Apparatus and method for regenerating an air purification assembly of a cabin air system of a vehicle

Abstract

Aspects relate to a method for regenerating an air purification assembly of a cabin air system of a vehicle, the method including determining whether the vehicle is in an indoor environment or an outdoor environment, and initiating an air purification assembly regeneration process for the air purification assembly in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is in the outdoor environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various aspects of this disclosure relate to apparatus and methods for regenerating air purification components of a vehicle's cabin air system. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle cabin air systems typically include air purification components (such as filters) to remove contaminants, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen oxides, from the air supplied to the vehicle interior. These air purification components eventually become saturated and require replacement, which is inconvenient and wasteful for vehicle owners. Therefore, an alternative to replacement is the regeneration of these air purification component filters, which can be done, depending on the type of air purification component, for example, by heating it to a high temperature. However, regeneration requires consideration of various issues, such as the energy consumption for heating the air purification component and pollution caused by the regeneration process, for example, pollution caused by the release of adsorbed gases during the regeneration of the air purification component.

[0003] Therefore, a suitable solution is needed for regenerating air purification components. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various embodiments relate to a method for regenerating an air purification component of a vehicle's cabin air system, the method comprising determining whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment, and initiating an air purification component regeneration process for the air purification component in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment.

[0005] Various embodiments relate to a method for regenerating an air purification component of a vehicle's cabin air system, the method comprising: obtaining location or location data indicating the vehicle's location based on location data; obtaining the location data from a map database including information about indoor and outdoor locations; determining, by a processor, whether the location data indicates an indoor or outdoor environment by accessing the map database stored in memory and optionally stored via a communication interface, the map database including information about indoor and outdoor locations; obtaining information regarding the location data; and in response to a definitive determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment, initiating an air purification component regeneration process for the air purification component by the processor, or receiving, by an air purification controller (e.g., a microcontroller), a determination that the location data indicates an indoor or outdoor environment and / or an instruction to initiate air purification; and in response to a definitive determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment, initiating an air purification component regeneration process for the air purification component by the air purification controller.

[0006] According to some embodiments, the method includes determining whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment by detecting the vehicle's location within or outside a geographic boundary, or by detecting the intersection of geographic boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the method includes generating a control signal to prevent the initiation of the air purification component regeneration process in response to a negative determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment (e.g., if an indoor detection signal indicates that the vehicle is indoors, the microcontroller may prevent the regeneration process (in software) or a switch (e.g., a transistor) controlled by the control signal may cut off power to the corresponding component (e.g., a heater) used for regeneration).

[0008] According to some embodiments, the method includes determining whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment in response to the vehicle being turned off.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the method includes measuring the pollution level of the air around the vehicle in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is in an indoor environment, and initiating an air purification component regeneration process in response to the pollution level being below a predetermined threshold.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the method includes continuously monitoring pollution levels and stopping the air purification component regeneration process in response to pollution levels exceeding a predetermined pollution threshold, and continuing the air purification component regeneration process in response to pollution levels falling below the predetermined pollution threshold.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the pollution level includes, or is the pollution level of pollutants generated when the air purification component is regenerated.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the pollution level includes at least one of carbon dioxide concentration, pesticide concentration, and volatile substance concentration.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the vehicle is an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the method includes initiating an air purification component regeneration process in response to a definite determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment and that the vehicle's battery charge level is higher than a predetermined charge level threshold.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the method includes determining whether a vehicle is charging at a charging station, and obtaining location-based data in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is charging at a charging station.

[0016] According to some embodiments, location-based data is obtained from a charging station or a computer device used to request charging.

[0017] According to some embodiments, location-based data is used to determine whether a vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the method includes initiating an air purification component regeneration process only when there is certainty that the vehicle is charging at a charging station.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the method further includes, in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is in an indoor environment, determining (e.g., by measurement or data obtained from a database) the air ventilation level around the vehicle, and in response to the air ventilation level being higher than a predetermined threshold, initiating an air purification component regeneration process.

[0020] According to some embodiments, a cabin air system controller is provided, which is configured to perform the method of any of the embodiments described above.

[0021] According to some embodiments, a vehicle with a cabin air system is provided, the cabin air system including a cabin air system controller, the cabin air system controller being configured to regenerate an air purification component of the cabin air system, the cabin air system controller including at least one processor configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment, and in response to a positive determination that the vehicle is in an outdoor environment, to initiate an air purification component regeneration process for the air purification component.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the cabin air system controller is configured to acquire vehicle location data to determine whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment.

[0023] According to some embodiments, a computer program element is provided that includes program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a method according to any of the embodiments described above.

[0024] According to some embodiments, a computer-readable medium including program instructions is provided, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a method according to any of the embodiments described above.

[0025] It should be noted that the embodiments described in the context of this method are similarly effective for vehicle and cabin air system controllers, and vice versa. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The invention will be better understood with reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with non-limiting examples and the accompanying drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 A vehicle with a cabin air system is shown.

[0027] - Figure 2 The flowchart illustrates the regeneration control process of the air purification component.

[0028] - Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a flowchart for determining whether an electric and / or hybrid vehicle is outdoors or indoors.

[0029] - Figure 4The illustration shows the use of digital maps to determine whether a vehicle is indoors or outdoors.

[0030] - Figure 5 The flowchart illustrates a method for regenerating the air purification components of a vehicle's cabin air system. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific details and embodiments in which the present disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and logical changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments may be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.

[0032] The embodiments described in the context of one of the devices or methods are similarly effective for other devices or methods. Similarly, the embodiments described in the context of a device are similarly effective for a vehicle or method, and vice versa.

[0033] Features described in the context of an embodiment may be correspondingly applied to the same or similar features in other embodiments. Features described in the context of an embodiment may be correspondingly applied to other embodiments, even if not explicitly described in those other embodiments. Furthermore, additions and / or combinations and / or alternatives as described with respect to features in the context of an embodiment may be correspondingly applied to the same or similar features in other embodiments.

[0034] In the context of various embodiments, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” used with respect to features or elements include references to one or more of the features or elements.

[0035] As used in this article, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed items in association.

[0036] As used herein, the term "vehicle" includes a vehicle powered by a motor, such as a vehicle having two, three, four, or more wheels. Examples of vehicles include passenger cars, trucks, buses, freight cars, or rail vehicles, such as locomotives. The vehicle may include an air inlet opening located upstream of the cabin (e.g., in the front area) to allow air in and an air outlet located downstream of the cabin to allow air out. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid (internal combustion engine and electric) vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle (i.e., a non-hybrid). In some embodiments, the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the vehicle includes a fuel cell. The term "vehicle" may also include autonomous vehicles.

[0037] As used herein and according to various embodiments, the term "battery" can include the main battery of a hybrid or electric vehicle, meaning that the battery is used as the primary power source for propulsion. In some embodiments, the battery can be a battery of an ICE (non-hybrid) vehicle. For example, such a battery in an ICE vehicle can have a relatively large capacity and can operate the fan for extended periods (e.g., one hour or more) without significant energy consumption, even without being charged by an alternator. The term "battery" can also include one or more dedicated electrical power sources for various purposes, such as providing electrical power to the vehicle's cabin air system, particularly the cabin air system's filtration system.

[0038] As used herein, the terms "battery charge" or "battery state of charge data" can indicate the battery's charging conditions; for example, it can indicate that the battery is charging, discharging, or inactive. Examples of inactive batteries include not charging and / or not discharging, such as when the battery is disconnected from the power supply.

[0039] As used herein, the term "(one or more) processors" includes one or more circuits capable of processing data, i.e., processing circuitry. A processor may include analog circuitry or components, digital circuitry or components, or hybrid circuitry or components. Any other kind of implementation of the corresponding functionality, which will be described in more detail below, may also be understood as "circuitry" according to alternative embodiments. Digital circuitry can be understood as any kind of logical implementation entity, which may be a dedicated circuit system or a processor or firmware executing software stored in memory.

[0040] As used herein, the term "module" refers to, forms part of, or includes: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); electronic circuits; combinational logic circuits; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); processors (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that execute code; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip. The term "module" may include memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by a processor.

[0041] As used herein, the term "data" can be understood to include information in any suitable analog or digital form, such as as a file, a portion of a file, a collection of files, a signal or stream, a portion of a signal or stream, a collection of signals or streams, etc. However, the term data is not limited to the foregoing examples and can take some form and represent any information as understood in the art.

[0042] As used herein, the term “acquisition” refers to a processor that actively acquires input or passively receives input from one or more sensors or data sources. The term “acquisition” can also refer to a processor that receives or acquires input from a communication interface (e.g., a user interface). A processor can also receive or acquire input via memory, registers, and / or analog-to-digital ports.

[0043] As used herein, the term “indoor” or “indoor” broadly refers to any enclosed area, space, room, or place, such as residential and / or commercial areas, which are essentially enclosed by a roof. The term “outdoor” or “indoor” refers to any area, space, room, or place that is not indoors.

[0044] The embodiments will be described in detail below.

[0045] Figure 1 A vehicle 100 with a cabin air system is shown.

[0046] The cabin air system may include one or more filters 101, a fan 102, and duct 103, which work together to provide and circulate air throughout the cabin of the vehicle 100. The filtration system of the cabin air system may be designed to remove contaminants, dust, and other harmful particles from the air, while also regulating temperature and humidity levels. Specifically, the cabin air system operates as a cabin air filtration system and can be considered as such. Similarly, the cabin air system can operate and be considered as an in-vehicle air filtration system. In some embodiments, the filter 101, fan 102, and duct 103 may be arranged in series. In some embodiments, the fan 102 may be arranged or configured to draw air from the cabin toward the filter 101; that is, the fan 102 may be configured as a suction device.

[0047] The cabin air system includes a controller 104 that controls its operation through various control actions, such as fan speed and the degree to which vents and air ducts are open. The controller 104 may, for example, measure interior air quality and execute corresponding control actions. Interior air quality can be measured using one or more sensors. The one or more sensors may include at least one hardware sensor, at least one software sensor, or a combination of at least one hardware and software sensor. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors may also include on-board sensors and / or remote sensors. Contaminant concentrations may optionally be calculated based on their correlation with other measurement parameters, for example, as virtual sensors.

[0048] Filter 101 may include one or more air purification components, particularly an absorber and / or adsorber. For example, the filter may include a solid material used as an adsorber and a liquid used as an absorber to remove both particulate matter and gases from the air.

[0049] The cabin air system filter 101 may include an air purification component that can absorb or adsorb compounds chemically, physically, or both. A common example is activated carbon. Another example is a moisture absorber, such as silica gel. The absorber may also be liquid or include liquid. Some absorbers absorb CO2, CO, NOx, and / or other harmful or, at high concentrations, gases. Air purification components (such as absorbers and / or adsorbers) require regeneration if they are to be reused, rather than being discarded and replaced with new air purification components when they are at full capacity.

[0050] According to various embodiments, when the vehicle is not in use, the vehicle's air purification components (such as absorbers and / or adsorbers) are regenerated, even if they may only be partially loaded. The air purification components can be regenerated by, but not limited to, heating the components. In particular, this can be done when the vehicle is ready for its next use, such as when an electric vehicle is charging. Regeneration during charging has the advantage that the power required to regenerate the purification components can be drawn from the charging power rather than the vehicle's internal battery. Regeneration (e.g., controlling the heater) can also be controlled by controller 104.

[0051] However, indoor regeneration can be harmful if ventilation is inadequate. For example, carbon dioxide levels in a garage could rise to harmful levels. Furthermore, agricultural vehicles may be exposed to pesticides that are absorbed by the cabin air system filters, which should not be regenerated indoors.

[0052] In view of the above, according to various embodiments, the process of controlling the regeneration of the air purification components of a vehicle may include the step of detecting the location of the vehicle 100 within or outside a geographic boundary, or by detecting the intersection of geographic boundaries between an indoor and an outdoor environment. The geographic boundary may be a physical and / or virtual boundary. For example, a geofence may be used to create one or more indoor / outdoor boundaries, and the location of the vehicle 100 within or outside the geofence will determine whether to perform regeneration of the air purification components. This decision can be further refined by detecting whether the indoor environment has sufficiently high ventilation and, in this case, performing regeneration even if the vehicle is indoors.

[0053] Figure 2 Flowchart 200 is shown, illustrating the regeneration control process or method for air purification components.

[0054] The control process is described with reference to the regeneration of the air purification components in a vehicle, but it is not limited to automobiles; it can also be applied to vehicles for heavy-duty, industrial, or agricultural applications, for example.

[0055] In some embodiments, the process may be performed by controller 104.

[0056] In step 201, check if the vehicle is turned off.

[0057] When a vehicle is detected to be off (i.e., it is definitively confirmed that the vehicle is off), it is determined in step 202 whether the vehicle is outdoors or indoors. This determination can be based on whether the vehicle is outdoors or indoors.

[0058] If the vehicle is outdoors, air purification component regeneration is performed at point 203, for example, if the air purification component is at least partially loaded. In some embodiments, determining whether the air purification component is partially loaded may include comparing the load with one or more predetermined thresholds.

[0059] The air purification component regeneration control process may optionally include detecting external levels of one or more contaminants. For example, one or more contaminants may be generated during air purification component regeneration, such as the release of adsorbed gases. The air purification component regeneration control process allows regeneration to begin or continue only when the external level is within acceptable predetermined limits.

[0060] In some embodiments, if it is determined that the vehicle is indoors, it can be further determined in step 204 whether the levels of one or more pollutants are higher than one or more predetermined thresholds. In some embodiments, the further determination can be performed continuously or at each predetermined time interval (e.g., every 10 seconds, 20 seconds, etc.).

[0061] In some embodiments, one or more contaminants in a vehicle may include, for example, external CO2 filtered through an air intake and / or a single activated carbon filter, or NH3, pesticides, or volatiles used for other applications.

[0062] Once, based on a comparison with one or more predetermined thresholds, the corresponding one or more determined (i.e., monitored) pollutant levels are no longer high, an air purification component regeneration process or procedure can be performed in 205. In some embodiments, the determination in 205 can be repeated, for example, with some set delay in 206.

[0063] Figure 3 Flowchart 300 illustrates whether an electric vehicle, including an electric motor, and / or a hybrid electric vehicle is located outdoors or indoors. Figure 2 Step 202.

[0064] Figure 3 The determination shown can be performed, for example, by controller 104, by a remote server, or by a combination of controller 104 and a remote server. In the case where the vehicle includes an electric motor, this example can be performed by… Figure 2 The corresponding controller 104 and / or server 202 in the air purification component regeneration control process 200 are executed.

[0065] In step 301, it is determined whether the vehicle is charging. If the vehicle is charging, then in step 302, the controller 104 / remote server attempts to obtain information from the appropriate charging station to determine whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors. This information may include location information or information explicitly specifying whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors, determined by the server based on the vehicle's location. If the charging station has such information, then that information is used in step 303 to determine whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors. The location or position of the charging station can also be used as an indication of whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors.

[0066] If the vehicle is not charging, the detection of whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors can be performed in other ways at 304. For example, information about the vehicle's location can be obtained from a database 105 via wireless communication. The information about the vehicle's location can then be used to determine whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors using geofencing (e.g., by means of a digital map). In some embodiments, one or more GPS-enabled devices in the vehicle or with a user (such as a driver) can be used to determine the vehicle's location.

[0067] Figure 4 The illustration illustrates the use of a digital map 400 for determining whether a vehicle is indoors or outdoors. For example, this could be based on the digital map 400, which indicates whether regeneration should be performed for various locations. The digital map 400 can be stored in the vehicle or accessed via radio communication. For instance, the controller 104 determines (e.g., via GPS or other suitable geolocation system) where the vehicle is located on the map, and thus can determine whether the vehicle is indoors or whether air purification component regeneration should not be performed for another reason.

[0068] exist Figure 4 In the example, the dashed area 401 represents a street area, so if it is determined that a vehicle is parked in the dashed area, a definite determination is made that the vehicle is outdoors. Similarly, an open-air parking lot (in...) can be indicated on map 400. Figure 4 (Shown by grid shading 402 in the map). Conversely, the white area 403 on map 400 corresponds to residential and commercial areas, and is therefore considered indoors unless otherwise specified.

[0069] Map 400 may also indicate areas, such as those in the shaded box 404, representing low-pollution areas. This corresponds to one or more areas where air component regeneration is not permitted, even though these areas are or contain outdoor areas, air component regeneration should still not be performed, for example, because low pollution should be maintained in such areas. Non-limiting examples of low-pollution areas include schools, hospitals, and high-density traffic areas. Controller 104 may take this into account, and may also consider situations where regeneration should be performed while driving.

[0070] In one embodiment, the location of an electric (or hybrid) vehicle (e.g., its charger) can be used to obtain information, for example, from a reference database, whether it is indoors or outdoors, or (e.g., if indoors) in a high-ventilation or low-ventilation area. The vehicle's location can be indicated by, but is not limited to, one or more coordinates. Such coordinates may include GPS coordinates. As mentioned above, location information can be transmitted to the vehicle (e.g., to controller 104) via a charging cable or wirelessly. For example, location information can be wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle via a phone app used to purchase charging and connected to controller 104. In another embodiment, information about whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors can be transmitted directly, rather than depending on the vehicle's location.

[0071] In addition, in the case of electric (or hybrid) vehicles, the air purification component regeneration control process may include checking the battery charge before and / or simultaneously with regeneration, as the battery should not be depleted to a degree that compromises vehicle operability.

[0072] Therefore, for example, after determining that the vehicle is outdoors (or even indoors, the pollution level is low enough to perform regeneration), check whether the battery charge is sufficient (e.g., above a predetermined charging threshold), and if so, perform regeneration.

[0073] In summary, according to various embodiments, a method is provided as follows: Figure 5 The method is illustrated in the figure.

[0074] Figure 5 A flowchart 500 illustrates a method for regenerating an air purification component of a vehicle's cabin air system. The purification component may include an absorber and / or an adsorber. This method may, in particular, be an air purification component regeneration control process separate from the actual regeneration process. Method 500 may be implemented in a controller or server. In some embodiments, the controller may be an onboard controller of the vehicle 100, such as controller 104.

[0075] At point 501, it is determined whether the vehicle is in an indoor or outdoor environment. This determination can be based on the vehicle's location obtained via one or more sensors.

[0076] At point 502, in response to the confirmed presence of the vehicle in the outdoor environment, the air purification component regeneration process (i.e., the regeneration of the air purification component) is initiated.

[0077] According to various embodiments, when the vehicle is not in use, even if only partially loaded, the vehicle's air purification components (e.g., adsorbers and / or absorbers) are regenerated. For example, the air purification components can be fully regenerated to prepare the vehicle for the next journey, making the cabin air system ready for the next use. This is particularly beneficial for electric vehicles when they are charging, as the power to regenerate the air purification components can be drawn from the charging power rather than the vehicle's internal battery. However, if ventilation is insufficient, indoor regeneration can be harmful; for example, the CO2 level in the garage may increase to harmful levels. Furthermore, agricultural vehicles may be exposed to pesticides that can be absorbed by the cabin air filter, which should not be regenerated indoors. Therefore, according to various embodiments, as referenced... Figure 5 The described process for controlled regeneration includes a step of detecting whether the vehicle is indoors or outdoors (e.g., by using a geofence). If the vehicle is indoors, the process may further include detecting whether the indoor location has sufficiently high ventilation (and in this case, regeneration is performed even though the vehicle is indoors).

[0078] The methods described herein can be performed, and the various processing or computing units, devices, and computing entities described herein can be implemented by one or more circuits. In embodiments, "circuit" can be understood as any kind of logical implementation entity, which can be hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Thus, in embodiments, "circuit" can be hardwired logic circuitry or programmable logic circuitry, such as a programmable processor, e.g., a microprocessor. "Circuit" can also be software implemented or executed by a processor, such as any kind of computer program, e.g., a computer program using virtual machine code. Any other kind of implementation of the corresponding functionality described herein can also be understood as a "circuit" according to alternative embodiments. Devices performing the methods according to any embodiment (e.g., a cockpit air system controller) may, for example, include one or more communication interfaces (for receiving and transmitting various data and information, such as position information and control signals), processing units, and memory.

[0079] While this disclosure has been specifically shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and thus, all changes within the equivalent meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included.

Claims

1. A method (500) for regenerating an air purification component of a cabin air system of a vehicle (100), the method (500) comprising: Determine whether the vehicle (100) described in (501) is in an indoor environment (403) or an outdoor environment (401, 402); and In response to the confirmed location of the vehicle (100) in the outdoor environment (401, 402), the air purification component regeneration process (200) for the air purification component is initiated (502).

2. The method (500) according to claim 1, comprising determining whether the vehicle (100) is in the indoor environment (403) or the outdoor environment (401, 402) by detecting the location of the vehicle (100) within or outside a geographic boundary, or by detecting the intersection of the geographic boundaries between the indoor environment (403) and the outdoor environment (401, 402).

3. The method (500) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising generating a control signal to prevent the initiation of the air purification component regeneration process (200) in response to a negative determination of the vehicle (100) in the outdoor environment (401, 402).

4. The method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising determining whether the vehicle (100) is in an indoor environment (403) or an outdoor environment (401, 402) in response to the vehicle (100) being closed and / or the vehicle (100) being unoccupied.

5. The method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: In response to the certainty that the vehicle (100) is in the indoor environment (403), the pollution level of the air around the vehicle (100) is measured, and in response to the pollution level being below a predetermined threshold, the air purification component regeneration process (200) is initiated.

6. The method (500) according to claim 5, comprising continuously monitoring the pollution level and stopping the air purification component regeneration process (200) in response to the pollution level exceeding a predetermined pollution threshold, and continuing the air purification component regeneration process (200) in response to the pollution level falling below the predetermined pollution threshold.

7. The method (500) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, Pollution levels include, or the levels of pollutants generated when the air purification components are regenerated.

8. The method (500) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein, Pollution levels include at least one of the following: carbon dioxide concentration, pesticide concentration, and volatile matter concentration.

9. The method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The vehicle (100) is an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

10. The method (500) of claim 9, comprising initiating an air purification component regeneration process (200) in response to a definite determination that the vehicle (100) is in an outdoor environment (401, 402) and that the battery charge level of the vehicle (100) is higher than a predetermined charge level threshold.

11. The method (500) according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising determining whether the vehicle (100) is charging at a charging station, and obtaining location-based data in response to an affirmative determination that the vehicle (100) is charging at a charging station.

12. The method (500) according to claim 11, wherein, The location-based data is obtained from the charging station or the computer equipment used to request charging.

13. The method (500) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, Location-based data is used to determine whether a vehicle (100) is in an indoor or outdoor environment.

14. The method (500) according to claims 11 to 13, comprising initiating an air purification component regeneration process (200) for the air purification component only when there is certainty that the vehicle (100) is charging at a charging station.

15. The method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising: In response to the affirmative determination that the vehicle (100) is in an indoor environment, the air ventilation level around the vehicle is determined, and in response to the air ventilation level being higher than a predetermined threshold, the air purification component regeneration process (200) is initiated.

16. A cabin air system controller (104) configured to perform the method (500) of any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A vehicle (100) having a cabin air system, the cabin air system including a cabin air system controller (104) configured to regenerate air purification components of the cabin air system, the cabin air system controller (104) including at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to: Determine whether (501) the vehicle (100) is in an indoor environment (403) or an outdoor environment (401, 402); and In response to the confirmed location of the vehicle (100) in the outdoor environment (401, 402), the air purification component regeneration process (200) for the air purification component is initiated (502).

18. The vehicle (100) according to claim 17, wherein, The cabin air system controller (104) is configured to acquire location data of the vehicle (100) to determine whether the vehicle (100) is in an indoor environment (403) or an outdoor environment (401, 402).

19. A computer program element comprising program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the method (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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