HVAC SYSTEM WITH TRAVEL TIME BASED CONTROL

• US 20160144689A1
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Kenneth James, Hickey, John Curtis, Smith, Mark G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,764,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00964 Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control

Abstract

A system for providing efficient climate control in a vehicle. The system has an HVAC system configured to receive a user-defined temperature. The HVAC system has a cabin temperature sensor. The system has a controller coupled to the HVAC system and coupleable to a mobile device. The controller is programmed to (i) receive an estimated travel time of the vehicle from the mobile device and (ii) modify output of the HVAC system based on the travel time being below a time threshold.

Claims

1. A system for providing efficient climate control in a vehicle comprising:

an HVAC system configured to receive a user-defined temperature and having a cabin temperature sensor; and

a controller coupled to the HVAC system and coupleable to a mobile device, the controller programmed to (i) receive an estimated travel time of the vehicle from the mobile device and (ii) modify output of the HVAC system based on the travel time being below a time threshold.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller extracts an estimated travel time from a navigation application on the mobile electronic device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is above the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC profile inhibits engine spark retardation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is above the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC profile inhibits increases in shift schedules.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is below the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC profile inhibits use of an air-conditioning compressor.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the modified HVAC profile utilizes ambient air to clear hot cabin air.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an operator opt-out switch coupled with the controller configured to allow the operator to override the modified HVAC profile.

8. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an HVAC system;

an infotainment system configured to pair with a mobile device; and

a controller coupled with the engine, HVAC system, and infotainment system, the controller programmed to identify a destination from the mobile device, estimate a travel time from a current location to the destination, and optimize the HVAC system to balance cabin comfort with engine fuel economy based on the travel time.

9. A method of controlling an HVAC system in a vehicle comprising:

receiving a cabin temperature;

receiving a user-defined temperature;

receiving a travel time based on a current location and an identified destination of the vehicle; and

operating the HVAC system to align the cabin temperature with the user-defined temperature at a first output magnitude if the travel time is below a threshold and a second output magnitude if the travel time exceeds the threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the travel time is provided by a navigation program.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the navigation program is provided by a mobile device.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a recent browser history from a mobile device;

comparing websites from the recent browser history with local destinations;

tracking the current location of the vehicle to determine if the vehicle is heading toward one of the local destinations; and

selecting the one of the local destinations the vehicle is heading toward as the identified destination.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the recent browser history comprises at least four web pages browsed in reverse chronological order within at least one hour prior to starting the HVAC cycle.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving an ambient temperature, and wherein the first output magnitude includes blowing ambient air into the cabin if the ambient temperature is between the cabin and user-defined temperatures.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the ambient temperature is provided by a mobile device.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein when the user-defined temperature is higher than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude inhibits retarding of spark in an engine to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude initiates retarding of spark in an engine to provide heat to a cabin faster.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein when the user-defined temperature is higher than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude inhibits advanced shift schedules to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude initiates advanced shift schedules to provide heat to a cabin faster.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein when the user-defined temperature is lower than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude reduces the duty cycle of an air-conditioning compressor to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude increases the duty cycle of an air-conditioning compressor to cool the cabin faster.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first output magnitude includes clearing hot air from the cabin using ambient air, operating the duty cycle of the air-conditioning compressor at a standard rate, speed and displacement for a first period of time, and modifying the duty cycle of the air-conditioning compressor to a reduced rate, speed or displacement for a second period of time prior to reaching the identified destination.

20. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

providing an opt-out setting for a user to override the first output magnitude with the second output magnitude.