# US 2017/0282685 A1 · Method and apparatus for setting a thermal comfort state > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282685 A1 - Document ID: US20170282685A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/513,679 - Filed: 2015-09-07 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-25 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Viktor BADER; Christoph WÄLLER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282685A1 ## CPC - B60H 1/00742: {by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors} - B60H 1/0073: {Control systems or circuits characterised by particular algorithms or computational models, e.g. fuzzy logic or dynamic models} - B60H 1/00792: {Arrangement of detectors (B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence)} - B60H 1/0075: {the input being solar radiation} - B60H 1/00757: {by the input of sound, e.g. by using a voice synthesizer} - B60H 1/008: {the input being air quality} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES ## Abstract A method for setting a thermal comfort state of at least one user of a vehicle, wherein, at a starting time, at least one actual state variable of the user is detected by at least one device for detecting the at least one state variable and a starting comfort state of the user is determined depending on the at least one actual state variable, wherein a target comfort state is determined, wherein at least one target state variable is determined depending on the target comfort state, wherein at least one vehicle-end device for changing the state variable is controlled so that a deviation in the actual state variable from the target state variable is minimized when the target comfort state deviates from the starting comfort state, wherein the at least one state variable is detected by a device carried by the user for detecting the at least one state variable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for setting a thermal comfort state of at least one user of a vehicle, wherein at a start time at least one actual state variable of the user is acquired by at least one acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable, and an initial comfort state of the user is defined based on the at least one actual state variable, wherein a target comfort state is defined, wherein at least one target state variable is defined based on the target comfort state, wherein at least one vehicle-based variation unit for varying the state variable is controlled such that a difference between the actual state variable and the target state variable is minimized, if the target comfort state differs from the initial comfort state, wherein the at least one state variable is acquired by an acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable, which unit is worn by the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable is in contact with the skin of the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable is a watch or integrated in a watch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one target state variable is defined based on the at least one initial state variable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one state variable is additionally acquired prior to the start time, wherein the at least one variation unit for varying the state variable is additionally controlled based on the state variable acquired prior to the start time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one auxiliary variable is determined in addition to the at least one state variable, wherein the at least one variation unit for varying the state variable is controlled based on the acquired auxiliary variable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one control profile for controlling the at least one variation unit for varying the state variable is associated with a number of state profiles, wherein the association of the state profile with the particular control profile is known in advance, wherein at the start time, the control profile that has a state profile having a minimum difference from the state profile that exists at the start point is selected for controlling the at least one variation unit for varying the state variable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a state profile is defined at the start time, wherein a variation over time of the at least one state variable is additionally acquired after the start time, wherein a control profile for controlling the at least one variation unit for varying the state variable is defined based on the variation over time and is assigned to the state profile. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the control profiles are already associated with a user and/or are assigned to a user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the control profiles are stored in at least one memory unit of the vehicle or in at least one memory unit of the acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an energy consumption required to attain the target state variable is determined based on the difference between the actual state variable and the target state variable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a skin temperature and a skin humidity are determined as the state variables. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for setting a thermal comfort state of at least one user of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising at least one acquisition unit for acquiring at least one state variable, and at least one analysis unit, wherein at a start time, at least one actual state variable of the user is acquired by an acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable, and the analysis unit is define an initial comfort state of the user based on the at least one actual state variable, wherein a target comfort state is defined, wherein a target state variable is defined based on the target comfort state, wherein at least one vehicle-based variation unit for varying the state variable is controlled so as to minimize a difference between the actual state variable and the target state variable, if the target comfort state differs from the initial comfort state, wherein the acquisition unit for acquiring the at least one state variable is a unit that is worn by the user.