Start and stop blower map based on sunload to improve fuel economy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717339-B2
Application number	US-201815928017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2018
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for managing climate control. The control system includes one or more sensors that are configured to measure sunload energy. The control system includes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit that is configured to output air with an airflow rate into the cabin of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to obtain the amount of sunload energy and obtain a blower map based on the amount of sunload energy. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the airflow rate based on the obtained blower map and an expected temperature. The electronic control unit is configured to control the airflow rate to adjust an air temperature within the cabin of the vehicle to reach the expected temperature therefore increasing the fuel efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to measure an amount of sunload energy;
a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit configured to output air with an airflow rate into a cabin of the vehicle;
a memory configured to store a plurality of blower maps, each blower map of the plurality of blower maps being associated with different airflow rates with different temperature ranges within the cabin of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit connected to the one or more sensors and the HVAC unit and configured to:
obtain an expected temperature that is within a temperature range,
obtain, from the one or more sensors, the amount of sunload energy,
obtain, from the memory, a blower map from the plurality of blower maps based on the amount of unload energy,
determine the airflow rate based on the obtained blower map and the expected temperature, and
control, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate of the outputted air to adjust a temperature within the cabin of the vehicle to reach the expected temperature.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or, more sensors include a vehicle speed sensor that is configured to measure a speed of the vehicle, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine, using the vehicle speed sensor, that the vehicle is stopped based on the speed of the vehicle.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include an engine sensor that is configured to detect a state of an engine, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
switch the state of the engine to an off state in response to determining that the vehicle is stopped, wherein to control, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate to adjust the temperature is in response to the engine being in the off state.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein to obtain, from the memory, the blower map from the plurality of blower maps based on the amount of sunload energy the electronic control unit is configured to:
determine that the amount of sunload energy is within a first range of a plurality of ranges for the sunload energy or within a second range of the plurality of ranges for the sunload energy; and
select a first blower map to obtain when the sunload energy is within the first range and select a second blower map to obtain when the sunload energy is within the second range.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include an external sensor that measures an amount of sunlight directed at the vehicle and an internal sensor that measures an amount of thermal energy radiated within the vehicle, wherein the amount of sunload energy is a combination of the amount of sunlight directed at the vehicle and the amount of thermal energy radiated within the vehicle.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
obtain a user input;
calculate a target airflow temperature based on the user input;
calculate a target evaporator temperature; and
determine the expected temperature based on the calculated target airflow temperature and the target evaporator temperature.

7. The control system of claim 1 , wherein to control, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate to adjust the temperature to the expected temperature the electronic control unit is configured to:
determine that a heater or an air conditioner is on; and
increase or decrease the airflow rate through the heater or the air conditioner to increase or decrease the temperature.

8. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to measure an amount of thermal energy;
a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit configured to output or circulate air having an airflow rate within the vehicle;
a memory for storing a plurality of blower maps that associate the airflow rate with an expected temperature and that includes a first blower map and a second blower map; and
a processor connected to the one or more sensors and the HVAC unit and configured to:
obtain, from the one or more sensors, the amount of thermal energy,
determine that the amount of thermal energy is within a first range of a plurality of ranges for the thermal energy or within a second range of the plurality of ranges for the thermal energy,
select the first blower map to obtain when the thermal energy is within the first range and the second blower map to obtain when the thermal energy is within the second range,
obtain, from the memory, the first blower map or the second blower map based on the selection,
determine the airflow rate based on the obtained first or second blower map and the expected temperature, and
increase or decrease, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate to adjust a temperature within the vehicle to the expected temperature.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors include a vehicle speed sensor that is configured to measure a speed of the vehicle, wherein the processor is configured to determine, using the vehicle speed sensor, that the vehicle is stopped based on the speed of the vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors include an engine sensor that is configured to detect a state of an engine, wherein the processor is configured to:
switch the state of the engine to an off state in response to determining that the vehicle is stopped, wherein to increase or decrease, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate to adjust the temperature is in response to the engine being in the off state.

11. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors include an external sensor that measures an amount of sunlight directed at the vehicle and an internal sensor that measures an amount of the thermal energy radiated within the vehicle, wherein the amount of thermal energy is a combination of the amount of sunlight directed at the vehicle and the amount of thermal energy radiated within the vehicle.

12. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a user input;
calculate a target airflow temperature based on the user input;
calculate a target evaporator temperature; and
determine the expected temperature based on the calculated target airflow temperature and the target evaporator temperature.

13. The control system of claim 8 , wherein to increase or decrease, using the HVAC unit, the airflow rate to adjust the temperature within the vehicle to the expected temperature the processor is configured to:
determine that a heater or an air conditioner is on; and
increase or decrease the airflow rate through the heater or the air conditioner to increase or decrease the temperature.

14. A method for controlling a temperature within a vehicle, comprising:
obtaining, by a processor and from one or more sensors, an amount of sunload energy;
obtaining, by a processor and from memory, a blower map from a plurality of blower maps based on the amount of sunload energy, each blower map of the plurality of blower maps being associated with different airflow rates with different temperature ranges;
determining, by the processor, an airflow rate based on the blower map and an expected temperature; and
controlling, by the processor and using a heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) unit, the airflow rate to adjust a temperature within the vehicle to the expected temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor and using a sensor, a speed of the vehicle; and
determining, by the processor, that the vehicle is stopped

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Chevers Netsanet S
• Hirabayashi Hidekazu
• Cosgrave David W
• Young Stefan

Classifications

• B60H1/00357 Primary

  Air-conditioning arrangements specially adapted for particular vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/3208

  Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes · CPC title

• B60H2001/3263

  of the refrigerant at an evaporating unit · CPC title

• B60H1/00885

  Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485) · CPC title

• B60H1/00778

  the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping · CPC title