HVAC control method for a remote start motor vehicle

• US 6,745,582 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mahle International GmbH (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Running, Aaron P., Urbank, Thomas Martin, Sangwan, Karma Vir
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Application Number:
  US10/340,053
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 621/33, 622/30, 622/44, 236/51, 165/202, 165/42
• US Class Current: 62/133
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0073 Control systems or circuits characterised by particular algorithms or computational models, e.g. fuzzy logic or dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00792 Arrangement of detectors B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00864 Ventilators and damper doors

Abstract

A manually controlled motor vehicle HVAC system is activated for automatically pre-heating or pre-cooling the cabin following remote starting of the vehicle engine. When the engine has been remotely started, an HVAC controller estimates initial outside air and cabin air temperatures, and determines if pre-heating or pre-cooling is appropriate based on the estimated initial temperatures, the engine coolant temperature and a measure of the engine soak time. When pre-heating or pre-cooling is deemed to be appropriate, the HVAC parameters normally set by a driver interface panel are selectively overridden based on the estimated initial outside air and cabin air temperatures. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the initial outside air temperature is estimated based on an inlet air temperature sensor of the engine or on a refrigerant pressure sensor of the HVAC system prior to activation of the refrigerant compressor.

Claims

1. A method of operating a manually controlled HVAC system that is installed in a motor vehicle having an engine that can be remotely started, wherein the engine includes temperature sensors responsive to engine coolant and engine inlet air, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an initial coolant temperature from the engine coolant temperature sensor and an initial inlet air temperature from the engine inlet air temperature sensor when remote starting occurs;

estimating an initial outside air temperature according to the initial inlet air temperature so long as the initial inlet air temperature is not more than a calibrated amount below the initial coolant temperature;

estimating an initial temperature of air in a cabin of the vehicle;

determining if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period; and

activating the HVAC system for pre-heating or pre-cooling said cabin if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period, and the estimated initial cabin air and outside air temperatures are outside a predefined temperature range.

2. A method of operating a manually controlled HVAC system that is installed in a motor vehicle having an engine that can be remotely started, wherein the HVAC system includes a pressure sensor responsive to a refrigerant of said HVAC system, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an initial refrigerant pressure from the refrigerant pressure sensor when remote starting occurs, and prior to activation of said HVAC system;

determining an initial refrigerant temperature corresponding to said initial refrigerant pressure, and estimating an initial outside air temperature according to the initial refrigerant temperature;

estimating an initial temperature of air in a cabin of the vehicle;

determining if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period; and

activating the HVAC system for pre-heating or pre-cooling said cabin if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period, and the estimated initial cabin air and outside air temperatures are outside a predefined temperature range.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the engine includes temperature sensors responsive to engine coolant and engine inlet air, and the method includes the steps of:

obtaining an initial coolant temperature from the engine coolant temperature sensor and an initial inlet air temperature from the engine inlet air temperature sensor when remote starting occurs; and

estimating the initial outside air temperature according to the initial refrigerant temperature if the initial coolant temperature is at least a calibrated amount higher than the initial inlet air temperature, and otherwise according to the initial inlet air temperature.

4. A method of operating a manually controlled HVAC system that is installed in a motor vehicle having an engine that can be remotely started, wherein the engine includes a temperature sensor responsive to engine coolant, the method comprising the steps of:

estimating an initial temperature of air in a cabin of the vehicle and an initial outside air temperature;

obtaining an initial coolant temperature from the engine coolant temperature sensor when remote starting occurs;

determining that the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period if the initial coolant temperature is not more than a calibrated amount above the estimated initial outside air temperature; and

activating the HVAC system for pre-heating or pre-cooling said cabin if it is determined that the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period, and the estimated initial cabin air and outside air temperatures are outside a predefined temperature range.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the vehicle includes a driver-activated ignition switch, and the method includes the steps of:

measuring a soak time based on an elapsed time following an on-to-off transition of said ignition switch; and

determining if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period if the soak time is greater than a reference time or the initial coolant temperature is not more than a calibrated amount above the estimated outside air temperature.

6. A method of operating a manually controlled HVAC system that is installed in a motor vehicle having an engine that can be remotely started, comprising the steps of:

estimating an initial temperature of air in a cabin of the vehicle and an initial outside air temperature;

determining if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period;

activating the HVAC system for pre-heating or pre-cooling said cabin if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period, and the estimated initial cabin air and outside air temperatures are outside a predefined temperature range; and

determining a warm-up or cool-down time according to the estimated initial cabin air temperature and a blower speed of said HVAC system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the HVAC system includes a defrost mode in which conditioned air is directed onto a windshield of the vehicle, and the step of activating the HVAC system includes the step of:

activating the defrost mode if the estimated initial outside air temperature is below a reference temperature and the determined warm-up time has not elapsed.

8. A method of operating a manually controlled HVAC system that is installed in a motor vehicle having an engine that can be remotely started, wherein the vehicle includes a rear window defogger, the method comprising the steps of:

estimating an initial temperature of air in a cabin of the vehicle and an initial outside air temperature;

determining if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period; and

if the engine has been inactive for a prolonged period, and the estimated initial cabin air and outside air temperatures are outside a predefined temperature range, activating the HVAC system for pre-heating or pre-cooling said cabin and activating the rear window defogger for a time interval based on the estimated initial outside air temperature.