Patent ID: 7743614

Claim:
A heating and cooling system for a vehicle, the heating and cooling system comprising: a first circuit having a first pump for circulating a first medium therethrough; a second circuit having a second pump for circulating a second medium therethrough; a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first medium; a second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the second medium; and a thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger, whereby the second surface is performing one of heating and cooling the second medium; wherein the system is configured to heat a passenger compartment of the vehicle when a heating mode is selected; wherein current flows in a first direction through the thermoelectric module such that the first surface cools the first heat exchanger and the second surface heats the second heat exchanger when the heating mode is selected; wherein the system is further configured to cool the passenger compartment of the vehicle when a cooling mode is selected; and wherein current flows in a second direction through the thermoelectric module such that the first surface warms the first heat exchanger and the second surface cools the second heat exchanger when the cooling mode is selected.