A system and method monitor the interior of a vehicle, in particular a parked vehicle. A detection unit is designed to detect a living being in an interior of the vehicle. At least one control unit is designed to actuate at least one vehicle function in order to influence at least one environmental condition in the interior of the vehicle if: the detection unit detects a living being in the interior of the vehicle, and the at least one environmental condition in the interior of the vehicle exceeds or falls below at least one predetermined threshold value; and/or the control unit is designed to actuate at least one vehicle function in order to influence at least one environmental condition in the interior of the vehicle if: the detection unit detects a living being in the interior of the vehicle, and the at least one environmental condition in the interior of the vehicle exhibits a rise or fall.

A sound suppression chamber for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) air handling assembly including a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. The first end includes an aperture that resonates with airflow from the HVAC air handling assembly, the airflow from the HVAC air handling assembly generating an incident sound wave corresponding to a target tone. The second end is closed and opposite the first end. The middle portion extends between the first end and the second end. The first end, the second end, and the middle portion defining a cavity of the sound suppression chamber. The sound suppression chamber generates a reflected wave that is 180 degrees out of phase from the incident sound wave and reflected into the HVAC air handling assembly through the aperture to suppress the target tone.

A sound of a second vehicle engine is detected. Upon predicting a pollution event by comparing the detected sound to a stored sound model, a countermeasure is actuated in a first vehicle.

This disclosure relates to a method for operating a ventilation device for providing an air flow. An equipment parameter value of an equipment element of a motor vehicle and a vehicle parameter value of the motor vehicle are detected. Then, the ventilation device is activated subject to the detected equipment parameter value and the detected vehicle parameter value. To activate the ventilation device, a rotational speed of a fan of the ventilation device is set, where the rotational speed is varied subject to the detected equipment parameter value and the detected vehicle parameter value.

Systems and methods are disclosed for supporting and executing automated control of climate comfort settings based on user classification within a group identity database. Methods of generating and employing the group identity database are also disclosed.

A climate control system for a vehicle includes an infrared sensor disposed within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The infrared sensor is configured to receive infrared radiation from a skin surface of a vehicle occupant. The climate control system further includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a detected temperature detected at the skin surface. In response to the detected temperature deviating from a baseline temperature, the controller is configured to automatically control an HVAC system to add conditioned air into the passenger compartment and to control a thermoelectric device configured to adjust a seat surface temperature.

An embodiment vehicle includes an air conditioning apparatus and a controller configured to determine whether output of sound guidance is scheduled or input of a voice command is started in response to an inside noise level being higher than a preset reference noise level while air conditioning control is performed through the air conditioning apparatus and, in response to a determination that the output of the sound guidance is scheduled or the input of the voice command is started, to determine air conditioning control adjustment based on an air conditioning target and an inside temperature.

A system includes a plurality of sensors configured to sense an opening/closing of a door, fastening/unfastening of a seat safety belt, and change in a vehicle height; a first processor configured to determine the number of all occupants in the vehicle by the opening/closing of the door, the fastening/unfastening of the seat safety belt, and the change in the vehicle height sensed by the plurality of sensors and preliminarily determine an internal circulation ratio of the air conditioning system according to the determined number of all occupants in the vehicle; a second processor configured to adjust the internal circulation ratio which is preliminarily determined by the first processor according to at least one of a sound intensity and a sound duration time in the vehicle; and a controller configured to control the air conditioning system according to the adjusted internal circulation ratio.

A system and method employ vibration sensors on board a vehicle to effectively identify and implement voice commands. The vibration sensors provide vibration signals corresponding to the speech of vehicle occupants to a controller. The controller may verify the content of the voice commands and identify a speaker of the voice commands with the vibration signals. The voice command may be implemented by operating a controlled device in a specific passenger zone of the vehicle. In some implementations, the speech of a specific occupant may be designated as voice commands to be transmitted over a videoconference or voice call and the speech of surrounding vehicle occupants may be designated as noise to be excluded from transmission. Further, driver voice commands may be given priority when conflicting commands are given by other vehicle passengers.

Some embodiments may provide a method for a pet mode for a vehicle. The method may be performed by a control module of the vehicle. The method may include detecting an animal occupying the vehicle. Detecting the animal occupying the vehicle may be based on information captured by an interior sensor. The interior sensor may be capable of detecting weight, motion, or sound. The method may include detecting a climate zone occupied by the animal. Detecting the climate zone occupied by the animal may be based on the information. The interior of the vehicle may be separated into a plurality of climate zones. The method may include modifying a setting of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of the vehicle to modify an environment in the occupied climate zone. Modifying the setting may be based on the location of the animal.