Interface system for connecting a vehicle and a transport climate control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11420495-B2
Application number	US-201916565235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

An interface system for connecting a vehicle and a transport climate control system (TCCS) is disclosed. The interface system includes a two-way communication interface that connects a vehicle electrical system (VES) controller and a TCCS controller. The interface system also includes a power interface that connects a vehicle energy source of the VES to the TCCS and a TCCS energy source of the TCCS to the VES. The two-way communication interface is configured to distribute a TCCS status from the TCCS controller to the VES controller, and is configured to distribute a VES status from the VES controller to the TCCS controller. The power interface is configured to distribute power from the vehicle energy source to the TCCS when a VES instruction is received, and distribute power from the TCCS energy source to the VES when a TCCS instruction is received.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interface system for communicating with a vehicle and a transport climate control system (TCCS) that provides climate control within an internal space moved by the vehicle, the interface system comprising:
a two-way communication interface that interfaces with a vehicle electrical system (VES) controller of a VES of the vehicle and a TCCS controller of the TCCS, and
a power interface that interfaces with a vehicle energy source of the VES to the TCCS,
wherein the two-way communication interface is configured to distribute a TCCS status from the TCCS controller to the VES controller, and is configured to distribute a VES status from the VES controller to the TCCS controller,
wherein the power interface is configured to distribute power from the vehicle energy source of the VES to the TCCS when a VES instruction, that is based on the TCCS status, is received from the VES controller,
wherein the power interface interfaces with a TCCS energy source of the TCCS to the VES, and
the power interface is configured to distribute power from the TCCS energy source to the VES when a TCCS instruction, that is based on the VES status, is received from the TCCS controller.

2. The interface system of claim 1 , wherein when the vehicle energy source of the VES is not sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the VES, the two-way communication interface is configured to distribute the VES status from the VES controller to the TCCS controller.

3. The interface system of claim 2 , wherein when the TCCS energy source is sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the TCCS, or a priority level of the operation of the VES is higher than a priority level of the operation of the TCCS, the two-way communication interface is configured to receive the TCCS instruction from the TCCS controller.

4. The interface system of claim 3 , wherein the priority level of the operation of the TCCS is determined by a criticality of preservation of a load, the load includes regulated loads and/or loads having economical value.

5. The interface system of claim 4 , wherein the regulated loads include pharmaceuticals, meat, seafood, produce, diary, and/or frozen foods,
wherein the loads having economical value include beverages, canned foods, paint, flowers, and/or plants.

6. The interface system of claim 1 , wherein when the TCCS energy source is not sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the TCCS, the two-way communication interface is configured to distribute the TCCS status from the TCCS controller to the VES controller.

7. The interface system of claim 6 , wherein when the vehicle energy source of the VES is sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the VES, or a priority level of the operation of the TCCS is higher than a priority level of the operation of the VES, the two-way communication interface is configured to receive the VES instruction from the VES controller.

8. The interface system of claim 1 , wherein the TCCS energy source includes an auxiliary battery pack, a transport refrigerant unit (TRU) power source engine, an electric auxiliary power unit (APU) auxiliary energy storage, a solar power, a Genset, a fuel cell, a micro-turbine with a generator, and/or a liftgate energy storage.

9. A method for interfacing between a vehicle and a transport climate control system (TCCS) that provides climate control within an internal space moved by the vehicle, the method comprising:
a two-way communication interface communicating with a vehicle electrical system (VES) controller of a VES of the vehicle;
the two-way communication interface communicating with a TCCS controller of the TCCS;
a power interface interfacing with a vehicle energy source of the VES;
the two-way communication interface distributing a TCCS status from the TCCS controller to the VES controller and/or distributing a VES status from the VES controller to the TCCS controller;
the power interface distributing power from the vehicle energy source to the TCCS in response to a VES instruction that is based on the TCCS status and is received from the VES controller, wherein the TCCS is independent of the vehicle,
the power interface interfacing with a TCCS energy source of the TCCS; and
the power interface distributing power from the TCCS energy source to the VES in response to a TCCS instruction that is based on the VES status and is received from the TCCS controller.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
in response to the vehicle energy source of the VES being not sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the VES, the two-way communication interface distributing the VES status from the VES controller to the TCCS controller.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
in response to the TCCS energy source being sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the TCCS, or a priority level of the operation of the VES being higher than a priority level of the operation of the TCCS, the two-way communication interface receiving the TCCS instruction from the TCCS controller.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
in response to the TCCS energy source being not sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the TCCS, the two-way communication interface distributing the TCCS status from the TCCS controller to the VES controller.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
in response to the vehicle energy source of the VES being sufficient to satisfy a power demand for an operation of the VES, or a priority level of the operation of the TCCS being higher than a priority level of the operation of the VES, the two-way communication interface receiving the VES instruction from the VES controller.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the VES is configured to supply power to operate the vehicle.

Assignees

• Thermo King Corp

Inventors

• Schumacher Ryan Wayne
• Leasure Mark D
• Cregan Nicholas Allan
• Vanous Michael James
• Srnec Matthew
• Hubbard Wallace Stephen

Classifications

• H02J2105/30

  the load networks being external to vehicles, i.e. exchanging power with vehicles · CPC title

• H02J7/40 Primary

  characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data · CPC title

• Y02T10/88

  Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses · CPC title

• B60H1/00014

  for load cargos on load transporting vehicles · CPC title

• B60P3/00 Primary

  Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects (ambulances or other vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00; hearses A61G21/00; fire-fighting land vehicles A62C27/00; refuse-collecting vehicles B65F3/00, B65F7/00; snow-removing vehicles E01H; armoured or armed vehicles F41H7/00; self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles F41H11/16) · CPC title