Methods and systems for preconditioning vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403417-B2
Application number	US-40316809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2009
Priority date	Mar 12, 2009
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A method for preconditioning a vehicle includes the steps of obtaining a temperature inside the vehicle and remotely starting an engine of the vehicle, an environmental control system of the vehicle, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a predetermined range of temperatures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preconditioning a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a temperature inside the vehicle;
obtaining a temperature outside the vehicle;
calculating a target temperature:
using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a first range of values; and
using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a second range of values, wherein the second range of values is different from the first range of values;

remotely starting an engine of the vehicle, an environmental control system of the vehicle, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a predetermined range of temperatures; and
turning off the engine, the environmental control system, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle reaches the target temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating the target temperature comprises the steps of:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating the target temperature comprises the steps of:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than the predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating the target temperature comprises the steps of:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than a first predetermined threshold or greater than a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is greater than the first predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than the first predetermined threshold and less than the second predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
ascertaining visibility through a windshield of the vehicle;
wherein the step of turning off the engine, the environmental control system, or both, comprises the step of turning off the engine, the environmental control system, or both if the temperature inside the vehicle reaches the target temperature, provided further that the visibility through the windshield is verified as being an acceptable level of visibility.

6. A system for preconditioning a vehicle, the system comprising:
a remote control configured to provide a remote start request to the vehicle; and
a processor coupled to the remote control, the processor configured to at least facilitate:
obtaining a temperature inside the vehicle;
obtaining a temperature outside the vehicle;
calculating a target temperature:
using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a first range of values; and
using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a second range of values, wherein the second range of values is different from the first range of values;

remotely starting an engine of the vehicle, an environmental control system of the vehicle, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a predetermined range of temperatures; and
turning off the engine, the environmental control system, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle reaches the target temperature.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to at least facilitate:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than the predetermined threshold.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to at least facilitate:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than the predetermined threshold.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to at least facilitate:
calculating the target temperature using the temperature inside the vehicle and not the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is less than a first predetermined threshold or greater than a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is greater than the first predetermined threshold; and
calculating the target temperature using both the temperature inside the vehicle and the temperature outside the vehicle if the temperature inside the vehicle is greater than the first predetermined threshold and less than the second predetermined threshold.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:
ascertaining visibility through a windshield of the vehicle; and
turning off the engine, the environmental control system, or both if the temperature inside the vehicle reaches the target temperature, provided further that the visibility through the windshield is verified as being an acceptable level of visibility.

Assignees

• Proefke David T
• Mccall Clark E
• Biondo William A
• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Proefke David T
• Mccall Clark E
• Biondo William A

Classifications

• B60H1/00735

  Control systems or circuits characterised by their input, i.e. by the detection, measurement or calculation of particular conditions, e.g. signal treatment, dynamic models · CPC title

• F02N11/0807

  Remote means · CPC title

• B60H1/00657

  Remote control devices · CPC title

• B60H1/00814

  Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation · CPC title

• F02N2200/0804

  Temperature inside the vehicle cabin · CPC title