SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEATING IN A HYBRID VEHICLE USING A POWER SOURCE EXTERNAL TO THE HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20100140246A1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Grider, Duane M., Chander, Bala S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,279,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/008 with means for heating the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/04 fed by the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A system and method for controlling heating of at least one of an engine and a battery in a hybrid vehicle includes at least one heater and at least one system controller. The system controller receives a command signal and generates a heater control signal based on the command signal. The heater is in the hybrid vehicle and is electrically coupled to an electrical port integrated in the hybrid vehicle. The electrical port receives electric power from a power source external to the hybrid vehicle. In addition, the system includes a heater switch. The heater switch receives the heater control signal to control an amount of energy transferred from the electrical port to the heater and the heater selectively heats at least one of the engine and the battery in the hybrid vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for controlling heating of at least one of an engine and a battery in a hybrid vehicle using a power source external to the vehicle, the system comprising:

an electrical port on the vehicle configured to receive electric power from the power source;

an engine heater and a battery heater, both being in the vehicle and electrically coupled to the electrical port;

a system controller in the vehicle configured to generate at least one heater control signal; and

at least one heater switch configured to receive the heater control signal to control an amount of energy transferred from the electrical port to at least one of the heaters.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the electrical port is integrated with a side view mirror assembly of the hybrid vehicle.

3. The system as in claim 2 wherein the side view mirror assembly has a first position and a second position, a portion of the side view mirror assembly concealing the electrical port when the mirror housing is in the first position and the portion of the side view mirror assembly exposing the electrical port when the mirror housing is in the second position.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and the system controller receives a demand signal and generates a charging control signal based on the demand signal to control electric energy transferred from the electrical port to the rechargeable battery.

5. The system as in claim 4 wherein the system controller has a battery switch that receives the charging control signal to control the electric energy transferred to the battery.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system includes an occupant controller to provide user setting information wherein the system controller generates the heater control signal based on the user setting information.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system controller has a clock to measure a time interval and wherein the system controller is configured to generate the heater control signal after the time interval exceeds a predetermined amount of time to control the amount of energy transferred to at least one of the engine heater and the battery heater.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system includes a wireless weather receiver configured to transmit weather information to the system controller, the system controller generating the heater control signal based on the weather information.

9. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system includes an occupant controller configured to transmit user setting information to the system controller based on a user configuration of the occupant controller, the system controller being configured to generate the heater control signal based on the user setting information.

10. The system as in claim 1 wherein the heater switch is configured to change an operative mode of at least one of the engine heater and the battery heater in response to receiving the heater control signal.

11. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system has an indicator configured to indicate when power is being transferred from the power source to at least one of the engine heater and the battery heater.

12. The system as in claim 1 wherein the system controller is configured to receive a feedback signal and generate the heater control signal based on the feedback signal.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein the system includes a temperature sensor configured to produce a temperature signal having temperature information of at least one of the engine and the battery.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein the system controller is configured to generate the heater control signal to heat and maintain at least one of the engine and the battery within a predetermined temperature range based on the temperature signal.

15. The system as in claim 13 wherein the system controller is configured to generate the heater control signal to heat at least one of the engine and the battery to a predetermined temperature based on the temperature signal.

16. The system as in claim 15 wherein the system includes at least one of an engine controller and a battery controller configured to receive the temperature signal and generate the feedback signal based on the temperature signal.

17. A system for controlling heating of at least one of an engine and a battery in a hybrid electric vehicle using a power source external to the vehicle, the system comprising:

an electrical port integrated in the hybrid vehicle and configured to receive electric power from the power source external to the hybrid vehicle;

at least one heater in the hybrid electric vehicle electrically coupled to the electrical port and configured to heat at least one of the engine and the battery in the hybrid electric vehicle;

a temperature sensor in the hybrid electric vehicle;

a system controller in the hybrid electric vehicle configured to receive a command signal and a feedback signal and generate at least one heater control signal based on the command signal and the feedback signal;

a heater switch configured to receive the heater control signal to control an amount of energy transferred from the power source to the heater to heat at least one of the engine and the battery to a predetermined temperature and to maintain at least one of the engine and the battery within a predetermined temperature range; and

at least one of an engine controller and a battery controller configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor and generate the feedback signal based on the temperature signal.

18. The system as in claim 17 wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and the system controller is configured to receive a demand signal and generate a charging control signal based on the demand signal to control power transferred from the power source to the rechargeable battery.

19. A method of controlling heating of at least one of an engine and a battery in a hybrid vehicle using a power source external to the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a command signal and a feedback signal;

generating a heater control signal based on the command signal and the feedback signal;

receiving an amount of energy from the power source external to the vehicle;

receiving the heater control signal to selectively control the amount of energy transferred from the power source to a heater in the hybrid vehicle;

selectively heating at least one of the engine and the battery in the hybrid vehicle;

sensing a temperature of at least one of the engine and the battery; and

transmitting the feedback signal based on the temperature.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the method includes:

receiving a demand signal for charging the battery;

generating a charging control signal based on the demand signal;

receiving electric power from the power source;

controlling the electric power transferred from the power source to the battery of the hybrid vehicle; and

charging the battery.