SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE ENGINE

• US 20080125935A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Fox, Thomas, Chen, Elaine Y., Treharne, William, Kozarekar, Shailesh, Buescher, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/084 State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0804 Temperature inside the vehicle cabin
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0806 Air condition state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2006 using prediction of future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Systems and methods to control an engine configured to drive a compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system having a desired temperature are provided. A time until a threshold is reached is determined based on an environment condition and a vehicle interior condition. A request for the engine to run is removed if the time is greater than a minimum time.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an engine configured to drive a compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system having a desired temperature, the system comprising:

a control system arrangement configured to receive a vehicle environment condition, receive a vehicle interior condition, determine a time until a threshold is reached based on the environment condition and the interior condition, and remove a request for the engine to run if the time is greater than a minimum time.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is further configured to request the engine to run if the time is less than the minimum time.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the threshold is a predetermined apparent cabin temperature.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the minimum time is predetermined.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the environment condition comprises at least one of an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, and a sun load.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the interior condition comprises at least one of a cabin temperature, a cabin humidity, and a sun load.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is further configured to receive a comfort-level selection including at least one of an economy mode and a non-economy mode and wherein the threshold in the economy mode is greater than the threshold in the non-economy mode.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is further configured to determine a number of previous engine stops and wherein the minimum time is based on the number of previous engine stops.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is further configured to request the engine to run at the expiration of the time.

10. A method for controlling an engine configured to drive a compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system having a desired temperature, the method comprising:

sensing a vehicle environment condition;

sensing a vehicle interior condition;

determining a time until a threshold is reached based on the environment condition and the interior condition; and

removing a request for the engine to run if the time is greater than a minimum time.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising requesting the engine to run if the time is less than the minimum time.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the threshold is a predetermined apparent cabin temperature.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the minimum time is predetermined.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the environment condition comprises at least one of an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, and a sun load.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the interior condition comprises at least one of a cabin temperature, a cabin humidity, and a sun load.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a comfort-level selection including at least one of an economy mode and a non-economy mode and wherein the threshold in the economy mode is greater than the threshold in the non-economy mode.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining a number of previous engine stops and wherein the minimum time is based on the number of previous engine stops.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising requesting the engine to run at the expiration of the time.

19. A method for controlling an engine configured to drive a compressor of a vehicle air conditioning system having a desired temperature, the method comprising:

determining a time until a threshold is reached based on an environment condition and a vehicle interior condition; and

removing a request for the engine to run if the time is greater than a minimum time.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising requesting the engine to run if the time is less than the minimum time.