Dual climate control system for a vehicle

Abstract

Dual climate control system for a vehicle with a front seat climate control system (10) for climate control of a front seating area and a rear seat climate control system (20) for climate control of a rear seating area of ​​the vehicle, wherein the system comprises: a front seat control unit (11) capable of controlling the operation and output of the front seat climate control unit (10) and of calculating a control target value for controlling an output of the rear seat climate control unit (20); and a rear seat control unit (21) that is suitable for receiving the calculated control target value transmitted by the front seat control unit (11) and for controlling the output of the rear seat climate control unit (20) based on the transmitted control target value, characterized by the fact that the front seat control (11) has a “locked in the back” button (16) for locking various buttons of the rear seat control (21) to prevent operation of the rear seat control (21), wherein the front seat control (11) is designed to calculate the control target value of the rear seat climate control (20) based on an input value of a “Rear” operating button (13, 14) of the front seat control (11) when the “Rear locked” button (16) is selected, and to calculate the control target value of the rear seat climate control (20) based on an input value of a rear seat control button (23, 24) of the rear seat control (21), which is transmitted by the rear seat control (21) when the "Rear locked" button (16) is not selected.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a dual air conditioning control system for a vehicle. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a dual air conditioning control system for a vehicle that can control a rear seat air conditioning system from a front seat of the vehicle and prevents incorrect operation of the rear seat air conditioning system by a rear seat occupant. BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, a vehicle includes an air conditioning system that has a cooling device for cooling and a heating device for heating the vehicle interior.

[0003] Such an air conditioning system comprises a single air conditioning unit. However, a vehicle with a larger interior, such as an SUV or a bus, has a dual air conditioning system, consisting of front-seat air conditioning for the front of the vehicle and rear-seat air conditioning for the rear.

[0004] Vehicles with a dual climate control system generally include a button to control the power supply to the rear seat air conditioning and a button to adjust a control setting for the rear seat air conditioning. Consequently, according to current technology, rear seat air conditioning cannot be controlled from a front seat.

[0005] As a result, the operating mode of the rear seat climate control may differ from the operating mode requested by a current user. For example, if a rear seat occupant unintentionally selects a heating mode, the rear seat occupant must manually switch to a cooling mode, as the rear seat climate control cannot be controlled from the front seat.

[0006] If a control button provided in the rear seat controls is accidentally pressed, a control value—that is, an operating level of a heating or cooling device—of the rear seat climate control can be changed. However, the changed control value cannot be modified from the front seat. Therefore, a driver in the front seat may need to stop the vehicle to change the control value or operating mode of the rear seat climate control.

[0007] German patent DE 100 46 851 B4 discloses a control system for an automotive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC system) comprising a front HVAC system and a rear HVAC system. The control system further comprises a rear control system, a front control system, a microprocessor, and a control device for setting a first and second operating mode of the rear control system.

[0008] German patent application DE 10 2012 008 208 A1 discloses a method for controlling an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle, wherein the air conditioning system comprises a primary air conditioning unit, a secondary air conditioning unit, and a control unit. In a separate mode, the control unit can be selectively assigned control over either the primary air conditioning unit or the secondary air conditioning unit.

[0009] Furthermore, KR 10 2010 0 094 717 A discloses a combined air conditioning system for the front and rear with a common control unit.

[0010] From JP H10 119 542 A, it is known to regulate the temperature in the rear seat area based on the value entered into the rear seat control unit. However, the front seat control unit does not provide for temperature control in the rear seat area. Furthermore, by activating a switch, a change to the desired temperature can be prevented from being applied, and the temperature in the rear seat area will continue to be regulated based on the temperature set on the rear seat control unit before the switch was activated.

[0011] The above information, disclosed in the background section, is provided solely for a better understanding of the background of the invention and may therefore contain information that does not constitute prior art for the person skilled in the art. SUMMARY OF THE REVELATION

[0012] The present disclosure was made with the intention of solving the problems described above, which are related to the prior art, and of providing a dual air conditioning control system for a vehicle, which has various "rear" operating buttons or control buttons for the rear in order to control a rear seat air conditioning system from a front seat via a front seat control system, and furthermore has a "rear locked" button for locking an operating button provided with a rear seat control system in order to prevent incorrect operation of the rear seat air conditioning system by a rear seat occupant.

[0013] A dual air conditioning control system according to the present disclosure is defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0014] In accordance with a dual air conditioning control system for a vehicle of the present invention, an output of a rear seat air conditioning system can be controlled from a front seat and incorrect operation of a rear seat air conditioning system by a rear seat occupant can be prevented by controlling a front seat control system.

[0015] It is understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicle-" or other terms used herein generally include vehicles such as, for example, passenger cars including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft and the like, and hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and vehicles using other alternative fuels (for example, fuels produced from sources other than oil). A hybrid vehicle is defined herein as a vehicle that has two or more power sources, for example, a vehicle that is both fuel-powered and electrically powered. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and other features of the present disclosure are now illustrated in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, which are provided herefor illustrative purposes only and are therefore not limiting to the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a dual air conditioning control system of a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating a method for controlling a dual air conditioning control system of a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0017] It is understood that the attached drawings are not necessarily to scale, but instead represent a simplified depiction of various features illustrating the basic principles of the disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure, as revealed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, arrangements, and shapes, are partly determined by the specific intended application and environment of use.

[0018] In the figures, reference signs across the multiple figures of the drawings refer to identical or equivalent parts of the present revelation. Detailed description

[0019] The following section will describe in detail various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the disclosure is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the description is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that are included within the scope and scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

[0020] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] As in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 1, a dual climate control system of a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure includes a front seat climate control unit 10 for climate control of a front seating area of ​​the vehicle and a rear seat climate control unit 20 for climate control of a rear seating area of ​​the vehicle. A front seat control unit 11 and a rear seat control unit 21 control the outputs of the respective climate control units 10 and 20.

[0022] The front seat control unit 11 includes various operating buttons (front seat operating buttons) for operating the front seat climate control 10 to perform a function corresponding to the selected front seat operating button. The front seat control unit 11 has a "Rear On" button 15 for switching on / off power supplies to the rear seat control unit 21 and the rear seat climate control 20 for operation and output of the rear seat climate control 20, and various "Rear" operating buttons 13 and 14 for controlling various outputs of the rear seat climate control 20. The rear seat control unit 21 has a "Rear Locked" button 16 to prevent malfunction of various buttons, such as a mode change button 22 and rear seat operating buttons 23 and 24.

[0023] For example, the “Rear” operating buttons 13 and 14 close with reference to Fig. 1 a “Rear” cooling control button 13 for changing and controlling an output, i.e. an output of the rear seat air conditioning 20 in a cooling mode state, a rear seat cooling mode and a “Rear” heating control button 14 for changing and controlling an output, i.e. an output of the rear seat air conditioning 20 in a heating mode state, a rear seat heating mode.

[0024] The front seat control 11 functions depending on the selection and operation of each button. For example, when the "Rear On" button 15 is selected, the front seat control 11 sends a signal to turn the power supplies for the rear seat control 21 and the rear seat climate control 20 on or off and transmits the signal to the rear seat control 21. When the "Rear" cooling control button 13 or the "Rear" heating control button 14 is selected, the front seat control 11 calculates a control target value, i.e., a value to control the output of the rear seat climate control 20 to a target value, in order to control an output value of the rear seat climate control 20 according to an input value (i.e.,a value that is entered / transmitted to the rear seat control unit 21 at the time the "Rear" heater control button 14 is selected), which is transmitted by the activated "Rear" cooling control button 13 or the "Rear" heater control button 14, and transmits the calculated control target value to the rear seat control unit 21. When the "Rear Locked" button 16 is selected, the front seat control unit 11 outputs a signal to lock the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 and transmits the output signal to the rear seat control unit 21.

[0025] This means that the front seat control unit 11, depending on the selection and activation of each button related to the rear seat climate control unit 20, generates a signal, i.e., a control target value and the like, and transmits the generated signal to the rear seat control unit 21. The rear seat control unit 21 is then operated depending on the signal received from the front seat control unit 11.

[0026] The rear seat control 21 has: the mode change button 22 for changing the operating mode of the rear seat climate control 20 to cooling mode or heating mode, the rear seat operation buttons 23 and 24 for providing an input value, i.e., an output control value for controlling the output of the rear seat climate control 20, to control the output value of the rear seat climate control 20 to be set to the cooling mode or heating mode of the rear seat control 21, and a rear seat indicator 25 for displaying status information of the rear seat climate control 20.

[0027] Since the operation of the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 is locked when the "Rear locked" button 16 is selected, the rear seat control unit 21 does not control the operation and output of the rear seat climate control 20, even if a rear seat occupant selects the predetermined rear seat control buttons 23 and 24. This prevents a malfunction of the rear seat climate control 20 caused by incorrect operation of the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 by the rear seat occupant.

[0028] When the "Rear" control buttons 13 and 14 are selected from a front seat, the function of the "Rear Locked" button 16 is performed similarly to the case of pressing the "Rear Locked" button 16, and as a result, it is possible to control the output of the rear seat climate control 20 using the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24.

[0029] This means that although the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 of the rear seat control 21 are selected, while the "Rear" control buttons 13 and 14 of the front seat control 11 are selected, it is impossible to change the output of the rear seat climate control 20.

[0030] The front seat control 11 calculates the control target value of the rear seat climate control 20 based on input values, i.e. values ​​that are entered / transmitted to the rear seat control at the time the "Rear" operating buttons 13 and 14 are pressed, the "Rear" operating buttons 13 and 14 that are provided at the front seat control 11 when the "Rear locked" button 16 is in an on state or the "Rear" operating buttons 13 and 14 are selected.

[0031] The front seat control 11 calculates the control target value of the rear seat climate control 20 based on input values, i.e. values ​​that are entered / transmitted to the rear seat control at the time the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 are pressed and selected, the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 that are provided at the rear seat control 21 when the "Rear locked" button 16 is in a switched-off state or the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 are selected and the "Rear" control buttons 13 and 14 are not selected.

[0032] In this case, the rear seat control unit 21 continuously transmits the operating mode of the rear seat climate control unit 20 and the input values ​​of the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24 to the front seat control unit 11, regardless of whether the "Rear locked" button 16 is switched on or off.

[0033] The front seat control 11 includes a front seat display 12 for displaying status information of the front seat climate control 10 and the rear seat climate control 20 in addition to various buttons.

[0034] Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating a method for controlling a dual air conditioning control system of a vehicle in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0035] Referring to Fig. 2. When the system switches on the front seat control 11 and the "Rear on" button 15 of the front seat control 11 is selected to supply power to the rear seat control 21 and the rear seat climate control 20, the rear seat control 21 transmits setting information, i.e. the operating mode of the rear seat climate control and the input value of the rear seat control button, to the front seat control 11.

[0036] In this case, the rear seat control unit 21 converts signals, i.e., input values, from the rear seat control buttons 23 and 24, selected by a user, into communication values ​​and transmits these communication values ​​to the front seat control unit 11. The front seat control unit 11 then calculates the control target value for controlling or regulating the output of the rear seat climate control 20 and a display information, i.e., information about the output value of the rear seat climate control displayed to the user in the rear seat display 25, by collecting the received signals, i.e., input values, from the rear seat control unit 21 and the on / off information from the "Rear locked" button 16, and then transmits the calculated control target value and the display information to the rear seat control unit 21.

[0037] The control target value is a reference value used by the rear seat control 21 to control the output of the rear seat climate control 20, and the result of the calculation changes, as described above, depending on the actuation of the "Rear Lock" button 16. When the "Rear Lock" button 16 is in the ON state, the control target value is calculated based on the input values ​​of the "Rear" actuation buttons 13 and 14, which are provided by the front seat control 11. When the "Rear Lock" button 16 is in the OFF state, the control target value is calculated based on the input values ​​of the rear seat actuation buttons 23 and 24, which are provided by the rear seat control 21.

[0038] The rear seat control unit 21 outputs the display information received by the front seat control unit 11 and displays it on the rear seat display 25, i.e., a display unit of the rear seat control unit, while controlling or regulating the operation and output of the rear seat climate control unit 20 according to the control target value transmitted by the front seat control unit 11.

[0039] The rear seat indicator 25 is activated by simultaneously receiving power when the "Rear on" button 15 is pressed to activate the rear seat control 21.

[0040] When the "Rear on" button 15, which is provided for the front seat control 11, is switched off, the front seat control 11 outputs a signal to control the switching off of the rear seat control 21 and the rear seat climate control 20 and transmits this to the rear seat control 21.

[0041] In this case, the rear seat control unit 21 transmits the setting information, i.e., the operating mode of the rear seat climate control and the input value of the rear seat control button, of the rear seat climate control unit 20 to the front seat control unit 11, until it is switched off by receiving an off control signal from the front seat control unit 11, and controls the output of the rear seat climate control unit 20 and the output of the rear seat display 25 based on the off control signal and the display information received from the front seat control unit 11.

[0042] The invention has been described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. However, it is understandable to those skilled in the art that modifications to these embodiments can be made without departing from the principles and the idea of ​​the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[1] Dual climate control system for a vehicle comprising a front seat climate control system (10) for climate control of a front seat compartment and a rear seat climate control system (20) for climate control of a rear seat compartment of the vehicle, wherein the system comprises: a front seat control unit (11) capable of controlling the operation and output of the front seat climate control unit (10) and of calculating a control target value for controlling an output of the rear seat climate control unit (20); and a rear seat control unit (21) that is capable of receiving the calculated control target value transmitted by the front seat control unit (11) and controlling the output of the rear seat climate control unit (20) based on the transmitted control target value, characterized by , that the front seat control (11) has a “locked in the back” button (16) for locking various buttons of the rear seat control (21) to prevent operation of the rear seat control (21), wherein the front seat control (11) is designed to calculate the control target value of the rear seat climate control (20) based on an input value of a “Rear” operating button (13, 14) of the front seat control (11) when the “Rear locked” button (16) is selected, and to calculate the control target value of the rear seat climate control (20) based on an input value of a rear seat control button (23, 24) of the rear seat control (21), which is transmitted by the rear seat control (21) when the "Rear locked" button (16) is not selected. [2] Dual air conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the front seat control (11) has a "Rear on" button (15) for controlling power supplies of the rear seat air conditioning (20) and the rear seat control (21), and controls the turning on and off of the rear seat air conditioning (20) and the rear seat control (21) when the "Rear on" button (15) is selected by a user. [3] Dual air conditioning control system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear seat control (21) continuously transmits an operating mode of the rear seat air conditioning (20) and the input value of the rear seat control button (23, 24) to the front seat control (11) when the rear seat control button (23, 24) is selected. [4] Dual air conditioning control system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ‘rear’ control button (13, 14) comprises a rear cooling control button for selecting a rear seat cooling mode and a rear heating control button for selecting an output of a rear seat heating mode. [5] Dual air conditioning control system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear seat control button (23, 24) provides the input value for controlling an output value of the rear seat air conditioning (20) for setting a cooling mode or a heating mode of the rear seat control (21).

Images