Automatic control system and method for thermal comfort of automobile seats

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic control system and method for thermal comfort of automobile seats, which relate to the field of control. The automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats comprises: a sensor unit, which is used to monitor the sitting condition of the automobile seat and detect thermal environment parameters at the contact position between the human body and the automobile seat, and output the parameters to a controller unit; compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: the present invention realizes the control of the thermal environment at the contact position between the driver and the seat through the coordinated work of the sensor unit, the controller unit and the actuator unit, identifies user characteristics and calculates thermal comfort values based on the collected pressure and thermal environment data, judges the thermal comfort state in real time, and automatically and collaboratively adjusts the working states of the seat heating pad and the fan according to a preset control MAP diagram, thereby adjusting the thermal environment of the seat; it can not only provide intelligent and personalized thermal comfort control and improve the comfort of the driver and passengers, but also is simple and easy to implement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of control, and in particular to an automatic control system and method for thermal comfort of automobile seats. Background Art

[0002] Throughout the history of automobile development, car seat comfort has always been a key concern. Traditionally, people have focused on factors such as the structure, materials, position, and angle of the car seat, focusing on the relationship between car seat support, pressure distribution, and the occupant's tactile and visual perceptions. Efforts have been made to enhance the riding experience through optimized mechanical design, the selection of advanced materials, and automated and personalized seat position control. However, with the rapid advancement of automotive intelligence and the increasing demands of people, the demand for car comfort has expanded beyond traditional ride comfort to include greater attention to the thermal comfort provided by car seats at both the physiological and psychological levels.

[0003] Currently, the thermal comfort of car seats has become a key indicator of overall vehicle comfort, especially during hot summers and cold winters, when drivers and passengers have a greater need for thermal comfort in their car seats. To optimize the thermal environment in the areas of contact between the car seat surface and the body and enhance thermal comfort, researchers have integrated thermal environment regulation devices such as heating pads and fans into car seats. However, most existing heating and ventilation systems are independently controlled and often use simple switches, gears, or autonomous adjustment around a target temperature. This control method often requires manual operation by the driver and passenger, lacks intelligence, is inconvenient, easily wastes energy, and lacks personalization. Furthermore, some intelligent automatic control methods based on thermal comfort in the literature, while having a certain theoretical basis, are complex algorithms that make them difficult to apply in practice.

[0004] In summary, existing methods for controlling thermal comfort of automobile seats are inconvenient to use or difficult to apply in practice and need to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic control system and method for thermal comfort of automobile seats to solve the problems raised in the above background technology.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] An automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats, comprising:

[0008] A sensor unit, used to monitor the seating conditions of the car seat and detect thermal environment parameters at the contact point between the human body and the car seat, and output the parameters to the controller unit;

[0009] The controller unit is responsible for identifying the occupant's intention, receiving thermal environment parameters, calculating the thermal comfort of the human body, and sending control instructions to the actuator unit based on the car seat cushion thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map and the backrest thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map;

[0010] The actuator unit is used to receive control instructions and adjust the microenvironment of the contact area between the human body and the car seat;

[0011] The sensor unit is connected to the controller unit, and the controller unit is connected to the actuator unit.

[0012] The controller unit includes a communication module, a sensor signal conversion module, a thermal comfort calculation module and an actuator drive module. The communication module is connected to a first end of the thermal comfort calculation module, a second end of the thermal comfort calculation module is connected to the sensor signal conversion module, and a third end of the thermal comfort calculation module is connected to the actuator drive module.

[0013] As a further solution of the present invention: the sensor unit includes a pressure sensor and a thermal environment sensor group, and the thermal environment sensor group includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a wind speed sensor.

[0014] As a further solution of the present invention: the car seat includes a seat cushion and a backrest, the pressure sensor is arranged inside the seat cushion, between the foam layer and the first air fiber layer; the seat cushion and the backrest are both provided with at least one group of thermal environment sensor groups, wherein a first heating pad is provided under the surface of the seat cushion, the first temperature sensor and the first humidity sensor are provided on the first heating pad, and the first wind speed sensor is provided in the first air fiber layer of the seat cushion.

[0015] As a further solution of the present invention: the actuator unit includes a first heating pad, a second heating pad, a first fan, and a second fan. The first heating pad, the second heating pad, the first fan, and the second fan receive control signals from the controller unit to adjust the thermal environment of the car seat.

[0016] A method for automatically controlling thermal comfort of a car seat comprises the following steps:

[0017] Step S1: Monitor the pressure of the car seat (via a pressure sensor) to determine whether the pressure meets the occupant's riding conditions. If so, identify the user's characteristics and proceed to step S2. If not, maintain the judgment mode.

[0018] Step S2: (via the communication module) determining whether the user has turned off the car seat thermal comfort automatic control mode. If so, the automatic control mode remains off and the user central control system enters the active adjustment mode. If not, proceed to step S3.

[0019] Step S3, calculating the thermal comfort values at the contact points between the human body and the seat cushion and backrest of the car seat based on the collected thermal environment parameters (the thermal comfort calculation module calculates the thermal environment parameters based on the sensor signal conversion module), and determining the thermal comfort status of the seat cushion and backrest;

[0020] Step S4, querying the car seat cushion thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map and the backrest thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map respectively based on the user characteristics and the current thermal comfort status of the seat cushion and backrest, and then automatically sending an adjustment control instruction;

[0021] Step S5, (the actuator drive module determines the received adjustment control instruction) based on the adjustment control instruction, drives the heating pad and the fan of the seat cushion and backrest to work together to adjust the thermal environment of the contact area between the human body and the car seat cushion and backrest, thereby changing the thermal comfort of the human body.

[0022] As a further solution of the present invention: in step S3, the thermal comfort values at the contact points between the human body and the car seat cushion and backrest are calculated respectively by using the PMV algorithm.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: the present invention realizes the control of the thermal environment of the contact position between the driver and the seat through the coordinated work of the sensor unit, the controller unit and the actuator unit, identifies the user characteristics and calculates the thermal comfort value based on the collected pressure and thermal environment data, judges the thermal comfort state in real time, and automatically and coordinatedly adjusts the working status of the seat heating pad and the fan according to the preset control MAP diagram, thereby adjusting the thermal environment of the seat; it not only provides intelligent and personalized thermal comfort control to improve the comfort of the driver and passengers, but is also simple and easy to implement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 The figure is a structural diagram of an automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats.

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the controller unit.

[0026] Figure 3 The figure is a flow chart of an automatic control method for thermal comfort of automobile seats.

[0027] Figure 4 MAP1 diagram showing the thermal comfort status of the seat cushion and the adjustment instructions of the heating pad and fan.

[0028] Figure 5 MAP2 diagram showing the thermal comfort status of the backrest and the adjustment instructions of the heating pad and fan.

[0029] In the figure: 1-controller unit, 2-pressure sensor, 3-thermal environment sensor group, 4-first temperature sensor, 5-first humidity sensor, 6-first wind speed sensor, 7-foaming layer, 8-first air fiber layer, 9-seat cushion, 10-backrest, 11-first heating pad, 12-second temperature sensor, 13-second heating pad, 14-second humidity sensor, 15-second wind speed sensor, 16-second air fiber layer, 17-first fan, 18-second fan, 19-communication module, 20-sensor signal conversion module, 21-thermal comfort calculation module, 22-actuator drive module, 23-CPU, 24-debugging interface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] See also Figure 1 , an automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats, comprising:

[0032] The sensor unit is used to monitor the seating conditions of the car seat and detect thermal environment parameters at the contact point between the human body and the car seat, and output the parameters to the controller unit 1;

[0033] Controller unit 1 is responsible for identifying the occupant's intention, receiving thermal environment parameters, calculating the thermal comfort of the human body, and sending control instructions to the actuator unit based on the thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map of the car seat cushion 9 and the thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map of the backrest 10;

[0034] The actuator unit is used to receive control instructions and adjust the microenvironment of the contact area between the human body and the car seat;

[0035] The sensor unit is connected to the controller unit 1, and the controller unit 1 is connected to the actuator unit.

[0036] In this example: See Figure 2 The controller unit 1 includes a communication module 19, a sensor signal conversion module 20, a thermal comfort calculation module 21 and an actuator drive module 22. The communication module 19 is connected to a first end of the thermal comfort calculation module 21, a second end of the thermal comfort calculation module 21 is connected to the sensor signal conversion module 20, and a third end of the thermal comfort calculation module 21 is connected to the actuator drive module 22. The thermal comfort calculation module 21 is provided with a debugging interface 24 for simulation debugging and modification of control code.

[0037] The communication module 19 maintains communication with the automobile central control system using LIN communication or other communication protocols, and is used to receive the shutdown request signal of the automobile seat thermal comfort automatic control system; if the user turns off the automatic control function, the user can actively adjust the thermal comfort of the seat through the central control system via LIN communication.

[0038] The sensor signal conversion module 20 converts the analog signal containing the pressure and environmental variable information into a voltage signal that can be recognized by the controller unit 1 .

[0039] The thermal comfort calculation module 21 converts the voltage signal containing environmental variable information into a digital signal, which in turn determines the value of the environmental variable. By calculating these values, the thermal comfort calculation module 21 obtains the current thermal comfort value and determines the thermal comfort state accordingly. The module then automatically issues thermal environment adjustment instructions for the area of contact between the human body and the seat based on the thermal comfort state. Furthermore, the thermal comfort calculation module 21 includes a CPU 23 and a control program debugging interface 24, which can be used for simulation debugging and downloading control code.

[0040] The actuator driving module 22 receives the adjustment instruction from the thermal comfort calculation module 21 and drives the actuator unit to operate.

[0041] In this example: See Figure 1 The sensor unit includes a pressure sensor 2 and a thermal environment sensor group 3. The thermal environment sensor group 3 includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a wind speed sensor.

[0042] Pressure sensor 2 is a multi-contact thin film pressure sensor. Thin film technology gives the pressure sensor extremely low temperature sensitivity and long-term stability, allowing it to maintain sensitivity and accuracy in complex environments.

[0043] Through the micro-strain response of thin film strain resistors, high-precision pressure measurement is achieved with outstanding anti-interference ability.

[0044] In this example: See Figure 1 The car seat includes a seat cushion 9 and a backrest 10. The pressure sensor 2 is arranged inside the seat cushion 9, between the foam layer 7 and the first air fiber layer 8; the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 are both provided with at least one set of thermal environment sensor groups 3, wherein a first heating pad 11 is provided under the surface of the seat cushion 9, the first temperature sensor 4 and the first humidity sensor 5 are provided on the first heating pad 11, and the first wind speed sensor 6 is provided in the first air fiber layer 8 of the seat cushion 9.

[0045] The areas of the thermal environment sensor group 3 provided on the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 are similar, so the thermal environment sensor group 3 provided on the backrest 10 will not be described in detail.

[0046] The pressure sensor 2 is arranged inside the seat cushion 9 to detect whether the occupant is sitting down and feed back the information to the controller unit 1. The thermal environment sensor group 3 arranged on the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 feeds back the environmental information of the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 to the controller unit 1 respectively, so that the controller unit 1 can judge the thermal comfort state of the car seat and control the actuator unit to adjust the microenvironment of the contact part between the human body and the car seat.

[0047] In this example: See Figure 1 The actuator unit includes a first heating pad 11, a second heating pad 13, a first fan 17, and a second fan 18. The first heating pad 11, the second heating pad 13, the first fan 17, and the second fan 18 receive a control signal from the controller unit 1 to adjust the thermal environment of the car seat, wherein the fan is used for blowing air when rotating forward and for sucking air when rotating backward. At least one independently heated heating pad and one independently ventilated fan are arranged inside the seat cushion and backrest of the car seat.

[0048] The first fan 17 and the second fan 18 blow air when they rotate forward and suck air when they rotate backward. At least one independently heated first heating pad 11 and one independently ventilated first fan 17 are installed inside the seat cushion 9 of the car seat, and at least one independently heated second heating pad 13 and one independently ventilated second fan 18 are installed inside the backrest 10 of the car seat.

[0049] In this example: See Figure 3 , a method for automatically controlling thermal comfort of a car seat, comprising the following steps:

[0050] Step S1, using pressure sensor 2 to monitor the seat's bearing pressure and determine whether the pressure level meets the occupant's riding conditions. If so, identify the user's characteristics and proceed to step S2. If not, maintain the determination state.

[0051] Step S2: Using the communication module 19, determine whether the user has turned off the car seat thermal comfort automatic control mode. If so, terminate the automatic control mode and enter the user's central control system active adjustment mode. If not, proceed to step S3 to start automatic thermal comfort control.

[0052] In step S3, the thermal comfort calculation module 21 calculates the thermal comfort values at the contact positions between the human body and the car seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 according to the thermal environment parameters collected by the sensor signal conversion module 20, and determines the thermal comfort states of the cushion 9 and the backrest 10; the thermal comfort values are obtained by the PMV algorithm, and the values are (-3, -2.5), (-2.5, -1.5), (-1.5, -0.5), (-0.5, 0.5), (0.5, 1.5), (1.5, 2.5), (2.5, 3), and the corresponding thermal comfort states are: cold - very uncomfortable, slightly cold - uncomfortable, cool - comfortable, moderate - very comfortable, warm - comfortable, slightly hot - uncomfortable, and hot - very uncomfortable.

[0053] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 In step S4, based on the user characteristics and the current thermal comfort status of the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10, the thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map of the car seat cushion 9 and the thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map of the backrest 10 are queried respectively, and then the adjustment control instructions are automatically sent; wherein the MAP1 and MAP2 maps are obtained through subjective testing and objective experimental data analysis;

[0054] Step S5: The actuator driving module judges the received adjustment instruction and drives the first heating pad 11, the second heating pad 13, the first fan 17, and the second fan 18 of the seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 to work together to adjust the thermal environment of the contact area between the human body and the car seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10, thereby changing the thermal comfort of the human body.

[0055] Furthermore, in the MAP1 and MAP2, the first heating pad 11 and the second heating pad 13 are adjusted in three levels, namely, level one---1, level two---2, and level three---3, and the heating power of different levels is different; the first fan 17 and the second fan 18 are divided into forward and reverse rotation and three-level adjustment, namely, forward rotation level one---P1, forward rotation level two---P2, forward rotation level three---P3, reverse rotation level one---N1, reverse rotation level two---N2, and reverse rotation level three---N3.

[0056] In this example: See Figure 3 In step S3, the thermal comfort values at the contact positions between the human body and the car seat cushion 9 and the backrest 10 are calculated respectively by the PMV algorithm.

[0057] In step S4, the thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 diagram of the seat cushion 9 and the thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 diagram of the backrest 10 are obtained through subjective testing and objective experimental data analysis. If the user's thermal comfort preference changes, the MAP1 and MAP2 in the program can be personalized adjusted through the debugging interface 24 of the thermal comfort calculation module.

[0058] PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) is a thermal comfort evaluation indicator defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 7730). Its core purpose is to quantify a person's subjective thermal sensation (such as cold, hot, and comfortable) in a specific environment through the human thermal balance equation. It is widely used in fields such as building environment design and air conditioning system optimization.

[0059] The present invention controls the thermal environment of the contact point between the driver and the seat through the coordinated work of the sensor unit, the controller unit 1 and the actuator unit, identifies user characteristics and calculates thermal comfort values based on the collected pressure and thermal environment data, judges the thermal comfort state in real time, and automatically and collaboratively adjusts the working states of the seat heating pad and the fan according to a preset control MAP diagram, thereby adjusting the thermal environment of the seat; it not only provides intelligent and personalized thermal comfort control to improve the comfort of the driver and the passengers, but is also simple and easy to implement.

[0060] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-restrictive.

[0061] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described in terms of implementation methods, not every implementation method contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats, characterized in that: The car seat thermal comfort automatic control system includes: A sensor unit, used to monitor the seating conditions of the car seat and detect thermal environment parameters at the contact point between the human body and the car seat, and output the parameters to the controller unit; The controller unit is responsible for identifying the occupant's intention, receiving thermal environment parameters, calculating the thermal comfort of the human body, and sending control instructions to the actuator unit based on the car seat cushion thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map and the backrest thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map; The actuator unit is used to receive control instructions and adjust the microenvironment of the contact area between the human body and the car seat; The sensor unit is connected to the controller unit, and the controller unit is connected to the actuator unit; The controller unit includes a communication module, a sensor signal conversion module, a thermal comfort calculation module and an actuator drive module, the communication module is connected to a first end of the thermal comfort calculation module, a second end of the thermal comfort calculation module is connected to the sensor signal conversion module, and a third end of the thermal comfort calculation module is connected to the actuator drive module; The sensor unit includes a pressure sensor and a thermal environment sensor group, and the thermal environment sensor group includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a wind speed sensor; The car seat includes a seat cushion and a backrest. The pressure sensor is arranged inside the seat cushion, between the foam layer and the first air fiber layer; the seat cushion and the backrest are both provided with at least one group of thermal environment sensors, wherein a first heating pad is provided under the surface of the seat cushion, a first temperature sensor and a first humidity sensor are provided on the first heating pad, and a first wind speed sensor is provided in the first air fiber layer of the seat cushion.

2. The automatic control system for thermal comfort of automobile seats according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator unit includes a first heating pad, a second heating pad, a first fan, and a second fan. The first heating pad, the second heating pad, the first fan, and the second fan receive control signals from the controller unit to adjust the thermal environment of the car seat.

3. A method for automatically controlling thermal comfort of a car seat, applied to the automatic control system for thermal comfort of a car seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The method for automatically controlling thermal comfort of a car seat comprises the following steps: Step S1, monitoring the pressure of the car seat and determining whether the pressure level meets the passenger's riding conditions. If so, identifying the user's characteristics and proceeding to step S2; if not, maintaining the determination mode; Step S2, determining whether the user has turned off the car seat thermal comfort automatic control mode. If so, the automatic control mode remains off and the user central control system enters the active adjustment mode. If not, proceed to step S3; Step S3, calculating the thermal comfort values at the contact points between the human body and the seat cushion and backrest of the car seat based on the collected thermal environment parameters, and determining the thermal comfort status of the seat cushion and backrest; Step S4, querying the car seat cushion thermal comfort adjustment MAP1 map and the backrest thermal comfort adjustment MAP2 map respectively based on the user characteristics and the current thermal comfort status of the seat cushion and backrest, and then automatically sending an adjustment control instruction; Step S5, based on the adjustment control instruction, drives the heating pads and fans of the seat cushion and backrest to work together to adjust the thermal environment of the contact parts between the human body and the car seat cushion and backrest, thereby changing the thermal comfort of the human body.

4. The method for automatically controlling thermal comfort of a car seat according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S3, the thermal comfort values at the contact points between the human body and the car seat cushion and backrest are calculated respectively using the PMV algorithm.

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