Method and Apparatus for Predictive Vehicle Preconditioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016244010-A1
Application number	US-201514627656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to access a schedule of vehicle start times. The processor is also configured to select a scheduled key-on time, when a current time is within a tunable proximity to the scheduled key-on time. Further, the processor is configured to determine if a present vehicle-related temperature warrants vehicle preconditioning and precondition the vehicle until preset preconditioning settings are established.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a processor configured to: access a schedule of likely vehicle start times; select a scheduled key-on time from the schedule, having a likelihood of occurrence, based on observed vehicle usage, above a tunable threshold, when a current time is within a tunable proximity to the scheduled key-on time and; determine if a present vehicle-related temperature warrants vehicle preconditioning; and precondition the vehicle until preset preconditioning settings are established.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-related temperature includes a vehicle interior temperature.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-related temperature includes a vehicle exterior temperature.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning includes heating or cooling the vehicle interior.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning includes engaging a vehicle window defrost.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning includes heating or cooling a vehicle battery.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
notify a user to request approval to continue preconditioning if a projected key-on time has passed.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
set a new projected key-on time if a driver instructs continued preconditioning.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the schedule includes vehicle start times based on driver input into a schedule, which are treated as having a 100% likelihood of occurrence.

10 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
analyzing a time interval to determine whether a key-on event occurred; updating a record of key-on events with a key-on event occurrence/non-occurrence to establish a key-on likelihood during the time interval; assembling a schedule of a plurality of predicted key-on time intervals based on predicted key-on likelihood during each predicted key-on time interval; and notifying a driver of any determined deviances between the assembled schedule and a driver-input key-on event schedule.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the assembled schedule includes key-on events having a likelihood of occurrence greater than a tunable threshold.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving instructions to update the driver-input schedule; and updating the driver-input schedule based on the assembled schedule.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the updating the driver-input schedule includes adding predicted key-on events having a likelihood above a tunable threshold.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the updating the driver-input schedule includes removing driver-input key-on events having a correspondence to key-on events in the assembled schedule having a likelihood below a tunable threshold.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
analyzing a time interval to determine whether a key-on event occurred; updating a record of key-on events with a key-on event occurrence/non-occurrence to establish a key-on likelihood during the time interval; assembling a schedule of a plurality of predicted key-on time intervals based on predicted key-on likelihood during each predicted key-on time interval; and notifying a driver of any determined deviances between the assembled schedule and a driver-input key-on event schedule.

16 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the updating occurs at daily intervals.

17 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the assembled schedule includes key-on events having a likelihood of occurrence greater than a tunable threshold.

18 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving instructions to update the driver-input schedule; and updating the driver-input schedule based on the assembled schedule.

19 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the updating the driver-input schedule includes adding predicted key-on events having a likelihood above a tunable threshold.

20 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the updating the driver-input schedule includes removing driver-input key-on events having a correspondence to key-on events in the assembled schedule having a likelihood below a tunable threshold.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Tseng Fling
• Yang Hsin-Hsiang
• Dudar Aed M
• Filev Dimitar Petrov
• Kristinsson Johannes Geir

Classifications

• B60H1/00778

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

• B60R16/0231 Primary

  Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P) · CPC title

• B60H1/00742 Primary

  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

• B60R16/037 Primary

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title