Steerable HVAC Outlet with Infrared Occupant Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional automotive HVAC systems require user intervention to optimize comfort and efficiency, leading to increased energy consumption and noise, as they indirectly control skin temperature and lack accurate directional adjustment of air flow.

Innovation Solution

The use of thermographic image processing to identify occupants' skin surfaces and direct steerable air outlets, which are electronically controlled to focus airflow based on detected seat occupancy and thermal conditions, optimizing air stream direction and flow rate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional HVAC systems provide direct control of heating/cooling intensity and blower speed, then user comfort control is improved, but energy consumption increases and system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfort controlVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses infrared sensors to automatically detect occupant skin temperature and HVAC control algorithms to autonomously adjust heating/cooling intensity and blower speed, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring and adjustment while optimizing energy consumption based on actual thermal needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If users turn control knobs to maximum output to ensure comfort, then thermal comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases and blower fan noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal comfortVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements closed-loop feedback control using infrared sensors to continuously monitor occupant skin temperature and automatically adjusts HVAC output and blower speed to maintain comfort at minimum necessary levels, preventing excessive energy consumption and noise

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes operating parameters (heating/cooling intensity, blower speed) based on real-time infrared temperature measurements, transitioning from fixed maximum output to adaptive parameter adjustment that maintains comfort while minimizing energy loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If HVAC systems indirectly control skin temperature through ambient temperature control, then system simplicity is maintained, but comfort accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidskin temperature control accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces indirect mechanical temperature control with direct optical measurement using infrared sensors to detect skin temperature, enabling precise comfort control while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through non-contact sensing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Use of energy by moving object

If automated seat occupancy detection is used to adjust air flow pattern, then energy consumption is reduced, but directional accuracy of air flow adjustment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidair flow directional accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces simple occupancy-based air flow control with infrared thermal imaging to detect and track precise skin target locations, enabling accurate directional air flow adjustment that targets specific body areas while maintaining energy efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different air flow characteristics to different locations by targeting specific skin areas detected through infrared imaging, directing treated air precisely where needed rather than using uniform air distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enhances passenger comfort by directly targeting skin surfaces with treated air, reducing energy consumption and noise, while improving the accuracy of air flow adjustment across various thermal conditions.

Implementation Method 1

A thermographic imager is configured to capture thermographic images

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared radiation: Infrared Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS10369865B2Directional climate control system with infrared targeting

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system has a steerable outlet for directing a stream of treated air into a passenger compartment of a vehicle. A thermographic imager is configured to capture thermographic images covering a fixed region within the passenger compartment in which an occupant is potentially located. The HVAC control circuit is configured to a) compress a thermographic image to a temperature map representing pixels of the thermographic image falling within a predetermined temperature range corresponding to the occupant, b) filter the temperature map according to a sliding window to coalesce continuous regions of pixels on average falling within the predetermined temperature range, c) quantify an area for each continuous region, d) locate a centroid of a continuous region having a largest area, and e) aim the steerable outlet toward the centroid.