Methods and systems for autonomous climate control optimization of a transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273684-B2
Application number	US-201816147708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2018
Priority date	Sep 29, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A method for autonomous climate control optimization of a transport vehicle having a climate control system is provided. The method includes a controller receiving geolocation specific data providing location information of the transport vehicle. The method also includes the controller receiving climate control data providing operational status information of the climate control system. The method also includes the controller receiving passenger/load data providing passenger/load information travelling in the transport vehicle. Also, the method includes the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data. Further, the method includes adjusting operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for autonomous climate control optimization of a transport vehicle having a climate control system, the method comprising:
a controller receiving geolocation specific data providing location information of the transport vehicle including at least one of real-time ambient humidity data at the location of the transport vehicle and real-time ambient temperature data at the location of the transport vehicle;
the controller receiving climate control data providing operational status information of the climate control system including an internal space humidity within an internal space of the transport vehicle;
the controller receiving passenger/load data providing passenger/load information travelling in the transport vehicle including a current number and duration of passengers within an internal space of the transport vehicle;
the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data, wherein the controller generating the adjustment instructions includes:
determining a projected internal space humidity based on the internal space humidity and the current number and duration of passengers within the internal space, and
determining an operating mode for the climate control system based on the ambient temperature data and the projected internal space humidity; and

adjusting operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions_ to operate in the determined operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the climate control data includes at least one of an internal space temperature within an internal space of the transport vehicle, a discharge temperature of conditioned air directed into the internal space of the transport vehicle, a current operating mode of the climate control system, a desired temperature setpoint within the internal space, a desired humidity setpoint within the internal space, and a discharge temperature setpoint.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting operation of the climate control system includes at least one of adjusting an operating mode of the climate control system, adjusting a discharge temperature setpoint, adjusting a desired temperature setpoint, and adjusting a desired humidity setpoint.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the climate control data includes an internal space temperature within an internal space of the transport vehicle;
wherein the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data includes:
determining a projected internal space temperature based on the internal space temperature and the current number and duration of passengers within the internal space, and
determining an operating mode for the climate control system based on the projected internal space temperature and the projected internal space humidity.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data includes:
determining an updated discharge temperature setpoint based on the ambient temperature data and the ambient humidity data; and

wherein adjusting operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions includes adjusting the climate control system to operate the refrigeration circuit to achieve the updated discharge temperature setpoint.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data includes:
determining an updated discharge temperature setpoint based on the current number and duration of passengers within the internal space, and
determining an updated desired temperature setpoint for the internal space based on the current number and duration of passengers within the internal space; and
wherein adjusting operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions includes:
adjusting the climate control system to operate the refrigeration circuit to achieve the updated discharge temperature setpoint and to achieve the updated desired temperature setpoint.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geolocation specific data includes a location of the transport vehicle along a fixed specific route,
wherein the controller generating adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data includes:
determining an updated discharge temperature setpoint based on the location of the transport vehicle along the fixed specific route, and
determining an updated desired temperature setpoint for the internal space based on the location of the transport vehicle along the fixed specific route; and

wherein adjusting operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions includes:
adjusting the climate control system to operate the refrigeration circuit to achieve the updated discharge temperature setpoint and to achieve the updated desired temperature setpoint.

8. A climate control system for a transport vehicle comprising:
a refrigeration circuit configured to control an environmental condition of an internal space of the transport vehicle, wherein the refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, an exterior heat exchanger, and an interior heat exchanger;
a controller configured to control operation of the climate control system, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive geolocation specific data providing location information of the transport vehicle including at least one of real-time ambient humidity data at the location of the transport vehicle and real-time ambient temperature data at the location of the transport vehicle,
receive climate control data providing operational status information of the climate control system including an internal space humidity within an internal space of the transport vehicle;
receive passenger/load data providing passenger/load information travelling in the transport vehicle including a current number and duration of passengers within an internal space of the transport vehicle; and
generate adjustment instructions of the climate control system based on the geolocation specific data, the climate control data, and the passenger/load data, wherein the controller is configured to generate adjustment instructions by being configured to:
determine a projected internal space humidity based on the internal space humidity and the current number and duration of passengers within the internal space, and
determine an operating mode for the climate control system based on the ambient temperature data and the projected internal space humidity; and

wherein the climate control system is configured to adjust operation of the climate control system based on the adjustment instructions to operate in the determined operating mode.

9. The climate control system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive passenger/load data from an automatic passenger counter.

10. The climate control system of claim 8 , wherein the climate control data includes at least one of an internal space temperature within an internal space of the transport vehicle, a discharge temperature of conditioned air directed into the internal space of the transport vehicle, a current operating mode of the climate control system, a desired temperature setpoint within the internal space, a desired humidity setpoint within t

Assignees

• Thermo King Corp

Inventors

• Holmstrom Katherine
• Wenger Scott

Classifications

• B60H1/008

  the input being air quality · CPC title

• B60H1/3204

  using compression (B60H1/3233 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B61D27/0018

  Air-conditioning means, i.e. combining at least two of the following ways of treating or supplying air, namely heating, cooling or ventilating (air-conditioning in general F24F) · CPC title

• B60H1/00742

  by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors · CPC title

• B60H1/00371 Primary

  for vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. buses · CPC title