Air discharge control method and device for automotive air conditioning, and computer-readbale storage medium

Abstract

An air discharge control method and device for automotive air conditioning, and a computer-readable storage medium, relating to the technical field of air conditioning control. The method comprises: determining a target position at which an occupant is present and a riding posture corresponding to the target position; on the basis of a row region in which the target position is located, determining target air outlets; on the basis of the target position and / or the riding posture, determining an air discharge direction and an air discharge volume corresponding to each target air outlet; and controlling each target air outlet to execute an air discharge action on the basis of the air discharge direction and the air discharge volume.

Description

Air outlet control method, device and computer-readable storage medium for vehicle air conditioner

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410306932.2 filed on March 18, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of air conditioning control technology, and in particular to an air outlet control method, device, and computer-readable storage medium for a vehicle air conditioner. Background Art

[0004] When designing an automotive air-conditioning system, in order to meet the thermal comfort needs of the passengers, it is necessary to adjust the parameters of the air outlet according to the actual situation, so as to provide the passengers with a comfortable riding environment.

[0005] In related technologies, the comfort state of the passenger vehicle is usually adjusted based on an automatic air-conditioning system. That is, the air vent parameters to be adjusted are determined based on sensor data such as the temperature, humidity, and air quality inside the vehicle, and then all the air vents inside the vehicle are uniformly adjusted based on the parameters to maintain balanced air circulation in the vehicle, avoid local temperatures that are too high or too low, and achieve optimal comfort.

[0006] However, the above-mentioned adjustment method pursues the uniformity of the internal environment temperature, which means that the automatic air-conditioning system will continuously adjust the parameters of all air outlets until the temperature of the entire vehicle reaches a comfortable temperature, which undoubtedly causes huge energy consumption.

[0007] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solution of this application and does not constitute an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The main purpose of this application is to provide an air outlet control method, device and computer-readable storage medium for a vehicle air conditioner, aiming to solve the technical problem of high energy consumption of existing control methods.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present application provides a method for controlling air flow of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0010] determining a target position where an occupant is present, and a seating posture corresponding to the target position;

[0011] Determining a target air outlet according to the row area where the target position is located;

[0012] Determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture;

[0013] The target air outlet is controlled to perform an air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes:

[0015] If the riding posture is a normal posture, determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the normal posture;

[0016] If the riding posture is an unconventional posture, the target air outlets are adjusted according to the associated parameters of the unconventional posture, and the air outlet direction and air outlet volume corresponding to each target air outlet are determined.

[0017] In one embodiment, the step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes:

[0018] When the amount at the target position is the full load amount, the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet is used as the air outlet direction;

[0019] When the amount of the target position is a non-full amount, determining an empty position according to the row area and the target position;

[0020] Using the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet at the target position as the air outlet direction, and determining the air outlet direction corresponding to each target air outlet at the no-load position according to the relative positional relationship between the no-load position and the target position;

[0021] The air outlet volume is determined according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet.

[0022] In one embodiment, the step of determining the air volume according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet includes:

[0023] Dividing the target air outlet into a main air outlet and an auxiliary air outlet according to the interval between the target position and the target air outlet;

[0024] The air volume of the main air outlet is set to a first calibration value, and the air volume of the auxiliary air outlet is set to a second calibration value, wherein the first calibration value is smaller than the second calibration value.

[0025] In one embodiment, after the step of controlling the target air outlet to perform the air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume, the method further includes:

[0026] If the temperature difference at the target position is greater than the first preset temperature difference within the first preset time period, the air outlet volume of the auxiliary air outlet is adjusted according to the preset increment until the temperature difference at the target position is less than the second preset temperature difference within the second preset time period.

[0027] In one embodiment, the target air outlet includes a front air outlet, and at least one of a roof air outlet and a rear air outlet.

[0028] In one embodiment, after the step of controlling the target air outlet to perform the air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume, the method further includes:

[0029] determining a headrest area associated with the target position when detecting that the seating posture is switched to a reverse posture;

[0030] The air outlet direction of the front air outlet is set to the outside of the headrest area, and the air outlet direction of the other target air outlets is set to the center of the headrest area.

[0031] In one embodiment, the step of determining a target position where an occupant is present and a seating posture corresponding to the target position includes:

[0032] Obtain seat weighing data and image acquisition data for all areas;

[0033] determining a target position where the occupant is present based on a weight change of the seat weighing data;

[0034] The sitting posture corresponding to the target position is determined according to the facial detection situation in the image acquisition data.

[0035] In addition, to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application also provides an air outlet control device for a vehicle air conditioner, wherein the air outlet control device for the vehicle air conditioner includes: a memory, a processor, and an air outlet control program for the vehicle air conditioner stored on the memory and runnable on the processor, wherein the air outlet control program for the vehicle air conditioner is configured to implement the steps of the air outlet control method for the vehicle air conditioner.

[0036] In addition, to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a vehicle air conditioner air outlet control program is stored. When the vehicle air conditioner air outlet control program is executed by the processor, the steps of the vehicle air conditioner air outlet control method are implemented.

[0037] In a technical solution provided in the present application, unlike the related art in which all air vents are uniformly adjusted, this solution is actually a local control, that is, according to the position or posture, the wind conditions required by the occupants are determined, and then the target air vents are opened and the wind direction and wind force of the air vents are adjusted in a targeted manner. Such a setting can not only make the occupants feel comfortable air supply and meet comfort needs, but also reduce unnecessary air supply, thereby saving energy consumption and reducing the operating cost of the air-conditioning system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG1 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of an air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner according to the present application;

[0039] FIG2 is a flow chart of step S11 in the first embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0040] FIG3 is a schematic diagram showing the division of the front-row seating area in the first embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0041] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the division of the front-row seating area in the first embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0042] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing the division of the rear seat seating area in the first embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0043] FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing the division of the rear seat seating area in the first embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0044] FIG7 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0045] FIG8 is a side view of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application in a semi-lying position;

[0046] FIG9 is a top view of a semi-lying posture of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0047] FIG10 is a top view of a semi-lying posture of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0048] FIG11 is a side view of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application in a reverse posture;

[0049] FIG12 is a top view of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application in a reverse posture;

[0050] FIG13 is a side view of the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application in a reverse posture;

[0051] FIG14 is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0052] FIG15 is a flow chart of step S34 in the second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application;

[0053] FIG16 is a structural diagram of an air outlet control device for a vehicle air conditioner in a hardware operating environment according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0054] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0056] The setting of the car's air-conditioning system affects both the passenger comfort and the energy consumption of the entire vehicle.

[0057] At present, the parameters of the air vents are mainly adjusted manually by the passengers, or automatically adjusted by the automatic air-conditioning system to achieve the comfort state of the entire vehicle.

[0058] However, whether it is manual adjustment or automatic adjustment, the adjustment objects are all air vents in the car. For example, as long as the average temperature in the entire vehicle has not dropped to the set temperature, the air volume of all air vents needs to be increased, which undoubtedly causes huge energy consumption.

[0059] To solve the above problems, this solution implements local control based on the specific riding conditions in the car, thereby achieving energy saving while meeting thermal comfort requirements.

[0060] To better understand the above technical solutions, exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present application can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments described herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present application and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0061] An embodiment of the present application provides an air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner. Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of an air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application.

[0062] In this embodiment, the air outlet control method of the vehicle air conditioner includes:

[0063] Step S11: determining a target position where an occupant exists, and a seating posture corresponding to the target position;

[0064] In the present application, the vehicle is equipped with electric seats, air conditioning assemblies, temperature sensors and electric air vents, as well as at least one of cameras, seat sensors, infrared sensors, etc.

[0065] The target position refers to the current sitting position of the occupant, including but not limited to the driver's seat, the co-pilot seat, the left rear seat, the middle rear seat, the right rear seat, etc.; the sitting posture refers to the current sitting posture of the occupant, including but not limited to the normal posture, semi-lying posture, supine posture, side-lying posture, reverse posture, etc.

[0066] On the one hand, the target position where the occupants are present is determined. As for the specific determination method, infrared recognition technology, image recognition technology, pressure monitoring technology, etc. can be used.

[0067] In one embodiment, infrared sensors continuously collect infrared heat distribution data from within the vehicle and present it as a heat distribution map. Because heat emitted by the human body creates specific hot spots, these hot spots can be identified and extracted using image processing algorithms. For example, using edge detection, feature extraction, and image segmentation techniques, these hot spots can be determined to be generated by the occupant's body, thereby locating the occupant's position.

[0068] On the other hand, the riding posture corresponding to the target position is determined. As for the specific determination method, infrared recognition technology, image recognition technology, pressure monitoring technology, etc. can be used.

[0069] In one embodiment, when the seat sensor includes a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor collects data on the occupant's seat pressure. Based on the pressure distribution, features related to the occupant's sitting posture, such as pressure distribution, pressure center location, and pressure change rate, are extracted to determine the occupant's sitting posture. For example, if uneven pressure distribution is detected between the front and rear of the seat, it can be determined that the occupant may be leaning forward or reclining.

[0070] Alternatively, if the seat sensor is a posture sensor, the occupant's seating posture can be determined based on data such as the seat's X-axis travel, backrest angle, and headrest movement. For example, if the seat moves a specific distance in the X-axis, the seatback tilts a specific angle, or the head's X-axis position approaches or exceeds the same-side roof vent, the occupant is considered to be in a semi-recumbent position.

[0071] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 2 , step S11 includes:

[0072] Step S111: Acquire seat weighing data and image acquisition data of all areas;

[0073] Step S112: determining the target position where the occupant is located based on the weight change of the seat weighing data;

[0074] Step S113: determining the sitting posture corresponding to the target position according to the facial detection situation in the image acquisition data.

[0075] This solution combines a load cell located on the seat and a camera located at the front of the vehicle to analyze the occupant's posture.

[0076] Each seating area is equipped with a weighing sensor to collect seat weight data from all seating areas. In addition, cameras are installed at specific locations on the vehicle to collect images of people in all seating areas.

[0077] In one embodiment, after obtaining the weighing data of the seat, the changes in the weighing data are monitored in real time. When the weighing data of a certain seat suddenly increases, such as changing from 0kg to 60kg, it means that an occupant is sitting in this position. Therefore, the current position is set as the target position.

[0078] Furthermore, computer vision technology and facial detection algorithms are used to detect and identify the face of the person in the target location. If no face is detected, the occupant is determined to be in a reverse posture. If a face is detected, it indicates that the occupant is in a forward posture. At this point, further analysis can be performed on the angle of the face, the position relative to the seat, and the position relative to the air outlet to determine the specific posture type. For example, if the face angle is forward, the occupant is determined to be in a normal sitting position.

[0079] This solution first determines the target area where the occupant is located based on weighing data, and then determines the seating posture within the target area based on image data. This multi-dimensional approach, based on multi-dimensional data, yields more accurate judgment results. For example, if an occupant is in an inverted posture, a single-dimensional judgment based on the image alone would result in the occupant's absence, which is inconsistent with the actual situation. However, this solution can determine that the occupant is present in this area and is in an inverted posture, resulting in a more accurate judgment result.

[0080] Step S12: determining a target air outlet according to the row area where the target position is located;

[0081] According to the number of seat rows, the interior space of the vehicle is divided into several rows of areas, such as the front seat area and the rear seat area.

[0082] In one embodiment, each seating position in the vehicle is pre-associated with a corresponding row area. For example, the driver and co-driver seats both belong to the front seating area. Based on this, the row area where the target position is located can be directly determined.

[0083] Referring to Figure 3 , the target positions are the driver and front passenger seats, both located in the front passenger area. In this case, the air outlets corresponding to the front passenger area are determined, namely, front air outlets 1, 2, 3, and 4, and are set as the target air outlets. Referring to Figure 4 , when only the driver is targeted, the passenger area is also the front passenger area, so all front air outlets are set as target air outlets, namely, 1, 2, 3, and 4. In addition to the aforementioned method, it is also possible to select a portion of the front air outlets as the target air outlets, namely, 1, 2, and 3, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0084] Referring to Figure 5 , the target location is located in the rear seating area. At this time, the air outlets corresponding to the rear seating area are determined, namely, rear air outlets 5, 6, 7, and 8, and are set as target air outlets. Referring to Figure 6 , rear air outlets 5, 6, 7, and 8 are also set as target air outlets.

[0085] In one embodiment, the target air outlet includes a front air outlet, and at least one of a roof air outlet and a rear air outlet.

[0086] Step S13: determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture;

[0087] In one embodiment, the air outlet direction corresponding to the target air outlet is adjusted according to the target position. Specifically, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation analysis can be used to find the optimal air outlet direction to ensure that the air can cover the target position. For example, the air outlet of the main driver's seat can be directed towards the upper body of the occupant, and the air outlet of the co-pilot seat can be directed towards the head and feet of the occupant. In addition, considering that the user requires different air supply parts in different riding postures, the accurate air outlet direction can be determined based on the pre-established mapping relationship between riding posture and wind direction, such as normal posture - whole body, supine posture - half body, etc.

[0088] In one embodiment, the airflow rate for each vent is determined based on the passenger's posture. This can be achieved by adjusting the vent's opening and wind speed. For example, when a user is supine, indicating they may be sleeping, a low wind setting can be used to prevent strong winds from directly blowing in and catching a cold. Furthermore, one or more parameters, such as the relative position of the target vent and target location, the distance between them, and the current temperature, can be considered to ensure comfortable airflow for the occupant.

[0089] Step S14: controlling the target air outlet to perform an air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume.

[0090] In one embodiment, the air conditioning assembly generates a control signal based on parameters such as the air outlet direction and air volume, and transmits the signal to the motor-driven damper, regulating valve and other actuators of each target air outlet through an electrical wiring harness. Accordingly, after receiving the control signal, the actuator of the electric air outlet decodes it and identifies the content of the control instruction, including parameters such as the air outlet direction and air volume. According to the decoded control instruction, the actuator of the electric air outlet adjusts the air outlet direction and air volume of the air outlet to meet the requirements of the control signal. Finally, the actuator can send a feedback signal to the air conditioning assembly to inform the actual execution status, such as whether the air outlet has reached the specified position, whether the air volume has been adjusted to the specified value, etc.

[0091] People are relatively insensitive to wind blowing on their faces, so it's not likely to cause discomfort. However, the neck is a vital part of the human body, with complex muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. It's sensitive to temperature and wind changes, making it more susceptible to discomfort. Therefore, when users are in a reverse posture, they should pay special attention to the direction of the air outlet to avoid direct airflow onto the neck.

[0092] Step A: when it is detected that the sitting posture is switched to the reverse posture, determining a headrest area associated with the target position;

[0093] Step B: setting the air outlet direction of the front air outlet to the outside of the headrest area, and setting the air outlet direction of the other target air outlets to the center of the headrest area.

[0094] In one embodiment, when the seating position is in the reverse position, the headrest area associated with the target position is determined. Based on this, the wind direction of the front air vents located behind the occupant is set to the outside of the headrest area, as shown in air vents 3 and 4 in Figure 12. For other target air vents, such as air vent 9, their wind direction can be directly set to the center of the headrest area.

[0095] Directing the front air vents toward the face can quickly cool facial temperatures in hot weather, improving passenger comfort. Furthermore, directing the rear air vents away from the back of the neck can avoid discomfort and muscle tension caused by direct airflow, also contributing to increased passenger comfort.

[0096] In a technical solution provided in this embodiment, unlike the related art in which all air vents are uniformly adjusted, this solution is actually a local control, that is, based on the position and posture, the wind conditions required by the occupants are determined, and then the target air vents are opened and the wind direction and air volume of the target air vents are adjusted in a targeted manner. Such a setting can not only make the occupants feel comfortable air supply and meet comfort needs, but also reduce unnecessary air supply, thereby saving energy consumption and reducing the operating cost of the air-conditioning system.

[0097] In one embodiment, referring to FIG7 , a second embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application is provided. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG1 , the step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes:

[0098] Step S21: if the riding posture is a normal posture, determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the normal posture;

[0099] All sitting postures are divided into conventional postures and unconventional postures. The conventional posture is the normal sitting posture shown in Figure 3, and the unconventional postures include semi-lying posture, supine posture, side-lying posture, reverse posture, etc.

[0100] When the riding posture is a normal posture, it is only necessary to open the target air vents corresponding to the row of areas where the target position is located. As for the setting of the wind direction and wind volume, reference can be made to the first embodiment and no further details will be given here.

[0101] Step S22: If the riding posture is an unconventional posture, the target air outlets are adjusted according to the associated parameters of the unconventional posture, and the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet are determined.

[0102] When the seating position is unusual, it may obstruct the air flow path, preventing air from effectively reaching the target location. Therefore, the target air vents need to be adjusted. For example, in addition to opening the first target air vents corresponding to the row of target locations, the second target air vents associated with the unusual posture, such as the roof vents and / or rear exhaust vents, may also be opened. Furthermore, some of the first target air vents can be selectively closed based on the number of people in the vehicle.

[0103] Exemplarily, for a semi-reclining posture.

[0104] On the one hand, determine the air vents corresponding to the target position. It is known that there is no one in the front passenger seat, so the corresponding air vents 1 and 2 can be closed. There is someone in the front passenger seat, so the corresponding air vents 3 and 4 need to be opened.

[0105] On the other hand, the air vents corresponding to the unconventional posture are determined. For example, the air vent 9 in Figures 8 and 9 is the roof air vent associated with the unconventional posture; and the air vents 5 and 6 in Figure 10 are the rear air vents associated with the unconventional posture.

[0106] For example, for a reverse posture.

[0107] On the one hand, determine the air vents corresponding to the target position, that is, air vents 3 and 4 corresponding to the co-pilot.

[0108] On the other hand, the air vents corresponding to the unconventional postures are determined. For example, the air vent 9 in FIG11 and FIG12 is the roof air vent corresponding to the unconventional posture; and the air vent 5 in FIG13 is the rear air vent associated with the unconventional posture.

[0109] As for the setting of the wind direction and wind volume, please refer to the first embodiment. Here, you also need to pay attention to controlling the rear air outlet to avoid blowing on the back of the neck. The specific principle is the same as the first embodiment.

[0110] In this solution, different methods are used to determine the target air vents depending on whether the occupant's current sitting posture is normal or not. In a normal posture, the front air vents can provide sufficient air circulation to make the occupant feel comfortable. However, when the occupant adopts an unconventional posture, the angle between the body and the seat changes. At this time, the front air vents alone may not be able to provide sufficient air circulation, causing the occupant to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the assistance of other air vents is needed. The air circulation provided by the roof air vents can make up for the shortcomings of the front air vents in a semi-reclining posture, making the occupant feel more comfortable. In short, in different riding postures, the different use of air-conditioning vents can better adapt to the needs of the occupants and provide a more comfortable riding experience.

[0111] In one embodiment, referring to FIG14 , a third embodiment of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner of the present application is provided. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG7 , the step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes:

[0112] Step S31: when the amount at the target position is the full load amount, the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet is used as the air outlet direction;

[0113] The known target position refers to the current seating position of the passenger. One passenger corresponds to one target position, and two passengers correspond to two target positions. Therefore, the number of target positions can represent the number of passengers, which is further divided into a full load amount and a non-full load amount.

[0114] Each air outlet is associated with a default wind direction. As shown in Figure 3, the default wind direction of air outlets 1 and 2 is for the main driver, while the default wind direction of air outlets 3 and 4 is for the co-driver.

[0115] When the amount at the target position is the full load amount, the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet is used as its air outlet direction to ensure that all occupants in the vehicle can obtain comfortable ventilation effects.

[0116] Step S32: when the amount of the target position is not fully loaded, determining an empty position according to the row area and the target position;

[0117] Step S33: using the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet at the target position as the air outlet direction, and determining the air outlet direction corresponding to each target air outlet at the no-load position according to the relative positional relationship between the no-load position and the target position;

[0118] When the amount at the target location is not full, it means that there are no passengers in the default wind direction of some air outlets. To save energy, the wind direction of these air outlets needs to be adjusted to where there are people, so that the air can flow more concentratedly to the area with passengers. The specific plan is as follows:

[0119] First, by determining the row area and the target position, it is possible to further determine which positions in the row area are empty positions, ie, positions not occupied by passengers.

[0120] Then, since there are passengers at the target position, the associated default wind direction can be directly used as the outlet direction for the target air outlet here; for the target air outlet at the unloaded position, it is necessary to analyze the relative position relationship between the unloaded position and the target position, and then determine the outlet direction of each target air outlet at the unloaded position.

[0121] Taking the front passenger area as an example, when the target positions are the main driver and the co-driver, it is necessary to control the air vents 1 and 2 in front of the main driver to blow air toward the main driver, and control the air vents 3 and 4 in front of the co-driver to blow air toward the co-driver; when the target position is only the main driver, it is necessary to control the air vents 1 and 2 in front of the main driver to blow air toward the main driver. As for the air vents 3 and 4 in front of the co-driver, since the default wind direction is the co-driver direction and there is no one, in order to save energy, the wind direction of air vents 3 and 4 can be set to the main driver direction.

[0122] Step S34: determining the air volume according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet.

[0123] In one embodiment, the air volume that needs to be provided currently is determined based on the correlation between the interval distance and the air volume, such as the first-level calibrated air volume and the second-level calibrated air volume.

[0124] Alternatively, referring to FIG. 15 , step S34 includes:

[0125] Step S341: dividing the target air outlet into a main air outlet and an auxiliary air outlet according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet;

[0126] Step S342: setting the air volume of the main air outlet to a first calibration value, and setting the air volume of the auxiliary air outlet to a second calibration value, wherein the first calibration value is smaller than the second calibration value.

[0127] In one embodiment, the interval distances between different types of target air vents and the target position are obtained and sorted, and the target air vents of the type closest to the target position are set as main air vents, which play a main role in the air circulation of the target position, such as air vents 1 and 2 in Figure 4; other target air vents are set as auxiliary air vents, which play an auxiliary role in the air circulation of the target position, such as air vents 3 and 4 in Figure 4.

[0128] Furthermore, the air volume of the main air outlet is set to a first calibration value, such as a middle gear, and the air volume of the auxiliary air outlet is set to a second calibration value, such as a minimum gear.

[0129] This division allows for better control of the direction and intensity of air circulation, providing a more comfortable air flow and enhancing passenger comfort. Furthermore, this division allows for more precise control of the direction and intensity of air circulation, reducing energy waste and lowering vehicle energy consumption.

[0130] In addition, after the air outlet is controlled based on the above parameters, if the temperature difference at the target position is greater than the first preset temperature difference within the first preset time period, it means that the current temperature is rising rapidly. At this time, it is necessary to adjust the air outlet volume of the auxiliary air outlet according to the preset increment until the temperature is stable, that is, the condition that the temperature difference is less than the second preset temperature difference within the second preset time period is met.

[0131] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor at the main driver's seat is obtained. If the current temperature is 0.5 degrees higher than the temperature 30 seconds ago, the air volume of the auxiliary air vents 3 and 4 is adjusted in increments of 0.1 cubic meters per minute until the measured temperature fluctuation is less than 0.5 degrees within 5 minutes.

[0132] This configuration allows for more precise control of the air conditioning system's operation, avoiding unnecessary energy waste and ultimately achieving energy savings. Furthermore, it can better meet the comfort needs of passengers. For example, when the temperature difference exceeds a preset value, increasing the air volume from the auxiliary air vents can more quickly adjust the indoor temperature and improve passenger comfort.

[0133] It should be noted that when determining the wind direction and air volume of the air outlet, two dimensions can be considered comprehensively: whether the seats are fully loaded and whether the posture is normal.

[0134] (1) When the amount at the target position is the full amount and all are in a normal posture, the target air outlet is the first target air outlet determined in step S12; the default wind direction of each target air outlet is retained.

[0135] (2) When the amount at the target position is the full amount and there is an unconventional posture, the target air outlet includes, in addition to the first target air outlet determined in step S12, a second target air outlet associated with the unconventional posture; and the default wind direction of each target air outlet is retained.

[0136] (3) When the amount at the target position is not fully loaded and the occupant at the target position is in a normal posture, the target air outlet is the first target air outlet determined in step S12; the air outlet direction of the air outlet at both the target position and the unloaded position needs to be set to the direction where the occupant is located.

[0137] (4) When the amount at the target position is not a full load amount, and the occupant at the target position is in an unconventional posture, on the one hand, based on the first target air outlet determined in step S12, the air outlet at the unloaded position is eliminated, and the remaining is the target air outlet at the target position; on the other hand, the second target air outlet associated with the unconventional posture is added, and the final result is the air outlet that needs to be opened; regardless of the air outlet direction at the target position or the unloaded position, it needs to be set to the direction where the occupant is located.

[0138] An example scenario is as follows:

[0139] (1) As shown in Figure 3, when both the main and co-pilot seats are occupied and are in normal posture, open air vents 1, 2, 3 and 4, among which vents 1 and 2 blow air to the main driver, and 3 and 4 blow air to the co-pilot.

[0140] (2) When both the pilot and the co-pilot are occupied and are in an unusual posture, open air vents 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, with vents 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9 blowing air toward the pilot, and vents 3, 4, 7, 8, and 11 blowing air toward the co-pilot;

[0141] (3) When only the co-pilot is occupied and both are in normal posture, open air vents 1, 2, 3, and 4, and blow air towards the co-pilot;

[0142] (4) As shown in Figures 8 and 9, when only the co-pilot seat is occupied and both are in a semi-reclining position, open air vents 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9, and blow air toward the co-pilot seat;

[0143] In a technical solution provided by this embodiment, the target air vents to be opened are determined based on the relationship between the target position and the seating area, and the air outlet direction and air volume of the target air vents are further determined based on the relative position relationship and temperature. This solution provides a method for determining the air vent operating parameters at the target position level. From the perspective of regional division, air vents can be opened in occupied areas and closed in unoccupied areas, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy waste and improving the energy efficiency of the air conditioning system. In addition, the air outlet direction and air volume can be flexibly determined based on the relative position relationship and temperature to better meet the comfort requirements of different positions in the seating area.

[0144] Exemplarily, the electric air vents include front air vents 1, 2, 3, 4 located on the instrument assembly, rear air vents 5, 6, 7, 8, and roof air vents 9, 10.

[0145] (1) As shown in Figure 3, after the cockpit is started, a occupant detection is performed. If it is detected that there are only two occupants in the front row, air outlets 1 and 2 will blow air toward the occupants on the left, while air outlets 3 and 4 will blow air toward the right.

[0146] (2) As shown in Figure 4, when it is detected that there is only a left-side passenger, air outlets 1 and 2 will discharge air toward the left-side passenger, and air outlets 3 and 4 will also discharge air toward the left-side passenger. At this time, the air volume of air outlets 1 and 2 is maintained unchanged, and the air volume of air outlets 3 and 4 is reduced to the minimum calibration value L. When the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is 0.5 degrees higher than the temperature 30 seconds ago, the air volume of air outlets 3 and 4 is gradually increased until the temperature sensor is lower than 0.5 degrees within 5 minutes of temperature fluctuation.

[0147] (3) As shown in Figures 8 and 10, when the front row seats move backward or the backrests tilt, the head X-axis position approaches or exceeds the same-side canopy air vent 9, that is, when the occupant is in a semi-reclining position, the same-side air vent 9 is opened. At this time, the air volume of air vents 3 and 4 is reduced to M1, and the air volume of air vent 9 is adjusted to M2, M1 < M2, and M1 + M2 is not higher than the initial air volume of air vents 3 and 4, until the temperature sensor temperature reaches the level before the seat adjustment, so as to achieve the effect of enhancing comfort and reducing energy consumption.

[0148] (4) As shown in Figure 10, for the rear air outlet located at the B-pillar position or the auxiliary instrument position in the center of the side, open the air outlet 5 and the air outlet 6 on the same side, and keep the initial air volume of air outlet 5 and air outlet 6 no higher than that of air outlet 3 and air outlet 4. The adjustment conditions are the same as (2).

[0149] (5) If there is no passenger on the other side, close the air vents 7 and 8 on the other side.

[0150] (6) If there is an occupant on the other side and the occupant is in a semi-reclining position, the execution principle is the same as (4).

[0151] (7) If there is an occupant on the other side and the occupant is in a normal posture, open the front air vent on the corresponding occupant side.

[0152] (8) When the front seats are rotated 180 degrees and the occupants are facing backwards:

[0153] 1) At this time, no human face is detected in front, and the airflow direction of air outlet 4 is adjusted to the outside to avoid direct blowing on the headrest;

[0154] 2) Air outlet 3 blows towards the left side for compensation;

[0155] 3) Open the air vent 9 and direct it toward the passenger area, as shown in Figures 11 and 13;

[0156] At this time, the air volume of air outlet 3 and air outlet 4 is gradually reduced until the temperature of the headrest temperature sensor remains at the temperature level before the seat adjustment;

[0157] 5) When there is someone in the back row, the air vents 10 are opened and the direction of the air vents 10 is adjusted according to the rear occupants; for the air vents arranged on the B-pillar and the central auxiliary instrument, the air vents on the corresponding side are opened and directed towards the occupants on that side, as shown in Figure 13.

[0158] (9) As shown in Figure 5, for the left and right rear seat passengers, when there are people on both sides of the rear seat, the air vents on the same side are opened and directed towards the corresponding passengers.

[0159] (10) As shown in Figure 6, if there is only one passenger on one side of the rear row, the air vents on the same side will be opened to blow air toward the passenger on the same side, and the air vents on the other side will blow air toward the passenger side. The total air volume will be automatically adjusted until the temperature at the rear headrest reaches the calibrated value.

[0160] This solution associates the operating parameters of the air-conditioning outlet with different riding scenarios. In this way, in actual application, the appropriate operating parameters can be automatically determined according to the user's current posture, which can not only meet the user's comfort needs in different positions, but also reduce the operating energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0161] Refer to Figure 16, which is a structural diagram of the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner in the hardware operating environment involved in the embodiment of the present application.

[0162] As shown in Figure 16, the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner may include: a processor 1001, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a communication bus 1002, a user interface 1003, a network interface 1004, and a memory 1005. Among them, the communication bus 1002 is used to realize the connection and communication between these components. The user interface 1003 may include a display screen (Display), an input unit such as a keyboard (Keyboard), and the user interface 1003 may also include a standard wired interface and a wireless interface. The network interface 1004 may include a standard wired interface and a wireless interface (such as a wireless fidelity (WIreless-FIdelity, WI-FI) interface). The memory 1005 may be a high-speed random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) memory, or a stable non-volatile memory (Non-Volatile Memory, NVM), such as a disk memory. The memory 1005 may also be a storage device independent of the aforementioned processor 1001.

[0163] Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure shown in FIG16 does not constitute a limitation on the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner, and may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or a combination of certain components, or a different arrangement of components.

[0164] As shown in FIG16 , the memory 1005 as a storage medium may include an operating system, a data storage module, a network communication module, a user interface module, and an air outlet control program of the vehicle air conditioner.

[0165] In the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner shown in Figure 16, the network interface 1004 is mainly used for data communication with other devices; the user interface 1003 is mainly used for data interaction with the user; the processor 1001 and the memory 1005 in the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner of this application can be set in the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner, and the air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner calls the air outlet control program of the vehicle air conditioner stored in the memory 1005 through the processor 1001, and executes the air outlet control method of the vehicle air conditioner provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0166] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of any embodiment of the above-mentioned method for controlling the air outlet of a vehicle air conditioner are implemented.

[0167] Since the embodiments of the computer-readable storage medium part correspond to the embodiments of the method part, the embodiments of the computer-readable storage medium part refer to the description of the embodiments of the method part and are not repeated here.

[0168] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or system. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system comprising the element.

[0169] The serial numbers of the above embodiments of the present application are for description only and do not represent the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0170] Through the description of the above implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be implemented by means of software plus the necessary general hardware platform, and of course can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal device (which can be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0171] The above are merely embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling air flow of a vehicle air conditioner, wherein: The air outlet control method of the vehicle air conditioner comprises the following steps: determining a target position where an occupant is present, and a seating posture corresponding to the target position; Determining a target air outlet according to the row area where the target position is located; Determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture; The target air outlet is controlled to perform an air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume.

2. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: If the riding posture is a normal posture, determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the normal posture; If the riding posture is an unconventional posture, the target air outlets are adjusted according to the associated parameters of the unconventional posture, and the air outlet direction and air outlet volume corresponding to each target air outlet are determined.

3. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: When the amount at the target position is the full load amount, the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet is used as the air outlet direction; When the amount of the target position is a non-full amount, determining an empty position according to the row area and the target position; Using the default wind direction associated with each target air outlet at the target position as the air outlet direction, and determining the air outlet direction corresponding to each target air outlet at the no-load position according to the relative positional relationship between the no-load position and the target position; The air outlet volume is determined according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet.

4. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein: The step of determining the air volume according to the distance between the target position and the target air outlet includes: Dividing the target air outlet into a main air outlet and an auxiliary air outlet according to the interval between the target position and the target air outlet; The air volume of the main air outlet is set to a first calibration value, and the air volume of the auxiliary air outlet is set to a second calibration value, wherein the first calibration value is smaller than the second calibration value.

5. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein: After the step of controlling the target air outlet to perform the air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume, the method further includes: If the temperature difference at the target position is greater than the first preset temperature difference within the first preset time period, the air outlet volume of the auxiliary air outlet is adjusted according to the preset increment until the temperature difference at the target position is less than the second preset temperature difference within the second preset time period.

6. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The target air outlet includes a front air outlet, and at least one of a roof air outlet and a rear air outlet.

7. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein: After the step of controlling the target air outlet to perform the air outlet action according to the air outlet direction and the air outlet volume, the method further includes: determining a headrest area associated with the target position when detecting that the seating posture is switched to a reverse posture; The air outlet direction of the front air outlet is set to the outside of the headrest area, and the air outlet direction of the other target air outlets is set to the center of the headrest area.

8. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining a target position where an occupant exists and a seating posture corresponding to the target position includes: Obtain seat weighing data and image acquisition data for all areas; determining a target position where the occupant is present based on a weight change of the seat weighing data; The sitting posture corresponding to the target position is determined according to the facial detection situation in the image acquisition data.

9. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: When the load at the target position is fully loaded and all are in a normal posture, the target air outlet is a first target air outlet determined according to the row area where the target position is located.

10. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: When the amount of the target position is a full load amount and there is an unconventional posture, the target air outlet includes a first target air outlet determined according to the row area where the target position is located, and also includes a second target air outlet associated with the unconventional posture.

11. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: When the amount of the target position is a non-full load amount and the occupant of the target position is in a normal posture, the target air outlet is a first target air outlet determined according to the row area where the target position is located.

12. The air outlet control method of a vehicle air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining the air outlet direction and air volume corresponding to each target air outlet according to the target position and / or the riding posture includes: When the amount at the target position is not a full load amount and the occupant at the target position is in an unconventional posture, the air outlets at the unloaded position are eliminated based on the first target air outlets determined according to the row area where the target position is located, and the remaining air outlets are the target air outlets at the target position.

13. An air outlet control device for a vehicle air conditioner, wherein: The air outlet control device of the vehicle air conditioner includes: a memory, a processor, and an air outlet control program for the vehicle air conditioner stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The air outlet control program for the vehicle air conditioner is configured to implement the steps of the air outlet control method for the vehicle air conditioner as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein: The computer-readable storage medium stores an air outlet control program for a vehicle air conditioner, and when the air outlet control program for the vehicle air conditioner is executed by a processor, the steps of the air outlet control method for a vehicle air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 12 are implemented.

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