Systems and methods for controlling vehicle air compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025035104-A1
Application number	US-202318360283-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 27, 2023
Publication date	Jan 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle having an air compressor, an air storage tank and a sensor is disclosed. The air compressor may supply compressed air to the air storage tank, and the air storage tank may supply the compressed air to an external tool. The sensor may be configured to receive information associated with the external tool and send the information to a vehicle processor. The processor may determine tool specification and expected tool usage characteristics based on the information associated with the external tool. The processor may further calculate a target pressure of compressed air in the air storage tank based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics. Furthermore, the processor may cause air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the target pressure.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising:
an air compressor configured to supply compressed air; an air storage tank configured to receive the compressed air from the air compressor and store the compressed air, wherein the air storage tank is configured to supply the compressed air to an external tool; a sensor configured to receive information associated with the external tool connected with the air storage tank; and a processor communicatively coupled with the air compressor, the air storage tank and the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a trigger signal;
determine tool specification and expected tool usage characteristics based on the information associated with the external tool responsive to obtaining the trigger signal;
calculate a first target pressure of the compressed air in the air storage tank based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics; and
cause an air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the first target pressure.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a user interface configured to receive the information associated with the external tool from a user, and wherein the information comprises the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a vehicle camera, a radar sensor and a lidar sensor.

4 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the information associated with the external tool comprises tool images and images of the external tool being used by a user.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a maximum operating pressure associated with the external tool based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics; and calculate the first target pressure by adding a predefined first buffer pressure to the maximum operating pressure.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a desired operating pressure range associated with the external tool based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics; determine a real-time tool usage air pressure based on the information associated with the external tool; determine that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range; increase the first target pressure by a first predefined pressure value to a second pressure, responsive to a determination that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less the desired operating pressure range; and cause the air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the second pressure.

7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range after filling the air storage tank with the compressed air at the second pressure; increase the second pressure by a second predefined pressure value to a third pressure, responsive to determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range; and cause the air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the third pressure.

8 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is further configured to determine a real-time air storage tank pressure, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
calculate a difference between the real-time air storage tank pressure and an average of the desired operating pressure range; determine that the difference is less than a predefined threshold; and cause the air compressor to operate at a maximum capacity responsive to determining that the difference is less than the predefined threshold.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range after causing the air compressor to operate at the maximum capacity; and output an alert notification responsive to determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range after causing the air compressor to operate at the maximum capacity.

10 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the real-time tool usage air pressure is within the desired operating pressure range for more than a predefined time duration after causing the air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the second pressure; decrease the second pressure by a third predefined pressure value to a fourth pressure, responsive to determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is within the desired operating pressure range for more than the predefined time duration; and cause the air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the fourth pressure.

11 . A method to operate an air compressor of a vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining, by a processor, a trigger signal; determining, by the processor, tool specification and expected tool usage characteristics of an external tool connected with an air storage tank based on information associated with the external tool obtained from a sensor responsive to obtaining the trigger signal, wherein:
the air compressor is configured to supply compressed air,
the air storage tank is configured to receive the compressed air from the air compressor and store the compressed air, and
the air storage tank is configured to supply the compressed air to the external tool;
calculating, by the processor, a first target pressure of the compressed air in the air storage tank based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics; and causing, by the processor, air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the first target pressure.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a vehicle camera, a radar sensor and a lidar sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the information associated with the external tool comprises tool images and images of the external tool being used by a user.

14 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
determining a maximum operating pressure associated with the external tool based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics; and
calculating the first target pressure by adding a predefined first buffer pressure to the maximum operating pressure.

15 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
determining a desired operating pressure range associated with the external tool based on the tool specification and the expected tool usage characteristics;
determining a real-time tool usage air pressure based on the information associated with the external tool;
determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range;
increasing the first target pressure by a first predefined pressure value to a second pressure, responsive to determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less the desired operating pressure range; and
causing the air compressor operation to fill the air storage tank with the compressed air at the second pressure.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
determining that the real-time tool usage air pressure is less than the desired operating pressure range after filling the air storage tank with the com

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Diamond Brendan
• Ansbacher Todd
• Celinske David
• Shenoy Vyas Darshan

Classifications

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• B60L1/00

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• B25B21/02

  with means for imparting impact to screwdriver blade or nut socket · CPC title

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title

• B60S5/046

  using electrical or electronical means · CPC title