System and Method for Remotely Managing Climate Control Systems of a Fleet of Vehicles

• US 20160280040A1
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bergstrom Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bergstrom Incorporated
• Inventors: Sullivan, Aaron D., Connell, Brett Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,783,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

The method simultaneously manages climate control systems of a fleet of vehicles at a fleet server remote from the vehicles. The fleet server has one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor(s). Initially, at least one parameter relaying information about performance of a climate control system of a respective vehicle is received, from each vehicle. Each vehicle'"'"'s climate control system includes at least an electrically driven compressor. The system then determines whether a performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of at least one vehicle based at least in part on the parameter(s) received from the at least one vehicle. Upon determining that a performance inefficiency exists, an efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency is determined. Finally, an operational setting instruction is transmitted to the at least one vehicle to control the climate control system of that vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneously managing climate control systems of a fleet of vehicles, comprising:

at a fleet server remote from a fleet of vehicles having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

receiving, from each vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, at least one parameter relaying information about a performance of a climate control system of the respective vehicle, each climate control system configured to include an electrically driven compressor;

determining, by the fleet server, whether a performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles based at least in part on the at least one parameter received from the at least one vehicle;

upon determining that the performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of the at least one vehicle, determining, by the fleet server, an efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles; and

transmitting, by the fleet server, an operational setting instruction to the at least one vehicle to control the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists is further based on at least one parameter received from at least one other source selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system (GPS), a weather predication system, a map provider, a road and traffic conditions system, and a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational setting instruction further comprises a graphics instruction to display at a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display within the at least one vehicle, wherein the GUI depicts energy efficiency information associated with the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter received from each vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a set temperature set by the user of the at least one vehicle, an outside temperature measured external to the at least one vehicle, an ambient temperature, an ambient pressure, a parameter obtained from a thermal image of an occupant of the at least one vehicle, a parameter associated with a loading of a condenser of the at least one vehicle'"'"'s climate control system, air conditioning system operating pressures or temperatures of the at least one vehicle'"'"'s climate control system, available power or voltage of an auxiliary battery configured to be coupled to the electrically driven compressor of the at least one vehicle, and a parameter associated with one or more zones of the at least one vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists comprises:

receiving, from a memory, at least one predetermined reference parameter value corresponding to a predetermined performance operational setting of a climate control system;

comparing the predetermined reference parameter value or range of values to a respective at least one parameter received from the at least one vehicle;

determining whether the performance inefficiency exists in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle based at least in part on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining, by the fleet server, whether the performance inefficiency is based on a faulty part or user operation of the climate control system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the user operation of the climate control system, transmitting a signal to the at least one vehicle to disable ability of the user to adjust operational settings of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, after a predetermined period of time or after determining that the climate control system of the at least one vehicle has been operating efficiently, transmitting, by the fleet server, an override signal to the at least one vehicle to restore the user'"'"'s ability to adjust the operational settings.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the faulty part, transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to the at least one vehicle alerting the user of the at least one vehicle of the faulty part.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the faulty part:

identifying, by the fleet server, the faulty part;

identifying, by the fleet server, at least one preferred service center (i) along a route of the at least one vehicle, and (ii) that can fix the identified faulty part;

transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to a user of the at least one vehicle, notifying the user of the at least one preferred service center.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

checking, by the fleet server, inventory for availability of the faulty part;

checking, by the fleet server, service appointment time availability; and

transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to the at least one vehicle to alert the user of the at least one vehicle of the available inventory for the faulty part and the available appointment times.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting information, by the fleet server, to a service center of the at least one preferred service center, including a confirmation of an appointment time of the available appointment times.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing aggregated information, in a database coupled to the fleet server, containing parameters relevant to determining the performance inefficiency of the at least one vehicle; and

using the aggregated information stored in the database to predict future faults in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists comprises:

receiving, by the fleet server, at least one reference parameter from at least one similarly situated reference vehicle of the fleet having an efficiently performing climate control system;

comparing, by the fleet server, at least one respective parameter received from the at least one vehicle to the at least one reference parameter received from the at least one similarly situated reference vehicle;

determining based at least in part on the comparison, by the fleet server, whether the performance inefficiency exists in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles comprises:

determining, by the fleet server, a rate of an energy use of at least one of the vehicles of the fleet of vehicles based at least in part on at least one energy parameter received from each of the vehicles of the fleet of vehicles;

receiving, by the fleet server, at least one HVAC parameter from each of the vehicles of the fleet of vehicles;

determining, by the fleet server, HVAC conditions of at least one of the vehicles based at least in part on the at least one HVAC parameter; and

determining, by the fleet server, the efficient operational setting based on the current HVAC conditions together with the energy use rate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining the efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles further comprises:

determining, by the fleet server, a current location of the at least one vehicle based on at least one location parameter received from the at least one vehicle or from the at least one other source;

determining, by the fleet server, a route of the at least one vehicle based on the at least one route parameter received from each of the vehicles of the fleet of vehicles or from the at least one other source;

processing, by the fleet server, the current location of the at least one vehicle and the route to further determine weather or traffic conditions along the route of the at least one vehicle; and

determining, by the fleet server, the efficient operational setting based on the current location, current route, weather and traffic conditions along the current route together with the current HVAC conditions and the energy use rate.

17. A method for displaying energy parameters or characteristics of a vehicle climate control system of at least one vehicle, the climate control system comprising a controller configured to be coupled to an electrically driven compressor powered by an auxiliary power source, the method comprising:

receiving, at the controller from a fleet server remote from the at least one vehicle, at least one graphics instruction relating to a state of the at least one vehicle'"'"'s auxiliary power source; and

displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI), (i) a parameter associated with the climate control system of the at least one vehicle, and (ii) a ring surrounding the parameter, wherein the ring represents the state of the auxiliary power source that changes color, intensity, or size based on a degree of energy efficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter associated with the climate control system of the at least one vehicle is selected from the group consisting of:

a percentage efficiency at which the climate control system for the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles operates;

ambient conditions in the vehicle;

remaining power of the auxiliary power source;

remaining runtime; and

system health of the climate control system for the at least one vehicle.

19. A system, remote from a fleet of vehicles, for simultaneously managing climate control systems of at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a receiver coupled to the one or more processors;

a transmitter coupled to the one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors and comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving, from each vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, by the receiver, at least one parameter relaying information about a performance of a climate control system of each vehicle, each climate control system configured to include an electrically driven compressor;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether a performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles based at least in part on the at least one parameter received from the at least one vehicle;

upon determining that the performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of the at least one vehicle, determining, by the one or more processors, an efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles; and

transmitting, by the transmitter, an operational setting instruction to the at least one vehicle to control the climate control system.

20. A method for displaying energy parameters or characteristics of a climate control system of at least one vehicle of a fleet of vehicles, the method comprising:

at a server system remote from the fleet of vehicles, having one or more processors, a receiver and a transmitter each coupled to the one or more processors, and memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors;

receiving by the receiver, from a controller configured to be coupled to an electrically driven compressor of the climate control system, information relating to a state of an auxiliary power source powering the electrically driven compressor;

determining, by the server, a degree of energy efficiency and a remaining runtime based on the state of the auxiliary power source;

generating, by the transmitter, a graphics instruction based on the state of the auxiliary power source;

transmitting, by the controller, the graphics instruction to display on a graphical user interface (GUI);

(i) at least one parameter associated with the climate control system, and (ii) a ring surrounding the parameter, wherein the ring represents the state of the auxiliary power source that changes color, intensity, or size based on the degree of energy efficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one parameter associated with the climate control system includes:

a percentage efficiency at which the climate control system for the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles operates;

ambient conditions in the at least one vehicle,

remaining power of the auxiliary power source;

remaining runtime; and

system health of the climate control system for the at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the parameter associated with the climate control system, and the ring surrounding the parameter are displayed at a GUI remote from the vehicle.