Patent ID: 12194816

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the air flow control system and related climate control method for an autonomous vehicle, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to the drawing figures which illustrate the new and improved air flow control system10. That air flow control system10is useful in substantially any type of motor vehicle adapted for hauling passengers and is particularly adapted for use in an autonomous vehicle configured to function as a ride share vehicle. Such an autonomous vehicle may be hailed by a potential passenger at any time. After receiving such a hail the autonomous vehicle will pick up the passenger and take the passenger to the desired destination.

As schematically illustrated inFIGS.1,2aand2b, the air flow control system10includes a plenum12having an air inlet14for receiving conditioned air from the climate control system of the motor vehicle, a first air outlet16, a second air outlet18, and a third air outlet20. In the illustrated embodiment, the air inlet14is opposed to the first air outlet16and the second air outlet18is opposed to the third air outlet20.

More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment the air inlet14and the first air outlet16are aligned on a first axis A1while the second air outlet18and the third air outlet20are aligned on a second axis A2wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis. Still more specifically, the first axis A1is generally in the vertical or along the Z axis of the autonomous vehicle while the second axis A2is generally aligned with the lateral or Y axis of the autonomous vehicle as per the SAE vehicle axis system.

The air flow control system10also includes a vent door22and an actuator24for displacing the vent door between a first position, closing the first air outlet16, and a second position opening the first air outlet. The actuator24may comprise any type of actuator suited for displacing the vent door22between the first and second positions that close and open the first air outlet16.

The air flow control system10also includes a controller26adapted to control the operation of the actuator24to selectively displace the vent door22between the first position and the second position. The controller26may comprise a computing device such as a dedicated microprocessor or an electronic control unit (ECU) operating in accordance with instructions from appropriate control software. Thus, the controller26may comprise one or more processors, one or more memories and one or more network interfaces all in communication with each other over a communication bus.

The air flow control system10may also include various devices that provide data to the controller26respecting various environmental conditions and operating parameters associated with the air flow control system10and the autonomous vehicle. Those various devices may include, but are not necessarily limited to those illustrated inFIG.1including a GPS/GeoLocator component28, an occupancy monitoring device30, a passenger cabin air temperature monitoring device32and an ambient air temperature monitoring device34.

More specifically, the GPS/GeoLocator component28may be of a type known in the art for determining the current position of the autonomous vehicle. The occupancy monitoring device30may comprise a weight sensor at each seating position in the autonomous vehicle, a camera or any other device that may function to monitor the occupancy of the passenger cabin of the autonomous vehicle.

The passenger cabin air temperature monitoring device32may comprise any device capable of monitoring the air temperature within the passenger cabin. The ambient air temperature monitoring device34may comprise any device capable of monitoring the ambient air temperature of the environment in which the autonomous vehicle is operating. The GPS/GeoLocator component28, the occupancy monitoring device30, the passenger cabin air temperature monitoring device32, the ambient air temperature monitoring device34and substantially any other monitoring device suited for providing appropriate operating data or information to the air flow control system10are all connected to provide data signals to the controller26.

In one of many possible embodiments, the controller26is adapted to control operation of the actuator24and displace the vent door22to the second position in response to (a) a first signal from the passenger cabin occupancy monitoring device30indicating an unoccupied passenger cabin, (b) the receipt of a hail from a potential passenger requesting a ride in the autonomous vehicle to a particular location and communicated to the controller via a wireless communication network and (c) a second signal from the temperature monitoring device32indicating a need for maximum heating or cooling to bring the air temperature within the passenger cabin within a predetermined comfort temperature range before picking up the passenger in response to the hail.

Toward this end, the controller26will use data from the GPS/GeoLocator component28indicating the current position of the autonomous vehicle and the given location where the autonomous vehicle will pick up the passenger in response to the hail, as well as current traffic conditions and current weather conditions obtained by wireless communication from appropriate information networks and street information from travel databases to determine an estimated time by which the autonomous vehicle will pick up the passenger in response to the hail. This establishes the controller estimated amount of time the air flow control system10has available to bring the air temperature of the passenger cabin of the autonomous vehicle within a predetermined comfort temperature range before picking up the passenger in response to the hail. In certain situations, maximum heating or cooling will be required to meet this goal.

As best illustrated inFIGS.2a,2b,3aand3b, an air guide36is carried on a first or inner side38of the vent door22. In the illustrated embodiment, the air guide36has a chevron shape. As best illustrated inFIGS.2aand2b, when the vent door22is in the first position closing the first air outlet16of the plenum12, the air guide36directs air from the climate control system passing into the plenum12through the air inlet14toward the second air outlet18and the third air outlet20. More specifically, a first portion of that air AF1is directed by a first face40of the air guide36through the second air outlet18into a first air duct42. At the same time a second portion of the air stream AF2is directed by a second face44through the third air outlet20into a second duct46. The first and second ducts42,46lead downstream to vent registers (not shown) that direct air at particular locations specifically adapted to maintain the comfort of passengers in the motor vehicle. Thus, for example, the vent registers may be directed to passengers at the various seating locations within the motor vehicle. In order to reach those positions, the first duct42and the second duct46are likely to be directed through the A pillars between the windshield and the front side windows of the motor vehicle, along the headliner and/or along the rocker panels at the sides of the motor vehicle beneath the door openings where packaging space functions to constrict the effective cross sectional area of the first and second ducts creating a back pressure in the air flow control system that limits the heating and cooling efficiency.

In contrast, as illustrated inFIGS.3aand3b, when the vent door22is in the second position opening the first air outlet16, a first portion of the air FP passing from the plenum12through the first air outlet16is directed upward from the instrument panel/dashboard50through the air passageway48between the air guide36and the first side38of the vent door. A second portion SP of the air passing from the plenum12through the first air outlet16is directed to a first side of the air passageway48and motor vehicle by the first face40of the air guide36and a third portion TP of the air passing from the plenum through the first air outlet is directed by the second face44of the air guide to a second side of the air passageway in the motor vehicle.

Thus, it should be appreciated that when maximum heating and cooling is desired, the controller26is adapted to displace the vent door22to the second position and thereby deliver the maximum amount of conditioned air through the first air outlet16upwardly from the instrument panel/dashboard50. Toward this end the first air outlet16may have a first cross sectional area CA1while the air inlet14has a second cross sectional area CA2where CA1≥CA2. In this way, the first air outlet16essentially eliminates any back pressure that would otherwise restrict the heating or cooling efficiency of the air flow control system thereby heating or cooling the passenger cabin in the most rapid manner possible without regard to providing heating or cooling directed to the seating position. By bypassing the first duct42and second duct46of the air flow control system fed by the second air outlet18and the third air outlet20, inefficiencies introduced by back pressure inherent in those ducts is advantageously avoided. Thus a maximum heating and cooling rate R1is established and maintained when the autonomous vehicle is free of occupants and a limited amount of time exists to bring the air temperature within the passenger compartment to a predetermined comfort temperature range.

In contrast, once that predetermined comfort temperature range has been established and passengers or occupants are seated in the autonomous vehicle, the controller26is adapted to displace the vent door22to the first position, closing the first air outlet16. In this position, the air guide36directs the air flow from the plenum through the second and third air outlets18,20into the first and second ducts42,46that deliver air to the vent registers (not shown) whereby that air is directed onto the passengers or occupants of the motor vehicle resting in the seating positions. In this way the air flow control system functions to maintain the air temperature in the passenger cabin in the predetermined comfort temperature range desired by the motor vehicle passengers/occupants.

Consistent with the above description, a new and improved climate control method is provided for an autonomous vehicle. That method comprises the steps of: (a) opening, by the controller26, the first air outlet16having a first back pressure P1to provide a first heating or cooling rate R1until the air temperature in the passenger cabin of the autonomous vehicle reaches a predetermined comfort temperature range and (b) closing, by the controller26, the first air outlet and directing air through the at least a second air outlet18(and in the illustrated embodiment a third air outlet20) having a second back pressure P2to provide a second heating or cooling rate R2in response to the air temperature in the passenger cabin reaching the predetermined comfort temperature range where P1<P2and R1>R2.

The climate control method may further include the step of configuring the controller26to open the first air outlet16in response to an unoccupied passenger cabin. Alternatively or in addition, the climate control method may further include the step of configuring the controller26to open the first air outlet16in response to a hail for a ride from a future passenger. Alternatively, or in addition, the climate control method may further include the step of configuring the controller26to open the first air outlet16in response to a need for maximum heating or cooling to bring the air temperature in the passenger cabin to within a predetermined comfort temperature range before picking up a passenger in response to a hail. Thus, the climate control method may include the step of configuring the controller26to open the first air outlet16in response to (a) an unoccupied passenger cabin (as detected by the occupancy monitoring device30), (b) a hail for a ride and (c) a need for maximum heating or cooling to bring an air temperature within the passenger cabin within a predetermined comfort temperature range before picking up a passenger in response to the hail.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while the embodiment of the air flow control system illustrated and described in this document is provided in the instrument panel/dashboard50, it may be provided at other locations such as a console or from part of an auxiliary climate control system. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.