SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRICAL POWER MANAGEMENT FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20080103635A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Poore, Bernard Brandt, Stahlhut, Ronnie Dean, Vuk, Carl Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,057,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00828 Ventilators, e.g. speed control B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/66 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/04 by varying pump speed, e.g. by changing pump-drive gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/048 using electrical drives

Abstract

A system and method for managing the electrical power associated with a vehicle detects whether an engine speed is below a speed set point for a minimum duration. A thermal sensor is arranged to detect whether a first temperature associated with a first cooling fan, a first coolant, or a first vehicle component is below a first target temperature. A fan controller or a power management controller is configured to disable or slow the first cooling fan to conserve a first level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below a target temperature and if the engine speed is below the speed set point for a minimum duration.

Claims

1. A method for managing the electrical power associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting whether an engine speed is below a speed set point for a minimum duration;

detecting whether a first temperature associated with a first cooling fan, a first component or a first coolant is below a first target temperature; and

disabling or slowing the first cooling fan to conserve a first level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below a target temperature and if the engine speed is below the speed set point for a minimum duration.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a second temperature associated with a second cooling fan, a second component or a second coolant is below a second target temperature; and

disabling, or decreasing a speed of, the second cooling fan to conserve a second level of electrical energy if the second temperature is below the second target temperature.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

enabling, or increasing a speed of, the first cooling fan and the second cooling fan to reach a first desired temperature and a second desired temperature, respectively, if the engine speed has recovered to the set point for the threshold period.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

determining whether a third temperature associated with a third cooling fan, a third component, or a third coolant is below a third target temperature; and

disabling, or decreasing a speed of, the third cooling fan to conserve a third level of electrical energy if the third temperature is below a third target temperature.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

enabling, or increasing a speed of, the third cooling fan to reach a third desired temperature if the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period.

6. The method according to claim 4 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

disabling at least one of an air-conditioning compressor, an air-conditioning motor, or an air conditioning clutch for a time interval to conserve a fourth level of electrical energy.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

determining whether a cumulative conserved energy associated with the first level, the second level, a third level and the fourth level of the electrical energy equals a target threshold of conserved electrical energy for a threshold time period; and

activating or enabling the air-conditioner compressor, an air-conditioning motor, or an air conditioning clutch for a time interval if the target threshold of conserved electrical energy is satisfied or exceeded.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein the first temperature is detected by measuring a first coolant temperature;

wherein the second temperature is detected by measuring a second coolant temperature, and wherein the third temperature is detected by measuring a third coolant temperature.

9. The method according to claim 4 wherein the first target temperature comprises at least one of a sub-cooled target temperature or an intermediate target temperature;

the second target temperature comprises at least one of the sub-cooled target temperature or the intermediate target temperature; and

the third target temperature comprises at least on of the sub-cooled target temperature or the intermediate target temperature.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first target temperature comprises at least one of a sub-cooled target temperature or an intermediate target temperature.

11. A system for managing the electrical power associated with a vehicle, the system comprising:

a speed sensor for detecting whether an engine speed is below a speed set point for a minimum duration;

a thermal sensor for detecting whether a first temperature associated with a first cooling fan, a first coolant, or a first vehicle component is below a first target temperature; and

a power management controller for disabling or slowing the first cooling fan to conserve a first level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below the first target temperature and if the engine speed is below the speed set point for a minimum duration.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

another thermal sensor for determining whether a second temperature associated with a second cooling fan, a second coolant or a second vehicle component is below a second target temperature, an intermediate target temperature, or a maximum target temperature; and

the power management controller arranged for disabling or slowing the second cooling fan to conserve a second level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below the second target temperature

13. The system according to claim 12 further comprising:

the speed sensor determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

the power management controller arranged for enabling or increasing the speed of the first cooling fan and the second cooling fan to reach a first desired temperature and a second desired temperature, respectively, if the engine speed has recovered to the set point for the threshold period.

14. A method for managing the electrical power associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting whether an engine speed is below a speed set point for a minimum duration;

disabling at least one of an air-conditioning compressor, an air-conditioning clutch, and an air conditioning motor if the engine speed is below the speed set point for a minimum duration;

detecting whether a first temperature associated with a first cooling fan is below a first target temperature; and

disabling or slowing the first cooling fan to conserve a first level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below a target temperature.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

determining whether a second temperature associated with a second cooling fan is below a second target temperature, an intermediate target temperature, or a maximum target temperature; and

disabling or slowing the second cooling fan to conserve a second level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below a target temperature.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

enabling or increasing the speed of the first cooling fan and the second cooling fan to reach a first desired temperature and a second desired temperature, respectively, if the engine speed has recovered to the set point for the threshold period.

17. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

determining whether a third temperature associated with a third cooling fan is below a second target temperature; and

disabling or slowing the third cooling fan to conserve a third level of electrical energy if the first temperature is below the third target temperature

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

enabling or increasing the speed of the third cooling fan to reach a third desired temperature if the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

determining whether the engine speed has recovered to the set point for a threshold period; and

disabling at least one of an air-conditioning compressor, an air-conditioning motor, or an air conditioning clutch for a time interval to conserve a fourth level of electrical energy.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

determining whether a cumulative conserved energy associated with the first level, the second level, a third level and the fourth level of electrical energy equals a target threshold of conserved electrical energy for a threshold time period; and

activating or enabling the air-conditioner compressor, an air-conditioning motor, or an air conditioning clutch for a time interval.