Emergency vehicle climate apparatus and method

• US 9,202,316 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Trudell, Timothy John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/490,149
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/45, 701/49, 701/29.1, 701/29.2, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/34.4, 340/438
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00978 Control systems or circuits characterised by failure of detection or safety means; Diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles

Abstract

At least one environmental parameter is received from at least one environmental sensor located in or at a vehicle. Based upon the at least one environmental parameter, a determination is made as to whether an abnormal condition exists within or at a vehicle. When the abnormal condition exists, at least one vehicle component is actuated until the abnormal condition no longer exists within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, the method comprising:

receiving at least one temperature parameter from at least one temperature sensor and at least one air quality parameter from at least one air quality sensor located in or at an electric or hybrid vehicle;

determining whether the driver is in the electric or hybrid vehicle;

determining whether a child or other passenger is in the electric or hybrid vehicle;

based upon the at least one temperature parameter, determining whether an abnormal temperature condition exists within or at the electric or hybrid vehicle;

based upon the at least one air quality parameter, determining whether an abnormal air quality condition exists within or at the electric or hybrid vehicle;

when one or more of the abnormal temperature condition or the abnormal air quality condition exist, when the driver is not in the electric or hybrid vehicle, and when a child or other passenger is in the electric or hybrid vehicle, reaching a preliminary determination at a processing unit that a potential actionable abnormal condition exists at or within the electric or hybrid vehicle;

confirming at the processing unit that the potential actionable abnormal condition is an actual abnormal condition, the confirming based upon an evaluation of multiple sensor readings from the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one air quality sensor, at least two sensor readings being required to confirm that the actual abnormal condition exists;

when the actual abnormal condition is confirmed, at the processing unit enabling at least one vehicle component until one or more of the abnormal temperature condition and the abnormal air quality condition no longer exist within the vehicle;

at the processing unit, measuring the time since the driver has left the vehicle;

from the processing unit, sending an alert message to a party that is not the driver when the measured time exceeds a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one air quality parameter is a parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a carbon dioxide level, and a carbon monoxide level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is a component selected from the group consisting of:

a heater;

an air conditioning unit, and a vent.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein actuating at least one vehicle component comprises circulating outside air into the interior of the vehicle without actuating an air conditioning system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein actuating at least one vehicle component comprises actuating an air conditioning system without turning on the vehicle engine.

6. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

an interface with an input and an output, the input configured to receive at least one temperature parameter from at least one temperature sensor, at least one air quality parameter from at least one air quality sensor located in or at an electric or hybrid vehicle, a first indication as to whether the driver is in the electric or hybrid vehicle, and a second indication as to whether a child or other passenger is in the electric or hybrid vehicle;

a controller, the controller coupled to the interface, the controller configured to based upon the at least one temperature parameter, determine whether an abnormal temperature condition exists within or at the electric or hybrid vehicle, and to determine based upon the at least one air quality parameter, whether an abnormal air quality condition exists within or at the electric or hybrid vehicle, the controller configured to when one or more of the abnormal temperature condition or the abnormal air quality condition exist, when the first indication shows that the driver is not in the electric or hybrid vehicle, and when the second indication shows that a child or other passenger is in the electric or hybrid vehicle, reach a preliminary determination that a potential actionable abnormal condition exists at or within the electric or hybrid vehicle, the controller configured to confirm that the potential actionable abnormal condition is an actual abnormal condition, the confirmation based upon an evaluation of multiple sensor readings from the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one air quality sensor, at least two sensor readings being required to confirm that the actual abnormal condition exists, the controller configured to when the actual abnormal condition is confirmed, enable at least one vehicle component via the output until one or more of the abnormal temperature condition and the abnormal air quality condition no longer exist within the vehicle, the controller configured to measure the time since the driver has left the vehicle and send an alert message at the output to a party that is not the driver when the measured time exceeds a threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one air quality parameter is a parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a carbon dioxide level, and a carbon monoxide level.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the vehicle component is a component selected from the group consisting of:

a heater;

an air conditioning unit, and a vent.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the actuation of the at least one vehicle component causes outside air to circulate into the interior of the vehicle without actuating an air conditioning system.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the actuation of at least one vehicle component includes actuating an air conditioning system without turning on the vehicle engine.