Defrosting control system, non-transitory computer readable medium storing defrosting control program, and vehicle control module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613232-B2
Application number	US-201916705349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Jan 10, 2019
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A defrosting control system includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry calculates a frost formation rate, indicating a frost formation amount of a windowpane on which frost is formed at an estimated departure time of a vehicle, based on frost formation information and the estimated departure time. The processing circuitry calculates an operation period of a defroster needed to remove frost from the windowpane based on the frost formation rate. The processing circuitry determines that an activation time of the defroster is a time earlier than the estimated departure time by the operation period. The processing circuitry transmits an operation request signal for starting operation of the defroster at the activation time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A defrosting control system, comprising processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry includes
an information obtainment unit configured to obtain frost formation information that is information about formation of frost on a windowpane of a vehicle,
an estimated departure time obtainment unit configured to obtain an estimated departure time of the vehicle,
a frost formation rate calculator configured to calculate a frost formation rate based on the frost formation information and the estimated departure time, wherein the frost formation rate indicates a frost formation amount of the windowpane, on which frost is formed at the estimated departure time,
an operation period calculator configured to calculate an operation period of a defroster,
an operation start time determination unit configured to determine an activation time of the defroster, and
a defrosting controller configured to transmit an operation request signal for requesting operation of the defroster, wherein
the operation period calculator is configured to calculate the operation period needed to remove frost from the windowpane based on the frost formation rate,
the operation start time determination unit is configured to determine that the activation time is a time earlier than the estimated departure time by the operation period,
the defrosting controller is configured to transmit the operation request signal for starting operation of the defroster at the activation time,
the vehicle is a first vehicle,
a vehicle located in a predetermined range from a current position of the first vehicle is a second vehicle,
the defrosting control system comprises a data memory configured to store information on an operation state of a defroster of the second vehicle, and
the frost formation information includes the operation state of the defroster of the second vehicle at a point in time when the frost formation rate calculator calculates the frost formation rate, which is stored in the data memory.

2. The defrosting control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a server storing information on the vehicle, wherein
the server and the defroster are connected by an external communication network, and
the server includes the information obtainment unit, the estimated departure time obtainment unit, the frost formation rate calculator, the operation period calculator, the operation start time determination unit, and the defrosting controller.

3. The defrosting control system according to claim 1 , further comprising an operating terminal connected to the defroster by an external communication network, wherein the processing circuitry includes
a defrosting confirmation unit configured to transmit defrosting information including the frost formation rate and the activation time to the operating terminal, and
an operation determination unit configured to determine whether the defrosting controller transmits the operation request signal at the activation time based on information output from the operating terminal in response to the defrosting information.

4. The defrosting control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a data memory configured to store forecasted values of an ambient temperature and humidity at the estimated departure time at a current position of the vehicle,
wherein the frost formation information includes the forecasted values of the ambient temperature and humidity at the estimated departure time at the current position of the vehicle, which are stored in the data memory.

5. The defrosting control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle includes a camera that monitors the windowpane, and
the frost formation information includes an image of the windowpane captured by the camera at a point in time when the frost formation rate calculator calculates the frost formation rate of the windowpane.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a defrosting control program that, when run by one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to execute
an information obtaining process that obtains frost formation information that is information about formation of frost on a windowpane of a vehicle,
an estimated departure time obtaining process that obtains an estimated departure time of the vehicle,
a frost formation rate calculating process that calculates a frost formation rate based on the frost formation information and the estimated departure time, wherein the frost formation rate indicates a frost formation amount of the windowpane, on which frost is formed at the estimated departure time,
an operation period calculating process that calculates an operation period of a defroster,
an operation start time determining process that determines an activation time of the defroster, and
a defrosting controlling process that transmits an operation request signal for requesting operation of the defroster, wherein
the operation period calculating process includes a process calculating the operation period needed to remove frost from the windowpane based on the frost formation rate,
the operation start time determining process includes a process determining that the activation time is a time earlier than the estimated departure time by the operation period,
the defrosting controlling process includes a process transmitting the operation request signal for starting operation of the defroster at the activation time,
the vehicle is a first vehicle,
a vehicle located in a predetermined range from a current position of the first vehicle is a second vehicle, and
the frost formation information includes an operation state of the defroster of the second vehicle at a point in time when the frost formation rate calculator calculates the frost formation rate, which is stored in a data memory configured to store information on the operation state of a defroster of the second vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hoshino Yu
• Jinno Kunihiko

Classifications

• B60H1/00785 Primary

  by the detection of humidity or frost · CPC title

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · CPC title

• B60S1/026 Primary

  using electrical means · CPC title

• H05B3/84

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas, e.g. for demisting or de-icing windows, mirrors or vehicle windshields · CPC title

• B60H1/00657

  Remote control devices · CPC title