US5400963A — Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle air …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: the first step of obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures necessary for maintaining a passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature; the second step of calculating comfort indices each representing a comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures obtained in the first step; and the third step of searching a combination of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature, which can provide a comfort index closest to an optimal value of the comfort indices calculated in the second step.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: the first step of obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures necessary for maintaining a passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature; the second step of calculating comfort indices each representing a comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures obtained in the first step; and the third step of searching a combination of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature, which can provide a comfort index closest to an optimal value of the comfort indices calculated in the second step.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method according to claim 1, wherein the comfort index is calculated based on at least the outlet air flow rate, the outlet air temperature, the passenger room temperature, and an atmospheric temperature.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method according to claim 2, wherein the comfort index is calculated as a total sum of products obtained by multiplying at least the outlet air flow rate, the outlet air temperature, the passenger room temperature, and the atmospheric temperature with predetermined constants, and the constants are set on the basis of signs of heat loads generated in the passenger room.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method according to claim 3, wherein the constants are set on the basis of a selected outlet mode of air-conditioning air output into the passenger room.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method according to claim 1, further comprising: the fourth step of executing air-conditioning control so that the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature searched in the third step are realized.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method according to claim 1, further comprising: the fourth step of changing the target temperature when the comfort index calculated based on the combination of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature searched in the third step is a numerical value falling within a range that is not preferable for comfort of the passenger.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method according to claim 6, wherein the first to fourth steps are repeated until the comfort index becomes a numerical value falling within a range that is preferable for the comfort of the passenger.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method according to claim 6, wherein the fourth step is executed in a stable period wherein a control state of the air-conditioning control is stabilized.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method according to claim 6, further comprising: the fifth step of changing the outlet mode of air-conditioning air when the comfort index preferable for the comfort of the passenger cannot be obtained by only changing the target temperature in the fourth step.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 186 words

A method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: the first step of predicting an optimal target temperature with reference to a comfort index having, as parameters, factors which influence comfort felt by a passenger in the passenger room, and on the basis of a comfort index obtained under an assumption that a control state of air-conditioning control is in a stable period, and a heat balance equation; the second step of selecting an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature on the basis of the target temperature predicted in the first step and a comfort index having, as parameters, factors which influence comfort actually felt by the passenger in the passenger room; and the third step of executing the air-conditioning control on the basis of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature selected in the second step.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 186 words

A method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: the first step of predicting an optimal target temperature with reference to a comfort index having, as parameters, factors which influence comfort felt by a passenger in the passenger room, and on the basis of a comfort index obtained under an assumption that a control state of air-conditioning control is in a stable period, and a heat balance equation; the second step of selecting an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature on the basis of the target temperature predicted in the first step and a comfort index having, as parameters, factors which influence comfort actually felt by the passenger in the passenger room; and the third step of executing the air-conditioning control on the basis of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature selected in the second step.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method according to claim 10, wherein the first step includes the step of predicting an optimal outlet mode with reference to the comfort index, and the third step includes the step of executing the air-conditioning control on the basis of the outlet mode predicted in the first step as well as the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 185 words

An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: first calculation means for obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures necessary for maintaining a passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature; second calculation means for calculating comfort indices each representing a comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures obtained by said first calculation means; and search means for searching a combination of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature, which can provide a comfort index closest to an optimal value of the comfort indices calculated by said second calculation means.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 185 words

An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which controls an outlet air flow rate and an outlet air temperature of air-conditioning air while balancing between a heat amount supplied from an air conditioner for adjusting the air-conditioning air into a passenger room, and a heat load acting on a vehicle, comprising: first calculation means for obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures necessary for maintaining a passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature; second calculation means for calculating comfort indices each representing a comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates and the outlet air temperatures obtained by said first calculation means; and search means for searching a combination of the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature, which can provide a comfort index closest to an optimal value of the comfort indices calculated by said second calculation means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second calculation means calculates the comfort index on the basis of at least the outlet air flow rate, the outlet air temperature, the passenger room temperature, and an atmospheric temperature.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said second calculation means calculates the comfort index as a total sum of products obtained by multiplying at least the outlet air flow rate, the outlet air temperature, the passenger room temperature, and the atmospheric temperature with predetermined constants which are set on the basis of signs of heat loads generated in the passenger room.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 65 words

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said second calculation means calculates the comfort index as a total sum of products obtained by multiplying at least the outlet air flow rate, the outlet air temperature, the passenger room temperature, and the atmospheric temperature with predetermined constants which are set on the basis of a selected outlet mode of air-conditioning air output into the passenger room.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: control means for executing air-conditioning control so that the outlet air flow rate and the outlet air temperature searched by said search means are realized.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-03-27	1998-09-26	1999-03-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-03-27	2002-09-26	2003-03-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-03-27	2006-09-26	2007-03-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle air conditioner

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