Infrared Laser Heating System for Targeted Vehicle Occupant Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle cabin heating systems consume excessive energy, as they heat the entire interior space, including areas not occupied by living beings, which is inefficient and drains the battery in electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A heating system utilizing an infrared laser system that focuses near-infrared light on specific regions of a living being, such as the face and feet, within a vehicle, allowing for targeted heating and reducing energy consumption by using VCSELs and a camera system to detect presence and adjust heating accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heating systems heat the entire vehicle cabin interior space, then thermal comfort is provided throughout the cabin, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by switching from uniform cabin heating to localized heating of specific body parts. Infrared heaters are positioned to target specific regions (face, hands, feet) where thermal comfort is most needed, rather than heating the entire cabin space. This creates non-uniform temperature distribution focused on occupied zones, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independent infrared heater units positioned at different locations (dashboard, rearview mirror, seatbacks). Each heater independently targets specific body parts, allowing the system to provide localized heating without requiring the entire cabin to be heated, thus reducing overall energy consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If infrared heaters are positioned to target specific body parts, then energy consumption is reduced, but heating coverage and uniformity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple infrared heater units are distributed throughout the cabin (dashboard, rearview mirror, seatbacks) to segment the heating function across different zones. This allows comprehensive body coverage through localized heating zones rather than requiring a single large heating area, maintaining energy efficiency while expanding effective coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional planar heating (cabin-wide) to three-dimensional volumetric heating by positioning heaters at multiple depths and angles throughout the cabin space. This enables targeted irradiation of specific body parts from different spatial dimensions, effectively covering more areas with reduced energy input.
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 approach reduces energy consumption by heating only the necessary areas, maintaining thermal comfort while minimizing battery drain in electric vehicles and providing efficient, instantaneous heating.
Implementation Method 1
an infrared laser system for illuminating the living being with infrared laser light, thereby heating the living being
Implementation Method 2
illuminating the living being with infrared laser light, thereby heating the living being
Implementation Method 3
Within the window the light is guided by total internal reflection
Implementation Method 4
a heat conducting connection can be provided between the window and the infrared laser system for transferring the waste heat from the infrared laser system to the window
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a heating system for heating a living being, for instance, a person (2) within a vehicle (1) being preferentially a hybrid car or an electric car. The heating system comprises an infrared laser system (5, 6) for illuminating the living being with infrared laser light, thereby heating the living being. Thus, heating radiation is used, which has a high collimation and which can be focused relatively easily. The heating can therefore be confined to a certain region, in which the living being is located. The heating can even be confined to the living being or to parts of the living being only. This more focused heating allows for a reduction of the energy consumption.