FR2771053A1 - Operational control of automobile's air-conditioning/ventilation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle system controller (1) is based on a microprocessor (3) provided with memory (4) and a user interface (5). The latter employs e.g. a knob (6), rotatable on an arbitrarily graduated scale, by which the user varies the system operational settings. A rectangular pictogram on the interface clarifies these functions for the user. The vehicle system controller (1) is based on a microprocessor (3) with memory (4) and a user interface (5). The latter employs e.g. a knob (6), rotatable on an arbitrarily graduated scale, by which the user varies the system operational settings. Ideal conditions in the passenger compartment may vary from one user to the next, or, according to the physical state, at the time, of the same user. On a scale of 10, the user may select e.g. 5 as indicating satisfaction with the conditions; lower settings correspond to too cold and higher to too warm conditions, which the controller will correct, the more urgently as the set position approaches the extreme values 0 or 10. A rectangular pictogram on the interface opt. clarifies these functions for the user.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for controlling the operation of a ventilation / air conditioning system of a motor vehicle.

 There were already in the prior art, a number of control devices of this type which include a central unit for processing information controlling the operation of the ventilation / air conditioning system, connected to an input interface d information by a user.

 This type of device is generally used to control the operation of ventilation / air conditioning systems operating in automatic mode and which regulate the temperature, the flow and the distribution of air in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

 These ventilation / air conditioning systems are the most advanced systems.

 In fact, other known ventilation / air conditioning systems operate without any regulation or only by regulating the temperature of the air introduced into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

 In general, for these ventilation / air conditioning systems, there exists in the prior art only a single type of interface for inputting information by a user.

 This interface in fact comprises means allowing a user to manually program a desired temperature setpoint in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, which allows the control device to regulate the operation of the ventilation / air conditioning system to control the temperature in the passenger compartment at this set temperature.

 It is understood, however, that these devices have a certain number of drawbacks, since they in fact operate in frozen mode from a set temperature established by the user independently of any other consideration.

 In fact, in a ventilation / air conditioning system operating in automatic mode, when the user has entered the desired setpoint temperature in the vehicle interior, the control device compares this setpoint temperature with the ambient temperature in the passenger compartment, measured for example using a probe placed therein, to control and regulate the ventilation / air conditioning system in order to bring the temperature in the passenger compartment of the vehicle as quickly as possible to the temperature setpoint.

 If the temperature difference between the temperature in the vehicle interior and the set temperature is very large, for example greater than 10-C, the control device then places the vehicle's ventilation / air conditioning system in the flow position. very cold air and it is understandable that this can be inconvenient for the user or users on board the vehicle.

 The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for controlling the operation of a ventilation / air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a unit for processing information for controlling the operation of the ventilation / air conditioning system. , connected to an information input interface by a user, characterized in that the input interface further comprises information input means of sensation of thermal comfort perceived by the user.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which
- Fig.l shows a block diagram illustrating the structure of a control device according to the invention; and
- Fig.2 illustrates an embodiment of graduated means for inputting sensation information, forming part of a device according to the invention.

 We recognize in fact in Figure 1, a device for controlling the operation of a ventilation / air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, this system being designated by the general reference 1 and having any conventional structure.

 Such a device generally comprises a central information processing unit designated by the general reference 2, comprising for example any suitable microprocessor assembly 3, associated with data storage means designated by the general reference 4.

 In addition, this information processing unit is connected to an information input interface by a user designated by the general reference 5.

 According to the invention, the input interface 5 further comprises means for inputting information of sensation of thermal comfort perceived by the user, these means being designated by the general reference 6.

 In fact, and as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, these input means 6 comprise graduated means for inputting the sensation of temperature into the passenger compartment of the vehicle, these means making it possible to define a concept of thermal comfort perceived by the user in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

 In absolute terms, such a notion of thermal comfort in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is a subjective notion, the definition of which may vary from one user to another.

 This concept is based on the concept of comfort inside the passenger compartment.

 Indeed, in the same temperature and humidity configuration of the air in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, two users can have completely different sensations.

 Thus, for example, this perception obviously depends on the clothes worn by the users, but also on their physical state, a tired user being more sensitive to cold than a user coming from practicing a sporting activity.

 Thus, in the device according to the invention, the input means 6 make it possible to arbitrarily define comfort parameters which can for example be graduated from 0 to 10 and the meaning of which is for parameter 5, a sensation for example of temperature comfort, for parameters between 0 and 4, an impression of cold in the passenger compartment, which then induces control commands for the ventilation / air conditioning system allowing the passenger compartment to be warmed up and for parameters between 6 and 10, an impression of warmth in the passenger compartment, which then induces control orders of the ventilation / air conditioning system making it possible to cool the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

 It is then possible to provide the user with a graduated human-machine interface as a function of this notion of thermal comfort and allowing the latter to enter comfort perception information by means of means suitable may have any shape, and comprising for example a control member consisting of a rotary wheel designated by the general reference 7 in Figure 2, movable in front of a graduated scale 8 of thermal comfort.

 It goes without saying of course that other means can be considered.

 It can therefore be seen that, depending on the feeling of thermal comfort perceived by the user, he can move this wheel 7 to one or other of the positions of the scale 8 graduated from 0 to 10, to control the operation. ventilation / air conditioning system.

 If the user places this wheel on parameter 5 of the scale, it indicates to the system that the settings of the various system setpoints are satisfactory.

 On the other hand, if he places this wheel next to parameters 0 to 4, he reports his dissatisfaction by indicating a feeling of cold in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, which results in a control of the ventilation / air conditioning system allowing introduce warmer air into the passenger compartment and an air distribution and flow rate more suited to this situation.

 Otherwise, and when the user places the thumbwheel next to parameters 6 to 10, he reports his dissatisfaction by indicating a feeling of heat in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, to cause the air conditioning system to introduce heat. colder air in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in order to reduce the temperature inside it.

 It will also be noted that the closer the selected parameter is to O or 10, the greater the modifications to the initial setting of the system.

 It goes without saying of course that other embodiments of these means can be envisaged.

 A pictogram 9 illustrating this information entry scale can also be associated with these means.

 It can therefore be seen that this structure makes it possible to integrate into the control of vehicle ventilation / air conditioning systems, a subjective notion of thermal comfort allowing users to control the operation of these systems according to the sensations perceived.

Claims (4)

 1. Device for controlling the operation of a ventilation / air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, of the type comprising an information processing unit (2) for controlling the operation of the ventilation / air conditioning system (1), connected to an interface (5) for inputting information by a user, characterized in that the input interface (5) further comprises means (6) for inputting information of sensation of thermal comfort perceived by the 'user.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the input means (6) comprise graduated means (7,8) for inputting information of sensation of comfort temperature, of temperature too low or of temperature too high in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the input means comprise a control member (7) moved by the user in front of a graduated scale of feeling of thermal comfort (8).  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that a pictogram (9) illustrating this scale is associated with these information input means.