjustments based on determining that the detected ambient temperature or other detected environmental conditions are below or above a certain value, or within a certain range. For example, if processing circuitry 102 determines that the ambient temperature corresponds to a very hot temperature, HVAC system 116 may maintain or only slightly reduce the relatively high air conditioning level and / or relatively high ventilated seat cooling level within vehicle 101. On the other hand, if processing circuitry 102 determines that the ambient temperature corresponds to a moderate temperature, processing circuitry 102 may determine that thermal comfort of vehicle 101 can be maintained even if HVAC system 116 is turned off, or HVAC system 116 may be modified to reduce or degrade the output power of HVAC system 116 relative to vehicle cabin 302 while still maintaining thermal comfort for vehicle occupants, thereby saving energy. In some embodiments, one or more components of HVAC system 116 may be modified based on specific conversion rates for different ambient temperatures.

[0071] In some embodiments, one or more of heating, cooling, and / or airflow may be enhanced once it is determined that occupant 412 has returned to vehicle cabin 302 to help occupant 412 quickly return to thermal equilibrium. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 may cause heat flux to be locally directed to occupant 412, rather than conditioning the entire cabin to a uniform temperature (hot or cold). In some embodiments, when occupant 412 is outside vehicle cabin 302, control signals received from processing circuitry 102 may be used to rotate or reduce conditioning or ventilation, or any other HVAC operation, to reduce overall energy use.

[0072] In some implementations, processing circuitry 102 and / or HVAC system 116 may refer to tables stored in memory 106 (or the memory of server 156, or any other suitable memory or any combination thereof) to determine whether and / or how to adjust one or more parameters of HVAC system 116 when it is determined that vehicle occupant 412 has left vehicle cabin 302. For example, Table 1 shown below may be referenced by processing circuitry 102. As shown in Table 1, any suitable number of factors may be considered in determining whether and how to adjust the parameters of HVAC system 116, such as solar irradiance on vehicle 101, ambient temperature, blower power (e.g., how much conditioned or unconditioned air should be blown), heater temperature, evaporation setpoint (e.g., how much heating or cooling should be provided), target temperature, and indications of whether HVAC should remain on, and any other suitable factors, or any combination thereof. For example, processing circuitry 102 may access Table 1 shown below and perform a lookup using determined values ​​for one or more of such factors regarding the current scenario in which vehicle occupant 412 leaves vehicle 101, in order to identify one or more actions to be taken (or whether such actions should be taken) regarding HVAC system 116.

[0073] Table 1

[0074]

[0075]

[0076] In some embodiments, Table 1 may be utilized when processing circuitry 102 determines that vehicle 101 is in a recurring delivery mode (e.g., by referring to a delivery schedule provided via server 156 or user equipment 154 or any other suitable source or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, HVAC system 116 adjustments may be fully calibrated over the ambient temperature range to adapt to dynamic environments. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 may be configured to keep specific HVAC components on (e.g., keep the blower rotating, or any other suitable component, or any combination thereof) to avoid startup delays when occupant 412 returns to vehicle 101; for example, if HVAC is on, the blower may remain on. In some embodiments, the breathing temperature of occupant 412 (e.g., measured by a thermocouple) may be taken into account when adjusting HVAC parameters, and it may be correlated with the vehicle cabin temperature. In some implementations, when adjusting HVAC parameters, measurements of the ventilated seat 124, the foot area 307 of the vehicle cabin 302, and / or the air vent area of ​​the vehicle cabin 302 may be taken into account, and / or the temperature at any other suitable part of the vehicle 101, or any combination thereof, may be taken into account.

[0077] In some implementations, the processing circuitry 102 and / or the HVAC system 116 may consider whether the vehicle door 406 (or any other suitable door, window, or other component, or any combination thereof) has been kept open when the vehicle occupant 412 leaves the vehicle cabin 302. For example, the door 406 may be relatively heavy, and therefore, when performing relatively rapid package deliveries, multiple drivers or operators of the vehicle 101 may keep the door 406 open (e.g., after a large number of deliveries, the driver's or operator's arms may be strained from constantly closing the door). In this case, the processing circuitry 102 may draw energy into the ventilated seat 124, in contrast to blowing or directing air into or into the vehicle cabin 302 (which can simply exit through the open door), and this technique allows a large surface area of ​​the occupant 412's body to come into contact with heat or cold energy (e.g., based on ambient temperature settings) when seated again, thus providing an efficient heat transfer mechanism.

[0078] In some implementations, certain parts of the HVAC system (e.g., air vents 120 providing conditioned air or any other suitable part) may be closed once it is determined that door 406 has been kept open during delivery. In some implementations, in addition to considering whether door 406 remains open, processing circuitry 102 may also consider ambient temperature or other environmental conditions. For example, if the ambient temperature is moderate, a door that remains open upon return to vehicle 101 may have a negligible effect on the operator's thermal comfort (e.g., occupant 412 may be naturally comfortable based on his or her metabolic rate and clothing), and therefore no adjustments or minimal adjustments to the HVAC system 116 may be performed. On the other hand, if the ambient temperature is very hot or very cold, processing circuitry 102 may determine that operating the HVAC system 116 in its current state would be inefficient.

[0079] In some embodiments, when it is determined that vehicle occupant 412 has left vehicle cabin 302, the processing circuitry 102 and / or the HVAC system 116 may refer to a table specific to the door open or closed state when determining whether and / or how to adjust one or more parameters of the HVAC system 116. In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may determine what type of clothing the driver is wearing (e.g., a heavy coat or T-shirt, or any other suitable clothing) based, for example, on input received from the driver or on processing images of the driver captured by a camera, and may take such clothing into account when adjusting the parameters of the HVAC system 116. For example, when the driver is wearing heavier clothing, the amount of heat directed to the ventilated seat 124 may be less than when the driver is wearing lighter clothing.

[0080] In some implementations, the HVAC system 116 may compensate for varying driving conditions in an effort to maximize thermal comfort and minimize energy use. For example, many delivery drivers may leave door 406, or another door, window, or other suitable component, or any combination thereof, open as they drive to the next delivery location. In this case, the processing circuitry 102 may cause the HVAC system 116 to lower the blowers, for example, if the vehicle exceeds a certain speed, or to determine that less cooling should be provided due to the open door. In some implementations, the processing circuitry 102 may refer to a first table (specifically for when the driver is in the cabin with the door closed) or a second table (specifically for when the driver is in the cabin with the door open) based on indications received from one or more sensors at the driver's position and whether one or more doors are open or closed. Such tables may be in a format similar to Table 1 and may correspond to recurring delivery patterns.

[0081] In some implementations, such as when it is determined that the delivery driver is driving on a relatively long continuous drive (e.g., on a highway), such as after a delivery shift has ended, the HVAC system 116 may be adjusted based on an in-cabin long driving mode. This in-cabin long driving mode may refer to a mode-specific table to maximize the thermal comfort of the vehicle occupants 412 while optimizing the efficiency of the HVAC system 116. In some implementations, the processing circuitry 102 may be configured to switch between various modes based on the frequent changes in the vehicle occupants 412's position throughout the driving session (e.g., delivery transition or other suitable driving session), such as out-of-cabin delivery, in-cabin delivery (door closed), in-cabin delivery (door open), long driving mode, or any other suitable mode, or any combination thereof.

[0082] Figure 5 An exemplary portion of a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, vehicle occupant 412 resides in ventilated seat 124. The processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 may be based on data from one or more sensors (e.g., Figure 1 The presence of vehicle occupant 412 in vehicle cabin 302 is determined by signals received from one or more of the sensors described herein, or any other suitable sensor or any suitable combination thereof. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, the processing circuit 102 can determine that the vehicle occupant 412 has returned to the vehicle cabin 302 after having left the vehicle cabin 302.

[0083] Once it is determined that vehicle occupant 412 has returned to vehicle cabin 302, one or more parameters of HVAC system 116 may be adjusted. For example, when vehicle occupant 412 is outside vehicle 101, air vents or other HVAC components associated with portion 508 of vehicle 101 corresponding to the location of vehicle occupant 412's feet or portion 506 corresponding to the location of vehicle occupant 412's face may have been shut off or had their output power reduced to save energy, and such portions of HVAC system 116 may be brought back to normal levels to provide thermal comfort to occupant 412. In some embodiments, heating or cooling provided by ventilated seat 124 may be increased when occupant 412 is outside vehicle 101, and reduced when occupant 412 returns to vehicle 101, for example, to prevent ventilated seat 124 from becoming too cold or too hot. In some embodiments, when occupant 412 is outside the vehicle, heating or cooling of the input interface 114 (e.g., steering wheel) can be increased (e.g., depending on ambient temperature) to provide heat to his or her hands when occupant 412 returns to vehicle 101. In some embodiments, historical data of previous selections by the user or other users can be used to adjust one or more parameters of the HVAC system 116 and / or provide recommendations to the user.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, the display 110 of vehicle 101 provides selectable options 502 and 504 associated with icon 514 to set the temperature setting of the HVAC settings in vehicle 101. Icon 516 may correspond to defrosting operation, icon 518 may correspond to heated or cooled ventilated seat 124, and option 520 may correspond to heated or cooled input interface 114 (e.g., steering wheel). Such options allow the user to select heating and / or cooling settings, airflow settings, and operating modes (face, feet, seat, or any other suitable part or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, the HVAC system 116 may have been turned off when occupant 412 leaves vehicle cabin 302, but processing circuitry 102 may determine that one or more portions of the HVAC system 116 should be turned on when occupant 412 is outside vehicle 101 to enhance the thermal comfort of occupant 412 upon his or her return to vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101. In some implementations, the display 110 may allow the occupant 412 to specify different preferences for when the parameters of the HVAC system 116 should be adjusted (e.g., when it is determined that the occupant 412 is leaving the vehicle 101).

[0085] Figure 6 An exemplary cargo area of ​​a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 6As shown, vehicle occupant 412 may be present in cargo area 306 of vehicle 101, for example, to retrieve a package to be delivered. In some embodiments, cargo area 306 may include one or more fans 614 (e.g., located on the roof of vehicle 101, or any other suitable location) or any other suitable HVAC component (e.g., a system configured to draw air out of cargo area 306, etc.), and processing circuitry 102 may receive selections of one or more settings 616, 618, 620 regarding cargo area 306 to activate conditioning or ventilation when occupant 412 is detected in cargo area 306 (e.g., when it is determined that a bulkhead door or cargo door is open) and / or based on a camera capturing an image of occupant 412 in cargo area 306 and / or based on GPS destination or delivery schedule or based on any other suitable sensor measurements or any combination thereof. The user may choose whether he or she wants this cargo HVAC system to be always on, or only on when he or she is (or not) in cargo area 306, and / or how much air or conditioning he or she desires in cargo area 306. For example, if occupant 412 plans to spend a significant amount of time sorting or organizing packages, he or she may accordingly configure the cargo area HVAC settings, for example, to utilize air circulation to prevent the air in cargo area 306 from becoming stale.

[0086] In some embodiments, the HVAC system in cargo area 306 may generate significant noise, and vehicle occupants may feel uncomfortable being exposed to large amounts of air upon entering cargo area 306, and therefore may wish to turn off the HVAC system in cargo area 306 (e.g., especially in colder ambient temperatures). In some embodiments, a digital assistant (e.g., Amazon Alexa or any other suitable digital assistant) microphone may be provided in cargo area 306, and therefore it may be desirable to reduce driver noise and acoustic fatigue when the driver is present in cargo area 306 (e.g., by turning off or degrading HVAC components) so that occupant 412 can send voice commands to the digital assistant microphone, for example, to assist in sorting packages in cargo area 306. In some embodiments, the HVAC components in cargo area 306 may be reclassified or reactivated when the bulkhead door is closed. In some embodiments, the HVAC system in cargo area 306 is utilized only when solar irradiance is above a certain threshold.

[0087] Figure 7A portion of an exemplary cargo area of ​​a vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Cargo area 306 may include one or more fans 614 or any other suitable HVAC components or any combination thereof. Fan 614 may be part of a fan assembly 704 including a cover. In some embodiments, fan 614 may include a GPS antenna 702 to enable cargo area 306 to consider its current location relative to the position of vehicle occupant 412 and / or determine an ongoing or impending delivery. In some embodiments, fan assembly 704 may include a sensor 132 (e.g., a camera) that can be used to track the position of occupant 412 and determine whether he or she is located in cargo area 306. A roof insert 703 may be used to mount fan 614 to the roof of vehicle 101. An air intake 706 of any suitable size or shape may be included in cargo area 306 to provide ventilation to cargo area 306, and an outlet cover 708 may be a darker color to promote high solar energy absorption. The fan 614 can be in a pusher mode that blows air out to the cargo area 306, or in a suction mode that draws air out of the cargo area 306.

[0088] Figure 8 A portion of an exemplary HVAC thermostat control interface according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The HVAC thermostat control interface 800 may be provided via a display 110 or user equipment 154 or any other suitable device or any combination thereof. The HVAC thermostat control interface 800 may indicate the operator's location within the vehicle based on instructions received from processing circuitry 102 (e.g., via I / O circuitry 108). For example, the interface 800 may include an indication 802 that occupant 412 is in the vehicle cabin 302, an indication 804 that occupant 412 has left the vehicle cabin 302 and is in the environment outside the vehicle 101, and an indication 806 that occupant 412 is in the cargo area 306 of the vehicle 101. The interface 800 may provide HVAC settings associated with each corresponding indication of the occupant's physical location 802, 804, 806. For example, interface 800 enables occupant 412 to select HVAC settings for each of his physical positions 802, 804, 806 relative to vehicle 101, to instruct HVAC system 116 to adapt to the environment (e.g., dynamic delivery scenario or any other suitable scenario) to provide maximum energy efficiency and thermal comfort.

[0089] Interface 800 may include an icon 808 selectable to put HVAC system 116 into automatic HVAC mode. For example, in response to determining that icon 808 has been selected, processing circuitry 102 may set HVAC system 116 to a recommended temperature setpoint (e.g., a preset) or an HVAC setting for a given condition (e.g., ambient temperature, whether a door remains open, or any other suitable condition or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, such recommended temperature setpoints or HVAC settings may be determined based on simulation and / or test results, designed to maintain positive thermal comfort (e.g., during delivery). Such HVAC settings may be adjusted or modified at any time by the occupant, for example, by the driver selecting icon 810. Thus, many drivers can achieve thermal comfort by pressing a single button associated with icon 808 and can conveniently modify such settings manually according to his or her preferences. The settings associated with icon 808 may change dynamically throughout the day, for example, based on ambient weather conditions.

[0090] In some implementations, if the driver selects a higher energy consumption setting than predicted (e.g., higher blower, higher heating / cooling, or any other suitable setting, or any combination thereof), the processing circuitry 102 may accept the new setting, but may degrade one or more HVAC components when the driver is away, depending on the conditions (e.g., if the door remains open, the user setting may be discarded). In some implementations, if the driver selects a lower energy consumption setting than predicted, the processing circuitry 102 may accept the new setting and implement it because it saves more energy than the recommended setting. In some implementations, certain features (e.g., cabin exterior adjustment or cargo adjustment) may be disabled, for example, based on detected ambient temperature or any other suitable condition. Interface 800 may include an indication 812 of environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, or any other suitable condition, or any combination thereof. Interface 800 may include an icon 814 at which the user may indicate various HVAC settings for different air vents or sections of the vehicle cabin 302 (e.g., a request to focus air on the user's face).

[0091] Figures 9A to 9C An exemplary arrangement for providing HVAC capability to the cargo area of ​​a vehicle, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown. For example... Figure 9AAs shown, duct 901 may be connected to HVAC system 116, and duct 901 may extend through a bulkhead door separating cargo area 306 and vehicle cabin 302 to provide conditioned or unconditioned air to cargo area 306. Duct 901 may include an inlet 902 for receiving air and one or more outlets 906, 908 through which air may be directed into cargo area 306. Duct 901 may include a splitter or connector 912 that may connect the duct associated with seat 124 to the duct extending into cargo area 306. Splitter or connector 912 may include a control blade selector to control airflow through duct 901. In some embodiments, duct 901 may include as part of and / or as an extension of a duct or any other suitable conduit, as discussed in more detail in co-owned application No. 17 / 390,710 of Feltham et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0092] In some embodiments, an auxiliary outlet may be added to a component at the rear of the seat conduit (e.g., a plastic diverter or any other suitable component of any other suitable material, or any combination thereof). In some embodiments, a flexible hose may be attached to a molded rigid conduit integrated into the storage compartment. In some embodiments, conduit 901 may include an integrated booster fan 916. In some embodiments, conduit 901 may travel upward along the bulkhead cargo door and behind the door frame until conduit 901 extends around the open cargo door. In some embodiments, a rotating head 910 of conduit 901 may be rotatable to point towards the main loading area. In some embodiments, rotating head 910 may correspond to outlet 908 or be part of that outlet. As shown in the right-hand portion of Figure 9, the main HVAC module 917 may be connected to a seat adjustment conduit or circuit 918 associated with the driver's seat 124, which may be connected via connector 912 to conduits extending to the cargo area 306 and / or the passenger seat 914. In some implementations, the passenger seat 914 may be equipped with conditioned air or unconditioned air, or any other suitable heating or cooling capacity, or any combination thereof.

[0093] like Figure 9B As shown, connector 912 may include an inlet 920 for receiving air, an outlet 922 leading to cargo area 306, and an outlet 924 leading to seat 124. In some embodiments, connector 912 may include a selector component. In some embodiments, outlet 922 may extend through an open cargo door to any suitable location (e.g., the main loading area or any other suitable location or any combination thereof).

[0094] like Figure 9CAs shown, duct 901 may include a rotating head 910 that can be directed to any suitable portion of cargo area 306 and may extend through or near bulkhead door 925. For example, rotating head 910 may direct air to loading area 926 and / or loading area 928. In some embodiments, air may be selectively supplied from HVAC system 116 via rotating head 910 based on feedback from cargo temperature sensor 135 and / or any other suitable sensor (e.g., a door sensor associated with bulkhead door 925, outputting a signal indicating that the door is open and, therefore, a vehicle occupant may be inside cargo area 306). In some embodiments, in response to sensing that an occupant is inside or may be inside cargo area 306, HVAC system 116 may switch conditioning or ventilation or any other HVAC operation or any combination thereof to cargo area 306, for example, switching from vehicle cabin 302 if it is determined that occupant 412 has moved from vehicle cabin 302 to cargo area 306.

[0095] Figure 10 A flowchart 1000 illustrating an exemplary process for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Process 1000 may be performed, at least in part, by the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 and / or the circuitry of the HVAC system 116, or any other suitable circuitry or any combination thereof.

[0096] At point 1002, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 can determine that vehicle occupant 412 is present in the vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101. The processing circuitry 102 may make this determination based on signals received from one or more sensors. For example, the processing circuitry 102 may receive a signal from pressure sensor 134 indicating that vehicle occupant 412 is seated in ventilated seat 124, or the processing circuitry 102 may receive any suitable sensor signal indicating the presence of occupant 412 in the vehicle cabin 302.

[0097] At 1004, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 can determine whether vehicle occupant 412 has left the vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101. The processing circuitry 102 can make this determination based on signals received from one or more sensors. For example, the processing circuitry 102 can receive a signal from pressure sensor 134 indicating that vehicle occupant 412 is no longer seated in ventilated seat 124, or the processing circuitry 102 can receive any suitable sensor signal indicating the presence of occupant 412 in the vehicle cabin 302. In some embodiments, at 1004, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 can determine whether the vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101 is unoccupied. For example, vehicle 101 may be partially or fully autonomous, and step 1002 may optionally be omitted. Furthermore, if at least one occupant remains in the vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101 when occupant 412 leaves vehicle 101, it may be desirable to maintain the current HVAC settings.

[0098] In some implementations, processing circuitry 102 may additionally determine whether the HVAC system 116 of vehicle 101 is operational or operational when the occupant 412 leaves the vehicle cabin 302 of vehicle 101. For example, before leaving the vehicle cabin 302, it may be determined via... Figure 8 Interface 800 Figure 4 Interface 400 Figure 5 The vehicle occupant 412 receives one or more selections of HVAC settings from the interface 500 or any suitable interface or any combination thereof.

[0099] If the processing circuit 102 determines that the occupant 412 is still in the vehicle cabin 302, the processing can proceed to 1006, where the current HVAC system parameters can be maintained. If the processing circuit 102 determines that the occupant 412 is not in the vehicle cabin 302, the processing can proceed to 1008.

[0100] At 1008, the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 can determine whether vehicle occupant 412 is present in vehicle cargo compartment 306. For example, the processing circuitry 102 can perform this determination based on signals received from sensors associated with bulkhead door 925, cameras in cargo compartment 306, or any other suitable sensors or indicators, or any combination thereof. If the processing circuitry 102 determines that vehicle occupant 412 is in cargo compartment 306, processing can proceed to 1012; otherwise, based on the assumption that occupant 412 has left vehicle 101 and entered the external environment, processing can proceed to 1010.

[0101] At 1010, processing circuitry 102 can adjust parameters of the HVAC system 116 relative to the vehicle cabin 302. For example, such adjustment can occur while occupant 412 remains outside the vehicle 101, such as when delivering a package to a customer. For example, when occupant 412 is outside the vehicle 101, processing circuitry 102 can shut down or downgrade the HVAC system 116 to save energy. In some embodiments, adjustment parameters may include directing heat energy to the ventilated seats 124 of the vehicle 101 (e.g., instead of blowing at least a portion of this energy via air vents 12), which can store heat energy and provide thermal comfort to occupant 412 upon return. In some embodiments, whether (and how) adjustments are performed may be influenced by ambient temperature or other environmental conditions and / or whether the doors remain open, as well as any other suitable parameters or any combination thereof.

[0102] At 1012, processing circuitry 102 can adjust parameters of the HVAC system 116 relative to the vehicle cargo compartment 306. For example, processing circuitry 102 can cause the HVAC system 116 to perform heating or cooling operations, for example, based on ambient temperature, to provide thermal comfort to occupant 412, such as when sorting packages for delivery. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 can reduce ventilation or other operations to reduce noise levels in the cargo compartment 306, for example, to enable occupant 412 to interact with a digital assistant that may be present in the cargo compartment 306. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 can still adjust the HVAC parameters for the vehicle cabin 302 as in 1010, since occupant 412 may return to the vehicle cabin 302 after sorting packages and / or after performing deliveries.

[0103] Figure 11 A flowchart 1100 illustrates an exemplary process for adjusting parameters of an HVAC system according to some embodiments of this disclosure. Process 1100 may be performed, at least in part, by the processing circuitry 102 of vehicle 101 and / or the circuitry of the HVAC system 116, or any other suitable circuitry or any combination thereof.

[0104] At 1102, processing circuitry 102 can determine whether user input has been received (e.g., via I / O circuitry 108 or via user equipment 154 or any other suitable device or any combination thereof) specifying preferred settings for parameters of the HVAC system to be used when vehicle occupant 412 leaves vehicle cabin 302. For example, occupant 412 can specify (via I / O circuitry 108 or via user equipment 154 or any other suitable device or any combination thereof)... Figure 8 Interface 800 Figure 4 Interface 400 Figure 5The ventilated seat 124 shall be heated or cooled in a certain setting when the occupant 412 leaves the vehicle cabin 302, or the air vent 120 shall be degraded, or any other suitable parameter shall be specified, or any combination thereof.

[0105] At 1104, if such user input is received at 1102, the HVAC system 116 can be adjusted based on the user input once it is determined that occupant 412 has left the vehicle cabin 302. In some embodiments, processing can proceed to 1106 regardless of whether such user input has been received.

[0106] At 1106, processing circuitry 102 can determine the ambient temperature in the environment outside vehicle 101. For example, the ambient temperature can be determined based on a signal or indication of temperature received from ambient temperature sensor 137 or from any suitable source (e.g., user equipment 154 or server 156 or any combination thereof).

[0107] At 1108, processing circuitry 102 determines whether the door of vehicle compartment 302 remains open when occupant 412 exits vehicle compartment 302. If so, processing proceeds to 1110; otherwise, processing proceeds to 1112. The determination of whether door 406 (or any other suitable door, window, or other component, or any combination thereof) has remained open may be based on signals or indications received from door sensor 140 or any other suitable sensor, or any combination thereof. If an affirmative determination is made at 1108, processing proceeds to 1112; otherwise, processing proceeds to 1110.

[0108] At 1110, processing circuitry 102 can determine the settings of parameters for HVAC system 116 based on the determined ambient temperature. For example, processing circuitry 102 can compare the measured ambient temperature to certain ambient temperature thresholds or ranges and determine whether to downgrade, maintain, or reclassify one or more HVAC components (e.g., air vents 120, ventilated seats 124, and / or any other suitable components). In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 can refer to a lookup table (e.g., Table 1 discussed above) to determine the specific action to be taken using any suitable number of parameters. In some embodiments, such action may depend at least in part on the current HVAC settings and / or the currently measured temperature in vehicle cabin 302 or cargo compartment 306.

[0109] At 1112, processing circuitry 102 may determine the settings for parameters of HVAC system 116 based on the determined ambient temperature and / or the determination that the door has remained open. For example, processing circuitry 102 may determine that using a blower or air vent 120 when door 406 is open (e.g., during delivery performed by occupant 412) will provide little benefit to occupant 412 upon return, as such air will simply be blown into the external environment through the open door. Instead, processing circuitry 102 may determine that heat energy stored in ventilated seat 124 is less likely to be lost to the external environment. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 102 may refer to a lookup table to determine the specific action to be taken using any suitable number of parameters.

[0110] At 1114, processing circuitry 102 can adjust parameters of HVAC system 116 based on 1110 or 1112. In some embodiments, user input received at 1102 may be considered in certain circumstances (e.g., if settings associated with user input would receive less energy than recommended settings determined at 1110 or 1112, or in any other suitable case). At 1116, after such parameters have been adjusted or are in the process of being adjusted, processing circuitry 102 can determine whether occupant 412 has returned to vehicle cabin 302 (e.g., based on one or more sensor signals, such as combined with...). Figure 1 (As discussed). If so, the process can proceed to 1118; otherwise, the process can return to 1114.

[0111] At 1118, processing circuitry 102 can cause HVAC system 116 to immediately or after a predefined time period to stop performing parameter adjustments. For example, if the adjustment corresponds to increasing the amount by which the ventilated seat 124 should be heated or cooled, this operation can be stopped to prevent the seat from becoming uncomfortably hot. Similarly, if the door remains open and the temperature of the vehicle cabin 302 is very cold, thermal comfort can be provided to occupant 412 if a higher heating operation is to be performed for a predefined time period (e.g., when occupant 412 drives to the next delivery location). In some embodiments, if processing circuitry 102 determines that the door remains open and is subsequently closed by the driver, and the driver remains outside, the process proceeds to 1110 to determine new settings.

[0112] The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this disclosure, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The above embodiments are presented for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. This disclosure may also take many forms other than those expressly described herein. Therefore, it should be emphasized that this disclosure is not limited to the methods, systems, and instruments expressly disclosed, but is intended to include variations and modifications thereof, which are within the spirit of the following claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: cockpit; The cargo hold, which is equipped with a digital assistant microphone; Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and Processing circuit, the processing circuit being configured to: The vehicle occupants have been determined to have left the cabin while the vehicle's HVAC system is in operation. as well as In response to determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin, the parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted, including at least reducing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment based on the determination that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin and is currently in the cargo compartment, to reduce the noise level generated by the HVAC system in the cargo compartment, so that the digital assistant microphone can detect voice commands sent by the vehicle occupant; and increasing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment based on the determination that the vehicle occupant has left the cargo compartment.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Determine the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle; The settings of the parameters for the HVAC system are determined based at least on the ambient temperature; and Adjust the parameters of the HVAC system to the determined settings.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Determine the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle; Ensure that the cabin door remains open; and The settings of the parameters for the HVAC system are determined based at least on the ambient temperature and the fact that the vehicle's doors remain open.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The HVAC system includes air vents configured to provide conditioned air; and The processing circuitry is configured to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system by closing the air vents and directing heat energy to the vehicle seats of the vehicle occupants.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: Modify the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system; and The parameters of the HVAC system should be adjusted based at least on the modified temperature setpoint.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Determine the input specifying the preferred settings for the parameters used in the HVAC system when the vehicle occupants have left the cabin; and The parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted based on the input.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: Determining that the position of the vehicle occupant has changed from the cabin to the outside of the vehicle, wherein determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin is based at least on the position of the vehicle occupant; and The parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted based on the position of the vehicle occupants.

8. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle, comprising: Input / output I / O circuitry, wherein the I / O circuitry is configured as follows: Monitor sensor signals that indicate whether the vehicle's cabin is unoccupied; and Processing circuit, the processing circuit being configured to: Based on the sensor signals, it is determined that the cabin is not occupied; and In response to determining that the cabin is unoccupied, the parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted, including at least reducing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment when it is determined that the vehicle occupant has left the cabin and is currently in the cargo compartment of the vehicle, so as to reduce the noise level generated by the HVAC system in the cargo compartment, so that the digital assistant microphone provided in the cargo compartment can detect the voice commands sent by the vehicle occupant; and increasing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment based on determining that the vehicle occupant has left the cargo compartment.

9. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Determine the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle; The settings of the parameters for the HVAC system are determined based at least on the ambient temperature; and Adjust the parameters of the HVAC system to the determined settings.

10. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: Determine the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle; Ensure that the cabin door remains open; and The settings of the parameters for the HVAC system are determined based at least on the ambient temperature and the fact that the vehicle's doors remain open.

11. The HVAC system according to claim 8, wherein: The HVAC system includes air vents configured to provide conditioned air; and The processing circuitry is configured to adjust the parameters of the HVAC system by closing the air vent and directing heat energy to the vehicle seat.

12. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The input that specifies the preferred settings for the parameters used in the HVAC system when the cabin is not occupied; and The parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted based on the input.

13. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: Determining that the position of a vehicle occupant has changed from the cabin to an external location, wherein the cabin is determined to be unoccupied based at least on the position of the vehicle occupant; and The parameters of the HVAC system are adjusted based on the position of the vehicle occupants.

14. A method for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning a vehicle, comprising: The system uses processing circuitry to determine whether the vehicle's cabin is unoccupied. as well as In response to determining that the cabin is unoccupied, the processing circuitry adjusts the parameters of the vehicle's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, including at least reducing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment when it is determined that the vehicle occupants have left the cabin and are currently in the vehicle's cargo compartment, to reduce the noise level generated by the HVAC system in the cargo compartment, so that a digital assistant microphone provided in the cargo compartment can detect voice commands sent by the vehicle occupants; and increasing the power output of the HVAC system to the cargo compartment based on the determination that the vehicle occupants have left the cargo compartment.

15. The method for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning a vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising: Determine the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle; The settings of the parameters for the HVAC system are determined based at least on the ambient temperature. as well as Adjust the parameters of the HVAC system to the determined settings.

16. The method for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: Modify the temperature setpoint of the HVAC system; and The parameters of the HVAC system should be adjusted based at least on the modified temperature setpoint.

Images