Control system for operating automotive vehicle components

• US 7,274,007 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WET Automotive Systems Limited (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fernandez, Lucas, Majarov, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang; Tu Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ralis; Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/946,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 219/202, 219/204, 219/497, 219/490, 219/492, 219/494, 219/507
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5678 characterised by electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

There is disclosed a control system for operating automotive vehicle components. The control system typically includes at least a control module programmed with instructions for controlling a heater, a ventilator or both.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling one or more components of an automotive vehicle comprising;

at least one control module in signaling communication with an energy source, a sensor, a power stage and a switch wherein the energy source provides power to a heater as dictated by the power stage, the sensor senses a temperature associated with the heater and the switch turns the heater on and off and wherein the control module includes;

i) programming for comparing representative values originating from the sensor to a set of n set point values (V₁ . . . V_n) wherein the representative values are representative of temperatures (T_s) sensed by the temperature sensor, the n set-point values are representative of n predetermined temperatures (T₁ . . . T_n) and n is a whole number greater than 1, wherein n is at least 5;

ii) programming for allowing n different amounts of energy (E₁ . . . E_n) to be applied to the heater depending upon the representative values, the amounts of energy changing during a heat up of the heater based upon repeated temperature sensing, which is also done during an initial heat up time period once the heater is turned on;

wherein each of the different amounts of energy are based on the temperatures sensed and wherein as the temperatures (T_s) sensed by the temperature sensor become progressively higher, the amounts of energy being applied to the heater become smaller as (T_s) approaches T_n;

wherein the heater is selected from a seat heater or a steering wheel heater of the automotive vehicle.

2. A controller as in claim 1 wherein the representative values and the set point values are voltages or resistances.

3. A controller as in claim 1 wherein the different amounts of energy are produced by differing the amount of time for which a single voltage is provided to the heater or by differing voltages provided to the heater.

4. A controller as in claim 1 wherein the module is programmed to determine the highest temperature of the predetermined temperatures that T_s is equal to or below and to apply an amount of energy selected from the predetermined amounts of energy that corresponds to the highest temperature.

5. A controller as in claim 4 wherein, if T_s is equal to or above the highest predetermined temperature then the lowest or zero amount of energy is applied to the heater.

6. controller as in claim 1 wherein the control modue is programmed to compare the representative values and corresponding amounts of energy being applied to the heater with programmed data to assure that the energy being applied to the heater is producing a temperature or temperature change commensurate with an expected temperature change as provided by the data.

7. A controller as in claim 6 wherein the programmed data is based upon empirical data from experiments conducted the seat heater or steering wheel heater.

8. A controller as in claim 7 wherein the programmed data are modeled as mathematical functions based upon empirical data.

9. A controller as in claim 8 where fault curves are programmed into the control module based upon the programmed data and one fault curve is modeled as having temperature sensor values that change slower than a first data curve for which a minimum acceptable amount of energy is applied to the heater and another fault curve is modeled as having temperature sensor values that change faster than a second data curve for which a maximum acceptable amount of energy is applied to the heater.

10. A controller for controlling one or more components of an automotive vehicle comprising;

at least one control module in signaling communication with an energy source, a sensor, an air mover, a power stage and a switch wherein the energy source provides power to a heater as dictated by the power stage, the sensor senses a temperature associated with the heater and the switch turns the heater on and off and wherein the control module includes;

i) programming for comparing representative values originating from the sensor to a set of n set point values (V₁ . . . V_n) wherein the representative values are representative of temperatures (T_s) sensed by the temperature sensor, the n set-point values are representative of n predetermined temperatures (T₁ . . . T_n) and n is a whole number greater than 1, wherein n is at least 3

ii) programming for allowing n different amounts of energy (E₁ . . . E_n) to be applied to the heater depending upon the representative value such different amount be applied during an initial heat up time period of the heater once the heater is turned on; and

iii) programming for providing remedial measures if a relatively high temperature or a relatively low temperature is detected wherein the remedial measures include programming for turning the air mover on in the event that the temperature sensor senses a temperature in excess of a predetermined upper limit temperature and programming for turning the heater on in the event that the temperature sensor senses a temperature below a predetermined lower limit temperatures;

wherein the different amounts of energy respectively inversely correspond to the predetermined temperatures such that higher predetermined temperatures correspond to lower amounts of energy and wherein the heater is selected from a seat heater or a steering wheel heater of the automotive vehicle.

11. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the switch includes an LED and wherein the control module is programmed to provide substantially constant energy to an LED such that the light emitted by the LED is substantially constant during operation thereof.

12. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the control module is programmed with an additional shutdown feature for instances in which a relatively large amount of energy is supplied to the heater for a predetermined amount of time.

13. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the control module is programmed with a start-up feature, which is designed to have the power supply provide energy to the heater for a predetermined time upon sensing of a temperature below a particular threshold level at initial start up.

14. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the controller includes a stuck button feature, which only allows the heater or ventilator to be activated when the on/off switch is a button and the button returns to its normal non-depressed position after that button has been depressed.

15. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the representative values and the set point values are voltages or resistances.

16. A controller as in claim 10 wherein n is at least 5.

17. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the module is programmed to determine the highest temperature of the predetermined temperatures that T_s is equal to or below and to apply an amount of energy selected from the predetermined amounts of energy that corresponds to the highest temperature.

18. A controller as in claim 17 wherein, if T_s is equal to or above the highest predetermined temperature then the lowest or zero amount of energy is applied to the heater.

19. A controller as in claim 10 wherein the controller is part of a universal controller of the automotive vehicle and wherein

the amounts of energy change during a heat up of the heater based upon repeated temperature sensing, which is also done during the heat up;

wherein each of the different amounts of energy are based on the temperatures sensed and wherein as the temperatures (T_s) sensed by the temperature sensor become progressively higher, the amounts of energy being applied to the heater become smaller as (T_s) approaches T_n; and

wherein the at least one control module includes

programming for producing 100% energy from the energy source to the heater if the representative value fails to indicate that the temperature sensed is below at least one of the n predetermined temperatures.

20. A controller for controlling one or more components of an automotive vehicle comprising;

at least one control module in signaling communication with an energy source, a sensor, an air mover, a power stage and a switch wherein the energy source provides power to a heater as dictated by the power stage, the sensor senses a temperature associated with the heater and the switch turns the heater on and off and wherein the control module includes;

i) programming for comparing representative values originating from the sensor to a set of n set point values (V₁ . . . V_n) wherein the representative values are representative of temperatures (T_s) sensed by the temperature sensor, the n set-point values are representative of n predetermined temperatures (T₁ . . . T_n) and n is a whole number greater than 1, wherein n is at least 5;

ii) programming for allowing n different amounts of energy (E₁ . . . E_n) to be applied to the heater depending upon the representative value; and

iii) programming for providing remedial measures if a relatively high temperature or a relatively low temperature is detected wherein the remedial measures include programming for turning the air mover on in the event that the temperature sensor senses a temperature in excess of a predetermined upper limit temperature and programming for turning the heater on in the event that the temperature sensor senses a temperature below a predetermined lower limit temperature;

wherein the control module is programmed to compare the representative values and corresponding amounts of energy being applied to the heater with programmed data to assure that the energy being applied to the heater is producing a temperature or temperature change commensurate with an expected temperature change as provided by the data;

the heater is selected from a seat heater or a steering wheel heater of the automotive vehicle; and

the amounts of energy (E₁ . . . E_n) are changed during heat up of the heater based upon repeated temperature sensing, which is also done during an initial heat up time period once the heater is turned on.

21. A controller as in claim 20 wherein the programmed data is based upon empirical data from experiments conducted the seat heater or steering wheel heater.

22. A controller as in claim 21 wherein the programmed data are modeled as mathematical functions based upon empirical data.

23. A controller as in claim 22 where fault curves are programmed into the control module based upon the programmed data and one fault curve is modeled as having temperature sensor values that change slower than a first data curve for which a minimum acceptable amount of energy is applied to the heater and another fault curve is modeled as having temperature sensor values that change faster than a second data curve for which a maximum acceptable amount of energy is applied to the heater.