Remote climate control system providing an indication relating to remote climate control operation and associated methods

• US 8,313,039 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E., Thompson, Michael Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/571,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20110073667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 621/26, 622/44, 236/51, 165/42, 701/36, 123/179.2, 123/179.3
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A remote climate control system for a vehicle includes a remote climate controller to be positioned at a vehicle for starting an electrically powered climate control system based upon a remote climate control handheld unit and causing the electrically powered climate control system to run for a run time period before shutting it off. The remote climate controller is resettable based upon the remote climate control handheld unit to cause the electrically powered climate control system to run for an additional run time period before shutting it off. The remote climate control handheld unit has an indicator for providing an indication to a user prior to expiration of the run time period to permit a user to reset the run time period while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system.

Claims

1. A remote climate control system for a vehicle comprising an electrical power source and an electrically powered climate control system selectively powered thereby, the remote climate control system comprising:

a remote climate control handheld unit comprising a housing and a processor carried thereby; and

a remote climate controller to be positioned at the vehicle for starting the electrically powered climate control system based upon the remote climate control handheld unit and causing the electrically powered climate control system to run for a run time period before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system;

said remote climate controller also being resettable based upon the remote climate control handheld unit to cause the electrically powered climate control system to run for an additional run time period while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system;

said remote climate control handheld unit further comprising an indicator cooperating with said processor for providing an indication to a user prior to expiration of the run time period to permit a user to use said remote climate control handheld unit to reset the run time period while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system.

2. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a tactile indicator and the indication comprises a tactile indication.

3. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator and the indication comprises an audible indication.

4. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a visible indicator and the indication comprises a visible indication.

5. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein said processor implements a timing function to operate said indicator.

6. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein said remote climate controller implements a timing function to send an alert to said remote climate control handheld unit prior to expiration of the run time period;

and wherein said processor of said remote climate control handheld unit provides the indication based upon the alert.

7. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein said remote climate controller has a settable run time period.

8. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle;

and wherein said remote climate controller causes a climate control start signal to be generated on the data communications bus for starting the electrically powered climate control system.

9. The remote climate control system of claim 8, wherein said remote climate controller causes a climate control stop signal to be generated on the data communications bus for shutting off the electrically powered climate control system.

10. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the electrically powered system comprises at least one of an electrically powered air conditioning (AC) compressor, an electrical heater, and an electrical ventilation blower.

11. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a sensor associated with the electrical power source;

and wherein said remote climate controller is also for starting the electrically powered climate control system based upon the sensor.

12. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein said remote climate control handheld unit comprises a cellular telephone.

13. The remote climate control system of claim 1, wherein said remote climate controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote climate controller.

14. A remote climate control system for a vehicle comprising an electrical power source, an electrically powered climate control system selectively powered thereby, and a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, the remote climate control system comprising:

a remote climate control handheld unit comprising a housing and a processor carried thereby;

a remote climate controller to be positioned at the vehicle for causing a climate control start signal to be generated on the data communications bus for starting the electrically powered climate control system based upon the remote climate control handheld unit and causing the electrically powered climate control system to run for a settable run time period before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system;

said remote climate controller also being resettable based upon the remote climate control handheld unit to cause the electrically powered climate control system to run for an additional settable run time period while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system;

said remote climate control handheld unit further comprising an indicator cooperating with said processor for providing an indication to a user prior to expiration of the settable run time period to permit a user to use said remote climate control handheld unit to reset the run time period while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system.

15. The remote climate control system of claim 14, wherein the indicator comprises a tactile indicator and the indication comprises a tactile indication.

16. The remote climate control system of claim 14, wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator and the indication comprises an audible indication.

17. The remote climate control system of claim 14, wherein the indicator comprises a visible indicator and the indication comprises a visible indication.

18. The remote climate control system of claim 14, wherein said processor implements a timing function to operate said indicator.

19. The remote climate control system of claim 14, wherein said remote climate controller implements a timing function to send an alert to said remote climate control handheld unit prior to expiration of the run time period;

and wherein said processor of said remote climate control handheld unit provides the indication based upon the alert.

20. A method of using a remote climate control system for a vehicle comprising an electrical power source and an electrically powered climate control system selectively powered thereby, the method comprising:

starting the electrically powered climate control system, with a remote climate controller positioned at the vehicle, based upon a remote climate control handheld unit and the electrically powered climate control system, and causing the electrically powered climate control system to run for a run time period before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system; and

generating an indication, using an indicator, to a user prior to expiration of the run time period to permit a user to use the remote climate control handheld unit to reset the run time period to cause the electrically powered climate control system to run for an additional run time period, while the electrically powered climate control system is still running and before shutting off the electrically powered climate control system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the indicator comprises a tactile indicator and the indication comprises a tactile indication.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator and the indication comprises an audible indication.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the indicator comprises a visible indicator and the indication comprises a visible indication.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle further comprises a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle;

and wherein the electrically powered climate control system is started by causing a climate control start signal to be generated on the data communications bus with the remote climate controller.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the electrically powered climate control system is shut off by causing a climate control stop signal to be generated on the data communications bus with the remote climate controller.