Auto start/stop control based on cooled seat signal systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020378352-A1
Application number	US-201916430273-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing auto start of a vehicle during an auto-stop condition may include: determining an operational status of a vehicle climate control system; receiving a target air outlet temperature from the vehicle climate control system; receiving data indicating a state of a cooled seat of the vehicle; and inhibiting a start-engine command to restart an internal combustion engine of the vehicle because of a cabin cooling requirement when the data indicates that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

First claim

1 . A method for managing auto start of a vehicle during an auto-stop condition, the method comprising:
receiving a target air outlet temperature from the vehicle climate control system; receiving data indicating a cooled seat of the vehicle is activated; determining a cabin cooling requirement based on the target air outlet temperature; determining that a start-engine condition exists because of the cabin cooling requirement; and inhibiting a start-engine command to restart an internal combustion engine of the vehicle because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a cabin temperature of the vehicle is above a determined cabin threshold temperature, and wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine comprises delaying a request to restart the vehicle because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated and the cabin temperature of the vehicle is above the determined cabin threshold temperature.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining occupancy of the vehicle and receiving data indicating that a cooled seat for each occupied seating position of the vehicle is one of activated and not activated, wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine operation occurs only in response to data indicating that a cooled seat is activated for each occupied seating position of the vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement comprises delaying a start-vehicle command for a determined period of time.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement comprises delaying a start-vehicle command until another vehicle event causes a restart.

6 . A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of sensors; a climate control system; and an auto-start control circuit comprising an input to receive data indicating a cooled seat of the vehicle is activated and an input to receive data from the climate control system indicating a target air outlet temperature, the auto-start control circuit configured to:
determine a cabin cooling requirement based on the target air outlet temperature;
determine that a start-engine condition exists because of the cabin cooling requirement; and
to inhibit a start-engine command to restart an internal combustion engine of the vehicle because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising a cabin temperature sensor and wherein the auto-start control circuit is further configured to determine whether a cabin temperature of the vehicle is above a determined cabin threshold temperature, and wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine comprises delaying the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated and the cabin temperature of the vehicle is above the determined cabin threshold temperature.

8 . The vehicle of claim 6 , further comprising sensors for determining occupancy of the vehicle wherein the auto-start control circuit further configured to receive data indicating that a cooled seat for each occupied seating position of the vehicle is one of activated and not activated, and wherein inhibiting the start-engine command occurs only in response to the data indicating a cooled seat is activated for each occupied seating position of the vehicle.

9 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement comprises delaying the start-engine command for a determined period of time.

10 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement comprises delaying the start-engine until another vehicle event causes a restart.

11 . An auto start control circuit for a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, the auto start control circuit comprising a processor and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing machine-readable instructions executable by the processor, the machine-readable instructions causing the processor to perform the operations of:
determining a target air outlet temperature from the vehicle climate control system; receiving data indicating a state of a cooled seat of the vehicle is activated; determining a cabin cooling requirement based on the target air outlet temperature; determining that a start-engine condition exists because of the cabin cooling requirement; and inhibiting a start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

12 . The auto start control circuit of claim 11 , further comprising determining whether a coolant temperature of the vehicle is above a determined cabin threshold temperature, and wherein inhibiting the start-engine command to restart the internal combustion engine comprises delaying a request to restart the vehicle because of the cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated and the coolant temperature of the vehicle is below the determined cabin threshold temperature.

13 . A method for managing autostop of a vehicle during an auto-stop condition, the method comprising:
determining an operational status of a vehicle climate control system; receiving a target air outlet temperature from the vehicle climate control system; receiving data indicating a state of a cooled seat of the vehicle; and initiating a stop-engine command to stop an internal combustion engine of the vehicle despite a cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining occupancy of the vehicle and receiving data indicating that a cooled seat for each occupied seating position of the vehicle is one of activated and not activated, wherein initiating the stop-engine command to stop the internal combustion engine of the vehicle operation occurs only in response to data indicating that a cooled seat is activated for each occupied seating position of the vehicle.

15 . A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of sensors; a climate control system; and an auto-start control circuit comprising an input to receive data indicating a state of a cooled seat of the vehicle and an input to receive data from the climate control system indicating a target air outlet temperature, the auto-start control circuit configured to determine an operational status of a climate control system; and to initiate a stop-engine command to stop an internal combustion engine of the vehicle despite a cabin cooling requirement in response to the data indicating that the cooled seat of the vehicle is activated.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising a cabin temperature sensor and wherein the auto-start control circuit is further configured to determine whethe

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Cosgrove David W
• Srivastava Abhishek
• Hirabayashi Hidekazu

Classifications

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• F02N2200/08

  said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components · CPC title

• F02N11/084 Primary

  State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering · CPC title

• B60H1/3208

  Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes · CPC title

• B60H2001/3266

  related to the operation of the vehicle · CPC title