US 12,330,475 B2
Vehicle microclimate personalization based on occupant thermophysiology
Alan Chewter, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Chad Westerman, Milford, MI (US); Tyler Myers, Plymouth, MI (US); Jeremy Swanson, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Jun Yang, Windsor (CA); and Vladimir Jovovic, Pasadena, CA (US)
Assigned to Gentherm Incorporated, Novi, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/792,898
Filed by GENTHERM INCORPORATED, Novi, MI (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/016743
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/158867, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/970,430, filed on Feb. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0063435 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60N 2/56 (2006.01); B62D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00742 (2013.01) [B60N 2/56 (2013.01); B62D 1/065 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of providing thermal conditioning for an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:
determining a respective target temperature for each of a plurality of discrete occupant personalization zones (OPZs), each OPZ associated with a different occupant body area, said determining based on a difference between a first overall thermal sensation (OTS) indicative of a target heat flux for the occupant and a second OTS indicative of an estimated heat flux experienced by the occupant, wherein the respective target temperatures differ between the OPZs, and wherein said determining includes determining a plurality of discrete OTS values, each corresponding to an estimated heat flux in a respective one of the plurality of OPZs, and calculating the second OTS based on the plurality of discrete OTS values;
providing thermal conditioning in each OPZ based on the target temperature for the OPZ, the providing including utilizing at least one thermal effector in the OPZ;
receiving a temperature offset value for a particular plurality of respective ones of the OPZs from the occupant;
adjusting the target temperature for the plurality of respective ones of the OPZs based on the respective temperature offset values; and
for a particular one of the OPZs:
comparing the adjusted target temperature to at least one of a maximum permissible target temperature for the OPZ and a minimum permissible target temperature for the OPZ; and
reducing the temperature offset for the OPZ based on the adjusted target temperature for the OPZ exceeding the maximum permissible target temperature for the OPZ or falling below the minimum permissible target temperature for the OPZ.