Vehicle air-conditioning control apparatus with idling stop function

An air-conditioning unit for a vehicle that has an idling stop function, comprising:

• a blower fan configured to blow air into a vehicle cabin;
• a compressor, powered by a vehicle engine, configured to compress coolant;
• an evaporator configured to cool air blown from the blower fan using the coolant compressed by the compressor;
• a first air-outlet port configured to permit air blown from the blower fan toward an upper portion of the vehicle cabin;
• a second air-outlet port configured to permit air blown from the blower fan toward a lower portion of the vehicle cabin;
• and
• an air-conditioning controller configured to:
• set a target air-outlet port temperature of air blown from the first and second air-outlet ports based on a temperature set by a vehicle passenger and an environmental condition of the vehicle,
• change an air volume to be blown by the blower fan,
• in a case where air is blown from both of the first and second air-outlet ports before the vehicle is brought into an idling stop state and then the vehicle is brought into the idling stop state, operate a control to reduce an air volume blown from at least one of the first or second air-outlet ports when the vehicle is brought into the idling stop state, wherein the control to reduce the air volume is performed during the idling stop state, and
• stop the control when the idling stop state is cancelled.

A method of air-conditioning in a vehicle having an idling stop function, comprising:

• blowing air through a first air-outlet port toward a first portion of a vehicle cabin and blowing air through a second air-outlet port toward a second portion of the vehicle cabin before an idling stop state;
• bringing the vehicle into the idling stop state;
• causing, by an air-conditioning controller, a controlled reduction in an air volume blown through at least one of the first or second air-outlet ports during the idling stop state, wherein the controlled reduction is performed during the idling stop state;
• and
• canceling the controlled reduction when the idling stop state is cancelled,
• wherein the first portion of the vehicle cabin is an upper portion of the vehicle cabin, and the second portion of the vehicle cabin is a lower portion of the vehicle cabin.