Multi-zone air conditioner system for large vehicles and control method thereof

Abstract

A multi-zone air conditioner system for large vehicles may include an air conditioning device configured to partition an internal of a vehicle into a plurality of zones to independently cool each zone, a detecting device configured to include a room temperature detector for detecting a room temperature of each zone and a photo detector for detecting an amount of solar radiation, an input device configured to switch an operating state of the air conditioning device to an automatic mode or a manual mode, and a control device configured to generate a control signal for operating the air conditioning device based on a signal transmitted from the detecting device and the input device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-zone air conditioner system for a vehicle, comprising:
 an air conditioning device configured to partition an internal of the vehicle into a plurality of zones to independently cool each zone;   a detecting device including a room temperature detector configured for detecting a room temperature of the each zone and a photo detector configured for detecting an amount of solar radiation;   an input device configured to switch an operating state of the air conditioning device to an automatic mode or a manual mode; and   a control device configured to generate a control signal for operating the air conditioning device based on a signal transmitted from the detecting device and the input device.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of zones is re-partitioned into at least one zone according to the room temperature of the each zone of the vehicle, the amount of solar radiation, a boarding position of an occupant, a number of occupants, and an occupant's personal preference. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioning device is operated in a 1-zone mode by the manual mode when the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as one zone. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioning device is operated in a 2-zone mode by the manual mode when the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as two zones of front and rear or left and right according to the boarding position of the occupants. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 4 , wherein in a zone in which a boarding density of occupants is higher than a predetermined value, the air conditioning device is operated depending on a predetermined reference temperature and in a zone in which the boarding density of occupants is lower than the predetermined value, the air condition device is operated intermittently. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 2 , wherein the air conditioning device is operated in a 2-zone mode by the manual mode when the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as two zones of front and rear or left and right according to an occupant's personal preference. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 6 , wherein in a zone in which weak cooling is preferred, a level of a blower of the air conditioning device is set to be lower than a predetermined value and a reference temperature is set to be higher than a predetermined value. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 6 , wherein in a zone in which strong cooling is exemplary, a level of a blower of the air conditioning device is set to be high and a reference temperature is set to be low. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 2 , wherein, when the automatic mode is selected, the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as six zones by front, center, rear of the vehicle, and each of the left and right. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-zone air conditioner system of  claim 9 , wherein in the six zones, the air conditioning device is operated depending on a predetermined reference temperature, and blowers of the air conditioning devices in the each zone are operated independently. 
     
     
         11 . A control method of a multi-zone air conditioner system for a vehicle including an air conditioning device partitioning an internal of the vehicle into a plurality of zones to independently cool each zone, the control method comprising:
 switching an operating state of the air conditioning device to a manual mode;   re-partitioning the plurality of zones into at least one zone according to a room temperature of the each zone of the vehicle, an amount of solar radiation, a boarding position of an occupant, a number of occupants, and an occupant's personal preference; and   operating the air conditioning device in a 1-zone mode by the manual mode when the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as one zone and operating the air conditioning device in a 2-zone mode by the manual mode when the re-partitioned plurality of zones is formed as two zones of front and right or left and right.   
     
     
         12 . A control method of a multi-zone air conditioner system for a vehicle including an air conditioning device partitioning an internal of the vehicle into a plurality of zones to independently cool each zone, the control method comprising:
 switching an operating state of the air conditioning device to an automatic mode;   acquiring a use condition of the air conditioning device;   confirming whether the air conditioning device is operated depending on a room temperature of the each zone;   confirming whether the air conditioning device is operated depending on an amount of solar radiation for the each zone; and   confirming whether the air conditioning device is re-operated depending on the room temperature of the each zone.   
     
     
         13 . The control method of  claim 12 , wherein the acquiring of the use condition of the air conditioning includes:
 confirming an external temperature of the vehicle; and   determining whether the external temperature of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The control method of  claim 12 , wherein the confirming whether the air conditioning device is operated depending on the room temperature of the each zone includes:
 confirming the room temperature of the each zone; and   determining whether the room temperature of the each zone is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The control method of  claim 14 , wherein the air conditioning device is not operated in a corresponding zone when the room temperature of the each zone is less than the predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The control method of  claim 12 , wherein the confirming whether the air conditioning device is operated depending on the amount of the solar radiation for the each zone includes:
 confirming the amount of the solar radiation for the each zone; and   determining whether the amount of the solar radiation for the each zone is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount of solar radiation by temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The control method of  claim 16 , wherein the air conditioning device is not operated in a corresponding zone when the controller is configured to determine that the amount of the solar radiation for the each zone is less than the predetermined amount of the solar radiation by the temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The control method of  claim 16 , wherein the air conditioning device is operated in a corresponding zone when the controller is configured to determine that the amount of the solar radiation for the each zone is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount of solar radiation by the temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The control method of  claim 12 , wherein in the confirming whether the air conditioning device is re-operated depending on the room temperature of the each zone, the operation of the air conditioning device is maintained in a corresponding zone when the room temperature of the each zone is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The control method of  claim 12 , wherein in the confirming whether the air conditioning device is re-operated depending on the room temperature of the each zone, the air conditioning device is not operated in a corresponding zone when the room temperature of each zone is less than a predetermined temperature.