Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner controls the air-conditioning automatically based on a control characteristic. The control characteristic, such as a blower voltage calculation map, is selected from plural control characteristics, or obtained by a calculation based on the personal information of the passenger or the manual operation for the air conditioner by the passenger. The control characteristic is selected or calculated as the one which is supposed to be suitable for the passenger's preference. The control characteristic can be used as a basis, or a specific characteristic for learning the passenger's preference after the control characteristic is determined.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with an automatic air-conditioning control, when a change operation of a set temperature is not performed by a passenger while air conditioning control is performed based on the set temperature in one region of environment condition, it is determined that the one region is a region corresponding to a passenger's preference. Accordingly, even if the change operation of the set temperature is not performed, when the region is stored once for the air conditioning control, the region is used as a learned region. Further, when the change operation of the set temperature is performed in an another region, a correction of the set temperature of the learned region is restricted. Thus, it can restrict the set temperature of a region, which is satisfied by the passenger from being changed.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has a standby RAM having a map memorizing many regions of, for example, preset temperature, each of which is determined by environmental conditions such as the inside/outside air temperatures and the sunlight amount. The air conditioner automatically controls the air conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle based on the information stored in the region of the map determined by the environmental conditions that is regarded as a control preset temperature used for calculating a target blowing temperature in a control flow repeating cyclically. When the preset temperatures read at the previous cycle and the current cycle are different from each other, the control preset temperature is regarded as the preset temperature which changes gradually from the previous one to the current one, whereby the temperature of air blown into the passenger compartment gradually changes.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with an automatic control having a learning function of manual operation, when a passenger manually sets an air blowing amount in the automatic control, it is determined whether or not an air blowing amount after the manual operation is in a readily sensible area. When a change of the air amount due to the manual operation is in the readily sensible area, a reflecting degree of the manual operation reflected in an air amount control pattern is increased. For example, 100% of the manual operation is reflected in the air amount control pattern in the readily sensible area, while about tens % of manual operations is generally reflected in the air amount control pattern totally.

Abstract: The air conditioner includes a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a clothes portion of a passenger. In the air conditioner, a thermal-feeling estimation value for the passenger is calculated based on the surface temperature of the clothes portion of the passenger, and air-conditioning operation of a passenger compartment is controlled based on the thermal-feeling estimation value. Accordingly, in the air conditioner, the thermal feeling can be always accurately estimated, and comfortable air-conditioning control can be performed using the thermal-feeling estimation value.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, when a passenger manually reduces an air blowing amount in a large blowing amount area of automatic control, a correction of the blower voltage control characteristic is changed in accordance with a condition capable of determining a passenger's request. For example, as the condition, at least one of a target blowing temperature of air blown into a passenger compartment and a passed time after start of the automatic control can be used. Therefore, the corrected blower voltage control characteristic after the manual operation can be made suitable for the passenger's preference.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with an automatic air-conditioning control, when a change operation of a set temperature is not performed by a passenger while air conditioning control is performed based on the set temperature in one region of environment condition, it is determined that the one region is a region corresponding to a passenger's preference. Accordingly, even if the change operation of the set temperature is not performed, when the region is stored once for the air conditioning control, the region is used as a learned region. Further, when the change operation of the set temperature is performed in an another region, a correction of the set temperature of the learned region is restricted. Thus, it can restrict the set temperature of a region, which is satisfied by the passenger from being changed.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner controls the air-conditioning automatically based on a control characteristic. The control characteristic, such as a blower voltage calculation map, is selected from plural control characteristics, or obtained by a calculation based on the personal information of the passenger or the manual operation for the air conditioner by the passenger. The control characteristic is selected or calculated as the one which is supposed to be suitable for the passenger's preference. The control characteristic can be used as a basis, or a specific characteristic for learning the passenger's preference after the control characteristic is determined.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner, when a passenger manually reduces an air blowing amount in a large blowing amount area of automatic control, a correction of the blower voltage control characteristic is changed in accordance with a condition capable of determining a passenger's request. For example, as the condition, at least one of a target blowing temperature of air blown into a passenger compartment and a passed time after start of the automatic control can be used. Therefore, the corrected blower voltage control characteristic after the manual operation can be made suitable for the passenger's preference.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioning system, a non-contact temperature sensor having plural temperature detecting elements is disposed to detect a predetermined region within a passenger compartment. The plural temperature detecting elements are constructed by plural first elements each of which has a smaller temperature detecting area in the predetermined region, and plural second elements each of which has a larger temperature detecting area in the predetermined region. The non-contact temperature sensor detects an area, where a detail temperature-distribution information is necessary, using the first elements, and detects an area, where the detail temperature-distribution information is unnecessary, using the second elements.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioner with an automatic control having a learning function of manual operation, when a passenger manually sets an air blowing amount in the automatic control, it is determined whether or not an air blowing amount after the manual operation is in a readily sensible area. When a change of the air amount due to the manual operation is in the readily sensible area, a reflecting degree of the manual operation reflected in an air amount control pattern is increased. For example, 100% of the manual operation is reflected in the air amount control pattern in the readily sensible area, while about tens % of manual operations is generally reflected in the air amount control pattern totally.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner has a standby RAM having a map memorizing many regions of, for example, preset temperature, each of which is determined by environmental conditions such as the inside/outside air temperatures and the sunlight amount. The air conditioner automatically controls the air conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle based on the information stored in the region of the map determined by the environmental conditions that is regarded as a control preset temperature used for calculating a target blowing temperature in a control flow repeating cyclically. When the preset temperatures read at the previous cycle and the current cycle are different from each other, the control preset temperature is regarded as the preset temperature which changes gradually from the previous one to the current one, whereby the temperature of air blown into the passenger compartment gradually changes.

Abstract: In a control system of a vehicle air conditioner, when a temperature difference between a previous target air temperature at the previous manual operation and a present target air temperature at the present manual operation is smaller than a predetermined value, that is, when it is estimated that a passenger's desired air amount is not set by the previous manual operation, a blower voltage control characteristic for controlling an air amount of a blower is corrected so that a set value at the previous manual operation is not affected to the present learning. Accordingly, it can prevent air-conditioning feeling from being deteriorated due to mis-learning.

Abstract: The air conditioner includes a surface temperature sensor for detecting a surface temperature of a clothes portion of a passenger. In the air conditioner, a thermal-feeling estimation value for the passenger is calculated based on the surface temperature of the clothes portion of the passenger, and air-conditioning operation of a passenger compartment is controlled based on the thermal-feeling estimation value. Accordingly, in the air conditioner, the thermal feeling can be always accurately estimated, and comfortable air-conditioning control can be performed using the thermal-feeling estimation value.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes an air conditioning unit where temperature adjustments of both right and left-seat side air-conditioning zones are independently performed. In the vehicle air conditioner, a swing range of right-seat side center louvers provided in a right center face air outlet is restricted from a front right-seat direction to a rear left-seat direction, and a swing range of left-seat side center louvers provided in a left center face air outlet is restricted from a front left-seat direction to a rear right-seat direction. Thus, right-left independent temperature control can be accurately performed in the vehicle air conditioner.

Abstract: In a control system of a vehicle air conditioner, when a temperature difference between a previous target air temperature at the previous manual operation and a present target air temperature at the present manual operation is smaller than a predetermined value, that is, when it is estimated that a passenger's desired air amount is not set by the previous manual operation, a blower voltage control characteristic for controlling an air amount of a blower is corrected so that a set value at the previous manual operation is not affected to the present learning. Accordingly, it can prevent air-conditioning feeling from being deteriorated due to mis-learning.

Abstract: In a vehicle air conditioning system, a non-contact temperature sensor having plural temperature detecting elements is disposed to detect a predetermined region within a passenger compartment. The plural temperature detecting elements are constructed by plural first elements each of which has a smaller temperature detecting area in the predetermined region, and plural second elements each of which has a larger temperature detecting area in the predetermined region. The non-contact temperature sensor detects an area, where a detail temperature-distribution information is necessary, using the first elements, and detects an area, where the detail temperature-distribution information is unnecessary, using the second elements.

Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle which accurately estimates a thermal load to enhance inside temperature controllability. The air conditioner comprises a first surface temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an internal surface region of a vehicle compartment which varies with a temperature of an external surface of a vehicle, and a second surface temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of a surface region which varies with an intensity of solar radiation intruding into the vehicle compartment. A target blowout air temperature is calculated using input signals including surface temperature signals detected by these sensors. Thus, intrusion heat (thermal load) due to a difference between an inside air temperature and a compartment internal surface temperature can be directly estimated to enable accurate thermal load calculation.