Telematics device for electric vehicle and remote air-conditioning control method thereof

• US 8,504,219 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Myung Hoe, Kim, Woo Sung, Kim, Sung Yun, Sung, Woo Suk, Hwang, Do Sung, Yoon, Hyung Jin, Kim, Ji-Hwon
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/950,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20120101659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/22, 701/29.1, 320/109, 320/134, 903/903, 702/63
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00257 Non-transportable devices, disposed outside the vehicle, e.g. on a parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/08 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A telematics device for an electric vehicle and a remote air-conditioning control method thereof are provided. A vehicle driver remote adjusts an indoor temperature of the electric vehicle by driving an air-conditioning unit of the vehicle during the battery charging, so that a travelable distance based on the battery life can be maximized.

Claims

1. A telematics device for an electric vehicle comprising:

a temperature adjusting unit for adjusting an indoor temperature by driving an air-conditioning unit of the electric vehicle;

a battery charging unit for controlling battery charging, and adjusting a current amount applied to the temperature adjusting unit according to battery State of Charge (SOC) information and a charging current amount when receiving a power-supply signal for the temperature adjusting unit during a battery charging time; and

a controller for outputting the power-supply signal upon receiving a remote control signal from a predetermined server, and adjusting an indoor temperature of the electric vehicle by controlling the temperature adjusting unit,

wherein the battery charging unit adjusts a ratio of a current amount required for the battery charging to another current amount applied to the themperature adjusting unit according to the battery SOC information and the charging current amount.

2. The telematics device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensing unit for measuring indoor temperature of the vehicle and outputting the measured temperature information to the controller.

3. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the controller transmits the battery SOC information and the temperature information to the server during the battery charging time.

4. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery charging unit, if the battery is completely charged, provides the entirety of the charging current to the temperature adjusting unit.

5. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery charging unit calculates a battery SOC and an estimated full-charging time using the charging current amount, and transmits the calculated result to the controller.

6. The telematics device according to claim 4, wherein the controller periodically transmits charging information including not only battery SOC but also the estimated full-charging time to the server.

7. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the battery charging unit transmits a charging start signal to the controller when battery charging begins to operate, and transmits a charging end signal to the controller when the battery charging is finished.

8. The telematics device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the temperature adjusting unit at a reserved time according to predetermined reservation information.

9. A remote air-conditioning control method for an electric vehicle comprising:

acquiring temperature information and battery State of Charge (SOC) information of the electric vehicle during a battery charging time, and transmitting the acquired information to a predetermined server; and

adjusting an indoor temperature by driving an air-conditioning unit of the electric vehicle upon receiving a remote control signal from the server,

wherein a ratio of a current amount required for battery charging to another current amount for driving the air-conditioning unit is adjusted according to a battery SOC and a charging current amount.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the battery charging information includes battery State of Charge (SOC) information and information about an estimated full-charging time.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the adjusting step upon receiving the remote control signal during the battery charging comprises driving the air-conditioning unit using some parts of the charging current.