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US5291748A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Air condition control apparatus

Assignee: Toyota Central R&D Labs Inc
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Filing: 1992-10-16
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Granted: 1994-03-08
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Expires: 2012-10-16
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Abstract

Abstract An air condition control apparatus includes: a thermal sensation estimating device for estimating an actual thermal sensation on the basis of the history of a thermal sensation information in a predetermined period output from an indirect thermal sensation information detecting device for detecting information relating to a thermal sensation in the vicinity of a human in a room; a control pattern storage device for storing a predetermined thermal sensation control pattern for achieving a target thermal sensation; a control value determining device for determining control values of air to be supplied into the room so that the thermal sensation output from the thermal sensation estimating device coincides with the stored thermal sensation control pattern; an air condition control device for controlling the temperature of the air to be supplied into the room, on the basis of the control value output from the control value determining device; and an air blower for supplying the temperature-controlled air into the room in accordance with the control value determined by the control value determining device. The apparatus adequately controls the air conditioning irrespective of the position and direction of an occupant's face.

Inventors

  • 👤 Matsuei Ueda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 11:23
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00642; B60H1/00735; B60H1/00742; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1917; G05D23/20

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 182 words
An air condition control apparatus comprising: indirect thermal sensation information detecting means for detecting information relating to a thermal sensation in the vicinity of an occupant in a room; thermal sensation estimating means for estimating an actual thermal sensation on a basis of the history of a thermal sensation information in a predetermined period, said thermal sensation information being output from said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; control pattern storage means for storing a predetermined thermal sensation control pattern for achieving a target thermal sensation; control value determining means for determining control values of air to be supplied into said room so that a thermal sensation output from said thermal sensation estimating means coincides with a thermal sensation control pattern stored in said storage means; air condition control means for controlling a temperature of said air to be supplied into said room, on a basis of said control value output from said control value determining means; and an air blower for supplying said temperature-controlled air into said room in accordance with said control value determined by said control value determining means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 182 words
An air condition control apparatus comprising: indirect thermal sensation information detecting means for detecting information relating to a thermal sensation in the vicinity of an occupant in a room; thermal sensation estimating means for estimating an actual thermal sensation on a basis of the history of a thermal sensation information in a predetermined period, said thermal sensation information being output from said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; control pattern storage means for storing a predetermined thermal sensation control pattern for achieving a target thermal sensation; control value determining means for determining control values of air to be supplied into said room so that a thermal sensation output from said thermal sensation estimating means coincides with a thermal sensation control pattern stored in said storage means; air condition control means for controlling a temperature of said air to be supplied into said room, on a basis of said control value output from said control value determining means; and an air blower for supplying said temperature-controlled air into said room in accordance with said control value determined by said control value determining means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means includes a neural network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 121 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting environment information; thermal sensation storage means for storing thermal sensation previously estimated in said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; and translation table storage means for storing a translation table for estimating the thermal sensation of said occupant, said translation table storage means being connected to said thermal sensation storage means, wherein: said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means estimates a change of thermal sensation information on a basis of initial thermal sensation information output from said thermal sensation storage means and said environment information output from said sensors and applies said change of thermal sensation information into said thermal sensation estimating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sensors detect a temperature, humidity, wind velocity and volume of solar radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 34 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: environment information calculating means for converting said environment information detected by said sensors into environment information in the vicinity of said occupant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 52 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: direct thermal sensation information detecting means for detecting information relating to an actual thermal sensation of said occupant in a room, said direct thermal sensation information detecting means outputting said actual thermal sensation information to said thermal sensation estimating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 97 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting environment information; thermal sensation storage means for storing thermal sensation previously estimated in said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; and translation table storage means for storing a translation table for estimating the thermal sensation of said occupant, said translation table storage means being connected to said thermal sensation storage means, wherein: said thermal sensation storage means stores a skin temperature, and said translation table storage means stores a translation table for estimating a skin temperature of said occupant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 39 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said translation table storage means stores a translation table for converting a thermal sensation information output from a thermal sensation button into a skin temperature of said occupant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 38 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said translation table storage means stores a translation table for estimating a skin temperature of said occupant from an exterior temperature and a volume of solar radiation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 176 words
An air condition control apparatus comprising: indirect thermal sensation information detecting means for detecting information relating to a thermal sensation in vicinity of an occupant in a room; thermal sensation estimating means for estimating an actual thermal sensation on a basis of the history of a thermal sensation information in a predetermined period, said thermal sensation information being output from said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; target thermal sensation setting means for setting a target thermal sensation; control value determining means for determining control values of air to be supplied into said room so that a thermal sensation output from said thermal sensation estimating means coincides with said target thermal sensation set in said target thermal sensation setting means; air condition control means for controlling a temperature of said air to be supplied into said room, on a basis of said control value output from said control value determining means; and an air blower for supplying said temperature-controlled air into said room in accordance with said control value determined by said control value determining means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 176 words
An air condition control apparatus comprising: indirect thermal sensation information detecting means for detecting information relating to a thermal sensation in vicinity of an occupant in a room; thermal sensation estimating means for estimating an actual thermal sensation on a basis of the history of a thermal sensation information in a predetermined period, said thermal sensation information being output from said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; target thermal sensation setting means for setting a target thermal sensation; control value determining means for determining control values of air to be supplied into said room so that a thermal sensation output from said thermal sensation estimating means coincides with said target thermal sensation set in said target thermal sensation setting means; air condition control means for controlling a temperature of said air to be supplied into said room, on a basis of said control value output from said control value determining means; and an air blower for supplying said temperature-controlled air into said room in accordance with said control value determined by said control value determining means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 121 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting environment information; thermal sensation storage means for storing thermal sensation previously estimated in said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; and translation table storage means for storing a translation table for estimating the thermal sensation of said occupant, said translation table storage means being connected to said thermal sensation storage means, wherein: said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means estimates a change of thermal sensation information on a basis of initial thermal sensation information output from said thermal sensation storage means and said environment information output from said sensors and applies said change of thermal sensation information into said thermal sensation estimating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 97 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting environment information; thermal sensation storage means for storing thermal sensation previously estimated in said indirect thermal sensation information detecting means; and translation table storage means for storing a translation table for estimating the thermal sensation of said occupant, said translation table storage means being connected to said thermal sensation storage means, wherein: said thermal sensation storage means stores a skin temperature, and said translation table storage means stores a translation table for estimating a skin temperature of said occupant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 34 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: environment information calculating means for converting said environment information detected by said sensors into environment information in the vicinity of said occupant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 38 words
An air condition control apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said translation table storage means stores a translation table for estimating a skin temperature of said occupant from an exterior temperature and a volume of solar radiation.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH01229713A Cited
US5172856A Cited
JPH0486441A Cited
US5187943A Cited
US5145112A Cited
JPH04158140A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-03-07 1997-09-06 1998-03-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-03-07 2001-09-06 2002-03-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-03-07 2005-09-06 2006-03-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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