Patent ID: 9156330
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: B60H,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling a vehicle cabin heating system comprising: setting a target temperature for a vehicle cabin interior space; providing a first infrared heater within the vehicle cabin interior space aimed at a target surface within the vehicle cabin interior space; measuring current temperature within the vehicle cabin interior space with a temperature sensor disposed on a grill on a dashboard within the vehicle cabin interior space, the grill and the temperature sensor being in front of the first infrared heater, the temperature sensor being located directly between the first infrared heater and the target surface to detect the current temperature in front of the first infrared heater, the temperature sensor being at a location spaced apart from the first infrared heater and spaced apart from the target surface, and being closer to the first infrared heater than to the target surface; estimating a surface temperature of the target surface based on the measuring of the current temperature; and controlling the first infrared heater such that the heater is turned on in response to the estimating of the surface temperature determining that an estimated surface temperature of the target surface has fallen below the target temperature by a predetermined amount, and the heater is turned off in response to the estimating of the surface temperature determining that the estimated surface temperature has risen above the target temperature by the predetermined amount.