Abstract: A method of controlling an occupant microclimate environment includes determining a heat balance on an occupant in a microclimate environment based upon a thermal model of the heat transfer effects on the occupant, estimating an overall thermal sensation of the occupant based upon the heat balance, referencing a target overall thermal sensation of the occupant, calculating an error between the estimated overall thermal sensation and the target overall thermal sensation, and controlling at least one thermal effector in at least one zone in the microclimate environment to reduce the error in overall thermal sensation while maintaining all effectors within limits of temperature and flow rate that ensure occupant comfort.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a thermal effector in a vehicle. The method comprises calculating a heat transfer rate relative to a conditioned medium and calculating a target temperature of the thermal effector required to effectuate the heat transfer rate relative to the conditioned medium. The heat transfer rate is required to arrive at the setpoint temperature of the conditioned medium. The heat transfer rate is based on a setpoint temperature and a dynamically estimated temperature of the conditioned medium. The thermal effector is controlled to arrive at the target temperature.

Abstract: The present disclosure related to a method for estimating a surface temperature of a trim layer. The method comprises determining a first heat transfer rate and a second heat transfer rate. The method comprises calculating a rate of change of the surface temperature based on the first and second heat transfer rates, and optionally one or more additional heat transfer rates. The method comprises updating an estimated surface temperature of the trim layer from a prior program cycle based on the rate of change of the surface temperature and the estimated surface temperature of the trim layer from the prior program cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a memory to cause the apparatus to output a GUI on a display. The GUI includes a checklist configuration view to display a condition menu, the condition menu includes a group of variables from which a user is able to select to configure a condition to be applied to a workflow, wherein the group of variables comprising a type of condition, the type of condition being on/off, a value for the type of condition, and a location to which the type of condition will be applied to, the value is mapped to a data input. The GUI includes a checklist execution view to display the workflow, which includes a group designation, a parameter, and a fillable data field. The condition is applied to the workflow in response to the data input, which is mapped to the value, being entered into the fillable data field.

Abstract: A method of controlling occupant thermal comfort includes the steps of driving a temperature in a seating zone to a temperature set point (54), holding the temperature set point in the seating zone for a predetermined time (56), and regulating the temperature in the seating zone to a corrected temperature set point based upon an equivalent homogenous temperature relating to vehicle cabin conditions and occupant gender (58).

Abstract: A conditioning system operable in a vehicle. The conditioning system comprises a thermal effector, a first local sensor associated with the thermal effector, and a controller in signaling communication with the thermal effector and the first local sensor. The controller or an additional controller dynamically estimates a thermal condition remote from and at least partially influenced by the thermal effector. The dynamic estimation is based on a first temperature sensed by the first local sensor and optionally a second temperature sensed by an optional second local sensor. The controller controls the thermal effector based on the dynamically estimated thermal condition.

Abstract: The present disclosure related to a method for estimating a surface temperature of a trim layer. The method comprises determining a first heat transfer rate and a second heat transfer rate. The method comprises calculating a rate of change of the surface temperature based on the first and second heat transfer rates, and optionally one or more additional heat transfer rates. The method comprises updating an estimated surface temperature of the trim layer from a prior program cycle based on the rate of change of the surface temperature and the estimated surface temperature of the trim layer from the prior program cycle.

Abstract: A method for estimating a temperature of an air stream. The method comprises determining a first and second heat transfer rate to or from the air stream, and optionally one or more additional heat transfer rates to or from the air stream. The first and second heat transfer rates are based on a first and second temperature, respectively, applied to the air stream. The rate of change of the air stream temperature is calculated based on the first and second heat transfer rates and optionally the one or more additional heat transfer rates. An estimated temperature of the air stream is updated from a prior program cycle based on the rate of change of the air stream temperature and the estimated air stream temperature from the prior program cycle.

Abstract: A method of designing a fire detection system comprising: determining a probability of a fire in a room; determining a number of fire detection devices for a fire detection system within the room in response to the probability of the fire in the room; determining a number of fire suppression devices for the fire detection system within the room in response to the probability of a fire in the room; and determining a location of each of the fire detection devices within the room and a location of the fire suppression devices within the room.

Abstract: A method of determining a probability of a fire within one or more rooms of a building comprising: determining a geometry of a room in response to a floor plan: determining whether one or more articles are located within the room and a flammability of each of the one or more articles: determining whether one or more hazards are located within the room: and determining a probability of a fire in the room in response to at least one or more articles are located within the room, the flammability of each of the one or more articles, and the one or more hazards are located within the room.

Abstract: A method for human-robot collaboration including: acquiring visual temporal data of a human partner to a robot; determining, using a generative module, predicted future visual temporal data in response to the visual temporal data, the visual temporal data including current visual temporal data and previous visual temporal data; and determining, using a discriminative module, a vector of probabilities indicating the likelihood that a future action of the human partner belongs to each class among a set of classes being considered in response to at least the future visual temporal data and the visual temporal data.

Abstract: A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant includes multiple microclimate thermal effectors. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors has a corresponding thermal effector controller and is configured to at least partially control an occupant thermal comfort. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors includes at least one sensor configured to determine a microclimate parameter corresponding to at least one microclimate thermal effector of the multiple microclimate thermal effectors. A microclimate system controller is in communication with a plurality of thermal effector controllers. An optimizer is configured to apply a corresponding weighting value from a plurality of weighting values to each thermal effector controller in the plurality microclimate thermal effectors.

Abstract: A gesture access system includes a local access assembly, a mobile device, an electronic storage medium, and a processor. The local access assembly is adapted to operate between an access state and a no-access state, and includes a controller to effect actuation between the states and a signal receiver. The mobile device includes an Inertial Measurement Unit sensor system configured to measure a motion of the mobile device to conditionally detect a device gesture indicative of an intent of a user to gain access. The storage medium is configured to store an application and a preprogrammed device gesture. The processor is configured to receive the measured motion from the sensor system, and execute the application to compare the measured motion to the preprogrammed device gesture, and depending upon the comparison, output a command signal to the controller of the local access assembly via the receiver to effect actuation between states.

Abstract: A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant includes a seat that is configured to provide an interface between an occupant and a seating surface, an actuator that is configured to adjust a seat positioning that characterizes the interface, at least one microclimate thermal effector that is in thermal communication with the seat at the interface, and a controller that is in communication with the microclimate thermal effector. The controller is configured to regulate the microclimate thermal effector based upon the interface.

Abstract: A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant includes multiple microclimate thermal effectors. Each of the microclimate communication with the microclimate thermal effectors and includes a plurality of first transfer functions. Each of the first transfer functions models a corresponding microclimate thermal effector in the plurality of microclimate thermal effectors. A system transfer function models the microclimate system. Each of the first transfer functions is nested within the system transfer function.

Abstract: A thermal conditioning system for a vehicle seat or other surface includes a thermoelectric Peltier device (TED) with a main side and a waste side. A flap adjusts a proportion of an airflow over the main and waste side airflow paths based on one or more operational parameters of the system. The operational parameters can include a power provided to the TED, the flow rate of the airflow, a thermal efficiency between the TED and the airflow, and/or a setpoint temperature of the airflow.

Abstract: A microclimate system for a vehicle occupant includes multiple microclimate thermal effectors. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors has a corresponding thermal effector controller and is configured to at least partially control an occupant thermal comfort. Each of the microclimate thermal effectors includes at least one sensor configured to determine a microclimate parameter corresponding to at least one microclimate thermal effector of the multiple microclimate thermal effectors. A microclimate system controller is in communication with a plurality of thermal effector controllers. An optimizer is configured to apply a corresponding weighting value from a plurality of weighting values to each thermal effector controller in the plurality microclimate thermal effectors.

Abstract: A presence alert system (24) includes a sniffer (36), controller-circuitry (38), radio frequency (RF) background data (40), and a software program (42). The sniffer is configured to sample and measure a characteristic of ambient RF signals (33) over time. The controller-circuitry includes one or more processors and one or more storage mediums. The RF background data is stored in at least one of the one or more storage mediums, and is indicative of no moving presence. The software program is stored in at least one of the one or more storage mediums, and is executed by at least one of the one or more processors. The software program is configured to evaluate the measured characteristic of the ambient RF signals, compare the measured characteristic to the RF background data, and thereby determine motion of a presence (34).

Abstract: An event notification system includes a wireless device, an Access Point device, a server, and a user application. The server is configured to receive a plurality of heartbeats from the wireless device and through the Access Point device, and send a heartbeat response of a plurality of heartbeat responses in response to a respective heartbeat of the plurality of heartbeats. The user application is configured to send enable and disable commands to the server. The enable command is sent to the wireless device as part of the next heartbeat response of the plurality of heartbeat responses. The disable command is sent to the wireless device after the server receives an event condition from the wireless device through the AP device.

Abstract: A gesture access system includes a mobile device having a processor, an electronic storage medium, an environment detector system, and a software-based application. The application is stored in the storage medium and executed by the processor for generating a determination that a user of the mobile device has performed an intentional motion indicative of an intent to gain access. The environment detector system is adapted to generate and output information relative to a location of the mobile device with respect to the user and to the processor to assist in the determination.