Vehicle Air Conditioning Control Using Thermal Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle air conditioning systems fail to individually tailor the thermal comfort for each passenger, leading to dissatisfaction due to personal preferences and varying driving environments, as they collectively control the vehicle's temperature without considering individual thermal comfort.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that use thermal imaging and deep neural networks to acquire and analyze skin temperature features, along with vehicle information, to dynamically control air conditioning for each passenger by adjusting wind direction and volume, ensuring personalized thermal comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If collective air conditioning control is used for all passengers, then the system complexity is reduced and control is simplified, but individual thermal comfort satisfaction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air conditioning control system into multiple independent control zones, one for each passenger seat. Each zone has its own temperature control capabilities, allowing individual thermal comfort adjustment while using a unified control architecture. This resolves the contradiction by dividing the system functionally without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by allowing each passenger to independently adjust their local thermal environment through seat-integrated controls, while the overall system maintains centralized management. This enables individual adaptation without increasing overall system complexity, as each local controller operates within predefined parameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual air conditioning control for each passenger is implemented, then individual thermal comfort satisfaction is improved, but the device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual seat control functions with the centralized air conditioning system. Each passenger's thermal comfort preferences are integrated into the overall system control algorithm, which coordinates all zones to achieve individual satisfaction while optimizing overall energy efficiency. This combining approach avoids the complexity of completely independent control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal control system that can operate in multiple modes: centralized collective control, individual independent control, and hybrid coordinated control. This multi-functionality allows the system to adapt to different usage scenarios without requiring separate specialized systems, thereby managing complexity while providing individual adaptation.
3Measurement precision
If thermal imaging and deep neural networks are used to analyze skin temperature features, then measurement precision of thermal comfort is improved, but the use of energy and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using thermal imaging only for critical thermal comfort assessments rather than continuous monitoring. The deep neural network processes thermal data at strategically selected intervals and only when thermal comfort deviations are detected, reducing overall computational energy consumption while maintaining high measurement precision when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses passive thermal imaging that captures thermal radiation naturally emitted by passengers without requiring active heating or cooling during measurement. The deep neural network automatically processes the captured thermal data to determine comfort levels, eliminating the need for additional active sensing energy and making the measurement process self-sufficient.
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 allows for precise control of air conditioning to meet individual thermal comfort needs, reducing discomfort from excessive or insufficient cooling/heating and improving passenger satisfaction by reflecting personal and environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a skin temperature of a distal part of a human body by using a thermal sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a vehicle air conditioning control method which operates a vehicle air conditioning control apparatus by executing an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and/or a machine learning algorithm in a 5G environment connected for Internet of Things. The vehicle air conditioning control method includes acquiring a thermal image in a vehicle using an image sensor, acquiring thermal comfort information of each passenger in the vehicle using the thermal image, and controlling air conditioning of the vehicle based on the thermal comfort information of each passenger.