Delco Electronics Corporation

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Ronald D Freiberger

Peter A Thayer

Diane M Wills

Richard D Reprogle

An adaptive electronic climate control (ECC) system for a vehicle that allows adjustments to the temperature setting and blower speed controls of the ECC system to teach the system to automatically be set to the vehicle operator's comfort level. If the vehicle operator adjusts the temperature set point at a particular ambient air temperature, the system will store this change for that ambient air temperature. Once the change has been validated, the next time the system encounters that ambient air temperature, the system will automatically provide the appropriate air mixture as previously set by the vehicle operator. Further, when the vehicle operator adjusts the blower speed, the system will gradually adapt the blower speed to that which is set by the vehicle operator for a particular set of vehicle parameters that affect the climate within the vehicle.

Adaptive climate control system

A climate control system for the interior of a vehicle includes infrared sensing to measure thermal level therein and to provide a signal to the system control for establishing and maintaining the thermal level to a level preset by a vehicle occupant. The viewing field and admissibility of the infra-red sensor determines the composition of the signal by controlling the objects, surfaces, area and radiation included in the field. Appropriate selection of viewing field and admissibility integrates into the signal corrective factors for external climatic conditions and solar re-radiation within the vehicle.

Infra-red comfort sensor

Automatic temperature control system for vehicles commonly utilize vacuum pressure as a power source to perform various functions such as operating the mode damper which routes hot or cold air through either lower or upper outlets. The vacuum pressure is directed to the vacuum motor or actuator to the mode door by a vacuum switch. Normally, the switch is of the type having a stationary ported member and an overlying member which is movable to interconnect the various ports. Undesirable split modes of operation occur because of either improper placement of the rotatable switch member or excessive leakage thereby. Split mode operation may undesirably cause improper allocation of hot and cold air through upper and lower outlets. The subject application provides a vacuum switching device or 'toggle' located between the vacuum switch and the vacuum or actuator motor. It operates in response to vacuum input to modify vacuum pressure so that the signal to the vacuum motor is either low or high, which action eliminates split mode operation caused by more intermediate vacuum pressures.

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Kokomo, IN, United States of America

Ronald D Freiberger