SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ADJUST VEHICLE TEMPERATURE BASED ON DRIVER LOCATION
First Claim
1. A method of controlling temperature inside a vehicle, said method comprising:
- automatically monitoring a location of an operator of a vehicle, using a computerized device;
automatically determining a location of said vehicle, using said computerized device;
automatically determining a path that said operator of said vehicle may travel between said location of said operator and said location of said vehicle, using said computerized device;
automatically determining a distance of said path, using said computerized device;
automatically determining an amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path, using said computerized device;
automatically determining an internal temperature of said vehicle, using said computerized device;
automatically determining an amount of time required to adjust said internal temperature of said vehicle to a selected temperature, using said computerized device; and
automatically controlling a climate control system of said vehicle to begin adjusting said internal temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature when said amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path is less than or equal to said amount of time required to adjust said internal temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature, using said computerized device.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle climate control system. An air conditioner and heater are operatively connected to a controller and control the temperature of the cabin area of a vehicle. A processor, operatively connected to the controller, determines the amount of time for an operator of the vehicle to travel between their location and the location of the vehicle. The processor determines an amount of time required to adjust the temperature of the cabin area of the vehicle to a selected temperature by using one of the air conditioner and the heater. The processor automatically operates one of the air conditioner and the heater to begin adjusting the temperature of the cabin area to the selected temperature when the amount of time required for the operator to travel between their location and the location of the vehicle is less than or equal to the amount of time required to adjust the temperature of the cabin area vehicle to the selected temperature.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling temperature inside a vehicle, said method comprising:
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automatically monitoring a location of an operator of a vehicle, using a computerized device; automatically determining a location of said vehicle, using said computerized device; automatically determining a path that said operator of said vehicle may travel between said location of said operator and said location of said vehicle, using said computerized device; automatically determining a distance of said path, using said computerized device; automatically determining an amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path, using said computerized device; automatically determining an internal temperature of said vehicle, using said computerized device; automatically determining an amount of time required to adjust said internal temperature of said vehicle to a selected temperature, using said computerized device; and automatically controlling a climate control system of said vehicle to begin adjusting said internal temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature when said amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path is less than or equal to said amount of time required to adjust said internal temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature, using said computerized device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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generating a temperature signal indicating an internal cabin temperature of a vehicle using a temperature sensor; generating a location signal indicating a location of an operator of said vehicle using a first location sensor; monitoring a location of said vehicle using a second location sensor; and determining said location of said operator of said vehicle, using a processor that receives said location signal; determining said location of said vehicle from said second location sensor, using said processor; determining a path that said operator of said vehicle may travel between said location of said operator and said location of said vehicle, using said processor; determining a distance of said path, using said processor; determining an amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path, using said processor; determining an amount of time required for a climate control system of said vehicle to adjust said internal cabin temperature of said vehicle to a selected temperature based on said internal cabin temperature, using said processor; and operating said climate control system of said to begin adjusting said internal cabin temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature when said amount of time required for said operator to travel said path between said location of said operator and said location of said vehicle is less than or equal to said amount of time required to adjust said internal cabin temperature of said vehicle to said selected temperature. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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determining a temperature of a cabin area of a vehicle; determining a location of an operator of said vehicle, using a first location sensor, said first location sensor comprising a smartphone having a built-in GPS system; determining a location of said vehicle, using a second location sensor; determining a path that said operator of said vehicle may travel between said location of said operator and said location of said vehicle; determining a distance of said path; determining an amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path; determining an amount of time required to adjust said temperature of said cabin area of said vehicle to a selected temperature; and selectively operating a climate control system of said vehicle to begin adjusting said temperature of said cabin area of said vehicle to said selected temperature when said amount of time required for said operator to travel said distance of said path is less than or equal to said amount of time required to adjust said temperature of said cabin area of said vehicle to said selected temperature. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification