Preliminary air conditioning system

• US 8,909,390 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tonegawa, Hiromi, Ishikawa, Tetsuhiro, Ichikawa, Shinji, Ishii, Daisuke, Murawaka, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fouche, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/499,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 237/2, 165/202, 705/14, 621/57
• 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 1/00642 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 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00735 Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2234 when vehicle is parked, preheating
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2262 related to the period of on/off time of the heater
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• 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 charging start time and preliminary air conditioning time are calculated based on the departure time that is set with a control/operation device (S108), and the charging time and preliminary air conditioning time are set (S110). Then, a control is executed to start charging when at the charging start time (S112 to 116) and preliminary air conditioning may be started when the amount of charge is sufficient for preliminary air conditioning and a preliminary air conditioning starting trigger is detected, that is locking or preparation for leaving house is detected, for example (S118 to 128).

Claims

1. A preliminary air conditioning system, comprising:

a communication device that communicates with a motor vehicle that is equipped with an air conditioner that has a preliminary air conditioning function of controlling the temperature in the cabin of the motor vehicle before the motor vehicle is driven and a battery that stores electric power used by the motor vehicle;

a charger that determines the state of charge of the battery based on the communication by the communication device and supplies electric power that is necessary to charge the battery to the motor vehicle from a building to charge the battery;

a detector that detects a transition or a preparation for a transition from an unlocked state to a locked state of a door of the building, or a transition or preparation for a transition from a locked state to an unlocked state of a door of the building; and

a controller that is configured to control the air conditioner to activate the preliminary air conditioning function using the communication by the communication device based on the result of detection by the detector when the communication device indicates that the detector has detected the locking or preparation for locking.

2. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a setting device that is provided in the building and that is operated by a user to set a schedule for activating the preliminary air conditioning function,

wherein the setting device selectively sets a trigger to activate the preliminary air conditioning function based on the activation schedule or on the result of detection by the detector, and

wherein the controller further controls the air conditioner to activate the preliminary air conditioning function based on the trigger that is set by the setting device.

3. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature detector that is provided in the motor vehicle or the building to detect the ambient air temperature,

wherein the controller further controls the air conditioner to make it function as a cooler if the detected ambient air temperature exceeds a first prescribed temperature and to make it function as a heater if the detected ambient air temperature is below a second prescribed temperature.

4. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an energization detector that detects energization of a kitchen appliance in the building,

wherein the controller further controls the air conditioner to activate the preliminary air conditioning function based on the result of detection by the energization detector when the energization is detected.

5. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a leaving house preparation detector that detects a preparation for leaving house by a resident of the building,

wherein the controller further controls the air conditioner to activate the preliminary air conditioning function if the leaving house preparation detector detects the preparation for leaving house.

6. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the leaving house preparation detector determines that a preparation for leaving house is detected when a prescribed period of time has passed after energization of an IH heater is detected.

7. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the leaving house preparation detector determines that a preparation for leaving house is detected when a prescribed period of time has passed after an air conditioner in the building is switched off.

8. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the leaving house preparation detector determines that a preparation for leaving house is detected when a prescribed period of time has passed after a lamp in the building is switched off.

9. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the leaving house preparation detector determines that a preparation for leaving house is detected when a prescribed period of time has passed after a cable used to charge the battery is pulled out.

10. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 2,

wherein the setting device sets predetermined priorities to a plurality of triggers, and the controller activates the preliminary air conditioning function of the air conditioner according to the priorities of the triggers.

11. The preliminary air conditioning system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller inhibits the activation of the preliminary air conditioning function before the amount of charge in the battery reaches a prescribed value.