Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for use in a vehicle, comprising determining a distance of a predetermined gesture from a reference location within a vehicle, and initiating an operation responsive to the gesture, wherein a mode of the operation is determined based upon the distance of the gesture from the reference location.

A method to train a machine learning model for in-vehicle air quality control in a knowledge-based system, executed by one or more computer processors, includes collecting data related to in-vehicle air quality from a plurality of probe cars where the data is collected by various on-board systems in each probe car. The method includes correlating the data related to in-vehicle air quality from each probe car with air quality measurements from each probe car, where the correlation is used to update the machine learning model. The method includes determining a situation when an in-vehicle air quality measurement of the air quality measurements is above a pre-determined in-vehicle air quality level and determining instructions for actions by one or more of the one or more on-board systems in each of the probe cars to maintain an in-vehicle air quality level at or below the pre-determined in-vehicle air quality level.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system including an HVAC assembly, a set of pins, mode doors, a mode plate, an actuator, and an HVAC control module. The mode doors control airflow from the HVAC assembly. A position of each mode door is controlled by a corresponding pin of the set of pins. The mode plate includes (i) a set of grooves, (ii) a first adjustment path and (iii) a second adjustment path. The first adjustment path causes a first pin of the set of pins to move toward a center. The second adjustment path causes the first pin to move away from the center of the mode plate. An HVAC module selectively actuates the actuator to causes the mode plate to rotate in at least one of a passive direction and the active direction in response to receiving a mode request.

A vehicle comprising a Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) control assembly for navigating a menu associated with an HVAC system of the vehicle, the menu controlling operation of the HVAC system. A multiple input tactile control device, interface, and system is provided. In addition to providing input by rotating the tactile control device, a user can provide input via touching a touchpad, actuating the touchpad, and/or actuating the tactile control dial in the linear axial direction.

A method for air conditioning a vehicle seat that is occupied by a person and that comprises at least one seat ventilation system, wherein at least one humidity sensor is arranged in a seat part and/or a backrest part of the vehicle seat as an actual humidity value transmitter for the absolute air humidity within the cushion part of the at least one seat part and/or backrest part so that a target state of comfort for a person seated on the vehicle seat can be accomplished via a control and regulating device through engagement of the seat ventilation system, wherein the target state of comfort can be controlled to a specifiable target humidity limit value through variation of the air flow of the seat ventilation system as a function of at least one control algorithm that evaluates the detected actual measured humidity value.

Disclosed is a temperature control method which includes acquiring temperature data of a plurality of temperature detection points in a target environment; calculating, according to the temperature data, an average temperature value of the plurality of temperature detection points and a first temperature difference between the average temperature value and a target temperature value; determining whether an absolute value of the first temperature difference exceeds a first temperature difference threshold; and in response to the absolute value of the first temperature difference exceeding the first temperature difference threshold, controlling the temperature of the target environment by a variable universe fuzzy proportional integral derivative control algorithm.

A vehicle air handling system includes an air duct housing, a particulate sensor, a first air blower and an electronic controller. The air duct housing has an air inlet and a passenger compartment vent. The particulate sensor is configured to detect a particulate level of particulates in the air duct housing. The first air blower is disposed in the air duct housing to move air within the air duct housing. The electronic controller is operatively coupled to the particulate sensor and the first air blower. The electronic controller is configured to operate the first air blower to reverse an air direction of the first air blower away from the passenger compartment vent upon detection of the particulate level of the particulates in the air duct housing being equal to or greater than a predetermined particulate threshold level in the air duct housing.

A method and system for utilizing environmental data are described. The method includes receiving external environmental data and receiving in-cabin environmental data. A mitigation action for an in-cabin environment of a vehicle is provided. The mitigation action is based on the external environmental data and the in-cabin environmental data.

A ventilation control system includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry includes a meteorological information obtainment unit configured to obtain meteorological information, a ventilation determination unit configured to determine whether a vehicle needs to be ventilated based on the meteorological information, a ventilation controller configured to output an operation request signal for requesting operation of a ventilation device, and a notification unit configured to output a notification inquiring whether to permit or reject ventilation when the ventilation determination unit determines that the vehicle needs to be ventilated. The ventilation controller is configured to output the operation request signal when a reply to the notification indicates that the ventilation is permitted. The ventilation controller is configured not to output the operation request signal when a reply to the notification indicates that the ventilation is rejected.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle cabin odor detection and amelioration. An example vehicle includes an array of chemical sensors, a spectrograph, and an environmental control system. The example environmental control system generates a spectrum, with the spectrograph, of chemical components of volatilomes in air inside a cabin and classifies the volatilomes based on the spectrum, measurements from the array of chemical sensors, and occupant preferences. Additionally, the environmental control system, when the volatilomes are indicative of an offensive scent, applies a mitigation strategy to affect the composition of the air in the cabin.