Autonomous vehicle climate optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020307352-A1
Application number	US-201716770727-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2017
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for optimizing climate control in an autonomous vehicle. The method includes receiving a ride request for an autonomous vehicle from a customer. A desired temperature for an interior of the autonomous vehicle may be determined based on the ride request. The current temperature of the vehicle interior may then be adjusted such that the current temperature substantially matches the desired temperature when the autonomous vehicle reaches the customer. The temperature of the vehicle interior may be allowed to deviate from the desired temperature, within a pre-determined temperature deviation range, when the autonomous vehicle is unoccupied. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, from a user, a ride request for an autonomous vehicle; determining, based on the ride request, a desired temperature for the autonomous vehicle; automatically adjusting a current temperature of the autonomous vehicle to substantially match the desired temperature upon the autonomous vehicle reaching the user; and allowing the current temperature to deviate from the desired temperature, within a pre-determined temperature deviation range, when the autonomous vehicle is not occupied.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the desired temperature comprises receiving user input indicating the desired temperature.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the desired temperature further comprises analyzing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a pickup location, an event at the pickup location, an outside temperature, weather conditions, a geographic location, a date, historical preferences of the user, and historical attributes of the user.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the desired temperature comprises referencing a zone of human comfort on a standard psychrometric chart.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the temperature deviation range comprises at least one of calculating a probability that another ride will be requested, predicting an expected travel time for pickup, ascertaining a proximity of other available vehicles, and comparing a current interior temperature of the autonomous vehicle to current interior temperatures of the other available vehicles.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the temperature deviation range further comprises calculating an energy cost associated with adjusting the current interior temperature of the autonomous vehicle to the desired temperature.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the probability calculation is based on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a time of day, a day of week, a date, a distance from pickup points of interest, weather conditions, an outside temperature, a parking availability, a geographic location, and regularly-occurring events.

8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the at least one parameter is weighted.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ride request comprises a user profile associated with the user.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising updating the user profile to reflect manual adjustments to the desired temperature made by the user upon entering the autonomous vehicle.

11 . A system for optimizing climate control in an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory device operably coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution on the at least one processor, the instructions causing the at least one processor to:
receive, from a user, a ride request for an autonomous vehicle;
determine, based on the ride request, a desired temperature for the autonomous vehicle;
automatically adjust a current temperature of the autonomous vehicle to substantially match the desired temperature upon the autonomous vehicle reaching the user; and
allow the current temperature to deviate from the desired temperature, within a pre-determined temperature deviation range, when the autonomous vehicle is not occupied.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein determining the desired temperature comprises receiving user input indicating the desired temperature.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein determining the desired temperature further comprises analyzing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a pickup location, an event at the pickup location, an outside temperature, weather conditions, a geographic location, a date, historical preferences of the user, and historical attributes of the user.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein determining the desired temperature further comprises referencing a zone of human comfort on a standard psychrometric chart.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein determining the temperature deviation range comprises at least one of calculating a probability that another ride will be requested, predicting an expected travel time for pickup, ascertaining a proximity of other available vehicles, and comparing a current interior temperature of the autonomous vehicle to current interior temperatures of the other available vehicles.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the temperature deviation range further comprises calculating an energy cost associated with adjusting the current temperature of the interior of the autonomous vehicle to the desired temperature.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the probability calculation is based on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a time of day, a day of week, a date, a distance from pickup points of interest, weather conditions, an outside temperature, a parking availability, a geographic location, and regularly-occurring events.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the ride request comprises a user profile associated with the user.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising updating the user profile to reflect manual adjustments to the desired temperature made by the user upon entering the autonomous vehicle.

20 . A computer program product for optimizing climate control in an autonomous vehicle, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code configured to perform the following when executed by at least one processor:
receive, from a user, a ride request for an autonomous vehicle; determine, based on the ride request, a desired temperature for the autonomous vehicle; automatically adjust a current temperature of the autonomous vehicle to substantially match the desired temperature upon the autonomous vehicle reaching the user; and allow the current temperature to deviate from the desired temperature, within a pre-determined temperature deviation range, when the autonomous vehicle is not occupied.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Boston Daniel
• Ahmed Nayaz Khalid
• Soloukmofrad Ali
• Kapadia Jimmy

Classifications

• 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

• B60H1/00357

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

• B60H1/00764 Primary

  the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed (B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00807 Primary

  the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature · CPC title

• G06Q50/40

  Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) · CPC title