Vehicular HVAC control systems and methods

1. A method for controlling a HVAC system in a vehicle including an A-pillar, a passenger compartment and a front seat in the passenger compartment on which an occupant is likely to be situated, comprising:

monitoring temperature of an occupant in the front seat from a location apart from the occupant using a temperature monitoring system, the temperature monitoring system comprising a sensor;

arranging the sensor in the A-pillar of the vehicle defining the compartment and in an orientation to receive electromagnetic radiation from a location above the front seat; and

controlling, using a processor, the HVAC system based on the monitored temperature of the occupant, the received electromagnetic radiation being processed by the processor to obtain the temperature of the occupant.

2. A method for controlling a HVAC system in a vehicle, comprising:

monitoring temperature of an occupant in a compartment in the vehicle from a location apart from the occupant using a temperature monitoring system;

controlling, using a processor, the HVAC system based on the monitored temperature of the occupant;

determining the number, attributes and location of any occupants in the compartment;

further controlling, using the processor, the HVAC system based on the determined number of occupants, the determined attributes of the occupants or the determined location of the occupants; and

further controlling, using the processor, the HVAC system to tailor heat or air-conditioning provided by the HVAC system to each of the occupants.

3. A method for controlling a HVAC system in a vehicle, comprising:

monitoring temperature of an occupant in a compartment in the vehicle from a location apart from the occupant using a temperature monitoring system;

controlling, using a processor, the HVAC system based on the monitored temperature of the occupant;

determining the number, attributes and location of any occupants in the compartment;

further controlling, using the processor, the HVAC system based on the determined number of occupants, the determined attributes of the occupants or the determined location of the occupants;

arranging the HVAC system to direct heat or cool air through a plurality of outlets to different locations in the compartments; and

turning off any outlets leading to locations lacking occupants to thereby prevent heat or cool air from being directed to locations without occupants.

4. A vehicle, comprising:

a frame defining a passenger compartment having a plurality of seating locations;

a presence detector associated with each of said seating locations to detect the presence of a human occupant in said seating location;

a temperature monitor associated with each of said seating locations to monitor temperature of an occupant in said seating location;

a HVAC system including a plurality of outlets leading to one of said seating locations and through which hot or cold air is directed to said seating locations; and

a processor coupled to said presence detectors, said temperature monitors and said HVAC system and arranged to control said outlets based on the presence of occupants in said seating locations and the temperature of occupants in said seating locations.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein each of said temperature monitors comprises an infrared sensor that receives electromagnetic radiation from one of said seating locations, the received electromagnetic radiation being processed to obtain the temperature of the occupant in that seating location.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said HVAC system provides a set temperature for all occupied ones of said seating locations.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 , further comprising a control device associated with each of said seating locations that detects an action by an occupant of said seating location and upon detection of an action by the occupant of said seating location, causes a temperature for said seating location to be independently set by the occupant at said seating location.

8. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said presence detectors comprise at least one wave-receiving device that receives waves from the associated one of said seating locations and a pattern recognition system that analyzes the received waves to determine the presence or absence of a human occupant.

9. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said temperature monitors are non-contact temperature sensors that determine a temperature of the occupant without contact with the occupant.

10. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said temperature monitors determine temperature of seats defining said seating locations.

11. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said temperature monitors determine temperature of a seatbelt associated with seats defining said seating locations.

12. A method for controlling a HVAC system in a vehicle, comprising:

positioning imaging devices in front of seating locations in the vehicle,

obtaining, using the imaging devices, images of the seating locations including a face of a human occupant when present in any of the seating locations;

analyzing, using a processor, the images obtained by the imaging devices to determine whether a human occupant is present in each seating location;

when a human occupant is determined to be present in a seating location by the processor, locating the face of the human occupant in the image and measuring a skin temperature of the face of the occupant using a processor; and

controlling, using a processor, the HVAC system based on the measured skin temperature of any occupants.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the HVAC system is arranged to direct heat or cool air through a plurality of outlets to the seating locations, further comprising:

turning off any outlets leading to seating locations lacking human occupants to thereby prevent heat or cool air from being directed to seating locations without human occupants.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the imaging devices comprise a first infrared camera providing images from which the processor locates the face of the human occupant in the image when present and a second infrared camera providing images from which the processor measures a skin temperature of the face of the occupant.