System and method for controlling a vehicle having a single-wire actuator

• US 8,977,417 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Badger, Justin R., Porras, Angel Fernando, Lindlbauer, Michael Paul, Ochocinski, Christopher Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/838,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/33.9, 340/435, 180/65.265, 180/65, 180/275, 237/12.3 B, 237/5
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2218 controlling the operation of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/2253 related to an operational state of the vehicle or a vehicle component
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A system and method for determining functionality of a single signal wire actuator of a vehicle monitor the signal wire for a heartbeat signal after commanding the actuator and waiting for a self-diagnostic period. In one embodiment, a hybrid vehicle includes an engine, an electric heater, a heater core and a valve positioned to route coolant through an engine and/or an electric heater. An actuator positioned to circulate coolant through the electric heater and the heater core is configured to transmit a heartbeat signal while connected to a power source and a ground terminal. A vehicle controller may be configured to store a diagnostic code, start the engine and/or control the valve to selectively route coolant through the engine and the heater core in response to a heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the actuator within a predetermined interval of time.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

an electric heater;

a heater core;

a valve positioned to route coolant through at least one of the engine and the electric heater;

an auxiliary pump positioned to circulate coolant through the electric heater and the heater core, the auxiliary pump being configured to transmit a heartbeat signal while connected to a power source and a ground terminal; and

a controller configured to start the engine to provide heat to the vehicle, in response to a heat request and the heartbeat signal is not is not being received from the auxiliary pump within a predetermined interval of time.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predetermined interval of time begins after a delay period triggered by the heat request.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control a main pump to circulate coolant through the engine to the heater core, in response to the heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store a diagnostic code, in response to the heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one vehicle component, in response to the heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 5, wherein the at least one vehicle component is a main pump configured to circulate coolant from the engine to the heater core.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate an indicator within the vehicle, in response to the heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time, the indicator including at least one of a light, a sound, and a message.

8. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the vehicle in a hybrid mode, in response to the heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

9. A method for controlling a vehicle having an engine and an auxiliary pump, comprising:

commanding the auxiliary pump on, by a controller, in response to a heat request, the auxiliary pump being configured to transmit a heartbeat signal at all times while connected to a power source and a ground terminal; and

storing a diagnostic code, by the controller, when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within a predetermined interval of time after the pump has been commanded on.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling a main pump to circulate coolant through the engine to a heater core when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

starting the engine to provide heat to the vehicle when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

commanding the auxiliary pump off when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

communicating an operating state of the auxiliary pump to at least one vehicle component when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one vehicle component is a main pump configured to circulate coolant from the engine to a heater core.

15. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

commanding an auxiliary pump on, by a controller, the auxiliary pump being configured to transmit a heartbeat signal at all times while connected to a power source and a ground terminal; and

starting an engine using the controller to provide heat to the vehicle, in response to a heat request and the heartbeat signal not being received from the auxiliary pump within a predetermined interval of time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing a diagnostic code to indicate inoperability of the auxiliary pump when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time after the pump has been commanded on.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

activating an indicator within the vehicle when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time, the indicator including at least one of a light, a sound, and a message.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

controlling a valve to selectively route coolant through the engine to a heater core, in response to the heat request, when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

operating the vehicle in a hybrid mode, in response to the heat request, when the heartbeat signal is not received from the auxiliary pump within the predetermined interval of time.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

waiting until a period of time has elapsed after commanding the auxiliary pump on before listening for the heartbeat signal to be transmitted by the auxiliary pump.