Climate control advisory system and method

• US 8,874,293 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gilman, Dale, Aldighieri, Paul A, Skaff, Ryan J
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US13/478,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.28, 180/65.285, 180/65.29, 903/903, 701/22, 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00 Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices heating, cooling or ventilating devices providing other air treatment, the other treatment being relevant, B60H3/00; ventilating solely by opening windows, doors, roof parts, or the like B60J; heating or ventilating devices for vehicle seats B60N2/56; vehicle window or windscreen cleaners using air, e.g. defrosters, B60S1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00878 the components being temperature regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/169 Remaining operating distance or charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Many plug-in electric vehicles include a high voltage battery for outputting electrical power to a traction motor in order to propel the vehicle. The distance range of these vehicles may be impacted by usage of a climate control system. A user interface may inform vehicle operators when their current climate control usage may prevent their vehicle from reaching its next charge point. The user interface may also advise drivers to reduce their climate control usage in order to increase vehicle range when the battery is nearing low state of charge conditions.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to calculate a distance surplus based upon a difference between an estimated travel distance and a charge point distance, and output a message signal when the estimated travel distance is below an estimated travel distance threshold, climate control system usage is above a climate control system usage threshold, and the distance surplus is below a distance surplus threshold; and

a user interface in communication with the controller and configured to output a climate advisory message in response to the message signal.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the estimated travel distance is based at least upon a state of charge of a vehicle battery.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the charge point distance is based upon a route distance between a current vehicle position and a charge point.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the climate control system usage corresponds to a climate control system power level.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the climate control system power level corresponds to a current climate control system power demand relative to a maximum climate control system power demand.

6. The control system if claim 1, wherein the climate advisory message advises a vehicle operator to reduce usage of a climate control system in order to increase vehicle range.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the user interface includes a display for displaying the climate advisory message.

8. A method comprising:

calculating, using a controller, a distance surplus based upon an estimated travel distance and a charge point distance; and

displaying, using a display, a climate advisory message when the estimated travel distance is below an estimated travel distance threshold, climate control system usage is above a climate control system usage threshold, and the distance surplus is below a distance surplus threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of outputting the climate advisory message includes displaying the climate advisory message on a vehicle display.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the estimated travel distance is based at least upon a state of charge of a vehicle battery.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the charge point distance is based upon a route distance between a current vehicle position and a charge point.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the climate control system usage corresponds to a climate control system power level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the climate control system power level corresponds to a current climate control system power demand relative to a maximum climate control system power demand.

14. A control system for a vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to calculate a distance surplus based upon a difference between an estimated travel distance and a charge point distance, and output a message signal when the estimated travel distance is below a first estimated travel distance threshold, climate control system usage is above a first climate control system usage threshold, and the distance surplus is below a first distance surplus threshold; and

a user interface in communication with the controller and configured to output a climate advisory message in response to the message signal, the climate advisory message advising a vehicle operator to reduce usage of a climate control system in order to increase vehicle range.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the climate advisory message system due to includes a low battery state of charge warning when the estimated travel distance is below a second estimated travel distance threshold, the climate control system usage is above a second climate control system usage threshold, and the distance surplus is below a second distance surplus threshold.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the second estimated travel distance threshold is less than the first estimated travel distance threshold.

17. The control system of claim 15, wherein the second climate control system usage threshold is less than the first climate control system usage threshold.

18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the second distance surplus threshold is less than the first distance surplus threshold.