AUTOMOTIVE CLIMATE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20090064696A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Perkins, William Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/853,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/244
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

An alternatively powered vehicle includes electrically powered cabin heaters and coolers. An operator sends a signal to his vehicle instructing the vehicle to bring a cabin temperature to a desired temperature. In response, the vehicle determines whether a battery state of charge exceeds a threshold and if so, activates the appropriate cabin heater or cooler to condition cabin air to the desired temperature.

Claims

1. A climate system for a vehicle including a cabin, the system comprising:

an electrically powered climate unit configured to alter a temperature associated with the cabin;

an energy storage unit configured to provide electrical power for the electrically powered climate unit;

a receiver configured to receive a signal generated remote from the vehicle; and

a controller configured to issue a command, in response to the signal, to provide electrical power from the energy storage unit to the electrically powered climate unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further includes an engine having an on state and an off state and wherein the controller is further configured to issue the command while the engine is in the off state.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage unit is further configured to provide motive power for the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter wherein the controller is further configured to determine a status of the electrically powered climate unit and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the status of the electrically powered climate unit.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter and a temperature sensor to measure the temperature associated with the cabin wherein the controller is further configured to read the measured temperature from the temperature sensor and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the measured temperature.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrically powered climate unit comprises at least one of an air conditioning system, a heating system, a fuel fired heater, a resistive coil heater, a thermo-electric heater, a thermo-electric cooler, a convective heater, and a convective cooler.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the cabin includes a seat, a window, a steering wheel, and air and wherein the temperature associated with the cabin comprises at least one of a temperature of the seat, a temperature of the window, a temperature of the steering wheel, and a temperature of the air.

8. A climate system for a vehicle including a cabin, the system comprising:

a power system configured to receive electrical power from an external power outlet;

an electrically powered climate unit configured to alter a temperature associated with the cabin and to receive electrical power from the external power outlet via the power system;

a receiver configured to receive a signal generated remote from the vehicle; and

a controller configured to issue a command, in response to the signal, to provide electrical power from the external power outlet to the electrically powered climate unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the vehicle further includes an engine having an on state and an off state and wherein the controller is further configured to issue the command while the engine is in the off state.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a transmitter wherein the controller is further configured to determine a status of the electrically powered climate unit and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the status of the electrically powered climate unit.

11. A method for controlling a climate system of a vehicle, the vehicle including a cabin, an electrically powered climate unit to alter a temperature associated with the cabin, and an energy storage unit, the method comprising:

receiving a signal generated remote from the vehicle;

issuing a command, in response to the signal, to provide electrical power from the energy storage unit to the electrically powered climate unit; and

providing electrical power, in response to the command, from the energy storage unit to the electrically powered climate unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle further includes an engine having an on state and an off state and wherein the electrical power is provided from the energy storage unit to the electrically powered climate unit while the engine is in the off state.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle further includes an engine having an on state and an off state, further comprising providing power generated by the engine to the electrically powered climate unit.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining a state of charge of the energy storage unit wherein the electrical power is provided from the energy storage unit to the electrically powered climate unit if the state of charge exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the command is terminated after a predetermined period of time.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining a status of the electrically powered climate unit and transmitting a signal indicative of the status.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring the temperature associated with the cabin and transmitting a signal indicative of the measured temperature.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring the temperature associated with the cabin wherein the command is based on the measured temperature.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal includes information indicative of a climate setting and wherein the command is based on the information indicative of a climate setting.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising suspending the command when the climate setting is achieved.