Headrest Sensor System for Personalized Cabin Climate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current climate control systems in vehicles fail to accurately account for individual thermal comfort, as they primarily rely on air temperature and do not consider personal factors such as metabolic rate and clothing, leading to inadequate thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted sensor system and climate controller that includes humidity, air velocity, radiant heat flux, and biometric sensors to calculate the Equivalent Homogenous Temperature (EHT) and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) of thermal comfort, allowing for precise control of climate systems to maintain desired thermal conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a climate control system relies only on air temperature sensing, then the system simplicity is maintained, but the thermal comfort measurement precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (air temperature sensor, radiant heat flux sensor, humidity sensor, air velocity sensor) into an integrated sensor system that collectively measures all parameters needed for EHT calculation. This merging approach enables comprehensive thermal comfort assessment while managing system complexity through unified sensor housing and integrated signal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions: measuring air temperature, radiant heat flux, humidity, and air velocity simultaneously. This multi-functional sensor array enables the calculation of Equivalent Homogenous Temperature (EHT) which comprehensively represents thermal comfort, making the system universally applicable for personalized climate control.
2Manufacturing precision
If a climate control system uses multiple sensors to calculate EHT, then the thermal comfort control accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The climate control system continuously receives feedback from the sensor array, calculates EHT in real-time, and adjusts climate control actuators accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures high climate control accuracy by constantly comparing measured EHT with target EHT values and making corrective adjustments to maintain optimal thermal comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces EHT (Equivalent Homogenous Temperature) as an intermediary parameter that mediates between multiple sensor measurements and the final climate control decisions. By calculating EHT from temperature, humidity, air velocity, and radiant heat flux measurements, the system creates a unified thermal comfort metric that simplifies the control logic while maintaining high accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor system is positioned near the headrest, then the personal thermal comfort measurement is improved, but the sensor coverage area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is positioned adjacent to the headrest to specifically measure thermal conditions in the immediate vicinity of the passenger's head and upper body. This local measurement approach captures personal thermal comfort characteristics more accurately than general cabin temperature sensing, as it focuses on the specific zone where the passenger directly experiences thermal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The climate control system is divided into multiple independent climate zones, each with its own sensor system positioned near individual headrests. This segmentation enables personalized climate control for different passengers simultaneously, with each sensor system measuring and controlling the thermal environment in its specific local zone independently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides more accurate and personalized thermal comfort management by accounting for environmental and personal factors, improving passenger satisfaction across a wider range of conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a humidity sensor operable to sense a relative humidity within the passenger compartment adjacent to the headrest portion
Implementation Method 2
a heat flux sensor operable to sense a heat flux within the passenger compartment, adjacent to the headrest portion
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor operable to sense a temperature of the exterior surface
Implementation Method 4
a temperature controller operable to maintain the temperature of the surface at a pre-defined temperature
Implementation Method 5
The pre-defined temperature is approximately equal to or greater than thirty four degrees Celsius (34° C.), which is approximately the skin temperature of a human
Implementation Method 6
an air velocity sensor operable to sense an air velocity within the passenger compartment adjacent to the headrest portion
Implementation Method 7
a radiant heat flux sensor operable to sense a radiant heat flux within the passenger compartment adjacent to the headrest portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle a sensor system disposed adjacent to a headrest portion of a seat within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The sensor system includes at least one of an air velocity sensor, an air temperature sensor, a radiant heat flux sensor, a heat flux sensor, or a humidity sensor. The sensor system is positioned near the headrest, facing a forward end of the vehicle, in a position that is not blocked by a head of a passenger seated in the seat. The sensor system provides data related to the air velocity, the air temperature, the radiant heat flux, the heat flux, or the relative humidity, enabling a climate controller to accurately calculate a current Equivalent Homogenous Temperature (EHT) of a passenger seated in the seat. The climate controller may then control a climate system of the vehicle based on the calculated EHT to provide a desired EHT.