Remote climate control device including electrical ventilation blower for an electric vehicle and associated methods

• US 8,061,626 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang; Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/181,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 294/28, 903/902, 622/44, 622/39, 165/42, 165/43, 180/65.1, 180/65.27, 219/202
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00828 Ventilators, e.g. speed control B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A remote climate control system is for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and having a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical Ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the hybrid vehicle. At least one of the electrical Ventilation blower and the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus. The remote climate control system includes a remote transmitter and a receiver to be positioned at the hybrid vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter. A vehicle remote climate controller cooperates with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the hybrid vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical Ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter.

Claims

1. A remote climate control system for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and comprising a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, a data communications bus extending throughout the electric vehicle, and at least one of the electrical ventilation blower and the sensor coupled to the data communications bus, the remote climate control system comprising:

a remote transmitter;

a receiver to be positioned at the electric vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter; and

a vehicle remote climate controller cooperating with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the electric vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter;

said vehicle remote climate controller configured to enable the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing the rechargeable electrical power source being coupled to an external power source.

2. The remote climate control system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus;

and wherein said vehicle remote climate controller receives signals from the sensor via the data communications bus.

3. The remote climate control system of claim 1 wherein the electrical ventilation blower is coupled to the data communications bus;

and wherein said vehicle remote climate controller sends signals to the electrical ventilation blower via the data communications bus.

4. The remote climate control system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle remote climate controller disables the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing a voltage of the rechargeable electrical power source being below a threshold.

5. The remote temperature climate system of claim 1 wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a security circuit coupled to the electrical ventilation blower for selectively enabling operation thereof;

and wherein said vehicle remote climate controller bypasses the security circuit to enable remote operation of the electrical ventilation blower.

6. The remote climate control system of claim 1 wherein said remote transmitter comprises a remote wireless handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle.

7. The remote temperature climate system according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle remote climate controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote climate controller.

8. The remote temperature climate system of claim 1 wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a device associated with opening a window of the vehicle and coupled to the data communications bus;

and wherein the vehicle remote climate controller selectively operates the device associated with opening the window of the vehicle.

9. A remote climate control system for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and comprising a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the electric vehicle, the electrical ventilation blower coupled to the data communications bus, the remote climate control system comprising:

a remote transmitter comprising a remote handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle;

a receiver to be positioned at the electric vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter; and

a vehicle remote climate controller cooperating with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the electric vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter;

said vehicle remote climate controller configured to enable the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing the rechargeable electrical power source being coupled to an external power source.

10. The remote climate control system of claim 9 wherein said vehicle remote climate controller disables the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing a voltage of the rechargeable electrical power source being below a threshold.

11. The remote temperature climate system of claim 9 wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a security circuit coupled to the electrical ventilation blower for selectively enabling operation thereof;

and wherein said vehicle remote climate controller bypasses the security circuit to enable remote operation of the electrical ventilation blower.

12. A remote climate control system for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and comprising a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the electric vehicle, the sensor coupled to the data communications bus, the remote climate control system comprising:

a remote transmitter comprising a remote handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle;

a receiver to be positioned at the electric vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter; and

a vehicle remote climate controller cooperating with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the electric vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter;

said vehicle remote climate controller configured to enable the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing the rechargeable electrical power source being coupled to an external power source.

13. The remote climate control system of claim 12 wherein said vehicle remote climate controller disables the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing a voltage of the rechargeable electrical power source being below a threshold.

14. The remote temperature climate system of claim 12 wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a security circuit coupled to the electrical ventilation blower for selectively enabling operation thereof;

and wherein said vehicle remote climate controller bypasses the security circuit to enable remote operation of the electrical ventilation blower.

15. A method of installing a remote climate control system in an electric vehicle comprising a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical ventilation blower selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, a data communications bus extending throughout the electric vehicle, and at least one of the electrical ventilation blower and the sensor coupled to the data communications bus, the method comprising:

coupling a vehicle remote climate controller to the data communications bus extending within the electric vehicle for communication thereover, the vehicle remote climate controller to cooperate with a receiver to selectively operate the electrical ventilation blower responsive to the sensor and the remote transmitter;

the vehicle remote climate controller configured to enable the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing the rechargeable electrical power source being coupled to an external power source.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the vehicle remote climate controller is to disable the electrical ventilation blower based upon the sensor sensing a voltage of the rechargeable electrical power source being below a threshold.

17. The method of to claim 15 wherein the vehicle remote climate controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote climate controller.