HVAC system with travel time based control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764618-B2
Application number	US-201414552992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A system for providing efficient climate control in a vehicle. The system has an HVAC system configured to receive a user-defined temperature. The HVAC system has a cabin temperature sensor. The system has a controller coupled to the HVAC system and coupleable to a mobile device. The controller is programmed to (i) receive an estimated travel time of the vehicle from the mobile device and (ii) modify output of the HVAC system based on the travel time being below a time threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle climate control system comprising:
an HVAC system configured to receive a user-defined temperature and having a cabin temperature sensor;
a controller coupled to the HVAC system, coupleable to a wireless mobile device, and programmed to wirelessly receive an estimated vehicle travel time from the device and modify HVAC system output based on the time being below a threshold; and
a switch coupled with the controller and configured to override the modified HVAC output.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller extracts an estimated travel time from a navigation application on the wireless mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is above the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC output inhibits engine spark retardation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is above the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC output inhibits increases in shift schedules.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-defined temperature is below the actual cabin temperature and the modified HVAC output inhibits use of an air-conditioning compressor.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the modified HVAC output utilizes ambient air to clear hot cabin air.

7. A method of controlling an HVAC system in a vehicle comprising:
receiving a cabin temperature;
receiving a user-defined temperature;
receiving a travel time from a wireless mobile device and based on a current location and an identified destination of the vehicle;
operating the HVAC system to align the cabin temperature with the user-defined temperature at a first output magnitude if the travel time is below a threshold and a second output magnitude if the travel time exceeds the threshold; and
providing an opt-out setting for a user to override the first output magnitude with the second output magnitude.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the travel time is provided by a navigation program.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the navigation program is provided by the wireless mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
receiving a recent browser history from the wireless mobile device;
comparing websites from the recent browser history with local destinations;
tracking the current location of the vehicle to determine if the vehicle is heading toward one of the local destinations; and
selecting the one of the local destinations the vehicle is heading toward as the identified destination.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the recent browser history comprises at least four web pages browsed in reverse chronological order within at least one hour prior to starting an HVAC cycle.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving an ambient temperature, and wherein the first output magnitude includes blowing ambient air into the cabin if the ambient temperature is between the cabin and user-defined temperatures.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the ambient temperature is provided by the wireless mobile device.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein when the user-defined temperature is higher than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude inhibits retarding of spark in an engine to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude initiates retarding of spark in an engine to provide heat to a cabin faster.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein when the user-defined temperature is higher than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude inhibits advanced shift schedules to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude initiates advanced shift schedules to provide heat to a cabin faster.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein when the user-defined temperature is lower than the cabin temperature, the first output magnitude reduces the duty cycle of an air-conditioning compressor to improve fuel economy, and the second output magnitude increases the duty cycle of an air-conditioning compressor to cool the cabin faster.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first output magnitude includes clearing hot air from the cabin using ambient air, operating the duty cycle of the air-conditioning compressor at a standard rate, speed and displacement for a first period of time, and modifying the duty cycle of the air-conditioning compressor to a reduced rate, speed or displacement for a second period of time prior to reaching the identified destination.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Miller Kenneth James
• Hickey John Curtis
• Smith Mark G

Classifications

• B60H1/00764 Primary

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

• B60H1/00964 Primary

  Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control · CPC title

• B60H1/00657

  Remote control devices · CPC title

• B60H1/00878

  the components being temperature regulating devices · CPC title

• B60H1/00771

  the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel · CPC title