System and method for remotely managing climate control systems of a fleet of vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783024-B2
Application number	US-201615064552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The method simultaneously manages climate control systems of a fleet of vehicles at a fleet server remote from the vehicles. The fleet server has one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor(s). Initially, at least one parameter relaying information about performance of a climate control system of a respective vehicle is received, from each vehicle. Each vehicle's climate control system includes at least an electrically driven compressor. The system then determines whether a performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of at least one vehicle based at least in part on the parameter(s) received from the at least one vehicle. Upon determining that a performance inefficiency exists, an efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency is determined. Finally, an operational setting instruction is transmitted to the at least one vehicle to control the climate control system of that vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for simultaneously managing climate control systems of a fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles, comprising:
at a fleet server remote from the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors:
receiving, from each vehicle of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles, at least one parameter relaying information about a performance of a climate control system of the respective vehicle, each climate control system configured to include an electrically driven compressor;
determining, by the fleet server, whether a performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of at least one vehicle of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles based at least in part on the at least one parameter received from the at least one vehicle;
upon determining that the performance inefficiency exists for the climate control system of the at least one vehicle, determining, by the fleet server, an efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles; and
transmitting, by the fleet server, an operational setting instruction to the at least one vehicle to control the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists is further based on at least one parameter received from at least one other source selected from the group consisting of a global positioning system (GPS), a weather prediction system, a map provider, a road and traffic conditions system, and a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational setting instruction further comprises a graphics instruction to display at a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display within the at least one vehicle, wherein the GUI depicts energy efficiency information associated with the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter received from each vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a set temperature set by the user of the at least one vehicle, an outside temperature measured external to the at least one vehicle, an ambient temperature, an ambient pressure, a parameter obtained from a thermal image of an occupant of the at least one vehicle, a parameter associated with a loading of a condenser of the at least one vehicle's climate control system, air conditioning system operating pressures or temperatures of the at least one vehicle's climate control system, available power or voltage of an auxiliary battery configured to be coupled to the electrically driven compressor of the at least one vehicle, and a parameter associated with one or more zones of the at least one vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists comprises:
receiving, from a memory, at least one predetermined reference parameter value corresponding to a predetermined performance operational setting of a climate control system;
comparing the predetermined reference parameter value or range of values to a respective at least one parameter received from the at least one vehicle;
determining whether the performance inefficiency exists in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle based at least in part on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining, by the fleet server, whether the performance inefficiency is based on a faulty part or user operation of the climate control system.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the user operation of the climate control system, transmitting a signal to the at least one vehicle to disable ability of the user to adjust operational settings of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, after a predetermined period of time or after determining that the climate control system of the at least one vehicle has been operating efficiently, transmitting, by the fleet server, an override signal to the at least one vehicle to restore the user's ability to adjust the operational settings.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the faulty part, transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to the at least one vehicle alerting the user of the at least one vehicle of the faulty part.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein upon determining that the performance inefficiency is based on the faulty part:
identifying, by the fleet server, the faulty part;
identifying, by the fleet server, at least one preferred service center (i) along a route of the at least one vehicle, and (ii) that can fix the identified faulty part;
transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to a user of the at least one vehicle, notifying the user of the at least one preferred service center.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
checking, by the fleet server, inventory for availability of the faulty part;
checking, by the fleet server, service appointment time availability; and
transmitting, by the fleet server, a notification to the at least one vehicle to alert the user of the at least one vehicle of the available inventory for the faulty part and the available appointment times.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting information, by the fleet server, to a service center of the at least one preferred service center, including a confirmation of an appointment time of the available appointment times.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing aggregated information, in a database coupled to the fleet server, containing parameters relevant to determining the performance inefficiency of the at least one vehicle; and
using the aggregated information stored in the database to predict future faults in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the performance inefficiency exists comprises:
receiving, by the fleet server, at least one reference parameter from at least one similarly situated reference vehicle of the fleet having an efficiently performing climate control system;
comparing, by the fleet server, at least one respective parameter received from the at least one vehicle to the at least one reference parameter received from the at least one similarly situated reference vehicle;
determining based at least in part on the comparison, by the fleet server, whether the performance inefficiency exists in the climate control system of the at least one vehicle.

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining the efficient operational setting that reduces the performance inefficiency of the climate control system of the at least one vehicle of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles comprises:
determining, by the fleet server, a rate of an energy use of at least one of the vehicles of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles based at least in part on at least one energy parameter received from each of the vehicles of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles;
receiving, by the fleet server, at least one HVAC parameter from each of the vehicles of the fleet of separate and distinct road vehicles;
determining, by the fleet server, HVAC conditions of at least one of the vehicles based at least in part on the at leas

Assignees

• Bergstrom Inc
• Bergstrom Inc

Inventors

• Connell Brett Sean
• Sullivan Aaron D

Classifications

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G05D23/1934

  each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means · CPC title

• B60H1/00771 Primary

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

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G05D23/1905

  associated with tele control · CPC title